Tales of the City: Season 1, Episode 5 “Not Today, Satan” – Recap, Review (with Spoilers)

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Mary Ann makes a discovery about Sam as multiple reconciliations take place – despite past drama.

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Network
Netflix
Director(s)		Stacie Passon
Writer(s)		Thomas Page McBee
Air Date		6/7/2019
Introduced This Episode
Linda	Elena Hurst

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A New Member To The Family: Jake, Linda

Linda, Jake’s sister, is pending birth and is getting on everyone’s nerves. Especially Jake’s since she is coming at his neck about everything. I’m talking him moving back in, for the first time since he was 19, bringing up Margot, and taking his concern as criticism. Yet, when all is said and done, and Linda is trying to have a home birth, Jake is right there to remind his sister she is that one to ask and worry about.

The Next Step: Brian, Wren, Michael, Ben

Michael is looking for a home and lingering in the air is the idea of moving in with Ben. However, with them being only 6 months in, that idea remains just that for it is way too soon for Ben. Same goes for Brian and Wren. Brian is falling hard, and Wren isn’t for it. Especially since, when they are on the verge of an argument, it clicks that he is bringing up the stuff he didn’t get to say to Mary Ann. So, to preserve their friendship, she walks out of the room.

A Troublesome Past & Hopeful Future: Shawna, Anna, Mary Ann, Claire, Sam

Things are very back and forth with Shawna and Mary Ann. They bond over worrying about Anna but Mary Ann becoming a bit much for Shawna repulses her. Yet, in doing so, she pushes Shawna to Claire, and this leads to her finally opening up. Maybe not in sentences and paragraphs, but as Claire talks about the terrible relationship she has with her mother, Shawna confers she knows what a lot of what Claire is going through is like. Also, she notes a sort of emptiness that Mary Ann left.

However, Claire helps Shawna see, despite that emptiness, she has a rather moderate sized community around her. Something she is lowkey jealous of. And maybe between that as well as Mary Ann discovering Sam might be trying to manipulate and kill Anna, the two reconcile. Oh, and Anna being in the hospital.

Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments

• Inka and Eli are moving to New York since Inka got tenure at an unnamed New York university.

Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs

[…] anger [is] the bit of the iceberg that sits above the water. It’s the most obvious part, of course. But it’s never the whole story.
— Anna

I missed you before I ever met you, and now that I know you… all you do is disappoint me.
— Shawna

Commentary

You Telling Me Three Of Sam’s Designated People Die, Months Apart, And He Is Left In Their Will And No Red Flags?

I’m just saying – I get the Rainbow Reading company is likely a non-profit, but none of that seems suspicious to you? Bad enough three people died he was reading to, but his name is in the will, and he is bold enough to reveal this openly? I get they are busy, but that would raise so many red flags for me.

Plus, wasn’t someone else due to see her? Anna that is. So who is to say he wasn’t casing Anna for a long time? Though, even with that said, I’m rather unsure if he is the one blackmailing her.

Highlights

Claire and Shawna

Like Anna, Shawna keeps things close to the chest – especially if it is her business. So to see her crack the door open to her life, even if she was just revealing information we already knew, delivered a touching moment. Also, it led to a sudden interest in Claire, considering what she said she is going through. For now you gotta wonder, where is she living and how is she surviving? That is assuming she didn’t craft her story to appeal to Shawna. After all, taking note of the world Shawna has at her disposal, there could be some envy there.

Yet, considering how Claire had things slow down with Shawna, there is a chance she may really love Shawna. Perhaps even recognized the sex Shawna was pursuing was as empty as that feeling she said she has. So maybe, to make things last, give her, Shawna, something to fill that empty place, she wanted to give what she could of herself.

Jake & Linda Bonding

Jake’s family, in general, are worth raising an eyebrow over. Particularly considering how they are handling his transition which is accepting but far from politically correct. Yet, that whole situation is still bubbling. What redeems Jake, or presents a different side to him at least, is his relationship with Linda. Someone intense, yet you can tell, similar to Margot, when Jake transitioned she felt like she lost someone and is adjusting to this new person in her life. But in that birthing pool, it seems she learned to love who Jake has become and while it wasn’t the kind of moment to bring tears to your eyes, it did represent one of the stronger moments of the season.

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