The therapist sets a hard boundary with Sam, but he returns for a session. The therapist is surprised that Sam does not experience the situation as expected.
Sam revisits his old school to chat with the school counselor, Mr. Buchella. He asks him whether he expected Sam to be unhappy as an adult. Mr. Buchella says he knows Sam was different, that he had a hard time. But, no. He had hoped for the best. ..
Sam then asks Mr. Buchella to be his therapist. The counselor says he’ll have to think about it; he’s never taken on a former student. Before they part, Sam asks him if it would be a good idea for a therapist and patient to live together.
No, I cannot guarantee that it would not.
Later, Sam calls his ex-wife to ask her if she ever thought something was wrong with him. Maybe he was too obsessed with food. And she was never sure if he truly loved her. “But, overall,” she says, “I know you’re a good guy.”
He looks down at the water and then drives away.
Alan is frustrated with his son, Ezra, and how he made Beth’s life difficult even in her last days. He’s thinking about how he could have done things better for his son and how he can make things right for him.
Ezra reveals that Beth was so sick that she wanted to die “on her own terms,” that is, by using pills. Ezra made a big deal about it being illegal and decided not to take part, which Alan saw as judgment and abandonment.
Sam comes in with a large bag, and it’s not food this time. He bought a printer in order to print the Kaddish for Alan, who earlier said he wanted to recite it for his wife but couldn’t remember the words. ..
Alan tells his patient this is what he was talking about earlier. This is empathy in action, and he’s grateful. We, of course, know he’s thinking murderous thoughts about his patient in his head.
Alan then asks Sam if he’s sure about this, and Sam responds that he is. He’s not sure what will happen when the police find Elias’ body, but he knows that it won’t be found because he changed his mind and put it somewhere it wouldn’t be found. ..
Alan is quiet, his plan having failed. Sam hands him the copy of the Kaddish and asks if he can listen to his recitation. But Alan claims it’s private–daring to set another boundary.
Sam leaves, but he sits outside the door, listening to Alan’s emotionally charged voice recite the Kaddish for his wife and maybe Elias, too.
The Episode Review
In the episode, we see Sam trying to connect with others and trying to find his place in the world. He’s not putting in a lot of effort, but he ultimately wants to be different. He wants to be an empathetic, normal person, and that’s especially seen in multiple interactions this episode.
The scene where Sam carries in a big plastic bag is interesting. I expected it to be food, but it’s not. It’s probably something Sam obsesses over for himself, but the printer is for Alan. Even if Sam is ultimately trying to make himself feel better by performing the “empathetic” action, this seems like a step in the right direction.
Alan, as his therapist, has to see this as growth. But, as his captive, he is likely still feeling hopeless about Sam’s quest for change. The writers understand these nuances in therapy and in self-improvement, when they could easily get lost in trying to make an exciting thriller.
“I don’t feel good,” Sam says. Is he feeling bad now that he’s starting to think about others? Is he regretting killing Elias? Or is he focused on himself, and how he wants to feel normal? ..
On the bridge, Sam was standing in a similar spot to where he was found later with a body nearby. Was he contemplating suicide? Or did he dispose of the body here? ..
