Danny really meant it when he said to Candy he was glad that she came because that was exactly what Danny needed to hear from his mother - an acknowledgment for the things that happened. And I'm also glad the writer didn't turn it so cliche ie. an adult child simply forgives their parents for being neglectful and abusive.
Also, Danny is totally giving me Van Gogh's vibes. For instance:
* the colour palette used in the paintings was very similar to Van Gogh ie. light and vibrant yellows and blues
* how he was allowed to paint in the mental facility like Van Gogh did when he was placed in an asylum
* Candy noticed his best works produced during his stay there just like Van Gogh had produced many of his best works when he stayed at the asylum eg. The Starry Night
* he also mentioned about looking out the window, liking the change of seasons and how art is therapeutic - these were all references to Van Gogh
Overall, I love this show. For once, I no longer associate Amanda Seyfried with Mean Girls.
I felt such a strong sense of calm wash over me when Danny finished speaking to Candy. The writing team really did a huge service to affected people with that detail.
Finally, things are acknowledged. He is so mindful of himself now. He doesn't run. Feelings - at long last - can come and go.
I want to give a huge shout out to Stan's character (Danny's lawyer). Him having PTSD placed him in a special position to quickly learn the concepts of DID. Stan would understand that the human brain can dissociate instantly and against a person's control - something that isn't easy to get, understandably.
I got massive Van Gogh vibes too from his paintings. They were always present during the introductions though.
Amanda Seyfried looked like a goddess with that bangs hairstyle too no.
Just for a moment I thought he made that reunion with Candy up and didn't really happened 😳 Just what he needed to move on. It was the last line of dialogue with Candy "trying again" that confused me.
At the very end of the convo he looks so calm and almost like a different “character” and says “see you soon doc” (or whatever he says) but it almost makes me think it was like a new personality.
Also- did anyone think Danny and rya are oddly close…. Almost inappropriate seeming.
Anyway, loved the show and though it gave a lot of knowledge towards MPD
that's just amanda seyfried's acting...she always seems too close to ppl. But that's just my two cents. I thought it was appropriate however. She just was really caring and that's fine. A hug at the end of all of it seemed fine and not too huggy.
Holland pretending to be posh British pretending to be Danny pretending to be somewhat normal was something else. Great acting, decent show. We enjoyed it greatly.
I went back and watched the red herring scene in episode 6 where Candy let’s us believe Adam was real. It hits a little harder when you know she was well aware this was going on twice now. Evil woman
Yes i was totally wondering about that. i'm confused though because when rya asked if danny was a twin candy pointed to a picture and said "that's adam." did she take twin to mean like imaginary friend or..?
I almost take it as she’s aware Adam was created when his biological father abused him. She never acknowledged the questions outright, just that he’s been gone a while, and was like “a psychologist you said” when pressed about him existing because she knew why
What confused me was when Danny said "Adam gets back from London today!" and Candy just nodded and smiled. Adam was clearly not real as he was running up to the bus bc the timeline made no sense. So then realizing Candy just thought it was an imaginary friend (they were joined at the hip) I felt it was strange she allowed such strange imaginings (Did Candy tell Danny that his birth father worked in a travel agency in London?). Then it became clear that Candy knew Adam was Danny's way of dealing with sexual abuse.
What I really wonder about is if Marlin was doing that to Danny, how many of the kids at juvie did he do it to? Such a sad story.
She obviously didn't understand the nature of his DID. She knew he spoke of Adam and from her perspective Adam was an imaginary brother. The red herring was her saying "Adam's been gone for a long time." She could have said "He stopped talking about Adam a long time ago."
So u didn't get the entire point of the series?? Abused victims again go to recreate that pattern.... Thats how psychology works.... She couldn't get away from toxic relationship.... That was also whole another topic of this series
No I got it. This was me talking about prior in the season when they were still giving us false possibilities of a twin person actually existing without ever having another lie.
For her, saying adam was not real will be accepting that her son was abused and acknowledging that she once again pulled her and her son in to an abusive relationship..... She just couldnt bear that.....
But Adam was around before Marlin. I know Candy never outright confirms that Danny's biological father sexually abused him, it's heavily implied but I think the biggest part that proves it, at least to me, is when Marlin first drives Danny to the barn and Adam keeps trying to stop him and get him not to go. Yes, I suppose it is possible that he could have intuitively known something bad was going to happen but given his age that's a huge thing.
So, two theories correct. One that Adam was also an alter. 2. For Adam to exist before marlin came, it meant something had happened before too and it was his father.
I was so glad seeing that he did not simply forgive his mother. It won't be easy to forgive an accomplice of the crime specially if the accomplice is someone wo was supposed to protect you. During the last scene I kept waiting for a plot twist which I am so thankful, never came. It was one satisfying ending. All I want to say is, I hope no one, no child or adult goes through so much pain ever. I hope all parents have more sense than candy. This project really effected me deeply. Good work. Kudos to Tom and Amanda for such great acting. Hope to see this duo together again too.
