Summary
Dory’s friends have exciting new lives while she remains trapped underground.
This recap of Search Party season 4, episode 2, “Something Sharp”, contains spoilers. Our spoiler-free season review is here.
How do you move on from something terrible? When you become controlled by guilt and your life becomes public, torn apart by the media, where do you go?
For Drew, the way to move on is to start a new life. Going by Andrew and with a fake South African backstory, he is having the time of his life as a costumed character in a park that is definitely not Disneyland. He seems thrilled; for the first time in his life, he’s making people happy for a living. It helps that he’s apparently moved on from Dory, now with a Princess (actor) who believes Drew to be her “wish come true.”
Elliott, on the other hand, is using his notoriety to his advantage. Now the co-host of “Red State / Blue State,” a show on a channel that is definitely not Fox News. He enjoys playfully fighting with his co-host (Chloe Fineman), but when the network execs tell him that the “blue state” angle isn’t working so well, he acts offended. But this is Elliott Goss, and it doesn’t take much to convince him to switch his beliefs in order to advance up the ladder. It’s a fun subplot that’s in line with the shows’ previous media satire; the point here is that Fox News isn’t about “conservative values,” but ratings and money.
Perhaps because she was less involved in Keith’s death than the others were, or because the gap between her desired success and her actual success is larger than her friends, Portia actually jumps on the chance to relive her past. Crashing an audition for the part of herself for “Savage: The Dory Seif Story,” she asks to be considered for the role (after the production lawyer tells her that they have a strong claim to portraying her in a film).
She misses out on the part but is cast as Dory instead. I’m not sure what this subplot in Search Party season 4, episode 2 has to say other than “wow, they love to sensationalize real events for profit,” but the image of Portia in a room full of lookalikes is worth the price of admission alone.
Dory, however, does not get the chance to move on her own terms. Like a pet, she has become accustomed to her routine (apple stickers on the door show that she has been trapped for quite some time). She has nightmares about being locked in the car trunk, and her screams are drowned out by Chip blasting “Groove is in the Heart” into her bunker (enhanced interrogation my ass).
When the chicken nugget diet makes her sick, Chip brings her upstairs to shower off. While he goes on a tangent about Princess Di she looks for a way to escape, to no avail.
Despite that slight mercy, he’s as horrible as ever, chastising Dory. “You have put me through the wringer today little girl,” he says like her captivity is her own fault. When she calls him crazy he snaps at her. “Nothing’s wrong with me,” he tells Dory, “I have an extremely high IQ.” Chip is just a spoiled little rich kid (with psychotic tendencies). “I was given too many options growing up” “That’s the pressure of true privilege.” Zoinks, Scoob.
Notes from Search Party season 4, episode 2:
- The episode opens with a flashback to the gang’s graduation. Portia looks forward to life being easier, unaware of what the future holds. Dory is so sweet, complimenting each of her friends: to Drew “people in the business world are going to have to make way for you.” Mhm, how did that turn out?
- Chip when going taking Dory upstairs; “nothing to see here, just a bunch of barbed wire. Snakes, lots of snakes.”
- Speaking of Chip, he appears in drag, saying that the house is his aunt’s. Cole Escola pulls Chip off so well, but it’s a little concerning given the damaging stereotype that’s prevalent a lot in the “psychotic killer” genre.
