Summary
There have been many memorable dinner party episodes in Servant’s history, but this may be the most explosive yet. A cleverly sculpted, claustrophobic installment that highlights the show’s knack for building tension.
We recap the Apple TV+ series Servant Season 4 Episode 5, “Neighbors,” which contains spoilers.
Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) have finally made amends and now they want to be rid of their deranged nanny Leanne (Nell Tiger Free) for good. A well-timed letter from the Church of the Lesser Saints may just accelerate their plans and the couple decide to host a neighborhood party to suss out the new cult members on the street, who they now wish to aid. “Neighbors” centers on this calculated cocktail party, which prompts Leanne to fight back in an unsurprisingly destructive fashion.
Servant Season 4 Episode 5 Recap
The episode opens with Dorothy and Sean holding hands, snuggling on the bed together. This couple have been through a lot together, but they are now back on the same team again. This reunion gives Dorothy the motivation to be done with Leanne forever. She asks to be moved into her wheelchair and finally gets a chance to move around her home more freely, no longer a prisoner to her own bed. Dorothy’s first task is to get downstairs using the stair lift. Once at the bottom, she sees an envelope being posted and grabs at it, nearly collapsing in the process.
What does the Church of the Lesser Saints want?
The letter is from the Church of the Lesser Saints. They want the opportunity to take Leanne back, which is a dream come true for the couple. Dorothy shows the letter to Sean and they plan a cocktail party, with the aim of inviting all the new neighbors. They hope that the cult members will show up and claim their prize. The couple acknowledge Leanne’s dangerous tendencies and agree to never let Jericho out of their sights.
Sean and Dorothy tell Julian about the party, and he quickly figures it all out, they want rid of Leanne. He is initially defensive, stating that Leanne belongs with this family, but he soon sides with the Turners. Julian doesn’t quite believe in Leanne’s supernatural powers just yet, but Sean hopes the following days’ events will prove without a question that she is not of this world. Of course, Leanne also realizes the ploy pretty early on and is ever so suspicious of Sean.
Which neighbors are probably cult members?
A montage introduces the new neighbors, as Sean goes from door to door, inviting the guests to the party. It’s a fun little ‘guess who’ style game, where the viewers are analyzing each guest, just like Sean and Dorothy are. The early suspects are a young couple, who seem to be bulk buying for an apocalypse. As usual, there is something undeniably odd about them.
At the party, the many neighbors express their obsession with the famous couple, asking for signatures and selfies with both Dorothy and Sean. An old lady even flirts with poor Sean. They discuss art and religion, with the couple desperately trying to seek out their fellow allies. Leanne has done one better, she’s sent her followers out to ransack the neighbor’s homes, looking for any clues while they are out. They find a piece of art that looks suspiciously cult-like, but we aren’t told which house it is from.
Dorothy spots a scar on the back of one particular guest’s neck. She orchestrates a plan to get this older man and Leanne together. Dorothy shows the man her back garden and then asks Leanne to check the back gate. The older man corners Leanne, informing her that he is a photography professor looking for models, oh that old chestnut. The creep adds that he’s in an open marriage. Dorothy watches this play out and then stops the situation from escalating further. Leanne thanks her, but Dorothy makes it very clear, they are not friends anymore.
How will Leanne defend herself?
The happy couple regroup, realizing that their plans aren’t working. They’ve literally tried everything and can’t really guess who is the cult members and who is not. Maybe they are all part of the Church of the Lesser Saints? As a last-ditch attempt, they decide to cut the power, to see if the cult will show their true selves under the cover of darkness. It works, two strangers grab Leanne and attempt to kidnap her on the doorstep.
Servant Season 4 Episode 5 Ending Explained
Does Leanne have supernatural powers?
Leanne illustrates her ungodly supernatural powers, and the whole house starts to shake. Large cracks appear in the cellar flooring and all over the walls. Chunks of the building collapse on the guests, and the chandelier nearly crushes Sean. Julian dives after Jericho and protects him with his life, now truly fearing Leanne’s abilities. Leanne’s performance has freed her from her enemies, but it has proved her supernatural gifts once and for all. It is pretty hard to deny Leanne’s abilities when faced with this unquestionable evidence, but the creators seem to have an answer for everything.
The party guests step outside to find a massive sinkhole in the middle of their street. Leanne walks over to the edge of this crater and peers in. She looks on with a kind of nervous smile, possibly afraid of her own strength, as well as being impressed. Her followers gather around the sinkhole, staring at her. One follower even falls to their knees, in awe of Leanne and her abilities. If they were in any doubt, now they know her true capabilities. The Turners have chosen the wrong deity to taken on.
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