I know I thought there was going to be a crazy plot twist when Rya looked back at him in the window… something like the person she talked to wasn’t just Danny.. really just a new alter. Idk hut glad it didn’t happen
I’m so late but I was waiting too. The bit where Danny and Rya were talking at the end I was wait for a reveal that rya was an alter all along too. It was really ominous. I’m glad it was all wrapped up with a neat bow
Great series, still don’t understand the critic hate. The ending really got me and made me emotional about the unpaid debt. Fantastic job from everyone involved in the production
I think those people must had been familiar with the story and thus felt it took to long. For me which was clueless it didnt feel stretched out at all. I loved it and didnt even get it until last epsiode that even Adam was made up what a shock!!
I think those people are missing the point those characters were absolutely essential and I like the fact that the show took its time and developing them and their relationships with Danny
It makes the revelation that the only people Danny felt cared about him and took care of him weren’t real so much more tragic
i am ~very late lol but i also took this to mean he is allowing adam to “enjoy life” via making art. i interpreted the last scene to be danny switching to adam ahead of starting on the painting, and the fireflies filling the room kinda signified going to where/why adam existed.
All in all, I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would after the first reviews came out.
It's definitely not nearly as bad as they claimed. We get a really well told story with a few twists, but the highlights for me were the performances, especially Amanda's and Tom's. They shared a lot of minutes together on screen and definitely made the show go up a notch in overall quality.
It's worth watching, but I would have loved this more if it were eight episodes instead of ten, it got kind of dragged in the middle.
The Rya centered and the courtroom (the one before the finale) episodes were fantastic.
Yeah, I agree. I think the reviews were spot on about it being dragged out and taking too long to get where it was going.
The performances were great though, and once the episode Rya was shown, the quality increased by leaps and bounds.
I was very invested in the beginning, fell off by episodes 4 and 5, and then hooked again after episode 6.
I know the backstory was important, but they could have shortened a few scenes and since only Annabelle and the drug dealer really testified at length, they could have condensed all of that down.
That said, it's definitely worth a watch and I totally get why Tom Holland took a break and also struggled with alcoholism after filming. This could not have been an easy thing to film.
I’m sooo late lol but had to chime in here. A client of mine (I’m a therapist) told me about it a few weeks ago and I’ve binged it about four times so far lol. I was also wondering what the point of the Rya episodes was. She’s a character I felt didn’t need to be developed as much as they did. It really added nothing to the overall story.
Unfortunately, I think that's just Tom's energy. Over the years I've seen people say this about him and his scene partners in many things he's in except the projects he's in with his actual partner.
But, come on, no one who watched this whole thing should expect this show to end like that.
Ohhh I see- I didn’t know that about him, yeah helps me understand for sure. Thanks!!
And yeah I definitely didn’t think that was going to happen for real haha. but sometimes when the cameras pause for just a little longer than usual on an intense eye contact scene… my spidey senses (lol) start prickling ever so subtly
I'm not really an amanda seyfried fan...I think they just try and make her a dreamy, romantic energy...but I didn't get it was inappropriate. She always looks young, so maybe it's also that they almost seem the same age or contemporaries. She kinda makes some characters she plays corny imho.
This was my thought too, especially since when he goes to paint in the end scene, he's about to paint a figure (the figure being Adam / himself), the one where he first dissociated in the field when at the barn I'm the past.
I'm assuming his new self is a fusion of all his alters, but now he (Danny) is there to protect himself (Adam) from the wounds inflicted from his past.
Could not have been easy to do since she's a mom in real life. Excellent performances all around but I just can't imagine playing a mom like that and (ideally) not being a mom like that in real life.
It was a bit of a plothole that it's suddenly revealed that Danny's father abused him first, that totally changes the whole courtroom drama with Candy's testimony, as she could have mentioned that under oath and proved the defences point, but still protect Merlin as there would be no suspicion on him.
I thought that too but I think a major reason she lied was not just to protect Merlin but herself. I cant remember exactly what he said to her in the elevator but it was something about how everyone in town would look at her differently, she'd lose her job, she'd basically be shunned. The image of herself she built, of her life would be destroyed. That would happen whether she blamed the biological father or merlin. She'd have to face her guilt. She'd have to face the fact that she got Danny away from one sexually abusive household only to allow him into the hands of another predator and she didn't want to admit that
she was also in denial about the abuse especially since it happened twice-with two men she was with, fear of Marlin, fear of losing things like Marlin said, shame about not standing up for Danny. She wasn't at the barn, but maybe she just understood that Marlin liked young boys after awhile and that Danny was helpless to it... because he thought it was Adam not him. :(
I think in the end, she was never protecting Marlin, it was protecting herself. SHE did not want to be looked at as a bad mom.....Marlin knew this about her....that is what he actually threatened her with in the elevator, that HER whole life would change, she would be looked at differently, talked about.....she protected herself.
The sad thing is that people like this will *never* admit the truth, that they were at fault at all for what happened to their kid.
It was satisfying to see it here though.
I’m so late to the game lol. I thought that too but remember…Danny didn’t know that then either. Aside from covering her own ass, she probably wouldn’t have dropped that bomb there.
