Summary
The gloves are off in Servant — Leanne is enjoying her new reality while Dorothy suffers.
This recap of the Apple TV+ series Servant season 3, episode 9, “Commitment,” contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
Like in previous seasons, Dorothy is the outlier character in the story. The one who everyone is trying to protect from the truth and the past. But now, in season 3, Dorothy is being protected from a higher truth. A reality that Leanne molds around the family and one that Dorothy cannot fully see.
Servant season 3, episode 9 recap
Episode 9 begins with the aftermath of the death of Isabelle in the news. There’s silence and shock in the Turner household, but Dorothy turns he attention to Leanne — she’s horrified that she looks pleased. Leanne explains that Isabelle was going to hurt her, so she wanted to help. Leanne looks confused, wondering why Dorothy does not understand the situation.
With tensions high, Leanne demands sex with Julian, and she quickly gets on top of him. Unfortunately for Julian, there’s a camera on them, and Dorothy watches. Episode 9 shows that Dorothy is intensely suspicious of Leanne, and even though she’s off the mark to “why,” she’s closer to the truth than ever before.
The following day, Sean wants to talk with Dorothy to slow things down; he’s worried about their marriage and wants things to be right. He offers to hold Jericho for her, but she refuses. When Dorothy eats cereal, she spits it out. There are maggots in the bowl.
While Leanne is out for a run, Dorothy continues her pursuit of truth, snooping in Leanne’s room, looking at her disturbing drawings and Bible. Later on, Dorothy asks Leanne about the prominent scars on her back. She claims she wants to understand her better. Leanne tells Dorothy not to worry because she doesn’t follow “their” rules anymore, clearly referring to the Cult. This is a Leanne that transforms with each episode.
In the middle of the night, Dorothy rings her father — when he answers, he states he’s tried to ring her all night. Dorothy hears banging noises in the night, so she attempts to investigate as she asks her father about an update regarding the mental institute. She wants to commit Leanne and calls her clinically insane.
The next day, Dorothy changes tact. She asks Leanne if she wants to go to therapy to delve deep into her childhood. She then suggests that they can go to therapy together to understand each other better. Leanne agrees.
And so, the following day, doctor Dale Mackenzie (a friend of Dorothy’s father) visits the house to assess them. Dorothy reveals that Mackenzie wants to talk to them individually. She’s clearly trying to trick Leanne. Julian learns about the assessment and tells Dorothy that she’s making a mistake. After the assessment with Leanne, Mackenzie sits with Dorothy privately and asks for more of a background. Dorothy holds Jericho tightly and expresses her fear — she has no idea what Leanne will do next and states she has manipulated Sean and Julian. Meanwhile, Julian apologizes to Leanne for the assessment, but then one of the homeless people arrives and tells Leanne that one of their members is missing.
The ending
As we approach the end of the series, it seems Dorothy needs to act smarter if she ever wants to take on Leanne. Her father comes over and expresses his concern for her. The doctor reveals he has a concern about Dorothy’s wellbeing. Sean returns, and he’s confused, but the doctor tries to explain the situation, stating that Dorothy is mentally unwell. The father firmly suggests he will go to court to get his daughter committed if she doesn’t commit herself voluntarily. Dorothy is overwhelmed by the turn of events.
But that’s when Leanne comes in; she defends Dorothy, but there’s a creepy undertone about the whole ordeal. She tells the doctor that Dorothy can be taken care of at home and that she has no problem of letting her hold Jericho. Leanne takes Jericho off Dorothy. Dorothy had no choice in this situation.
The family agrees to help Dorothy at home, and the doctor agrees on the next steps before prescribing Dorothy some drugs. The episode ends with Dorothy distraught and almost disassociative in the bathroom as she listens to Leanne singing to Jericho.
The gloves are off in Servant — Leanne is enjoying her new reality while Dorothy suffers.
Additional notes
- Dorothy tells Julian to stop sleeping with Leanne. Julian tells Dorothy to make peace with Leanne.
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