S01.E05: Pollination

[AnimeMania]

Catherine's attempts to rebuild her marriage take a sexy turn; Brett's love life explodes as Alice struggles to make sense of their relationship; Birdie's friendship with Joel is tested; a loose end is revealed from the night of the murder.

Premiere Date: March 23, 2025     NBC     10pm

Ginger Gonzaga as Cricket

Daniella Alonso as Misty

John Frederick Douglas Stuart as Charlie

[bunnyface]

I don't know.  I admit I haven't watched this episode yet.  I'm kind of in limbo with it. I want to know who they killed.  But not sure I want to know bad enough to keep watching.  I don't mind the back-and-forth timeline so much because I know anything in blue is the future, but where can they go from there?  I didn't watch another show people mention with this construct, so I'm not sure how it would go from here.  I think I would like it better if the beginning of the show was a blue future piece and then the episode give the information that leads up to that moment and explains it.  Maybe that wouldn't work either.  Just tell me who's dead so we can move on.  

[tennisgurl]

I knew that Catherine's husband wouldn't forgive her so easily, but I didn't see the cameras coming. Luckily they're both into some pretty freaky stuff, good for them I guess. 

Brett and Alice's thing is by far the least fun part of the show, they're both annoying every time they start their will they/wont they thing. The show is campy and soapy and mostly fun and then their boring kind of romance kills the mood. 

My favorite thing about the show might be Birdie's outfits. 

[truthaboutluv]

Were these episodes aired out of order?  Because the hell? It's not tension-building and frothy mystery goodness to end an episode on two men angrily fighting and in the later timeline one is being asked about the other and then the next episode, just act like none of that happened. 

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Brett and Alice's thing is by far the least fun part of the show, they're both annoying every time they start their will they/wont they thing.

This so much. The show clearly want us to care so much about these two as a romantic pairing and I kind of really, really don't. The only thing that makes those two perfect for each other is how incredibly annoying and equally bland they both are. 

Birdie and Catherine continue to be the only thing holding this show together. 

[possibilities]

The husband ditches therapy and then says he doesn't know how he can ever trust her again and he has no iItdea how to fix things. Well, asshole, maybe that is what therapy was going to show you? 

It seems like he was always an asshole, and that's part of why she had the affair. In the very first episode, it seemed clear he was awful.

I don't get her off the hook, either. She could have been an adult and tried to address their relationship issues directly, instead of having an affair. But if you want to fix the marriage, you have to both show up and do the work, and not just blame the other person. 

But, I guess if they're happy playing spying games, that's fine with me and probably cheaper than therapy.

--

Brett being so happy in his new relationship surprised me. I thought he was just using her to make Amy jealous, but if he truly is sincerely enjoying his new girlfriend, I'm actually on board for that. He could have told her though, directly: I realized I was not making room in my life for a partner, and I need to do that. You have someone to go home to and I don't and I need to find that for myself. Again, tv seems to think the only way to write a story is to make your characters have the emotional maturity of 5 year olds. I think there are stories to tell that don't use that device, but maybe idiocy sells.

I was on Amy's side more when she was dealing with the terrible student and his horrible mother, and even when she was grieving her dog's murder. But she was annoying in the extreme this week. The lack of self-awareness and the inability to be happy for Brett was a very bad look. And if it's true that the last time she was there for him was 6 years ago, wow. Her husband enjoying Brett's date made me laugh. His lightheartedness when they were getting ready for bed after was some good acting-- his whole affect was different than in any previous scene we've seen him in. So, yeah-- LOL.

I never thought I'd say that Birdie is seeming like the most serious and sensible and sane person on the show, but I guess they are taking turns building up and tearing down the ensemble. I like that she really wants to put the kid first, and I think the step-dad/cop is an asshole for toying with her and having no idea why the kid would suss out the emotional affair-- they are meeting in public for godsake. The mom seems to be awful but at the same time, you kind of wonder what made her that way and maybe it's her husband being a jerk. I hated her for being so sour about the kid knowing about the adoption, but maybe she's been burned before in some way we haven't been shown yet.