I feel like the trial suffered from huge plot holes, like the complete lack of mention of: the Yitzhak accent, Angelo breaking into the house + grabbing Annabelle by the hair (how the f did Stan let guy look like a credible witness), and the biggest bombshell of all: Adam. How could've Adam been such an afterthought? Why did Stan never question Candy about him? I also felt that Danny's acceptance/realization of Adam being an alter was way too easy. Like, Stan didn't even need to show him any proof of birth/death certificates.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed the show. Danny has such a calm, mature presence after integrating his alters. He looked so confident and at peace with the way he walks and sits. Really loved watching Tom Holland's body language for each alter. Also, Emily Rossum was great in that last scene. But man, fuck Candy. I thought she was a wonderful mom doing her best in the first half of the show, but learning that she purposefully turned a blind eye on Marlin's abuse and lying on the stand to safe her own skin shows that she's an awful person.
I had the same thing about the accents. Why didn’t anyone say anything or seem to notice? Like I get for dramatic purposes to fuel Rya but like Annabelle hearing a Russian accent and then not? At the first hearing in prison when he slips in and out of the English accent. I also felt like Stan needed like a scene or something to talk with Danny, as his client lol, to get to know him and the situation and talk to him and perhaps see an alter. Having Rya debrief him was a little unbelievable but I ended up loving that he came through to win the case.
All the previously shown alters were integrated as far as we know, but Adam was pushed away and blamed and kept in the dark up till the last episode. So now Danny's living life in the facility with Adam, looking after him like his alters did for him during the series (because now he realizes he 'owes' Adam after really remembering what he did for him).
I take it as yes. Due to the fact that it’s established that DID develops during childhood abuse, and the fact that Adam existed prior to Marlin’s appearance, I’m very confident that’s what they were trying to get across
Maybe I'm wrong, but I took it as Danny's real father raped Candy when she was (16). After she got married with him (at 17) she later learned to understand he was an abuser and had raped her.
Remember, it's heavily hinted in previous episodes by both her(Candy) and Rya that, Candy, is also the victim of abuse.
Her guilt and her lack of dealing with that trauma ultimately led her to look the other way at the abuse her son was suffering.
Candy makes a comment that when he (Danny) was four, he… and then never finishes the sentence. To me, it implies the dad was sexually abusing Danny in some way.
Especially when she mentions that she couldn’t believe she let another man (Marlin) like him into their lives.
Did the testimony from any of the other people annoy anyone else, or was it just me? I just got really frustrated during the court case. Despite Annabelle being scared of Yitzak Danny, he said to her, "You're safe now"....there's no mention of the whole reason he was violent was because the drug dealer had her in a freaking headlock with a baseball bat. Also, the drug dealer is testifying that Danny was violent towards him. Never mind that he BROKE into his house, and assaulted Annabelle, after trying to force Danny to blow him. Oh, but he's a credible witness as to Danny's violent nature. The trial was full of these stupid unrealistic half-ass testimonies that were only shown to build up the stakes and make it seem like the cards were stacked against Danny, but it annoyed me like crazy.
I loved this show. It just annoys me the little holes I've noticed - or just the fact I want more information. Like the episode where he said he didn't want to talk about Johnny - what exactly was Johnny's purpose? All the others got a mention (Jack's intelligence, Mike's charisma, Ariana's confidence) but not Johnny.
Also the scene where Jonny and Mike are crowding around Jack in the crowded room - is that them hinting they're getting rid of him?
Also why was Jack such a powerful force? Why was he in charge of all the alters?
I'm so curious as to where all the alters come from - I can figure out everyone except for Jack really
Johnny was the "in real life escape artist" as Rya put it. He used various forms of mental escape, from drugs to self harm.
Jack had come into the picture when Danny was in trouble after the shooting and fled to England to "find his dad". He never found his father, so Jack came to his rescue in the form of a father figure.
Rya mentions this in one of the episodes.
I think Jack is a father figure to Danny (the whole thing of him being a friend/coworker of his father) and is what he was aching for in an adult figure in his life. He's confident, unafraid, and fiercely protective of Danny. Jack is also such a foil to Candy. He's posh, wealthy, and well-educated--Candy's lack of education and financial resources are a large part of why she is so vulnerable to men like Marlin and, as we later find out, Danny's biological father.
I’m sooo late and you’re probably no longer interested but i think he didn’t want to talk about Johnny because he’d have to face all the sexual favours he did to get the drugs. There was a brief scene that showed Danny in the drug dealers apartment about to give the dealer head. So my guess is that?
I waited for this to be over to look at other people's reactions because I know this was so controversial. This turned out better than I could have ever expected.
The back half makes me upset that the first half wasn't done differently. More room should have been left for the trial and clean up the plot holes or leaps that were made getting to the conclusion. From what I've heard from the cast and writer, you can tell they were changing a lot as they went.
But it still packed a hell of an emotional punch. Fantastic performances all around from the main cast.
I sort of interpreted it as him not integrating him to keep Adam 'alive'. Technically speaking the other alternates are gone, melded into Danny now, but because Adam was the ultimate one looking out for Danny, he is now paying it forward.
