Summary
Andy and Laura finally face their foe in an uneven finale that ditches the melodramatics just a little too late.
This recap of Netflix’s Pieces Of Her season 1, episode 8 — the ending explained — contains spoilers.
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A final showdown between Laura/Jane and Nick was always on the cards, so it is only fitting that the finale delivers on this confrontation. Nick entices Laura back to the house in the woods by messaging her a video of Andy asleep in her old bed. Laura speeds over with the suitcase full of cash, in an effort to end the whole sorry affair. Andy never seems in any real danger, but this meeting of the tragic lovers is sure to be engrossing.
Pieces Of Her season 1, episode 8 recap – the ending explained
Laura and Nick share a tender moment before they get down to business. Nick swipes the suitcase and they join Andy inside for a little family time. The three-way conversation leads to some much-needed action, as Andy causes a fire and dives for the incriminating tape Nick so desperately desires. This tape exposes both Nick and Jasper and is pure blackmail material for Laura. Nick fires his gun and a tussle ensues. In the chaos, Laura manages to grab the gun and chase her ex into the forest.
This momentous occasion looks like it’s heading in one direction only, although Andy calmly dissuades Laura from killing the fugitive. The feds turn up just in the nick of time and arrest the wanted man. Laura’s face is a mixture of relief and missed opportunity. Marking the halfway point in the finale, everything seems about as wrapped up as it’s ever going to be, what more drama could there be?
We discover that Charlie’s dead and that Michael Vargas has made a full recovery. He drops in on Andy as she struggles to regain some normality back in sunny Belle Isle. The Marshall explains how he was paralyzed by the unknown assailant but was saved thanks to her. Laura’s also struggling to readjust to normal life, she throws out all her clothes and the two have a much-needed catch-up.
Their meandering argument goes back and forth over old ground. Laura is angry that she was denied the chance to kill Nick and is frustrated that Andy ever met him. Andy explains how she needed to know the truth, which Laura doesn’t quite accept. This conversation kind of sums up the whole series. Within all the nitty-gritty drama lies some great points, but it is all lost in the repetition. However, in contrast, the scene that follows is poignant and meaningful. It all makes for an uneven watch.
That powerful scene in question involves Laura buying herself a new piano. She hasn’t played for over thirty years now and sits at the instrument, unsure what will follow. There are tears and a smile of ecstasy as she quickly picks it up. She becomes lost in the music and it’s a real highlight of the episode. These rare, magic moments become forgotten in the drama, weighed down by all the backstory.
The ending
The ending itself is a little anticlimactic as well. Through flashbacks, it becomes apparent that Jane was the one who actually persuaded Grace Juno into assassinating her father (Martin Queller). Jasper finds out about this revelation via a wiretap and contacts Laura to stir the pot. Laura looks all set to go on the run once more, but instead decides to just accept her fate, what will be will be. In the final moments, Laura and Andy stand by the ocean and share a simple moment together.
From the off Pieces Of Her promised a mixture of family drama and high stakes action. The show attempted to keep up this concoction of genres, although it steered more towards the absurd with its espionage antics. Overall, this is a complex and entertaining outing that offers a different slant on a tired genre, with some incredible performances from its female leads. As with a lot of Netflix originals, this could be a massive hit or just get lost in the ether.
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