The InBetween Review: Another Broken Morning (Season 1 Episode 5)
Abigail’s return on The InBetween Season 1 Episode 5, “Another Broken Morning” brings the most healing and then some to everyone around her.
First and foremost, she chooses to heal herself by listening to Cassie’s advice to feed the good wolf inside of her instead of the bad one. I consider myself a spiritual person, but the wolf metaphor is a little much for me.
It works for Abigail and that’s who matters.
When Cassie leaves her at the jail in the pilot, it never even crossed my mind that the jail might make her even harder and angrier.
But all’s well that ends well, right? As Bryon tells Cassie on this episode, “You’re not going to get it right every time. But in the end, are you causing more good than bad?”
This time, so much good comes from Cassie’s gift and Abigail’s return.
Abigail is safe and happy and in her favorite dress on her way to visit her Aunt Molly at the end of the episode.
Of course, she and Cassie together also help Abigail’s mother and baby sister, Hannah and Crystal, whether Abigail likes it at first or not.
I love the way psychology works on this episode. Cassie lies to Hannah about Abigail’s feelings toward her — no mother would ever heal after hearing their child blames them for their murder.
Cassie manages to weave in some truth about what Abigail needs from her mother into those lies, so that helps both of them find a bit of joy and is why Abigail leaves Cassie in good “spirits” (the pun is there and strong but unintended).
The irony comes in when Abigail tells Cassie the truth about Cassie’s own feelings toward her mother. Cassie is holding in anger toward her mom just like Abigail was.
I can’t predict the future of the series or even the season, but Abigail’s words are too true for Cassie to ignore. Perhaps they will send Cassie on a path back to her mother somehow.
After all, Cassie is stuck because it’s easy, not because it’s right — and she knows this deep down.
It’s going to be a rough road. Abigail and Cassie have similar anger toward their mothers. But Abigail is too young to know what her feelings are. Cassie is just plain in denial.
That’s a journey for a different day.
We need to talk about how Hannah can now physically and emotionally heal because her boyfriend is dead. Even infant baby Crystal can emotionally heal now.
Her mom and dad will no longer be fighting. But there’s also the fact that the younger a child is, the more susceptible they are to seeing spirits. So, Crystal no longer has to deal with her big sister coming back to torment the household.
Murder or even physical harm is never the best answer. If you are in an unsafe situation call the domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
I want to commend The InBetween writers for not giving this man a name or lines on the episode.
Sure, he dies. It’s a problem I have with most domestic abuse storylines. In real life, that doesn’t always happen and when it does the effects are more traumatic than any show ever explores.
Even though it happens off-screen, at least Hannah is the one who confronts her abuser. He’s not conveniently dead before the story begins or even worse, killed in a ridiculous car crash but I digress.
All of this healing makes this episode about as joyful as The InBetween can be. Viewers who are drawn to the more serialized dramatic elements of the show should turn it off happy.
I’m not as enthused about Bryon’s future health. All of the hints are foreshadowing something that’s big enough to be in the season finale, and that’s scary. But let’s not think about it before we have to, OK?
Tom and Damien’s case is easier to understand on this episode and I like how Cassie’s vision about water leads them to the perp’s true escape route. The case is just so detached from everything else Cassie is dealing with on this episode it’s hardly worth mentioning.
But this show is at it’s best when all of the serialized elements are working, and this episode doesn’t disappoint there.
What did you think of this episode of The InBetween? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The InBetween airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.