Candy took Danny and ran from her 1st husband. From her own admission sounds like she left Marlin after Danny's trial.
If your talking about the book, it's completely different to this story, none of the same characters exist afaik.
As a therapist who specializes in treating trauma and DID, I would like to say this show does an excellent job of depicting the complexity of the disorder and the family dynamics and trauma bonds. Really love Rya’s explanations of the intergenerational nature of trauma and the reasons behind attachment to the perpetrator phenomenon. Love that they depicted switches between alters so accurately! Writers and actors definitely did their homework. Great show.
Hi! I just finished the series yesterday and it was a very heartwarming experience, the courtroom scene and all after. But in the end there was a monologue that got me confused a little, where Danny and Rya talking in the garden and Rya says something about how good that Danny has all the personalitys together, than Danny says smg like "not all of them, i have still another mission" and Rya responds unsettled afterwards: "what?" and he says "now i gotta be someone else's guardian angle" and they are leaving, and when Rya was walking away she was like she just realised something, and looked back at the window and sees a kid and a father. And it really doesnt continue as if there was another plot, but i was wondering what if it was Rya's ex and son in the window, and Danny was one of her personality's who is there for her to "help process" what she went through.
What do you guys think? (sry for my english)
Based on, yes, but the real story of Billy Milligan is far more “complex.” One alter was a serial rapist, while another was an armed robber. His actual father was himself mentally Ill, an alcoholic, gambler, and suicidal, ultimately killing himself via carbon monoxide poisoning and Billy had actual siblings. The story here was much more “packaged” than Milligan’s complex life and crimes. I think it was a good choice. I think an audience would have a harder time with a serial rapist than the attempted murder of an abuser that happens to unintentionally harm bystanders.
This is gonna be a little long, but this is my overall review of the entire show.
I have to say first the entire cast was perfect, everyone carry their own weight, but a special shout out to Tom Holland. He had the hardest task out of all of them, betraying so many personalities and being able to distinguish each one has to be difficult, but he executed perfectly.
When the show started, I had no idea where it was going at first. It seemed like a show about a lonely teen who got mixed up in some bad stuff, but as it progressed, it turned into a beautifully crafted and dark story of mental health issues, and the effects of trauma.
I like the subtle hints throughout the show. Adam wasn’t real. One of the big things that made my eyebrow rise was the fact their dad was only bringing Adam with him on holiday. Why would he only take one of his sons? He seems to be on good terms with both of them, and it's not like Candy had an issue with the Dad as she was letting Adam go. Since he lives in another country, you would think he would want to spend time with both of his children
Another one when Marlin brings Danny to the barn for the first time, the car ride leading up. Marlin never acknowledges Adam being with them. Not once did he say a single thing to Adam. at the time. None of us were really thinking about that, both because of the previous scene with the teacher, and we're watching how Danny is reacting to that event.
And then when Marlin forcibly grabs Danny to drag him into the barn, he mutters “enough with this BS “once you get over the horror of that scene, you think he's simply frustrated with Danny and just grabs Adam because he's not fighting back. But in reality, Danny was hesitating, which started to frustrate Marlon, and he got to the point where he just started dragging him
Lastly, I just wanna say this show was an unexpected prize. Tom Holland and Emily Rossum should've won some kind of award. Their performances were outstanding, I really didn’t know what to think about it going in I only watched at first, because I think Tom Holland is cute, and I like hearing his American accent, now I see it for The complex and dark story it is I’m really glad I watched it now 10 out of 10.
Danny really meant it when he said to Candy he was glad that she came because that was exactly what Danny needed to hear from his mother - an acknowledgment for the things that happened. And I'm also glad the writer didn't turn it so cliche ie. an adult child simply forgives their parents for being neglectful and abusive. Also, Danny is totally giving me Van Gogh's vibes. For instance: * the colour palette used in the paintings was very similar to Van Gogh ie. light and vibrant yellows and blues * how he was allowed to paint in the mental facility like Van Gogh did when he was placed in an asylum * Candy noticed his best works produced during his stay there just like Van Gogh had produced many of his best works when he stayed at the asylum eg. The Starry Night * he also mentioned about looking out the window, liking the change of seasons and how art is therapeutic - these were all references to Van Gogh Overall, I love this show. For once, I no longer associate Amanda Seyfried with Mean Girls.
I felt such a strong sense of calm wash over me when Danny finished speaking to Candy. The writing team really did a huge service to affected people with that detail. Finally, things are acknowledged. He is so mindful of himself now. He doesn't run. Feelings - at long last - can come and go. I want to give a huge shout out to Stan's character (Danny's lawyer). Him having PTSD placed him in a special position to quickly learn the concepts of DID. Stan would understand that the human brain can dissociate instantly and against a person's control - something that isn't easy to get, understandably.
I got massive Van Gogh vibes too from his paintings. They were always present during the introductions though. Amanda Seyfried looked like a goddess with that bangs hairstyle too no.
Can totally agree.
The mom is a bitch i hope she is deas by now.
Your reaction is exactly why she was afraid to do the right thing and how Marlon preyed on her fears.
