The Republic of Sarah Review: In Us We Trust (Season 1 Episode 4)

It’s probably never going to win an Emmy, but The Republic of Sarah Season 1 Episode 4, “In Us We Trust,” finds a bit more of a stride than previous episodes have. 

It’s because Sarah’s personal issues and Greylock’s latest roadblock have the same solution — Sarah needs to let go. 

Her hesitancy to let her friends solve the Grelock currency issue is more understandable than her refusal to let Ellen go to the rehab she chooses, but a shared theme is always a good choice. Plus, Sarah needs to grow.

She acts like such a brat refusing to let her alcoholic mother receive treatment in the facility she wants to be in. 

If she is going to run a country, she is going to need to delegate and the sooner she learns to feel comfortable with that, the better. 

Stabilizing a new country’s economy with a new currency is another complex issue to build one episode of television around. But I need to just accept the fact that Greylock’s independence issues are secondary to everyone’s personal problems. The Republic of Sarah is a stronger show when that is a universal truth. 

That said, Grover’s idea to get Greylock residents to buy into the country by making them believe that the country’s whole economy is collapsing is the most effective solution we have seen yet. It works because it’s the most extreme and an extreme premise needs extreme solutions to support it. 

The idea that residents can submit art to help design currency is so much fun, and every country needs a motto. “In us we trust” is a pretty strong one. If Greylock can actually back that up with actions, the country has to succeed. 

Grover and Sarah appear to have completely reconciled, which is surprising. Grover is an understanding guy, but Sarah had his house demolished. I guess memorializing it on currency is a pretty huge consolation; Grover is in love with Sarah, so there is that to consider, too. 

Sarah deserves some easy relationships considering that her family drama is so intense. An alcoholic mother is bad enough. But an alcoholic mother who abused your estranged brother is almost too much. 

Danny and Sarah’s issues are so unique. It’s difficult to wrap our minds around the fact that some parents only abuse one child, but it’s a reality. 

When we consider Danny’s history with Corinne, he’s a jerk for leaving Greylock. But can we really blame him if he was fleeing his abusive mother? 

We learn that there is a mysterious reason behind why he left that Corinne is not aware of. So, it’s time to cut Danny a little bit of slack. Is it really so bad that he tries to support Josh’s choice to wear a bee costume, anyway? 

Let’s face it, Josh and his quest to get everyone to love bees are the stars of the episode, but we have to touch on AJ and Alexis. 

If you watch The Republic of Sarah Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot,” closely, it’s no big shock that AJ is having an affair with the former mayor’s wife. There is also nothing exactly compelling about the plot though I don’t mind an affair storyline most of the time. 

William is a jerk who almost deserves to be cheated on, but the “bisexual person cheating on a spouse” trope is extremely harmful and needs to be retired. AJ deserves better than to be someone’s secret, anyway.

Alexis is slightly cold, and definitely has no business questioning her stepdaughter’s ability to “live two lives.” 

The Republic of Sarah may always have room to grow. But a country that believes it’s perfect is a country in trouble, right? So, may it march on, flaws and all. 

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

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The Republic of Sarah airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.

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