
This week in Sharp Objects we saw the event that was only mentioned in passing in the book, here expanded to the entire episode. And what a fantastic idea that was. Calhoun Day, Adora's pride and joy, provided a riveting look into the inhabitants of the town and the biggest dose of humor in the show yet.But there was so much heartbreak too.
The entire town is on the edge because Camille just published her article, writing that police believes the victims knew their killer. Everyone assumes it's either Bob Nash, the father of murdered Ann or John Keene, the brother of Natalie. Camille's boss calls her and wants her to write more but the second Camille tells him how hard it is for her to be back in Wind Gap he tells her that if she wants to come back she should. I am so grateful for that kind character being in the show. He is the most decent person there and it's such a silver lining that there is someone in Camille's life who genuinely cares about her. Camille's demons are probably never going to be defeated but Frank insists on telling her she is doing amazing job and he is proud of her in every conversation they have, which is something we know her own mother never said to her.

Camille comes out, full view of her scars. Both Amma and Adora are stunned but Amma is also visibly saddened being hit with the representation of her sister's suffering (Eliza Scanlen's acting is really wonderful in the show). Camille throws the dress in Adora's face. Adora seems shocked by the extent of Camille's self harm and Camille remarks that Adora wasn't there "at the end". Adora doesn't acknowledge the fact that Camille no longer cuts herself and instead of offering some sort of support and saying that Camille overcoming that was an accomplishment, Adora says it doesn't matter now because she is "ruined". Considering that one can imagine Camille's cutting is also amplified by her getting raped, in an subconscious effort to make herself less "beautiful" and appealing to men, it's a particularly evil and heinous thing to say.

Back in the house, Camille decides to leave and packs things up. Her and Amma share a sweet moment when sympathetic Amma comes over to talk to her and offers Camille a long sleeved dress. I think because of Amma Camille is having her first positive experiences in this house ever since Marian died. We get to see the flashback of young Camile, Marian and younger Adora before the photoshoot. Adora is concerned with appearances and scolds Camille for walking into the room with her shoes covered in mud. We then see present time with the framed article, Adora and Marian there, but no Camille.

And then there's Amma, pretending to be showing her friends her dollhouse, when they were in the house to take ecstasy. The drugs take effect in stunningly directed sequence where Amma is playing the part of a woman who refused to give up the soldiers' whereabouts and was violently raped and burnt alive during the war - this is the event that Calhoun Day celebrates, which says it all, really. Amma begins to experience the bliss of drugs but she still wants the approval of her mother - Adora, who is watching her daughter re-enact the events, with pride, which is disturbingly comical, considering what those events are - and is jealous of Camille and Richard striking a genuine bond and Richard stealing Camille's attention from Amma.

Camille brings Amma home and Adora immediately takes care of her daughter, babying her. Then Adora invites Camille over for a drink at veranda. She talks of Richard, telling her that he will find out about her when they get close and Camille tells her she won't get close. Adora says she wants to apologize for that. Adora made several references to Camille's father in this episode, saying he was cruel and cold (we know very little about Camille's father both in the book and so far in the show, Camille's disturbed state is only made worse by the fact she doesn't really know where she comes from). When Adora tells Camille that she apologizes, and when you think maybe Adora, thankful for Camille bringing back Amma is going to say something nice to Camille, it turns out that what she is apologizing for is never loving Camille.

Also I need to give the shout to out to the brilliant Elizabeth Perkins who plays Jackie, the sassiest person in Wind Gap. I have a feeling Jackie's role is going to be expanded in the show and considering how the show adds to the book and how gossipy her character is perhaps it is through her that we will find out the truth about Camille's dad. Also she remarked that the Preaker girls love a man with the badge - so perhaps Adora really is having the affair with Vickery, as some viewers suspected after last week's episode.

1x06 "Cherry - Adora (Patricia Clarkson) provides Chief Vickery (Matt Craven) with a key piece of evidence in the Ann Nash murder case. Richard (Chris Messina) probes for details about Camille’s dark past. John’s (Taylor John Smith) girlfriend, Ashley (Madison Davenport), looks to make news for herself. Amma (Eliza Scanlen) bonds with Camille (Amy Adams) during and after a wild party. Written by Dawn Kamoche & Ariella Blejer; directed by Jean-Marc Vallée.
This show really has me hooked way more than the book. I keep trying to find an MVP of the show, and honestly all the female leads are just tremendous. I won't be spoilery (since other people here haven't read the book), but Camille's realizations just come so abruptly and things happen so quickly...I like the slow-paced tone of the show.
ReplyDeleteI just finished the re-read of the book yesterday and it's insane how well they embelished things in the series. And Clarkson was just such a fantastic choice for Adora
DeleteThe acting is wonderful in this. Adora is so despicable, especially in last night's episode. I loved her over the top screaming over Amma though.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course I loved modesty shadow. lol
MODESTY SHADOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteNot much modesty in touching one's junk on TV :)
DeleteI can't put down into words how much I love this show. Seriously, this keeps getting better and better!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you love it this much! You should check out season 1 of True Detective if you haven’t yet, it has similiar atmosphere
DeleteI still have no idea why anyone would ever, ever celebrate Calhoun Day....and it really does seem in poor taste considering what the Hell is going on in this town. That play was beyond bonkers and the fact that it's being performed in front of a couple hundred drunken a-holes somehow makes it worse. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of skin-crawling, has there ever been a worse apology in the history of time?
Somehow, I have seen every episode twice (had to catch up m'lady) and am enthralled. Adams is bananas good here, and I am so with you on Perkins. She is the absolute best.
I think saying "I'm sorry" followed by SHOOTING a person is an adorable and kind gesture comparing to this shit
DeleteI remember Perkins being brilliant on Weeds, so nice to see her again! And Im psyched you like the show!
I LOVE Elizabeth Perkins in this show. I've always enjoyed her work, and she knows exactly what she's doing here. So good. And there is something about this girlfriend, Ashley, that I don't like. Too fame hungry. Can't wait to see where this show goes.
ReplyDeleteYeah that chick is terrible, I think there's gonna be as scene with her and Camille in the next episode
DeleteGood recap! I couldn't remember if Calhoun Day was in the book a lot, but it was a great decision to make it its own episode. It was a perfect combination of showing how f-ed up everything is from celebrating the town's violence to Adora's manipulation with Richard, and that porch scene. The dress store part alone packed in so many details between Camille, Adora, and Amma; even Alan falling back into the role of being their chauffeur to the store. Patricia is so sneaky with how overdramatic and vicious Adora is; I had to laugh at that outburst when Amma runs way too; it was wonderfully over-the-top. I love how Curry and Eileen are the real home-away-from-"home" for Camille. Camille can be a lively, sarcastic ray of sunshine on her own (that party costume was perfect) when her past isn't haunting her or her family isn't torturing her; her heart is so big and she has so much fight in her until Adora rips it apart. I. hate. her. so. much.
ReplyDeleteAdora's over the top scene are so hilarious, Patricia is just wonderful here. She is insanely gifted because she can play both such lovely characters like Emma Stone's mother in Easy A and hellish evil like this one or her one-episode guest appearance on Parks and Rec which was just hilarious
Delete