All For One Recap: Episode 18-20

By starrymag | April 29, 2016

By: Michelle Rose Micor

 

Holy hiatus Batman! It’s been two excruciating long weeks and tomorrow we not only get a brand new All For One episode, but we get a live one! Correct me if I’m wrong, has it ever been done before? I’m going to preface this now by saying if you’re looking for soe Portiana love right now, it’s not going to happen. A lot of what happens in the last three episodes really focus on Dorothy, (Gwenlyn Cumyn) which was quite a refresher to see how our leading lady has developed through the series.

Episode 18 begins with Dorothy, Miller (Dan Mousseau) and Ariana (Angie Lopez) drinking, yet again, to their success of further decrypting more and more of Rick’s files. I think it’s safe to say that Ariana is clearly overcompensating for her loss of Portia (Claire Gagnon-King) by throwing herself into less than ideal activities. We learn that despite not being able to get Rick kicked out of the Student Union, Dorothy and the gang have been able to cancel reservations for upcoming events Rick’s had planned, uploaded spyware and even leaked documents to Rick’s opposition in the upcoming election.

The Inseparables; however, have a different opinion as to how things are coming along. Specifically from Breton who asks the eye opening question, “What about justice?” I love that it’s a simple question like that, which can bring Dorothy back to reality. No matter how her actions have been lately, it’s been nothing in regards to justice but revenge. This puts her at the same level as Rick, but the others don’t see it that way. Ariana goes on a rant about how much she has yet to do and there’s a slight implication that she’s gotten in trouble for hacking in the past ,but she shrugs it off by declaring she doesn’t care about that or a stupid sorority. Calling Mu Sigma Theta (MST) stupid seems to really piss Dorothy off and I can’t really blame her. She’s still so clearly upset about her rejection, but she still respects the organization and holds it to a higher degree than Ariana does, at least for the moment.

Whatever tension has built is quickly dissolved as the trio head over for yet another night of fun. Dorothy comes back earlier than the other two with exhaustion clearly written all over her face, but there’s something else about her that’s different. She’s not the Dorothy Castlemore we met in episode one. She’s grown. But whether she’s grown for the best we don’t quite know…

Her one-to-one talk with the Inseparables is quickly interrupted, not that we mind, because it’s from none other than the lovely Connie (Linnea Currie-Roberts)! We haven’t seen much of Connie lately and one has to wonder if it’s to let other storylines progress or if it’s she’s hiding something of her own. She admits to Dorothy that she was up late talking to the long-distance girlfriend and it’s pretty clear there’s some trouble in paradise. There’s an endearing moment when the two roommates talk. It’s almost as if they’re looking at each other and thinking, “Aren’t we tired yet?” For Connie it’s her relationship and for Dorothy, well it’s a lot of things.

I like Connie, a lot. She seems realistic and she’s always been grounded. She’s sort of the moral compass that Dorothy has yet to find. She brings to light that Miller and Ariana have been around a lot lately, asking whether or not they’ve been class or attending MST duties. Dorothy’s at a loss for words because truly, she doesn’t know herself. One of the lines that resonated a lot with me after watching was from Connie, “A lot of people say they’re fine when they’re not.” This elicits a response from Dorothy of asking her if she was okay. Connie says she’s fine, but whether or not Dorothy buys it is another thing. Dorothy asks if there’s anything she can do and Connie just tells her to try and get some sleep because caring for herself clearly makes Connie happy and that just makes me happy #Dornie!

Connie heads to bed and Ariana enters looking amped up as anyone can be for 3AM and Dorothy’s demeanor is immediately different, which I credit to Connie. It’s been two weeks of fun and games and Ariana doesn’t seem to care. She’s neglected all of her responsibilities and despite Dorothy’s efforts, nothing seems to get through to her. It’s now that Ariana decides to fight back, but not in the way we would’ve hoped. Instead of acknowledging Dorothy’s pleas, she grabs the latest decrypted data from Rick’s files and tosses them to Dorothy in a USB.

Dorothy looks confused, but Ariana’s not buying it. It turns out that Anne isn’t the only one Rick has dirt on and Ariana finds it hard to believe that Dorothy didn’t know that Miller was under his blackmail list as well. It comes to light the real reason why Miller wants to take Rick down or so we think for now….

Episode 19 is…Well, wow! It’s emotional and heartbreaking to the very core and the way Gwenlyn Cumyn and Dan Mousseau bring this episode to life is just amazing.

Dorothy is back in front of her camera, her face just absolutely solemn after seeing what’s been in Rick’s files and the moment I’ve been waiting for,finally happens. She admits that Miller isn’t a good guy and that Alex (Alejandra Simmons) was right all along. Miller finally makes his entrance and Dorothy goes right for the jugular, calling him Anton and demanding him to confess because he only gets one shot before she goes apeshit on him.

