Ponies
Nate is Alex’s new boss at the bar. He’s a hard-working, but unassuming guy who seems to be in his own world. Alex starts to feel like she can finally talk to someone about her feelings and her problems. She tells Nate about her past and how she feels about being a maid. Nate listens attentively and offers his help in whatever way he can.
Nate shows up at the ferry port and greets Alex while she’s sat on the floor with Maddy. It’s a pretty cagey, awkward conversation to be honest, but he offers to buy her breakfast. When he suggests she can charge her phone too, Alex decides to take him up on the offer.
Nate is recently divorced, but it’s clear there’s some resentment between him and Sean. Nate seems to resent Sean for being late to their wedding, especially if his quip about “late, great Sean” is anything to go by.
Nate and Alex have been friends for years, and when Alex needed a phone charger one day, Nate offered to give it to her. When Alex showed up at Value Maids this week, she found out that Regina was refusing to pay her for her job on Fisher Island. ..
With little other choice, Alex heads back to see Jody at the council, who suggests she call the domestic violence hotline.
Jody is adamant that the mental and verbal abuse she’s been suffering from definitely qualifies her for it.
Denise shows Alex the ropes, including a sign-in book and a big rule involved with handing over phones to protect the location of their house. Maddy is not exactly happy with her new accommodation… until a friendly neighbour called Danielle hands over a whole stack of ponies left behind by one of the other women when they left.
Alex and Maddy show up in court the next day. Sean claims it’s been “hell” for him, although Alex is quick to remind him she hasn’t had food or gas so he doesn’t really know what that word means. With the odds stacked against her, both physically and mentally (I mean, she’s sat on her own in court) everything swings in Sean’s favour.
Maddy will not only stay with Sean, but Alex is given seven days to try and turn everything around in order to get her back. If not, then it could be disastrous for her. Alex promises her daughter that is only temporary, as she says goodbye and is left alone again.
Alex is a mess at the shelter, but Danielle does enough to motivate her to stand up and get her act together. With only 7 days left, she needs to get angry. ..
As they walk around the house, Danielle and Alex notice a dog sitting in a nearby chair. They take it for Regina, who tells them it’s hers. Danielle then takes the dog and leaves with Alex in pursuit. They eventually catch up to her and Danielle reveals that she stole the dog in order to blackmail Regina.
Regina’s encounter with Alex is a shocking turn of events that changes her entire perspective on the woman. She opens up about her daughter being taken from her and how she’s been struggling to make ends meet ever since. This story shows Regina back down and decides not to contact the police after all.
Danielle drives Alex up to the trailer but Doreen, Sean’s Mum, shuts the door in her face and claims Maddy is in bed. It’s hard not to get angry and Alex marches home alone, seething. She does stop by the bar to see Sean bartending, a big grin on his face, before eventually making it back to the shelter.
With the best news of her life, Alex is eager to celebrate with her friends and family. However, she soon realizes that she has a lot to worry about. Yolanda and Regina are already there, and they want to know what Alex is going to say about Danielle’s departure. She doesn’t want to tell them the truth - that she’s worried about her friend’s safety.
It’s been a month since Alex’s due date and Sean has yet to show up to pick her up. Alex is worried he might have run away or something, but she also knows he won’t leave her alone if he knows she’s pregnant. She keeps telling herself that she can handle this on her own, but deep down she just can’t seem to shake the feeling that Sean is watching her.
The Episode Review
The show has managed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats throughout its first season, with a second episode that is just as powerful and anger-inducing. The reveal at the end of the episode that Alex’s pregnancy has “ruined his life” is a hard pill to swallow, and it’s clear that this abuse has had a significant impact on her.
The abuse Alex has been experiencing is real and it’s been going on for years. She’s not a “true victim,” as she has only been experiencing verbal and mental abuse for the past few months. This type of abuse is not limited to one person, and it can happen to anyone who is vulnerable. If you are being abused, please do not hesitate to reach out for help.
The maid, Margaret Qualley, does an excellent job portraying the role of maid and adding enough complexity and depth to the characters to keep you emotionally invested.
That’s before even mentioning the little personal touches, like the whole “legal, legal, legal” chatter in the courtroom, to help alienate oneself and be in Alex’s position. It’s these little touches that really help the show stand out, and one that makes for a pretty special episode too.
This series has been very impressive so far.