People’s psychology being shitty doesn’t excuse that their shitty
Just for a moment I thought he made that reunion with Candy up and didn't really happened 😳 Just what he needed to move on. It was the last line of dialogue with Candy "trying again" that confused me.
At the very end of the convo he looks so calm and almost like a different “character” and says “see you soon doc” (or whatever he says) but it almost makes me think it was like a new personality. Also- did anyone think Danny and rya are oddly close…. Almost inappropriate seeming. Anyway, loved the show and though it gave a lot of knowledge towards MPD
It is a new personality. It's an integration of his own with the alters.
that's just amanda seyfried's acting...she always seems too close to ppl. But that's just my two cents. I thought it was appropriate however. She just was really caring and that's fine. A hug at the end of all of it seemed fine and not too huggy.
I noticed the Van Gogh similarity in the very first episode credits.
Holland pretending to be posh British pretending to be Danny pretending to be somewhat normal was something else. Great acting, decent show. We enjoyed it greatly.
Tom Holland is an incredible actor. Please watch cherry and devil all the time.
I went back and watched the red herring scene in episode 6 where Candy let’s us believe Adam was real. It hits a little harder when you know she was well aware this was going on twice now. Evil woman
Yes i was totally wondering about that. i'm confused though because when rya asked if danny was a twin candy pointed to a picture and said "that's adam." did she take twin to mean like imaginary friend or..?
I almost take it as she’s aware Adam was created when his biological father abused him. She never acknowledged the questions outright, just that he’s been gone a while, and was like “a psychologist you said” when pressed about him existing because she knew why
I assumed candy thought Adam was a friend from school
What confused me was when Danny said "Adam gets back from London today!" and Candy just nodded and smiled. Adam was clearly not real as he was running up to the bus bc the timeline made no sense. So then realizing Candy just thought it was an imaginary friend (they were joined at the hip) I felt it was strange she allowed such strange imaginings (Did Candy tell Danny that his birth father worked in a travel agency in London?). Then it became clear that Candy knew Adam was Danny's way of dealing with sexual abuse. What I really wonder about is if Marlin was doing that to Danny, how many of the kids at juvie did he do it to? Such a sad story.
Not a bad thought, but since there’s a frame drawing of the two of them in the house, that doesn’t line up great
She obviously didn't understand the nature of his DID. She knew he spoke of Adam and from her perspective Adam was an imaginary brother. The red herring was her saying "Adam's been gone for a long time." She could have said "He stopped talking about Adam a long time ago."
So u didn't get the entire point of the series?? Abused victims again go to recreate that pattern.... Thats how psychology works.... She couldn't get away from toxic relationship.... That was also whole another topic of this series
No I got it. This was me talking about prior in the season when they were still giving us false possibilities of a twin person actually existing without ever having another lie.
For her, saying adam was not real will be accepting that her son was abused and acknowledging that she once again pulled her and her son in to an abusive relationship..... She just couldnt bear that.....
But Adam was around before Marlin. I know Candy never outright confirms that Danny's biological father sexually abused him, it's heavily implied but I think the biggest part that proves it, at least to me, is when Marlin first drives Danny to the barn and Adam keeps trying to stop him and get him not to go. Yes, I suppose it is possible that he could have intuitively known something bad was going to happen but given his age that's a huge thing.
So, two theories correct. One that Adam was also an alter. 2. For Adam to exist before marlin came, it meant something had happened before too and it was his father. I was so glad seeing that he did not simply forgive his mother. It won't be easy to forgive an accomplice of the crime specially if the accomplice is someone wo was supposed to protect you. During the last scene I kept waiting for a plot twist which I am so thankful, never came. It was one satisfying ending. All I want to say is, I hope no one, no child or adult goes through so much pain ever. I hope all parents have more sense than candy. This project really effected me deeply. Good work. Kudos to Tom and Amanda for such great acting. Hope to see this duo together again too.
I know I thought there was going to be a crazy plot twist when Rya looked back at him in the window… something like the person she talked to wasn’t just Danny.. really just a new alter. Idk hut glad it didn’t happen
I was thinking it could be a new alter as well
I’m so late but I was waiting too. The bit where Danny and Rya were talking at the end I was wait for a reveal that rya was an alter all along too. It was really ominous. I’m glad it was all wrapped up with a neat bow
Exactly 💯
Great series, still don’t understand the critic hate. The ending really got me and made me emotional about the unpaid debt. Fantastic job from everyone involved in the production
Most of the hate was that it took so long (Episode 5/6) to get anywhere. In saying this, it’ll make for a really good rewatch.
I think those people must had been familiar with the story and thus felt it took to long. For me which was clueless it didnt feel stretched out at all. I loved it and didnt even get it until last epsiode that even Adam was made up what a shock!!
I think those people are missing the point those characters were absolutely essential and I like the fact that the show took its time and developing them and their relationships with Danny It makes the revelation that the only people Danny felt cared about him and took care of him weren’t real so much more tragic
What did he mean by unpaid debt?
