Episode 5 of “The Girl from Plainville” tries to unravel the reason why Michelle Carter influenced Coco to take his life. The motive seems blurry to begin with, but the prosecutor, Katie Rayburn, continued with her effort to piece the puzzle together. While Michelle carried on with her attempt to explain to those around her that she was innocent, she barely had any people who trusted her any longer. Even though she believed she was in love with him, her text exchanges with Coco narrated a completely different story.
‘The Girl From Plainville’ Episode 5: Recap Summary – What Happens In The Episode?
In the new episode, Michelle’s eating disorder is depicted on screen. She could not stop binging on snacks, and the tension of gaining weight, as a result, overwhelmed her. She furiously rode the treadmill, annoyed with her condition. She and Coco shared an intimate moment over texts, but she stopped in between, choosing to not proceed any further. It could either be that her body image issues took over, and she somehow felt uncomfortable thinking about the intimacy, or that she never truly felt intimately drawn toward Coco.
Coming back to the present, that is, 2015, the defense lawyer tries to figure out why Michelle helped Coco plan the suicide for months. He explained to her parents that she had even sent a text asking him to gulp down bleach if he truly wanted to die. He was not completely convinced of Michelle’s innocence, and the text exchange supported his doubt. Meanwhile, a newspaper published an article stating that Michelle Carter was indicted for manslaughter in the suicide of her boyfriend. This prompted Lynn to meet with the prosecutor as she was unaware of this angle. Katie asked Lynn to testify at trial as that would strengthen their case.
Michelle continued to pursue her interest in Susie. Desperate for attention, she would leave handwritten notes in her car at night. She had fallen in love with her, and their distance affected her emotionally. When Coco asked her if she still loved Susie, she replied that she did not know for sure. Michelle was in love with the Coco over texts, but Susie was real. She was the person she used to spend most of her time with, and her absence was irreplaceable. After Coco’s death, Susie texted her to share condolences, and that made Michelle nervous and happy as she struggled to find the perfect reply. The prosecutor wanted to bring in the Susie aspect of the case to explain how the suicide could be her way of getting her attention, but the judge denied it, stating that their relationship was over two years ago. Katie then decided to reframe her stance; they would try to establish that Michelle did it all to garner the attention of her friends.
What Made Michelle Break Down At The Prom?
One of the most important aspects that worked in favor of Michelle was Dr. Peter Breggin, the psychologist. He drove down to the defense lawyer’s office to discuss Michelle’s condition. He believed that if Michelle was on multiple medications, then it could have an intoxicating effect on her, especially if she had a coexisting condition such as an eating disorder. He agreed to testify in front of the jury.
Meanwhile, Michelle was rejected by everyone around her. At school, the people she considered friends stopped talking to her. Everyone looked at her with disgust, and she struggled to navigate her everyday life. A classmate of hers came in support of her; he was used to the bullies, and he sympathized with Michelle’s situation. He asked her to accompany him to the prom, and she agreed.
In the past, Coco visited Michelle when her grandmother passed away. It was the second time that they had met after Florida. They left the church and went to the baseball field. Lying on the grass, they discussed death in depth. They conversed about what they would say at each other’s funerals. Somehow, they found comfort in discussing ideas that would make people in general distressed. They were lonely in their respective lives, and that resulted in them sharing an unusual relationship. When Coco moved toward intercourse, she expressed discomfort, stating that she was not yet ready for it. Nonetheless, the two spent some intimate time together.
Michelle, dressed in sparkling attire, went to attend the prom. She was determined to not let her senior year slip away. As she entered the room, people started whispering and looking at her with a lot of hate in their eyes. Her prom partner tried to make her comfortable, and they joined the others on the dance floor. As the lights changed with the song, Michelle imagined Coco in a white suit dancing with her. She was overjoyed to have her lover by her side, but soon enough, she realized it was a fragment of her imagination. She left the room in tears when a sudden realization hit her. Michelle was alone at the end of the day. Her parents did not trust her any longer, people around her despised her, her friends chose not to talk to her, and the only person who loved her no matter what was no longer in this world.
Episode 5 of “The Girl from Plainville” focuses on Michelle and her struggle. Even though she encouraged Coco to commit suicide, she might not have been in a right state of mind while doing so. What the series seems to arrive at is how she perceives the situation and in what way she could justify her reaction to it. In the end, it is a story of two troubled teens who desperately needed help.
