Please note that episodes are in random order for each viewer for this series. Check out our Correct Order of Episodes for Netflix’s Kaleidoscope.
“Green” is a strange episode in Kaleidoscope. If you start with this episode, you will not get any sense that this was about a grand Heist. I think that’s the beauty of this Netflix series. It will offer each viewer a different experience.
Kaleidoscope Season 1 Episode “Green” Recap
“Green” starts with a narration by Leo – “criminals come in different flavors,” discussing how they see a need and take it. Leo states he was betrayed.
In the prison kitchen, Stan is confronted by a couple of threatening inmates. One of the men accuses Stan of selling his phone minutes before smashing him in the head with a rolling pin. Leo intervenes and tells the inmate that he either kills Stan or walks out, as he doesn’t want to deal with “Stan’s complaints.”
The violent inmates walk out. Leo tries out Stan’s soup, and he’s impressed. In the middle of the night, Leo has a fit and falls out of the top bunk. Leo goes to the prison hospital for a check-up. Leo gets blood work results from a doctor; they suspect his symptoms are likely to be Parkinson’s. Leo’s world has been turned upside down.
Judy visits Stan; they are in a relationship. Judy has been sneaking in drug supplies and SIM cards for Stan to distribute. Judy tells Stan that she can no longer provide SIM cards due to losing a contact. Stan is dismayed; impatient inmates are expecting cards from him.
Leo asks Stan for supplies to try and escape prison. Stan is surprised by his plans, but Leo tells him he owes him and asks Stan to escape with him. Stan highlights how he only has six months left and rejects the plans.
Judy visits with another man to talk about SIM cards. He tries offering drugs instead, but Stan tells him he wants to stick to SIM cards. This man manages to anger Stan, but Judy calms him down. The man tells him he’ll bring in some SIM cards.
Stan can see that he’s at risk of losing Judy, so he tells Leo he’ll join him in his prison break plan. He thinks they need to cause a distraction by using magic mushrooms. They get to work in the prison garden and kitchen. Stan puts a “special ingredient” in the oatmeal.
Stan serves oatmeal to the prisoners while Stan goes to the infirmary to get an IV. The prisoners eat the oatmeal that’s laced with magic mushrooms. Suddenly, everyone starts laughing and acting high. It’s worked. They have their distraction.
Seeing the commotion, Stan cuts himself so he can go to the Infirmary. The medical staff is alerted to the prison cafeteria, so they, along with the guards, have to leave Stan and Leo alone.
It’s chaos in the cafeteria. Leo uses a toothpick to release his cuffs. Stan is hesitant about escaping, but Leo puts pressure on him – “are you in or are you out?”. Stan says, “he’s in,” and uncuffs himself.
Leo copied a key to escape through the backdoor. However, it’s taking a while to jiggle the lock. Guards are nearby, so Stan sacrifices himself by distracting them so Leo can escape.
Leo manages to escape and place himself inside the upholstery of the doctor’s back car seat. Once the doctor parks up, Leo knives himself out of the car. He desperately gasps for air. He has successfully escaped.
Leo meets Ava in the middle of the night. These two clearly have a past. The pair catch up, and Leo tells Ava about his Parkinson’s. Ava offers to help Leo out of the country. Leo wants to see his daughter Hannah first, but Ava thinks it’s a bad idea. Leo does not want to die with his daughter not knowing why he wasn’t in her life.
Ava decides to help Leo find his daughter. Hannah’s last name is now Kim. Ava tells Leo that she’s doing well in her new life. Meanwhile, the doctor of the prisoner is questioned by the police, and he’s irritated that he’s being accused of helping Leo escape.
Ending Explained
Leo finds his daughter outside of her work. She looks shocked to see him, but he asks for a moment to talk. It’s been 17 years since they last saw each other. Leo admires his daughter and how beautiful she has turned out to be. The daughter doesn’t want to talk about her mother and is upset that Leo left her. Leo tells her he wanted to protect her by leaving. They both have differences in opinion, and Hannah walks away and enters her workplace.
Leo watches Hannah walk inside, and he sees a businessman stroke Hannah’s arm, reassuring her. He is angry.
Meanwhile, the FBI interview Ava. She tells them that she helped Leo transfer to another prison because he feared for his life. Ava is dismissive and tells the FBI agents that the interview is over.
Leo meets Ava, and she offers to help him out with the federal agents. Ava senses that Leo is not leaving the country. Leo has a problem with the man Hannah is working with who has recruited her. Leo states that this man (Roger Salas) took everything from him, including her.
Leo leaves a letter for Hannah. Ava gives Leo a license, a passport, and everything he needs for a new life. Ava tells Leo that he needs to be “Leo Pap” from this day onwards.
Hannah reads Leo’s letter. He admits to lying to her from the day she was born, but that she needs to know about the other liars in her life, including Roger Salas, the man who recruited her. He wants Hannah to open up her eyes.
“Green” is vague in context but offers enough story to keep the viewer tuned in.
What did you think of Netflix’s Kaleidoscope Season 1 Episode “Green”? Comment below.
