Little Fires Everywhere Review: Find A Way (Season 1 Episode 8)
Acceptance comes a little too late on Little Fires Everywhere Season 1 Episode 8, “Find A Way.”
The incendiary finale touches upon a lot of notes that bring it to a satisfying conclusion while never letting the story end happily for all. It’s the kind of ending that feels so appropriate for the characters. It’s not forced, it just feels like a natural progression.
There’s a film called Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures that depicts when the author’s first husband leaves her. As he leaves their home he says to her, “Not everyone can be happy, someone has to be unhappy.” To which she replies, “By why should it be me, and not you?”
That’s the kind of note that Little Fires Everywhere concludes on. These characters don’t deserve a happily ever after, but they do get endings they deserve.
Let’s start with the crux of the story: the fire.
It was pretty clear from the beginning that she was not the one who would set the fire to the Richardson house. Izzy had already been through so much and having her be the one to light the match would have just reinforce Elena’s belief that her fourth child had ruined her life.
The arguments in the Richardson house just prior to the fire escalate in such a way that all the cards are laid on the table, including Elena’s admission that she didn’t want Izzy.
The way in which these events converge feel so perfect. In that climactic scene so much comes tumbling down in the perfect sequence. When the series circles back to the first scene from the first episode with teh cop asking who started the fire, Elena’s answer hits the perfect note:
ELENA: It was me.
She’s right in that her own actions have led them here, but the admission that she was the common denominator in destroying their lives is unexpected. For Elena, appearances are everything and weakness is not something to be displayed.
In the final act, Elena realizes just how wrong that framework is. Witherspoon’s anxiety when she frantically searches Pearl and Mia’s now abandoned residence looking for Izzy. Finding the cardinal feather in the bird cage and holding it while muttering her nickname is the perfect note to end on for Elena.
It shows regret, but also leaves their future open-ended.
Speaking of open-ended futures, Mia and Pearl also leave off at a pivitol moment in their relationship. I’m not sure where I expected this particular plot point to go after Elena’s revelation at the end of Little Fires Everywhere Season 1 Episode 7, “Picture Perfect.”
The fact that it ends on good terms with Mia having a frank conversation with Pearl and them deciding to leave together is the best outcome for them.
The fact that they then end up outside of her parents house works in paralell with Elena’s story. While Elena loses her daughter, maybe Pearl will meet her grandparents and the bridges will be mended is a hopeful end to the story as a whole.
Looking back on this season of Little Fires Everywhere, the story took some time to get started but ended strong. The acting was impressive and the tension was moderate throughout resulting in a series that is best savored instead of consumed one after another.
Stray Thoughts:
- Izzy did have many things right throughout this series. She was absolutely right to tell Moody off when he was moping over Trip and Pearl.
- I really want to know how long those fight scenes took to shoot. There was so much emotion and the expression on ever Richardson family member’s face is so feral-looking that it’s both scary and impressive to watch at the same time.
- There are so many patterns addressed on this episode too. Watching Bebe steal her daughter and head for Niagra Falls is another form of repetition that makes this the perfect ending.
- It’s really hard to feel bad for Bill on this episode. Yes, Elena went and had dinner with a coworker and didn’t tell him about it. (She should have.) But Elena is also right in that he doesn’t listen to her. She did say she didn’t want a fourth child and he didn’t do anything to help her when she was struggling. She’s had a family, but been alone in a lot.
What did you think of this episode of Little Fires Everywhere? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Little Fires Everywhere is now available to stream on Hulu.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.