Based on true events, “The Girl from Plainville” is the story of Conrad Henri Roy III and his girlfriend, Michelle Carter. Michelle came into the spotlight when her boyfriend committed suicide by choking himself with carbon monoxide inside his truck. A thread of text exchanged between parties indicated Michelle’s involvement in her boyfriend’s suicide.
With only three episodes released until now, “The Girl from Plainville” starts in the year 2014, when Conrad’s body was found inside his car in the parking lot of Kmart. A history of depression and a previous suicide attempt led the police to assume that there was no foul play until the phone was examined. His last phone call was to his girlfriend, Michelle. The police wondered if Michelle was aware of what Conrad was about to do and if she knew why she did not attempt to stop him.
‘The Girl From Plainville’ Episode 1,2, And 3: Recap Summary
Conrad was a shy teen boy who felt anxious during social interactions. He found it difficult to connect with his peers, and his parents’ divorce affected him all the more. His mother was his constant support. After his first suicide attempt, Lynn always tried to learn about her son’s mental health. She found it surprising that her son had spent a happy day with her at the beach and had committed suicide that night. Lynn was all the more devastated when she found that her son had written a letter to his girlfriend and his father, but not to her. While Conrad’s mother was gentle with her boy, his father was quite the opposite. He was strict in his ways and shared a formal relationship with his son. After their divorce, he continued to take classes online for a year. He preferred to stay away from social interactions. He worked with his father on the boats during that time.
Conrad met Michelle on his trip to Florida two years back. Her grandmother introduced him to Michelle. She knew him through her friend. Since Conrad was in love with a girl, Lily, whom he met online, he was not quite interested in Michelle. Lily’s father did not approve of their relationship and wanted him to stay away from his daughter. Heartbroken and bored, Conrad stepped out of the house and found Michelle on the way. They both felt a certain connection once they started to interact. Their last day together in Florida was spent cycling through the city. They sat by the beach and discussed how they were often termed “weird” by society at large due to their mental illness. The two shared a kiss. Michelle added that she had never had a boyfriend before. Conrad wanted to get more intimate, but she stopped him as it was overwhelming for her. They shared numbers, and he promised to meet her in the morning before she left. But that never happened. After his father had ill-treated him the previous night, he did not leave the house that morning.
Conrad gradually disappeared from Michelle’s life. Her texts were left unanswered, and their Florida romance came to a halt. In a game of “never have I ever” with her friends, she expressed how she had a beach romance with a guy she met in Florida. This was when she first interacted with Susie. She met her for the first time on that softball tournament trip. Susie was unlike her friends Natalie and Cassie, and the two started spending most of their time together. Making braided bands and watching Glee, they spent their time discussing what they loved and hated. There was a connection that Michelle shared with Susie that suggested that their relationship was more than just friendship. It was during this time that Conrad contacted her again, as he felt anxious before joining the school. He remembered her for helping him go to sleep with her game of words. The two exchanged texts, but when he asked her if she missed him, she was distracted by Susie and did not reply. Conrad resorts to pills to end his pain.
In the present time (2014), Michelle mourns the death of her boyfriend and creates the image of a grieving widow. His death became the ultimate event of her life, and she tried to make the best of it.
What Was The Inconsistency In Michelle’s Story?
Michelle had informed her friends Natalie and Cassie about her boyfriend going missing for three days. Whereas in reality, nothing like that had happened. Conrad was in his house, texting Michelle. Therefore, the police couldn’t help but wonder what her motivation was for weaving such fabricated tales about her partner.
Michelle was a lonely teenager who struggled to make friends. When the news of Conrad’s demise surfaced, Michelle sought support from her friends. She wanted to connect with her peers, and the loss of her boyfriend gave her the reason to seek their assistance at all times. While she cried her heart out, she was quick to ask them for their suggestions regarding the dress she should wear at the funeral. She started to make Conrad’s death all about herself. She borrowed the idea of raising funds for mental health awareness from his best friend, Rob. She took it as an opportunity to create an event, and organized the fundraiser in Plainville, a place that was far away from Conrad’s hometown. The event in Plainville would allow her to bond with her friends and create a social gathering where she could be the center of attention. She lied to Rob about already paying for the venue when he questioned the reason for organizing the fundraiser far away from Conrad’s friends and family.
At the event, Michelle made sure she was a part of every conversation. Lynn was informed by Michelle’s mother that Michelle continued to text her son, and she found that to be distressing. More than sharing memories of Conrad, Lynn noticed how Michelle was interested in getting her pictures taken with the players and friends. While returning home, Michelle sat in the car alone, and she started to feel anxious and hopeless. In that moment of despair, she texted Natalie, saying how she could have saved him that night. When Conrad noticed that his technique was working, he got scared and left the car, but Michelle encouraged him to not do so and to get inside the car. When Natalie confronted her about it, she dismissed it as a silly mistake because she was not in the right state of mind, and it was not the truth.
The police had enough evidence to confiscate Michelle’s phone and laptop. Their text exchanges were definitely not normal. She did encourage him more than once to take his life, but the police struggled to understand her motive behind it. The police were dealing with a grey area in the law as assisted suicide was not illegal in the state of Massachusetts.
Conclusion
The trailer for the upcoming episodes of “The Girl from Plainville” indicates that a courtroom trial will unfold. While Michelle continues to advocate her innocence, her parents struggled to understand the reason why she had insisted him to take his life. A few snippets of Conrad and her conversation also indicate that he did not want her to communicate with his mother and tell her about his deteriorating mental health. The question of what Michelle’s intent was is dealt with in this Hulu mini-series.
“The Girl from Plainville” is a 2022 Biopic Crime Series created by Liz Hannah and Patrick Macmanus.
