Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 1 Episode 5 Review: See Me Feel Me Touch Me Heal Me

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

What do the blue butterfly, a tattoo artist, and Mickey’s parents have in common? Apparently, a lot, according to the new clues revealed on Harlan Coben’s Shelter Season 1 Episode 5, “See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me.”

Considering we’re at the halfway point of the season, I figured we’d make some considerable headway in putting the pieces of the mystery together. But “See Me Feel Me Touch Me Heal Me” instead opts to dig further into the inner turmoil and issues the characters face as teenagers coming to terms with loss, their identity, and what friendship means.

Surprisingly, the focus more on the character rather than the overall mystery doesn’t really harm the season, even though any forward momentum is stunted because of this writing choice.

The Phantom Arc & Its Connections

Though I may have questioned this specific arc on “Phantom Threads,” it’s becoming clear that it’s a terrific way to work through many of Ema’s stories, and this hour does a wonderful job of providing viewers with more insight and context.

While dress rehearsals are ongoing and prep is continuing for the musical’s opening, we’re seeing Ema get better at opening to people and letting people into her inner world.

After seeing the butterfly on Ema’s shoulder, Mickey and Spoon’s decision to follow her home and confront her about the truth leads to an earnest, vulnerable moment for the trio. Seeing three teenagers openly communicate their issues and honestly open up about their anxieties is refreshing and incredibly sweet.

That foundational reassurance that Ema’s a good friend despite not sharing the tattoo with them is a solid character moment. It lets viewers see the level of emotional intelligence Mickey, Spoon, and Ema are capable of.

Unfortunately, that security she gets from Mickey and Spoon, later on with her mother which turns out to be the celebrity musical mentor, Angelica Wyatt [Stephanie March], leads her somewhat astray in terms of Whitney.

Though she and Whitney finally get close and confess their feelings for each other, Ema’s connection to Angelica Wyatt isn’t staying a secret for long, especially since Whitney shares that bit of information with her brother/Ema’s antagonist.

It’s a rough moment because you can only imagine what that means for Ema when she returns to school or comes face to face with Buck again.

She Bought a What?!

I have seen a lot of impulse purchases and/or decisions in my day. But Hannah’s impulse lease of that restaurant space is one of the more unrealistic choices I’ve seen on a television show. Of course, Hannah’s decision during the hour allows for more insight into her mind’s inner workings and relationships with those around her.

Between her decision to continue seeing Shira, confronting Troy during the conference with the coach, and her very frank conversation with Ken over dinner about his inability to “see” Hannah and Troy for who they are, Hannah’s on the verge of breaking free. But will we continue to see any more progressive changes in Hannah to the point that she and Shira can do something or will this just be quelled in the remaining three episodes?

I hope this leads to a fresh start for both for Shira’s sake.

A Tattoo Artist, Abiona Butterflies, and Mickey’s Parents

Though the mystery takes a back seat, there is still a pair of reveals that viewers must find a way to piece together. Considering how she’s been adamant about Dylan Shakes’ memorial, Mrs. Friedman’s connection to the little league team makes sense. But even with that knowledge, it’s still hard to parse out what exactly she knows, whether it connects back to Lizzy Sobeck and how that connects to what Mickey’s parents did.

Then there’s the photo the tattoo artist hides with Mickey’s dad and “Octo face.” Mickey’s expression at the discovery is heartbreaking, as he’s starting to learn so much more about his parents than he ever did. Mickey’s at a loss and mixed in with the grief of losing his dad and not having his mother close to get answers to the mystery that’s plagued him since the night of the car accident, the mystery becomes overshadowed.

What does this mean? How does Dylan Shakes connect to what is happening with Ashley? How much did Mickey’s parents know about what was happening, considering the name of the organization they worked for?

Random Thoughts

• Spoon’s janitorial kids network continues to give viewers some solidly comedic moments. Spoon and Gemma’s hallway exchange is hilarious. The young actress who plays Gemma is brilliant and plays off Greensmith’s Spoon so well in the scene.

What did you think of this episode of Harlan Coben’s Shelter? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Harlan Coben’s Shelter streams Fridays on Prime Video. 

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