Dickinson – Forbidden Fruit A Flavor Has

By: Alejandra Gil M

The episode starts with a close up of Emily (Hailee Steinfeeld) looking in the mirror, practicing all kind of movements and faces for when she is famous. “Yes, I am Emily Dickinson,” she says. “I’m getting published.” She is getting ready to go to Sue’s (Ella Hunt) intellectual party and comes downstairs wearing a beautiful dress, and some members of the Dickinson family are having a quiet night it. They are not going because Mrs Dickinson (Jane Krakowski) does not approve of Austin’s (Adrian Enscoe) and Sue’s decadent lifestyle as she calls it as it’s not the Dickinson way. Lavinia (Anna Baryshnikov) and Ship (Pico Alexander) are also staying in as they are having a novels and chill evening he says. Mrs. Dickinson also states to Emily that she should be alert to find a man’s eye at the party to which Emily responds with some serious eye rolling.

At Sue’s house she is trying on some outfits for the party/lecture she is going to be hosting. She says that she wants something that says, “I was too busy reading and thinking profound intellectual thoughts to even consider getting dressed up.” Hattie (Ayo Edebiri) confirms that is exactly the statement she is making. Sue puts on the final touch with some glasses to look smart. Hattie asks if she needs them, but Sue says no and that she actually has perfect vision. Hattie insists on Sue wearing a prettier yellow dress brought from New York, but she won’t because she cannot be seen in the same dress twice.

The party starts and Toshiaki (Kevin Yee) is being his hilarious self, asking two guys if they are both ministers. Also, there we see Jane (Gus Birney) is eager to see who the lecturer is.   Abiah (Allegra Heart) says she loves philosophical ideas and find intellectual challenges. Additionally,  in the circle Abby (Sophie Zucker) says that she has been the biggest fan and best friends with Emily as she hears she is getting published. Emily arrives and says that they´ve never had a one-on-one conversation.

Toshiaki asks Emily if she knew that Sam (Finn Jones) sleeps with all the women he publishes. But she does not believe him. He’s married she says and Toshiaki finds it hilarious. All the guests on the circle agree and assume that because his wife is never with him. Sam then enters the room saying, “There’s my genius Emily Dickinson, front page poet.” Sue receives the guests and tells Emily she looks gorgeous and that she needs to stand out.

Sam takes Emily to show her off he says around the house and a little introduction tour. They see some real life artists like Harriet Prescott Spofford and Sanford Robinson Gifford (Jibz Cameron).

Back at the Dickinson’s home Lavinia is not sure about the quiet night in and tells Ship, but he is trying to read The Scarlett Letter and does not pay attention to her. Lavinia says that she is not the boring Dickinson sister, that she is wild and creative and that she needs stimulation. She asks him why he decided to start with that book and basically recites the whole plot to it. She finds it revolting, but Ship does not know what that means.

At Sue’s house back on the tour Sam was giving Emily, he introduces her to Sanford. He is a very famous painter and ask if she’s the flavor of the month. They talk about light and stuff. Emily excuses herself and says she has to go find Sue.

Before that happens Sue finds Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) and Clara (Neville Lee) and asks them to put back the aprons and help with the visits, but Austin (Adrian Enscoe) shows up and sends them to the parlor. He says to Sue that they are not the help and will not be delivering drinks. Sue is not happy because she has been in the same situation as them and she had to do exactly what was asked of her, but Austin insists that the tweens inheritance is paying for their life. Sue responds that in that case he is the one taking advantage. The first time we see Henry (Chinaza Uche) he asks Justin for help later.

The next scene involves a very weird role play following the characters from The Scarlett Letter by Lavinia and Ship.

Back at Sue’s home Emily finds Sue and asks her about all the rumors going on about Sam and the girls she publishes, but she assures Emily it is not true, that the only reason she is getting published is because she deserves it and that she knows his wife Mary from before. We find out that she was Sue’s first friend before Emily and that they were very close, but now she does not leave the house for some reason and keeps to herself. She is terribly shy and does not like to be seen. Unlike Emily, Sue insists whom deserves to be seen and that is not fair what happens to women when they are getting famous, as it puts a target on their backs and they get called the worst names.

The lecture is about to begin when a box is dragged to the middle of the living room. It starts moving and then a man (Ade Otukoya) arises from it. “Who here knows what freedom is,” he asks. “Freedom is about being yourself, even if you are a hot, young widow,” responds Jane.

Sam sneaks from the lecture and asks Emily to do the same. Finding him at the library he is making some space between books as he says that’s where Emily’s poems will go. She starts to feel nervous and says that there is something almost forbidden about the whole situation.

Back at the barn Austin and Henry uncover a printing press. Henry says that it is a powerful machine. He is hoping to start a revolution with it. But someone knocks and storms in right after Justin says no one gets in without his permission. It is Hattie (Ayo Edebiri) who is very upset about the lecture. She states that they cannot put the guy on the paper. Justin uncovers the machine hoping it will make her feel better. Hattie says she is a freelancer that just ran out of words.

Back inside the house Sue walks in on Emily and Sam, saying that he missed the lecture. She immediately goes to hold Emily’s hand. She later finds that he is staying the night. Sue thanks him for giving it “the Sam Bowles Charm.” He says he has to go and telegram Mary as she gets worried when he is away. Emily says she would love to meet her. They say goodnight and both leave.

At the Dickinson’s home Emily is writing and realizes that Sam is there. It soon becomes a passionate love scene between the two of them. At the end we find out that it was not real and just a product of her imagination.