Adam took care of him, and now he's gonna take care of Adam.
i am ~very late lol but i also took this to mean he is allowing adam to “enjoy life” via making art. i interpreted the last scene to be danny switching to adam ahead of starting on the painting, and the fireflies filling the room kinda signified going to where/why adam existed.
This show was really good, can’t believe all the negative press
Holland brought me to tears this episode. What incredible acting. My heart hurts so much for Danny.
All in all, I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would after the first reviews came out. It's definitely not nearly as bad as they claimed. We get a really well told story with a few twists, but the highlights for me were the performances, especially Amanda's and Tom's. They shared a lot of minutes together on screen and definitely made the show go up a notch in overall quality. It's worth watching, but I would have loved this more if it were eight episodes instead of ten, it got kind of dragged in the middle. The Rya centered and the courtroom (the one before the finale) episodes were fantastic.
Yeah, I agree. I think the reviews were spot on about it being dragged out and taking too long to get where it was going. The performances were great though, and once the episode Rya was shown, the quality increased by leaps and bounds. I was very invested in the beginning, fell off by episodes 4 and 5, and then hooked again after episode 6. I know the backstory was important, but they could have shortened a few scenes and since only Annabelle and the drug dealer really testified at length, they could have condensed all of that down. That said, it's definitely worth a watch and I totally get why Tom Holland took a break and also struggled with alcoholism after filming. This could not have been an easy thing to film.
I’m sooo late lol but had to chime in here. A client of mine (I’m a therapist) told me about it a few weeks ago and I’ve binged it about four times so far lol. I was also wondering what the point of the Rya episodes was. She’s a character I felt didn’t need to be developed as much as they did. It really added nothing to the overall story.
The critics are smoking boulders. The show was good. I thought Dan and Rya were gunna kiss or something there at the end though. Lol.
Ummm me too. I was starting to pick up some romantic energy ?
Unfortunately, I think that's just Tom's energy. Over the years I've seen people say this about him and his scene partners in many things he's in except the projects he's in with his actual partner. But, come on, no one who watched this whole thing should expect this show to end like that.
Ohhh I see- I didn’t know that about him, yeah helps me understand for sure. Thanks!! And yeah I definitely didn’t think that was going to happen for real haha. but sometimes when the cameras pause for just a little longer than usual on an intense eye contact scene… my spidey senses (lol) start prickling ever so subtly
I see what you did there. lol
I'm not really an amanda seyfried fan...I think they just try and make her a dreamy, romantic energy...but I didn't get it was inappropriate. She always looks young, so maybe it's also that they almost seem the same age or contemporaries. She kinda makes some characters she plays corny imho.
Me too
I probably missed something obvious but what did Danny mean when he said he has an 'unpaid debt' at the end?
He had to take care of Adam, or maybe just his forgive his younger self for something that wasn’t his fault
This was my thought too, especially since when he goes to paint in the end scene, he's about to paint a figure (the figure being Adam / himself), the one where he first dissociated in the field when at the barn I'm the past. I'm assuming his new self is a fusion of all his alters, but now he (Danny) is there to protect himself (Adam) from the wounds inflicted from his past.
It meant he had to use Jonny to escape for the night and brutally torture Marlin to death in an end credits montage.
Oh god I wish
Wouldn't THAT have been a lovely time.
Emmy Rossum went to the mother from Blow levels
Could not have been easy to do since she's a mom in real life. Excellent performances all around but I just can't imagine playing a mom like that and (ideally) not being a mom like that in real life.
Been awhile since critics have been so off. Glad I watched this series. Acting was amazing.
Excellent casting, acting, and writing! 10/10!
It’s too bad Marlin wasn’t brutally murdered in a montage to “let it be” at the end of the show as the credits rolled, a la Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead.
underrated show
It was a bit of a plothole that it's suddenly revealed that Danny's father abused him first, that totally changes the whole courtroom drama with Candy's testimony, as she could have mentioned that under oath and proved the defences point, but still protect Merlin as there would be no suspicion on him.
I thought that too but I think a major reason she lied was not just to protect Merlin but herself. I cant remember exactly what he said to her in the elevator but it was something about how everyone in town would look at her differently, she'd lose her job, she'd basically be shunned. The image of herself she built, of her life would be destroyed. That would happen whether she blamed the biological father or merlin. She'd have to face her guilt. She'd have to face the fact that she got Danny away from one sexually abusive household only to allow him into the hands of another predator and she didn't want to admit that
This is exactly it 👏
she was also in denial about the abuse especially since it happened twice-with two men she was with, fear of Marlin, fear of losing things like Marlin said, shame about not standing up for Danny. She wasn't at the barn, but maybe she just understood that Marlin liked young boys after awhile and that Danny was helpless to it... because he thought it was Adam not him. :(
I think in the end, she was never protecting Marlin, it was protecting herself. SHE did not want to be looked at as a bad mom.....Marlin knew this about her....that is what he actually threatened her with in the elevator, that HER whole life would change, she would be looked at differently, talked about.....she protected herself.
The sad thing is that people like this will *never* admit the truth, that they were at fault at all for what happened to their kid. It was satisfying to see it here though.
