The following recap contains spoilers for Love & Death Episode 5 (written by David E. Kelley, James Atkinson & John Bloon and directed by Clark Johnson)
Love & Death is two episodes away from concluding the story of Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore. If you don’t know the true story and aren’t sure how it ends, this episode provides the answer if you listen closely.
We begin with Candy (Elizabeth Olsen) whisking the hell out of some eggs. Pat (Patrick Fugit) strolls into the kitchen with his usual look of confusion and questions why she is up so early. Later on, after the chief interrogates Allan some more, they call Candy back into the station for “routine” fingerprinting and additional questions.
Listen, folks, Candy isn’t a stupid woman. I believe she sensed the cops knew about her affair, which is why she nonchalantly admitted to having one with Allan Gore (Jesse Plemons) when asked if she had ever cheated on Pat. After that admission, one cop begins yelling and accusing her of “chopping and chopping and chopping.” The thought of her chopping her friend makes him sick, or so he says, causing him to dramatically exit the room.
Pat and Candy meet with Don, the town injury attorney/her friend. Pat urges Candy to tell Don about her affair, but before she can, Don advises Pat to write him a check so that they can retain his services, therefore invoking attorney-client privilege. Pat steps out. Don informs Candy that there are three people you should never lie to…your pastor, your doctor, and your lawyer. But lie to her lawyer, she does. She claims she didn’t kill Betty.
Over in Kansas, Allan is at a gathering with Betty’s family. The chief calls him and informs him that Candy is their prime suspect. Knowing it’s just a matter of time before the in-laws find out, he decides to break the news himself. He admits to having an affair and that his mistress is likely the murderer. They are ashamed of him. Which, was probably always the case.
After reporters begin showing up at the house, Candy calls Don. He wants to do media prep to move the story in her favor, so she makes a trip to his home. On the drive over, she looks nervous, but the psycho within begins to emerge. Candy’s eyes grow wide and unblinking as she smiles and bobs her head to the music. I want to take a second to praise Elizabeth Olsen and her ability to convey crazy.
Don doesn’t believe Candy killed Betty but believes she knows who did. How could anyone think sweet Candy could do such a thing? He explains that the truth will come out eventually, and he needs to be prepared. Candy admits she Killed Betty. Don isn’t equipt to take on a murder trial and suggests a criminal attorney named Robert. She wants Don. In the end, she gets both.
Both Candy and Allan take polygraphs. Allan’s results come as truthful, so they know for sure that Candy is lying.
Later Pat asks Candy questions. One being, “What happened to those thongs you used to wear?” At first, I thought we were going to get a kinky Pat, but no such luck. Candy questions his sudden curiosity. He says, “Maybe if I had been more curious before, we wouldn’t be in this situation.” Pat is starting to get a mouth on him! And he’s not wrong.
The Arrest
It isn’t long before a warrant for her arrest is issued. Don warns Candy in advance and has her come to his office. They want to have positive control over her surrender. Robert comforts her by telling her it is just an arraignment and she will be in and out in 20 minutes.
This bothered me. I know it’s not unheard of to get bail when arrested for murder, but I think it’s pretty damn rare. Of course, the lawyers would assume Candy would be in and out. Why? She is accused of taking another human being’s life with an ax no less. How could she be deemed safe to live amongst other people? I digress.
It turns out it isn’t just a simple in-and-out arraignment, and the cops arrest Candy once she arrives at the station. On top of that, Dallas County refuses an out-of-county bond—no bail for Candy, at least not that night.
She bonds out eventually. Don advises her that she needs to lose weight and become as tiny as possible so that the jury couldn’t possibly believe she could overtake Betty. And he wants her to meet with a psychiatrist.
Now, I know I may come off sounding like a Candy hater, and that’s because I am–partly. A small part of me admires her hutzpah (and she’s got a ton of it). I don’t think there is a situation or person that Candy can’t manipulate, which is what I believe she did with the psychiatrist.
At his office, he is preparing to perform hypnosis. I don’t have any feelings about hypnosis one way or the other. I believe everyone’s mind works differently, and hypnosis could possibly work on some and not others. Being that Candy is a bright lady, my spidey senses tell me she faked going under. I mean, it’s what I would do if I were in her situation.
As he puts her under, he reminds her she has complete control. I feel that is very telling because if we take that literally, she does have complete control of him and what she is about to say. He asks how she feels, and she begins angrily repeating, “I hate her! She ruined my life.”
No, Candy, you literally ruined hers.
Then like your typical psychiatrist, he brings it back to her childhood. I feel like at this point, he is prompting her on what to say, even if it’s not his intention. He asks her if she’s ever been this mad before? Maybe when she was little?
She uses this opportunity to bring up a childhood memory that will later play a role in her trial. A flashback appears, and Candy is being yelled at by her mom as she lies on a stretcher with a bloody face. The doctor says Candy isn’t a sociopath and that she just snapped. Candy seems relieved.
Some Foreshadowing
Pat is still in the dark, which is where he usually is. Don calls him and is ready for him to hear the truth, but he needs to keep quiet and not let Candy know. As he explains it all to Pat, Candy sits at the table with her children. They ask her what’s going to happen, and she explains that there will be a trial, they will present evidence, and the jury will find her not guilty. Simultaneously, Pat’s face is drained of life as he hears about his wife chopping and chopping and chopping Betty. Roll credits.
The confidence in Candy’s words was a sign to me that she knows she will undoubtedly play a jury. As far as she can tell, she has the psychiatrist fooled. Her husband is a ball of putty she can mold to her liking, and her church will back her. There’s also the fact that most of the town has admitted to not liking Betty (maybe Candy did them a favor). Remember, Candy is in complete control. Again, this is my theory anyway. I think Candy was too smart to let herself fall into hypnosis. I can totally see her researching psychiatry and prepping herself for the appointment.
I suppose we will see next week when her trial begins.