Episode six honestly feels like the type of episode used when a show wishes to be considered for accolades. It hits you hard, not enough to make you cry, but enough to make your jaw drop a little bit. For while Betty's lesbian storyline, as well as Bill, Libby, and Virginia's story dealing with Black people, remains a bit uncomfortable, the show continues to make it work. Though if the writers top this episode then I may need to start tracking their careers and not just the actors.
Topic 1: Life is Unfair – Libby and Betty
Libby's jealousy over Coral's relationship with Robert hits an all-time high. For while Bill maybe opening up to her and talking about his work and the study, he still isn't cute and gentlemanly as Robert. And you can see a growing envy in Libby which makes it hard to justify her actions by saying it is because she is a new mom. If just because it is clear that between her envy and prejudice, she wants to make sure Coral doesn't know what happiness is if she can't have what Coral seems to have.
Seems is a key word though. Coral has actually been, all this time, possibly just messing with Libby in order to get back at her for the way she has been treated. Which I say because Robert reveals, after Libby goes to Coral's house unannounced, that he and Coral are half-siblings. Something which leads to Libby's embarrassment reaching a point where she immediately fires Coral. Though she leaves the situation after having a rather weird moment with Robert.
That isn't the only weird moment though. Betty and Helen end up having sex and Betty seems ready to try to make Helen her mistress. Thing is, Helen isn't down for this and would rather get a life like Betty than be someone's mistress. Something which really upsets Betty since that moment in bed with Helen is probably the first time she had all she wanted. But, being that Betty's life is on shaky ground, and Al reveals Betty's kiss with Helen to Gene, it seems that happy moment with Helen maybe one of her last for a while.
Topic 2: Friends to the End – Dr. DePaul and Virginia
With Dr. DePaul learning her cancer treatments can only prolong the inevitable, and not in terms of providing her a cure, she is done with her cancer treatments. And with this Virginia is ready to try to help Dr. DePaul get her moxy back to fight, but with Dr. DePaul knowing she will just degrade further and further if she continues this Pyrrhic battle, she can't be convinced. Then, on top of that, it almost makes it seem like with her ending her fight she is sort of releasing Virginia from any guilt of leaving her for Bill.
Leading us to learn that while Virginia and Lillian have been at odds, and it has been hard to say how Virginia truly did see Lillian, with Lillian giving up Virginia breaks down to Bill. A strange choice since the man she met after Bill's father conversation she has been dating for months. That tidbit aside, Virginia recognizes that in her life she has few friends, and the one who somehow, despite being boring and stern, has found her way in, has now given herself a death sentence.
And while you'd think this confession would lead to Virginia's resolve getting stronger, instead she slowly accepts Lillian is done. She decides to take on whatever role Lillian needs. Be it a nurse, someone to handle her mail, or just a girlfriend to chat with. Leading to a truly sweet moment in which Lillian talks about her experiences with love, or lack thereof, and us getting to see Lillian be vulnerable and Virginia be vulnerable with her, even when the topic of Bill loving her is brought up. The moment ends up bittersweet though for, like Betty, I think she realized she had it all during that night with Virginia and rather than let herself fall down violently, or slowly, from that peak, she decides to commit suicide. Something which Virginia seems ready to stop, but instead realizes she can't fight for Lillian like she did with the study and cancer, she can only let her know that both in life, and within the reach of death, she isn't alone.
Topic 3: The End to a Legacy – Dr. Masters
With Dr. Charles Hendrix against Bill using Negroes due to the history of white doctors testing on Negroes, Bill is forced into a quick history lesson on how his study could affect the perceptions of Black people. Something he isn't at all comfortable with, especially when a reporter named Morgan Hogue (Renee Elise Goldsberry) decides to not only research and do an article on the sex study, but also Dr. Masters himself. For with him wanting his work to be the focus, her talking about his childhood, his past tenures, and making him out to be someone relatable to the Black community makes him uncomfortable enough to the point of compromising his work.
