Dietland Review: Woman Down (Season 1 Episode 9)

On Dietland Season 1 Episode 9, “Woman Down,” Plum gets pulled further into the Jennifer group and the dangers of their revolution.

Following the trauma of her rape and being ousted from Calliope House on Dietland Season 1 Episode 8, “Red Fatties,” Plum is lost. Angry and scared and lost. This makes her susceptible to falling in with Jennifer.

Plum makes several attempts to reach out for help by talking to her mother and Sana, but it is this friendship with Leeta, which is essentially imaginary, that pushes her into a certain direction. Plum and Leeta’s connection has been a strong point of the season so far even though their time together has been minimal. On this episode we get to see what we have only imagined their friendship would be like.

These scenes are great. Both Joy Nash and Erin Darke bring a lot to these moments together, and play off each other well. That’s why it is difficult to see the reality, and the reveal of Leeta at the end of the episode is all the more heartbreaking. The hopes of Plum finding Leeta, that buoys emotions throughout, are devastatingly dashed.

In my review of Dietland Season 1 Episode 8, “Red Fatties,” I said that Plum was being silenced now that she had found her voice. On this episode, attempts to blind her come at her from different sources, even being physically blinded with eye drops, though just temporarily; it results in her eyes being opened, but will she like what she sees?

On the surface, the inner workings of Jennifer is enticing, especially since she is angry and vengeful after her assault. Plum likens Calliope House to a cult, but Jennifer isn’t much different in that aspect. Jennifer offers a more aggressive therapeutic outlet for Plum than hippy dippy Verena and “that neutral tone of voice of hers,” but is it healthy? Is it safe?

I’m not sure if either option is good, but that is what Plum is presented with, and I can’t blame her for which way she tips.

Plum is able to even open Sana’s eyes to the problematic tenets of the New Baptist Plan. The scene between Verena (Robin Weigert) and Sana (Ami Sheth) is so compelling, and not just because I love seeing someone sticking it to Verena. Sana brings up some good points, and it rattles Verena.

In my review of Dietland Season 1 Episode 7, “Monster High,” I said that Verena becoming agitated was a highlight, and this remains to be true on this episode. It’s even better that it is spurred by Sana—sensible, even-keeled Sana—Verena has no choice but to take her words to heart. It’s fascinating to see Verena get defensive when she preaches against that behavior with her circular therapist logic.

I think the writers have handled the aftermath of Plum’s rape well, and Nash does a fantastic job showing the erratic emotions. The phone call with her mom is gut wrenching.

I still don’t think the rape is entirely necessary for the story, but I appreciate the care they take with Plum’s character. Although, they could’ve done without the brutal flashbacks to it. The one where she imagines shooting Jack works for the story to set up her struggle with Belle’s test, but the others are gratuitous.

Of course we know that Plum is thinking about it, reliving it, flashing back to it. Heck, I had trouble not stressing over it in between episodes. And Nash does such a great job that you feel her pain and her confusion.

In the preview for the finale, one of the Jennifer members says, “What’s our end game here? Are we just going to keep killing people?” I wonder the same thing. Both Belle and imaginary Leeta express disappointment over the manifesto and its failed execution.

Is Plum going to be the catalyst for Jennifer to go to the next level—an actual revolution? Will they even give her that chance? I can’t wait to find out.

What did you think of this episode of Dietland? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Dietland airs Mondays at 9/8c on AMC.

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