Summary
This series does not get any more comfortable to watch, and that’s the point. Them season 1, episode 4 looks into the social engineering of these communities in 60s America as our leading characters are becoming engrossed in the community’s evil.
This recap of Amazon’s Them season 1, episode 4, “DAY 6”, contains spoilers.
This psychological but socially commentated thriller is escalating with each chapter, making the viewer wonder what the state of play will be by “DAY 10”.
Episode 4 opens up with Henry leaving his house, and a collection of black dolls have been left in his garden. Some are hung. “N****r Heaven” is scorched on the grass — this is a horrific racist experience — it’s “DAY 6”. He urgently walks back inside the house and stops his children from leaving. Lucky can see the dolls hung from the window, and she’s angry again. Henry tells his children to walk straight to the car and not pay attention to what they see. He tells his wife not to give the neighbours the satisfaction — he manages to calm her down.
As Henry drives off to work, Betty and Lucky’s eyes meet as they inhale their cigarettes. Betty tells Lucky that she isn’t wanted here. Lucky makes the point that Betty doesn’t have children. Betty warns that it isn’t going to get better. These two women hate each other — you can feel it burning through the screen.
George hints that he will “take care of it”
George tells Betty that he stayed up all night thinking about her speech. He clearly admires her. He then tells her that it takes a certain type of man to do certain types of things. Betty tells George that she wishes she could have a day off where she didn’t have to make a single decision, and someone would take care of all this. They are talking in code at this point — Betty wants George to do something unforgivable to get rid of the family.
Getting close to her new friend
Ruby keeps hanging with her new friend Doris at school. They seem to get getting closer. The girl tells Ruby that she’s the prettiest “coloured girl” she’s ever seen. Suddenly, the black caretaker finds Ruby on her own in the cleaning cupboard. It looks like she was on her own, and she is imagining Doris.
A reference
As usual, the series takes a strange turn as Them season 1, episode 4 sees Lucky doing her own research — the character is tired of the abuse — she’s angry, and her past riddles her brain as the present torments it.
Lucky visits her estate agent — the agent tells Lucky that she’s not alone regarding negro families having resistance in these areas. When Lucky walks off, the estate agent rings the police.
Lucky meets Mrs Johnson about her experiences in the area. She asks where her children are. Suddenly, Mrs Johnson’s husband appears with bloody chopped off legs. When Lucky enters the kitchen, there is blood everywhere. In terror, Lucky flees the house.
Work incentive
Although this is set in the 60s, I have to say, I’ve experienced this strange tension at work in my early 20s, and it’s extremely uncomfortable.
At Henry’s work event, colleagues are celebrating getting the Pentagon contract. All engineers will be getting a percentage of the profits. Suddenly, on stage, a man wearing a “black face” leads the band. Henry’s manager wants Henry to leave, but he decides to stay and introduce himself to the director. He tries his best to mingle and to not feel out of place due to the colour of his skin.
Help from the family
Betty meets her parents. Her father asks Betty why she has come back. Betty is trying to find a way to move away from the community and asks for help. She wants to live closer to them. The mother is displeased because Betty hasn’t visited in a while, but her father wants her back. There’s an eeriness that can be felt. Betty wants them to write a cheque without the promise of staying over, but they will not let her. She doesn’t look comfortable in her parents home. When Betty returns home, Clarke apologises for not being at the meeting, but Betty explains that she wanted him to want to be there.
The ending
When Henry returns home, Lucky brings him to Mrs Johnson’s home. However, when she enters the house, everything is normal. It isn’t what she first experienced. Henry and Lucky return home, and they read their children a bedtime story. When the children go to bed, Lucky gets intimate with her husband. As they are about to have sex, the music gets noticeably aggressive.
This series does not get any more comfortable to watch, and that’s the point. Them season 1, episode 4 looks into the social engineering of these communities in 60s America as our leading characters are becoming engrossed in the community’s evil.