Summary
I’ve waited a long time for Zoe’s episode, as I previously thought she’d be the killer. This episode disproved my theory, and the use of animation keeps it fresh and fun!
This recap of the Apple TV+ series The Afterparty season 1, episode 6, “Zoe”, contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
The Afterparty season 1, episode 6 recap
As she said in the last episode, Zoe has a confession. As she details her past, The Afterparty goes animated. Zoe tells Detective Danner that she used to be fun, and Detective Danner watches Zoe’s weird internal conflict performance. Flashing back to before the reunion, Zoe has a list of things that she needs to do. Whilst Zoe finds Aniq adorable, “Fun Zoe” doesn’t. As the reunion is underway, Zoe finds that everyone gives her “sad puppy dog eyes” due to her divorce.
So, to liven things up, both versions of Zoe take to karaoke, and whilst Xavier catches the eye of Fun Zoe, actual Zoe still views him as the same weirdo he was in high school. Just as Aniq impresses actual Zoe, Brett’s slideshow ruins the mood. Which, as the other episodes have shown, leads Zoe and Aniq to the teacher’s lounge.
After Chelsea annoys Zoe, “Tiny Rage Zoe” unleashes, and then Zoe and Aniq do drugs, and “Stoner Zoe” emerges. With Fun Zoe finally impressed, she allows Aniq to kill her. But that’s when Maggie appears and so “Mama Bear Zoe” jumps out with a mission to find Brett. In the penthouse, Yasper and Aniq listen to the interview with their phone. Although, in a bid to find a charger before the phone loses battery, they accidentally lock themselves in a panic room. It blocks the call, but Aniq and Yaper learn that there are CCTV cameras.
Back to Zoe’s recollection of the night that Xavier died, and after Xavier asks Zoe to do the artwork of his album cover, it freaks out Fun Zoe. It turns even worse, as once in the bedroom, Xavier reveals he doesn’t want her to do the artwork. It was just a lie to get her into bed. When Xavier tries to kiss Zoe, Brett stops it from going further. And despite her anger, Zoe stops Tiny Rage Zoe from causing havoc.
Yasper and Aniq leave the panic room, just as Detective Culp stands outside. Clearly, Detective Culp is now suspicious of the pair more than ever before. And he soon realises what they’re up to. He interrupts the questioning and tells Detective Danner that Aniq is listening. But Detective Danner doesn’t listen. So, in return, Detective Culp calls their superior.
The ending
Back to the night of the murder, and as Aniq passes out, Fun Zoe goes back to her cage. And Zoe decides to use all of her personas to have fun. In the moments before Xavier falls to his death, Zoe and Chelsea have a heart to heart and move on from their past issues. And so it seems that Zoe didn’t kill Xavier. Although, she does confess that she wanted to stab Brett 137 times.
With the murder investigation still in full swing, Zoe says “tell the story a certain way, and any one of us could have done this. But tell the story in a different way, and none of us did this”. Is this a major clue? In the closing moment of episode six, Detective Culp shuts Detective Danner down on the captain’s orders!
What did you think of the Apple TV+ series The Afterparty season 1, episode 6? Comment below.