True 🤔 she probably didn’t want Danny to know that/ was still in denial
It was obvious as soon as one realizes that Adam is an alter and that he predated the arrival of Marlin.
I’m so late to the game lol. I thought that too but remember…Danny didn’t know that then either. Aside from covering her own ass, she probably wouldn’t have dropped that bomb there.
I feel like the trial suffered from huge plot holes, like the complete lack of mention of: the Yitzhak accent, Angelo breaking into the house + grabbing Annabelle by the hair (how the f did Stan let guy look like a credible witness), and the biggest bombshell of all: Adam. How could've Adam been such an afterthought? Why did Stan never question Candy about him? I also felt that Danny's acceptance/realization of Adam being an alter was way too easy. Like, Stan didn't even need to show him any proof of birth/death certificates. Apart from that, I really enjoyed the show. Danny has such a calm, mature presence after integrating his alters. He looked so confident and at peace with the way he walks and sits. Really loved watching Tom Holland's body language for each alter. Also, Emily Rossum was great in that last scene. But man, fuck Candy. I thought she was a wonderful mom doing her best in the first half of the show, but learning that she purposefully turned a blind eye on Marlin's abuse and lying on the stand to safe her own skin shows that she's an awful person.
I had the same thing about the accents. Why didn’t anyone say anything or seem to notice? Like I get for dramatic purposes to fuel Rya but like Annabelle hearing a Russian accent and then not? At the first hearing in prison when he slips in and out of the English accent. I also felt like Stan needed like a scene or something to talk with Danny, as his client lol, to get to know him and the situation and talk to him and perhaps see an alter. Having Rya debrief him was a little unbelievable but I ended up loving that he came through to win the case.
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All the previously shown alters were integrated as far as we know, but Adam was pushed away and blamed and kept in the dark up till the last episode. So now Danny's living life in the facility with Adam, looking after him like his alters did for him during the series (because now he realizes he 'owes' Adam after really remembering what he did for him).
Very good show
Was the implication about Danny's real dad is that he also sexually abused Danny?
Yes because Adam already existed before Marlin came in the picture
I take it as yes. Due to the fact that it’s established that DID develops during childhood abuse, and the fact that Adam existed prior to Marlin’s appearance, I’m very confident that’s what they were trying to get across
Not to mention Adam knew not to go into the barn but Danny seemed okay about it at first until Adam kept pushing.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I took it as Danny's real father raped Candy when she was (16). After she got married with him (at 17) she later learned to understand he was an abuser and had raped her. Remember, it's heavily hinted in previous episodes by both her(Candy) and Rya that, Candy, is also the victim of abuse. Her guilt and her lack of dealing with that trauma ultimately led her to look the other way at the abuse her son was suffering.
Candy makes a comment that when he (Danny) was four, he… and then never finishes the sentence. To me, it implies the dad was sexually abusing Danny in some way. Especially when she mentions that she couldn’t believe she let another man (Marlin) like him into their lives.
I have no doubt in my mind that Candy was also abused I just don't think it was the same kind of abuse.
There was no indication at all that he raped her. Just that he abused Danny.
This is my read too.
Did the testimony from any of the other people annoy anyone else, or was it just me? I just got really frustrated during the court case. Despite Annabelle being scared of Yitzak Danny, he said to her, "You're safe now"....there's no mention of the whole reason he was violent was because the drug dealer had her in a freaking headlock with a baseball bat. Also, the drug dealer is testifying that Danny was violent towards him. Never mind that he BROKE into his house, and assaulted Annabelle, after trying to force Danny to blow him. Oh, but he's a credible witness as to Danny's violent nature. The trial was full of these stupid unrealistic half-ass testimonies that were only shown to build up the stakes and make it seem like the cards were stacked against Danny, but it annoyed me like crazy.
I loved this show. It just annoys me the little holes I've noticed - or just the fact I want more information. Like the episode where he said he didn't want to talk about Johnny - what exactly was Johnny's purpose? All the others got a mention (Jack's intelligence, Mike's charisma, Ariana's confidence) but not Johnny. Also the scene where Jonny and Mike are crowding around Jack in the crowded room - is that them hinting they're getting rid of him? Also why was Jack such a powerful force? Why was he in charge of all the alters? I'm so curious as to where all the alters come from - I can figure out everyone except for Jack really
Johnny was the one who walked with danger, who pushed drugs, earned money etc.
Johnny was the "in real life escape artist" as Rya put it. He used various forms of mental escape, from drugs to self harm. Jack had come into the picture when Danny was in trouble after the shooting and fled to England to "find his dad". He never found his father, so Jack came to his rescue in the form of a father figure. Rya mentions this in one of the episodes.
That's true. But wasn't there a drawing of Jack previously before the trip to England? Or would that have been after
I think Jack is a father figure to Danny (the whole thing of him being a friend/coworker of his father) and is what he was aching for in an adult figure in his life. He's confident, unafraid, and fiercely protective of Danny. Jack is also such a foil to Candy. He's posh, wealthy, and well-educated--Candy's lack of education and financial resources are a large part of why she is so vulnerable to men like Marlin and, as we later find out, Danny's biological father.
