Summary
Andy takes a trip down memory lane in this uneven, penultimate episode.
This recap of Netflix’s Pieces Of Her season 1, episode 7 contains spoilers.
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The series has managed to juggle many different timelines so far and episode seven again involves many moving parts. Through further flashbacks, Laura’s past continues to unfold, with all the scattered pieces we were teased in earlier episodes all now connecting to create a full story. This chapter is steered by two magnificent performances from our female leads, the older version of Laura played by Toni Collette and the younger version, known as Jane, played by a stunning Jessica Barden (The End Of The F***ing World). These portrayals highlight the emotional core of the saga.
Pieces Of Her season 1, episode 7 recap
In Jane’s timeline, the vigilante group, led by Nick, grows weary on the run and finds a safe house in the forest. Her brother Andrew is in critical condition after being shot by the FBI, with Jane desperate to get him the medical attention he requires. Nick is adamant they stay away from the hospital and the couple argues. A nastier side to the anarchist comes to the forefront, as he is violent with a now-pregnant Jane. This is the final push that she needed and the mother-to-be flees with her injured sibling Andrew.
Jane cares for her brother Andrew, who is happy to die for his cause. She struggles to comprehend why he is so eager to die, which perfectly mirrors another scene with Laura and Andy. In that different time period, Laura is being treated for cancer and Andy is the one pleading for her to fight for her life. Laura seems to have given in though. Andy begs her to battle the deadly disease, saying “I need you”. There are some tough moments in this penultimate episode. Laura herself confesses a life filled with lies and 30 years as a prisoner in her own skin, to another cancer patient. Then in the past, Jane tries to reconcile with her damaged daughter.
The ending
As Andy ventures to her childhood home, memories come flooding back to her. She walks the sacred rooms with these visions taking shape. Whilst Jane is given a new identity by a young Charlie (props to the casting team – this is an uncanny match), two friends look after Andy. She spends her time in a scenic forest and is even visited by her father, the fugitive Nick. In an emotionally charged scene, Jane returns to collect Andy ready for their new life at Belle Isle, but the daughter refuses to leave. The depths of this emotional turmoil are only just starting to take effect. These defects are buried deep down, only to resurface years later.
These memories merge with the present day and Andy wakes from a car crash in her childhood home. She wanders downstairs to be met by a stranger. The ragged-haired man reveals himself to be none other than Nick, her father. Another slow episode with a big twist at the end to keep you coming back for more.
Again there are some great moments peppered throughout this long, winding episode, yet the overarching story has killed all that earlier tension. These flashbacks are fascinating to watch, as the dots start to join up, yet the story is weighed down by all this history and the repetitive nature of the action is having a negative effect overall. In other words, the show is suffering from its own complexity. Burdened by a rich history, the modern timeline has become a clichéd thriller that relies on its past for emotional effect. Will the finale be able to even out all these flaws?
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