Mary Kills People Review: Wave The White Flag (Season 1 Episode 3)
On Mary Kills People Season 1 Episode 3, “Wave The White Flag,” Mary continues on her dangerous path.
I still believe what Mary does is right, but the show is trying to shake that belief by making her motives suspicious and her decisions questionable.
Mary and Des continue their work despite being under the watchful surveillance of Ben and Frank. They are successful, but their constant presence starts to take its toll. Caroline Dhavernas deftly shows Mary’s unravelling. She begins the episode somewhat cocky. “I know how to stay ahead of this.”
By the end, she’s blaming her partner in crime, snapping at her kids, and jumping into bed with the enemy.
I say enemy because Ben really feels like the enemy now. On Mary Kills People Season 1 Episode 1, I was already shipping Mary and Joel/Ben, but the more we see of the cop—especially in this episode—the more I want him as far away from Mary as possible.
Sure, he has a job to do, but he seemed to connect with Mary as a person, not just a target, from the beginning. Now it’s strictly business.
Or is it?
When Mary comes back to the hospital in shock after Sid is murdered, Ben seems genuinely concerned for her. However, his behavior leading up to that makes it hard to trust him. I certainly don’t.
This makes it even more difficult to stomach the final scene.
It’s all very Mother, May I Sleep With Danger, to use a Lifetime movie title. They are both a danger to each other, but that could be part of the attraction. Des alludes to her having “a complex with the law.” Choosing to get involved with the man investigating her does prove a case for this penchant for risk.
On Mary Kills People Season 1 Episode 1, Mary avoids Joel/Ben’s question about why she does what she does by kissing him. On this episode, Ben does the same. These two may be two peas in a pod, but all I foresee is messiness.
I don’t trust Ben, and I’m starting to dislike his character, but I do think this development is intriguing. Along with all the other bumps in the road that Mary faces, it makes for an exciting ride.
It also makes it very satisfying when Ben and Frank keep meeting dead ends in their investigation.
They botch their tailing detail, and the medical examiner shuts them down. They pretty rudely interrogate Troy Dixon’s widow, coming off as insinuating she is partly at fault.
Each of these instances feel like little victories. This makes the viewing fun—riding that roller coaster of emotions.
“There is beauty in the inevitable.”
Like on Season 1 Episode 2, Mary Kills People depicts another peaceful death.
It further justifies the value of assisted suicide to the point where I won’t really care what Mary’s ulterior motives turn out to be.
She’s not the Doctor Death that Ben and Frank are painting her as. She doesn’t think of it as her decision at all, and when she is confronted with an opportunity to sway a person’s decision she does not.
Sonia: God has a plan, and it’s not our place to question it. Trust in his wisdom.
Mary: Then there’s your answer.
Mary Kills People keeps the viewer on their toes, but also keeps Mary as the steadfast hero even as she makes mistakes and problematic decisions.
Stray Observations:
- “I thought death always knocked three times.” “Guess you’re safe. For now.”
- Jess and Naomi need to work on their dine and dash skills.
- The way Mary breaks down after Sid is killed breaks my heart. It is upsetting that Ben is the one that is there for her to turn to. In addition, she lashes out at Des when he is the one who understands her the most. It shows just how much everything is rattling her.
- Are they really going to do it with the blinds open? Talk about flirting with danger.
What did you think of this episode of Mary Kills People? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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Mary Kills People airs Sundays at 10/9c on Lifetime.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.