Summary
“Family” is a fascinating installment of The Crowded Room, as Danny’s trial gets underway. Emmy Rossum delivers a standout performance as Danny’s mother, while that horrifying ending makes for a painful yet powerful conclusion.
We recap the Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room Season 1 Episode 9, “Family,” which contains spoilers.
The penultimate episode of The Crowded Room, titled “Family,” focuses on Danny’s (Tom Holland) trial. The evidence is laid out, and then witnesses are questioned.
The prosecution seems to be winning over the jury early on, though. The defense needs Danny’s mother to testify to give them a fighting chance. But she has her own demons to battle with first.
The Crowded Room Season 1 Episode 9 Recap
As the episode’s title suggests, this chapter is all about family, specifically Candy (Emmy Rossum), Danny’s mother. She has completely abandoned her son and is currently facing emotional abuse from her husband, Marlin, back at home.
Why won’t Candy testify?
Danny’s lawyer Stan continually phones Candy, desperate to talk with her, but she won’t answer his calls. Candy fears the repercussions of going against her husband so much so that she won’t stick up for her own son and refuses to testify.
Meanwhile, Danny is suited and ready for the first day of the trial. He faces the paparazzi as he enters the courtroom, looking frighteningly overwhelmed by the whole experience.
The trial begins with the prosecution. Assistant District Attorney Patricia Richards (Carmen Ejogo) makes her opening statement.
She talks about the evidence. Danny fired his weapon six times and injured three people. Those are the facts. Patricia then says how the defense will use a made-up, unproven condition as their main excuse.
If the jury finds Danny innocent, then anyone can use this argument in the future.
What is Stan’s opening statement?
Stan retaliates with his own opening statement. The lawyer says that Danny is innocent and the condition is real. He asks that the jury keep an open mind and listen to the experts and witnesses carefully. Stan wants Danny to get the professional help that he deserves, stating that he was abused as a child, which led to this condition. Danny needs to go to the hospital for treatment.
After the statements, Stan urges Rya to get Candy to testify. She is the only person who can prove Danny’s childhood trauma, which in turn proves his condition.
Rya needs to convince the mother to take the stand. Although Candy refuses to even talk to Rya at first.
Stepfather Marlin is the first to be questioned. He lies to the jury, saying that he loves Danny and only ever wants to protect him. Marlin mentions all of Danny’s previous crimes, though, helping the prosecution immensely.
That night, Danny phones Candy and apologizes for all that he has done. This motivates Candy to appear in court the next day.
She watches as Angelo and Annabelle are questioned. They discuss Danny’s violent past. Jerome is then interrogated, although he doesn’t help prove Danny’s innocence either.
Next, Rya takes the stand. She says that Danny’s condition is real and it is impossible to fake.
Rya mentions childhood trauma being the catalyst for the condition and explains how the multiple personalities, known as alters, become a defense mechanism to deal with the pain.
How does Rya’s questioning go?
Rya is then questioned by Patricia. The prosecution zones in on Rya’s motives and how she will benefit from the trial. This makes Rya look selfish and conniving. Again, the questioning goes in the prosecution’s favor. Rya can’t even prove that Danny was sexually abused. After the questioning, Rya breaks down.
The questioning upsets Candy, who feels like Rya is using her son. She confronts Rya afterward. Rya uses this opportunity to convince Candy to testify. She understands the abuse Candy is undergoing and uses that to persuade the mother to talk.
Candy packs her bags to leave and bravely makes her way to the courthouse the next day, but Marlin follows her there.
He speaks in private with her before the trial reconvenes. Marlin manages to manipulate Candy, scaring her by listing all of the things she stands to lose if she confesses and tells the world of Marlin’s abuse.
The Crowded Room Season 1 Episode 9 Ending Explained
Does Danny’s mother testify?
Marlin’s little pep talk does the trick. Candy testifies and is questioned in court, but she denies the accusations that Danny was ever sexually abused. Stan asks the question again, highlighting the fact that Candy is under oath, but she says no once again. This is easily the most damning moment in the trial so far.
The episode ends with Danny returning to Rikers Island. He is heartbroken that his own mother would not defend him, choosing to deny that he was sexually abused as a child.
This devastating blow is the final straw for Danny. He takes out the paper clip that he stole earlier and starts to self-harm, cutting both of his wrists in his prison cell.
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