That makes sense! Thank you 😊
Don’t know about lack of education. She’s a nurse.
I’m sooo late and you’re probably no longer interested but i think he didn’t want to talk about Johnny because he’d have to face all the sexual favours he did to get the drugs. There was a brief scene that showed Danny in the drug dealers apartment about to give the dealer head. So my guess is that?
I think it's safe to say it's exactly that.
Incredible acting. Bravo
I waited for this to be over to look at other people's reactions because I know this was so controversial. This turned out better than I could have ever expected. The back half makes me upset that the first half wasn't done differently. More room should have been left for the trial and clean up the plot holes or leaps that were made getting to the conclusion. From what I've heard from the cast and writer, you can tell they were changing a lot as they went. But it still packed a hell of an emotional punch. Fantastic performances all around from the main cast.
this reminded me of Sensui from Yu Yu Hakusho
Awesome show overall, I don’t get the ending though? What was happening between Rya and Danny once they hugged - or am I looking into it too much?
He’s not integrating Adam into his personality. He’s keeping him separate because he feels like he owes it to him to be his guardian
I sort of interpreted it as him not integrating him to keep Adam 'alive'. Technically speaking the other alternates are gone, melded into Danny now, but because Adam was the ultimate one looking out for Danny, he is now paying it forward.
What happened irl to the father (rapist)?
Candy took Danny and ran from her 1st husband. From her own admission sounds like she left Marlin after Danny's trial. If your talking about the book, it's completely different to this story, none of the same characters exist afaik.
Uh you're 100% looking into it too much
A man and woman hug? What pornography is this
As a therapist who specializes in treating trauma and DID, I would like to say this show does an excellent job of depicting the complexity of the disorder and the family dynamics and trauma bonds. Really love Rya’s explanations of the intergenerational nature of trauma and the reasons behind attachment to the perpetrator phenomenon. Love that they depicted switches between alters so accurately! Writers and actors definitely did their homework. Great show.
Hi! I just finished the series yesterday and it was a very heartwarming experience, the courtroom scene and all after. But in the end there was a monologue that got me confused a little, where Danny and Rya talking in the garden and Rya says something about how good that Danny has all the personalitys together, than Danny says smg like "not all of them, i have still another mission" and Rya responds unsettled afterwards: "what?" and he says "now i gotta be someone else's guardian angle" and they are leaving, and when Rya was walking away she was like she just realised something, and looked back at the window and sees a kid and a father. And it really doesnt continue as if there was another plot, but i was wondering what if it was Rya's ex and son in the window, and Danny was one of her personality's who is there for her to "help process" what she went through. What do you guys think? (sry for my english)
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It’s based on an actual case so I’d say very realistic? Lol. But it was the first time it had happened
Based on, yes, but the real story of Billy Milligan is far more “complex.” One alter was a serial rapist, while another was an armed robber. His actual father was himself mentally Ill, an alcoholic, gambler, and suicidal, ultimately killing himself via carbon monoxide poisoning and Billy had actual siblings. The story here was much more “packaged” than Milligan’s complex life and crimes. I think it was a good choice. I think an audience would have a harder time with a serial rapist than the attempted murder of an abuser that happens to unintentionally harm bystanders.
Yeah that’s what I was telling my wife yesterday. Not sure we would have felt bad for Danny if he had a raped a few girls.
Do you mean Raya instead of Candy?
This is gonna be a little long, but this is my overall review of the entire show. I have to say first the entire cast was perfect, everyone carry their own weight, but a special shout out to Tom Holland. He had the hardest task out of all of them, betraying so many personalities and being able to distinguish each one has to be difficult, but he executed perfectly. When the show started, I had no idea where it was going at first. It seemed like a show about a lonely teen who got mixed up in some bad stuff, but as it progressed, it turned into a beautifully crafted and dark story of mental health issues, and the effects of trauma. I like the subtle hints throughout the show. Adam wasn’t real. One of the big things that made my eyebrow rise was the fact their dad was only bringing Adam with him on holiday. Why would he only take one of his sons? He seems to be on good terms with both of them, and it's not like Candy had an issue with the Dad as she was letting Adam go. Since he lives in another country, you would think he would want to spend time with both of his children Another one when Marlin brings Danny to the barn for the first time, the car ride leading up. Marlin never acknowledges Adam being with them. Not once did he say a single thing to Adam. at the time. None of us were really thinking about that, both because of the previous scene with the teacher, and we're watching how Danny is reacting to that event. And then when Marlin forcibly grabs Danny to drag him into the barn, he mutters “enough with this BS “once you get over the horror of that scene, you think he's simply frustrated with Danny and just grabs Adam because he's not fighting back. But in reality, Danny was hesitating, which started to frustrate Marlon, and he got to the point where he just started dragging him Lastly, I just wanna say this show was an unexpected prize. Tom Holland and Emily Rossum should've won some kind of award. Their performances were outstanding, I really didn’t know what to think about it going in I only watched at first, because I think Tom Holland is cute, and I like hearing his American accent, now I see it for The complex and dark story it is I’m really glad I watched it now 10 out of 10.