How so? Well, he threatens to reinforce the Mandingo and Jezebel stereotype just to try to force Ms. Hogue's paper to not put a story on him. Something which he sees through and gets fired for. But Dr. Hendrix has faith he will rise once more. Whether or not he will thankfully we won't have to wait a year to see.
Topic 1: Life is Unfair – Libby and Betty
Libby's jealousy over Coral's relationship with Robert hits an all-time high. For while Bill maybe opening up to her and talking about his work and the study, he still isn't cute and gentlemanly as Robert. And you can see a growing envy in Libby which makes it hard to justify her actions by saying it is because she is a new mom. If just because it is clear that between her envy and prejudice, she wants to make sure Coral doesn't know what happiness is if she can't have what Coral seems to have.
Seems is a key word though. Coral has actually been, all this time, possibly just messing with Libby in order to get back at her for the way she has been treated. Which I say because Robert reveals, after Libby goes to Coral's house unannounced, that he and Coral are half-siblings. Something which leads to Libby's embarrassment reaching a point where she immediately fires Coral. Though she leaves the situation after having a rather weird moment with Robert.
That isn't the only weird moment though. Betty and Helen end up having sex and Betty seems ready to try to make Helen her mistress. Thing is, Helen isn't down for this and would rather get a life like Betty than be someone's mistress. Something which really upsets Betty since that moment in bed with Helen is probably the first time she had all she wanted. But, being that Betty's life is on shaky ground, and Al reveals Betty's kiss with Helen to Gene, it seems that happy moment with Helen maybe one of her last for a while.
Topic 2: Friends to the End – Dr. DePaul and Virginia
With Dr. DePaul learning her cancer treatments can only prolong the inevitable, and not in terms of providing her a cure, she is done with her cancer treatments. And with this Virginia is ready to try to help Dr. DePaul get her moxy back to fight, but with Dr. DePaul knowing she will just degrade further and further if she continues this Pyrrhic battle, she can't be convinced. Then, on top of that, it almost makes it seem like with her ending her fight she is sort of releasing Virginia from any guilt of leaving her for Bill.
Leading us to learn that while Virginia and Lillian have been at odds, and it has been hard to say how Virginia truly did see Lillian, with Lillian giving up Virginia breaks down to Bill. A strange choice since the man she met after Bill's father conversation she has been dating for months. That tidbit aside, Virginia recognizes that in her life she has few friends, and the one who somehow, despite being boring and stern, has found her way in, has now given herself a death sentence.
And while you'd think this confession would lead to Virginia's resolve getting stronger, instead she slowly accepts Lillian is done. She decides to take on whatever role Lillian needs. Be it a nurse, someone to handle her mail, or just a girlfriend to chat with. Leading to a truly sweet moment in which Lillian talks about her experiences with love, or lack thereof, and us getting to see Lillian be vulnerable and Virginia be vulnerable with her, even when the topic of Bill loving her is brought up. The moment ends up bittersweet though for, like Betty, I think she realized she had it all during that night with Virginia and rather than let herself fall down violently, or slowly, from that peak, she decides to commit suicide. Something which Virginia seems ready to stop, but instead realizes she can't fight for Lillian like she did with the study and cancer, she can only let her know that both in life, and within the reach of death, she isn't alone.
Topic 3: The End to a Legacy – Dr. Masters
With Dr. Charles Hendrix against Bill using Negroes due to the history of white doctors testing on Negroes, Bill is forced into a quick history lesson on how his study could affect the perceptions of Black people. Something he isn't at all comfortable with, especially when a reporter named Morgan Hogue (Renee Elise Goldsberry) decides to not only research and do an article on the sex study, but also Dr. Masters himself. For with him wanting his work to be the focus, her talking about his childhood, his past tenures, and making him out to be someone relatable to the Black community makes him uncomfortable enough to the point of compromising his work.
How so? Well, he threatens to reinforce the Mandingo and Jezebel stereotype just to try to force Ms. Hogue's paper to not put a story on him. Something which he sees through and gets fired for. But Dr. Hendrix has faith he will rise once more. Whether or not he will thankfully we won't have to wait a year to see.