Why would Catherine not even try to explain that the bracelet had sentimental value? That inscription is Chekov's gun.  Birdie slamming the trunk leaving the blanket hanging out was highlighted by the camera as a big deal, but I don't really know why that would be the thing to cause problems. Anyone can slam the trrunk and leave a bit of something caught in it.... though, maybe if anyone saw it, and then saw the blanket the corpse is wrapped in, that could potentially connect a dot or two. But it seems like a much longer shot than the bracelet.

I keep laughing at how they buried the body with all the car lights on, and nobody noticed. I would think that would in itself have gotten them caught.

Birdie's red dress was amazing. I thought she looked better without the shoulder wrap. Just the red dress-- wow.

[Irlandesa]

5 hours ago, possibilities said:

He could have told her though, directly: I realized I was not making room in my life for a partner, and I need to do that. You have someone to go home to and I don't and I need to find that for myself. Again, tv seems to think the only way to write a story is to make your characters have the emotional maturity of 5 year olds.

Exactly.  I didn't exactly love Alice and her possessiveness over her best friend but I still thought Brett was a jerk in this episode. 

"What's in it for me?" gave me the biggest ick.  I don't know if we're supposed to see him as a Mr. Nice Guy but that's how he came off.  There have been indications he has romantic feelings for Alice so he can act like him being there for her as a friend was some kind of sacrifice but he clearly got something out of it as well.

And I don't know that six years ago was the last time she was there for him.  I doubt he hasn't shared his custody issues with her. But even if it was six years ago, has he asked her for support since then?

I liked Birdie's ex-husband.  I love everything to do with Birdie, although the affair is starting to get tiring.  I love Catherine too but I don't think her marriage is sustainable as it is.

Are we back to thinking it's Gary who died?

Finally....puppies!

[Anela]

"It's called friendship." "But what do I get out of it?" 

Douchebag!

In the pilot, I thought he was into her, but she didn't seem to be into him at all. He was the one there, telling her that her dog was dead, and supporting her through it. 

I also wish they'd just let us know who was dead, a lot earlier. We still don't know, and they were at a fancy party, so all of the men would have been wearing good shoes. 

Does Catherine even know what her husband does for a living? He had "his people" rough up her affair partner, and he has cameras all over the house, spying on her. That isn't healthy. It all started, because he was checked out of their relationship. I don't know how she's supposed to trust him, if she doesn't know what he does for a living. Did I miss something?

@possibilities I don't like the cop pulling her over, because she was ignoring his calls, and also making out that his wife is awful, when we don't know their relationship at all. I was glad to see Birdie meeting the boy's adoptive mother, so that they could work to help to their son. 

 

[seacliffsal]

I feel like they are really under using Nancy Travis.  We've only seen her a couple of times, but she's in the credits every episode.  Something big going to happen with her?

[possibilities]

On 3/28/2025 at 9:18 AM, seacliffsal said:

I feel like they are really under using Nancy Travis.  We've only seen her a couple of times, but she's in the credits every episode.  Something big going to happen with her?

Who is she?

[LaJefaza]

On 3/25/2025 at 1:42 AM, Irlandesa said:

Exactly.  I didn't exactly love Alice and her possessiveness over her best friend but I still thought Brett was a jerk in this episode. 

"What's in it for me?" gave me the biggest ick.  I don't know if we're supposed to see him as a Mr. Nice Guy but that's how he came off.  There have been indications he has romantic feelings for Alice so he can act like him being there for her as a friend was some kind of sacrifice but he clearly got something out of it as well.

I agree with this. If he felt there was an imbalance and the relationship was one-sided, the time to address this was...any time before now. Now that he has a girlfriend who (correctly, in my opinion) points out that Alice doesn't want him, but does want him to pine after her and wants to be considered the most important person in his life, he suddenly sees the need to call a time out? 

