Finding Carter: Season 1/ Episode 4 “Now You See Me” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

As Carter grows adjusted to her new household, it seems the only thing from her old life which she sees in her future might be Max.

Review (with Spoilers)

Max and Bird play the largest roles in the episode as we get to know Bird’s background a bit more, and Max continues to try to open Carter’s eyes to how good her life is. Though, alongside Max’s focus on Carter, is the teasing that something could happen between him and Taylor. But, as that relationship begins to show signs of growth, Elizabeth and David’s shows signs of continued decay. More on that below.

Topic 1: Bird’s Eye View – Bird & Carter

Up until this episode, all we knew of Bird was that she was Ofe’s possible crush and that her parents were away a lot. In this episode though, we get a slight expansion on her character through learning she is an artist. One which hasn’t painted in over a year due to an incident which you can assume was her being assaulted. Leading to the topic of her first painting in a year which shows Carter looking like a zombie with a half-melted face in the woods. Something Carter doesn’t find that appealing and leads to them fighting until Bird explains herself. You see, be it because she has survived being kidnapped, has adapted so quickly, or maybe just because she admires her tenacity, Bird decided to use Carter as her muse to help her deal with her assault, and once she fully explains things they are back to being friends.

Topic 2: A Rocky Partnership – Elizabeth & David

With us learning early on that Elizabeth was having an affair, questions of why came to mind. The major reason seems to be money, but there also seems to be an issue of how David wants to parent, how he talks to her, and honestly at this point I’m wondering if David may have been the reason Carter was able to get kidnapped. After all, the way Elizabeth makes their life seem, and David too to a point, Elizabeth has been working as a cop forever while David has perhaps always pursued writing. Likely meaning the day Carter was kidnapped, he was supposed to be watching her and due to negligence she exited their life for 13 some odd years.

In this episode though it really gets bad for with David still trying to be the cool dad, he ends up buying the girls a used car with money him and Elizabeth don’t have. Forcing Elizabeth to call her parents since with David’s decision the possibility of paying the mortgage and car isn’t possible. And I think this whole situation maybe the final straw for her since it seems she is ready to jump back in bed with Kyle again, if not be on the path to file divorce. For as much as you can see she wanted to present a united family for Carter, the cracks in the foundation are obvious and I think she is tired of presenting a façade.

I must say though, between the marital issues and them struggling financially, I like that both issues are playing a role in the show for I don’t think, especially the money part, these issues aren’t really dealt with enough on TV.

Topic 3: I’ll Be There For You – Max & Carter

As noted in the last episode, Max’s place in the household is sort of uneasy. For as much as he enjoys being around Carter, Grant, and Taylor, at the same time there is a need for him to do something with his life, if not just contribute to the household in some way. So he tries to do the laundry, but with him messing that up, and Elizabeth a bit upset, he decides perhaps it would be better for him to just leave. Something he only really does for a day or so because his life at home still seems rather bleak. For, first off, his school is the polar opposite of Carter’s and seems unsafe; then when it comes to his household, his parents seem to not give a damn. Leading to him ultimately coming back, but with a job and him figuring out him helping Taylor with cooking can be how he helps around the house.

And with him leaving and coming back, he once again tries to beat it into Carter’s head how good she has it for, at the moment, the only person who seems to have his back is her and her family. Yet, Carter seems to still not fully appreciate everything in his eyes. For with her quickly gaining a slew of friends; a family which has put up with a lot of her baggage, including him; and then her being offered a car to share, really she has a great life. To the point that he does speak in a manner where he sort of wonders his place in the scheme of things, but from what I can tell she plans to be friends with Max for life. For as spacey as he can be, it is well documented that he is a guy with good intentions and truly someone worth keeping around.

Collected Quote(s)

“Sometimes I’m so used to speaking my mind, I forget I’m supposed to be polite.”
— “Now You See Me.” Finding Carter

Things To Note

To add details to the Bird situation: From what we can tell her parents leave her on her own for extended periods of time and leave her hundreds of dollars to make sure she is kept fed. And, from what I can tell, her house is usually empty. So when Carter invites her over for dinner, you can see an almost similarity to Max and her for a moment since neither gets what they need at home, but Carter gives them access to what they need. Something which Bird may abuse in the future.

As much as Taylor thinks she isn’t noticed, it seems Bird has noticed her and Max’s relationship. And for a little bit you are unsure if Bird may, or may not, pursue Max since she finds him attractive and it is hard to say if she would just let Taylor have him.

We see Elizabeth’s parents in the episode and learn the mother has no love for David. Probably because he doesn’t contribute much to the household so it forces Elizabeth to still rely on them for money, and considering Elizabeth’s parents go to a country club to chill, it is probably safe to assume they are loaded. Even to the point of helping the girls (Carter and Taylor) get a car.

Elizabeth tells Kyle she is getting a divorce and it is over between her and David. If just because she feels less like his wife and more like his accountant and Kyle at least has a salary, seems to know how to raise a kid, and can take away a lot of her anxiety and depression with the way he handles her passions and desires.

David is on chapter 6 of “Finding Carter.”

Max, on his way home, runs into Lori who has been in hiding as she tries to create new identities for herself and Carter. In fact she thinks within two weeks she will be able to get Carter back, though with Carter asking “who?” when Max mentions Lori’s name, it seems the ties which bonded them are breaking.