It surfaces that Miller is working for Rick after Rick finds files on a 15-year-old Miller with a long list of crimes. You think that’s the worst of it, but it isn’t. Suddenly it’s not the sweet Miller standing in front of us but a sadistic, manipulative Miller who admits to taking part in some horrific crimes on behalf of Rick.

“I’m not some monster, I’m your boyfriend,” Miller says and the way Mousseau delivers this line is chilling and reminiscent of some Dexter episodes because for all intents and purposes he actually believes what he’s doing is okay. Dorothy is scared. Heck, I’m scared for her! She threatens to expose Miller to the police and Miller just looks at her with some maniacal grin. Miller admits that he’s doing his because he loves her, (a pretty low move in my opinion) but Dorothy is completely beside herself. Her boyfriend tells her he loves her for the first time just as his evil mastermind plan is exposed.

Miller continues to explain himself, which at this point I’m still so furious I can barely listen to him but he admits to helping Dorothy to uncover the rest of the dirt Rick has on him in addition to helping protect MST for Dorothy. Rick has a track record for getting sorority charters erased from campus and after Anne rejected his marriage proposal he’s made it his personal vendetta to make sure MST was next. Mousseau does a phenomenal job at playing Miller’s version of Jekkly and Hyde, one minute he’s sweet and the next he’s using Dorothy’s emotions against her to manipulate her into believing that he’s still the same guy. He’s still her Miller, but it doesn’t work. Miller leaves and every so confidently spits out, “You’ll change your mind.” Dorothy runs towards the door after Miller leaves and for a second I actually thought she was going to go after him but the Musketeer instead locks her door and returns to the camera.

She’s sobbing almost instantly and Connie is beside her in record time, holding and comforting her. My heart broke for Dorothy when I first saw this episode as she’s so completely torn between her head and her heart that all the emotions have just overcome her at once. If this weren’t bad enough, she leaves us with a single line, “It’s over. I ruined everything.” Dorothy Castlemore, woman for the people, absolutely blames herself for everything that’s happened and that’s just an indescribable emotion to deal with.

As if Dorothy wasn’t hurting enough, Episode 20 really does a number to her. It’s Thanksgiving break, the MST girls are gone (as is Connie) and all that’s left is Dorothy. Dorothy and her computer. She’s completely given up at this point and left with nothing but her own schoolwork to do, leaves.

The next scene is eerie, the lights are off and the only thing giving off light is the screen from Dorothy’s computer as Miller hovers over it in search of any evidence incriminating himself. Dorothy shows up and admits to Miller that she never would have gone to the police to report him, especially after the things he was wanted for was for things he’s done when he was 15 years old and homeless. She’s not a monster she tells him, but Miller reminds her that Rick is.

My favorite part of this episode is the use of shadows. It becomes a character in itself as it heightens a scene (quite literally because of Dan Mousseau’s height) while adding another layer to the room. Miller tells Dorothy he still has to take down MST and as he goes to leave Dorothy asks him not to do it. I don’t think Dorothy has ever put herself in a more vulnerable position than she has here.

Miller tells her he misses her and what we think is a sweet moment is terribly ruined when the next thing that comes out of his mouth is, “You were having just as much fun as I was.” It’s hard to tell what Dorothy looks like at this point due to the lighting, but I like to think it was definitely a play at her inner demons both light and dark.

Miller continues to press her, telling her he could make her the head of the Student Union, implying he’s the one responsible for making Rick the head now. Dorothy is filled with intrigue and is practically hanging on every single word Miller’s saying until she steps into the light and is brought back to reality.

Then, the most amazing thing happens next, Dorothy slaps Miller and pushes him away to leave but he’s resilient let me tell you and he continues to try and weasel himself back into Dorothy’s head but he finally lets up. When he leaves he tells Dorothy that whatever happens from here is on her because she had a chance to stop it.

Dorothy comes back to the camera front and tries her best to compose herself. She’s shaking, stuttering and if my heart hasn’t melted enough for this girl, it’s a complete pool of distress at this point. She’s torn between her head and her heart, but the defiant Dorothy is back and she’s declaring to protect Anne no matter what the cost.

My head is pulled in so many directions with these episodes. They continue to top each other week after week and if this is any indication to what has yet to come, I’m ready for it. I love the changes we’ve seen from the beginning episodes to now. Dorothy is just such a badass emotional wreck and it sounds sad but I assure you it isn’t. Her internal struggles are starting to surface and the contrast between light and dark is a huge kudos on the director’s part to help convey her story.

The few minutes we have Dornie is appreciated and leaving me wanting more. I hate to admit that I sort of love seeing Ariana struggle because I know Angie Lopez is only going to have an even more badass performance with Ariana rising above it all and hopefully a happy Portiana ending.

So if you haven’t caught up yet I urge you to do that now and be sure to tune in on Saturday at 5:30pm EST to catch the 20ish minute LIVE episode of All For One. Later beans!