He only just now realized she was using him as an emotional support animal?

And he did it the most chicken shit way too, by halfway ghosting her. She had to meet him where he was and ask him what was up. Childish. 

 

On 3/24/2025 at 8:34 PM, truthaboutluv said:

Were these episodes aired out of order?  Because the hell? It's not tension-building and frothy mystery goodness to end an episode on two men angrily fighting and in the later timeline one is being asked about the other and then the next episode, just act like none of that happened. 

I hope it's that it's out of order, otherwise this was ridiculously poor writing. I know Brett and Alice's husband fought on the night of the gala, but their verbal altercation seemed to have happened not long before Brett started dating his new love interest. Alice's husband seeming totally fine being seated next to them in the restaurant and coming home to giggle about Brett's new girlfriend seems bonkers in the context of him being fresh off of having a spat with the guy. He also clocked that Alice was jealous, which is something I doubt he'd find amusing on the basis of his tiff with Brett. Are the writers not reading over their own script? This is Golden Girls levels of bad continuity. 

[AnimeMania]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

On 3/28/2025 at 9:18 AM, seacliffsal said:

I feel like they are really under using Nancy Travis.  We've only seen her a couple of times, but she's in the credits every episode.  Something big going to happen with her?

Who is she?

Nancy Travis as Patty

[Absolom]

How many writers are there?  They may be independently writing scripts with only an outline to go by.  My son dealt with that early on in his career and it drove him batty.  There is supposed to be a show Bible to prevent continuity problems, but if they already sense this is a one season and done, the writers' motivation may be more in security a new job than in getting this show done in style and they may have bailed on keeping up the history.  Otherwise, the producers are simply flat being sloppy.  

[peachmangosteen]

On 3/27/2025 at 7:32 PM, Anela said:

Does Catherine even know what her husband does for a living? He had "his people" rough up her affair partner, and he has cameras all over the house, spying on her. That isn't healthy. It all started, because he was checked out of their relationship. I don't know how she's supposed to trust him, if she doesn't know what he does for a living. Did I miss something?

She knows what he does. She mentioned it here when he talked about 'his guys.' Although, I suppose the implication could be that he's at least somewhat lying about his work.

[Irlandesa]

18 hours ago, Absolom said:

How many writers are there?  They may be independently writing scripts with only an outline to go by.  My son dealt with that early on in his career and it drove him batty.  There is supposed to be a show Bible to prevent continuity problems, but if they already sense this is a one season and done, the writers' motivation may be more in security a new job than in getting this show done in style and they may have bailed on keeping up the history.  Otherwise, the producers are simply flat being sloppy.  

There are probably multiple writers but for a mystery show like this in its first season, the outline is probably going to be the tightest for the first 13 episodes. 

[heatherchandler]

On 3/30/2025 at 5:50 PM, LaJefaza said:

I agree with this. If he felt there was an imbalance and the relationship was one-sided, the time to address this was...any time before now. Now that he has a girlfriend who (correctly, in my opinion) points out that Alice doesn't want him, but does want him to pine after her and wants to be considered the most important person in his life, he suddenly sees the need to call a time out? 

He only just now realized she was using him as an emotional support animal?

And he did it the most chicken shit way too, by halfway ghosting her. She had to meet him where he was and ask him what was up. Childish. 

 

I hope it's that it's out of order, otherwise this was ridiculously poor writing. I know Brett and Alice's husband fought on the night of the gala, but their verbal altercation seemed to have happened not long before Brett started dating his new love interest. Alice's husband seeming totally fine being seated next to them in the restaurant and coming home to giggle about Brett's new girlfriend seems bonkers in the context of him being fresh off of having a spat with the guy. He also clocked that Alice was jealous, which is something I doubt he'd find amusing on the basis of his tiff with Brett. Are the writers not reading over their own script? This is Golden Girls levels of bad continuity. 

The fight is in the “6 months later” timeline… I think.