This is by far one of the key episodes from this season, mostly due to how many conversations the issues mentioned bring up. As I mentioned in my last review, I didn’t have a good feeling about Coates, the guard that Tiffany aka Pennsatucky has been getting gradually closer to. He initially seemed naïve and trustworthy, but his transition from being that dopey guy into a demanding and intimidating man was terrifying. In this episode, we get to learn more about Tiffany, and you can’t help but feel your heart break for her.
There’s not much I want to talk about besides Pennsatucky, because her story is just so important. But I’m going to try to quickly cover some important moments involving some of the other characters. We learn that Suzanne has never been kissed or had any other intimate moments, even though she can certainly write smut. I like that she shares this with Morello, someone who would never judge anyone else. Crazy Eyes has a sweet innocence about her, and she’s just such a great character.
The conflict between Gloria and Sophia comes to a close when Sophia attacks Gloria, which is a terrible move. Alex attacks Lolly, who turns out to be crazy and thinks that Alex is a part of the NSA and is coming after her.
Getting back to the main player here, in the first flashback, we see Pennsatucky getting her period and her mother telling her that she needs to let boys have their way with her and that sex is “just like a bee sting.” This is the worst motherly advice I’ve ever heard and my heart aches for poor young Tiffany.
Next we see of her, she’s a teenager having sex in exchange for Mountain Dew. She catches the eye of a new boy who asks her out. Her sad response is, “What do I have to do?” He’s not fazed, telling her that all she needs to do is go to a movie with him.
In the next flashback, we see her with Nathan, who is now her boyfriend. Nathan shows her that she can not only receive pleasure instead of just giving it all the time, she can also totally enjoy it.
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After the intimate moment between them, we see her having to say goodbye to him in the next flashback. She tells him that she loves him, and he tells her he loves her too and that he’ll come back for her. He has to move because of his alcoholic father. Once he leaves, the boy who she had sex with in exchange for Mountain Dew wants to have sex with her. For once, she refuses to just stand by, because she knows it’s wrong. He ignores her and rapes her. At the end of the episode, we see the same situation happening to Tiffany yet again. This time, it’s with the officer that she was beginning to like. It’s a heartbreaking conclusion to one of the most depressing and emotional episodes of the show to date.
What do you guys think about Tiffany? Did seeing her background change the way you think about her? Let me know your thoughts by commenting below. I’ll be back here tomorrow (hopefully earlier) to review episode 11.
EPISODE REVIEW: 10/10
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