The Changeling Season 1 Episode 5 Review: This Woman’s Work
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, The Changeling being covered here wouldn’t exist.
The Changeling Season 1 Episode 5, “This Woman’s Work,” shows us Emma’s story while Apollo comes face-to-face with his true enemy. Jonathan van Tulleken helms the episode from Kelly Marcel’s script. It’s an outing that offers narrative movement in the right direction.
“This Woman’s Work” finally brings Emma’s perspective to the fore. It’s felt like Apollo’s story for much of the series, but Emma’s arc is just as crucial to understanding the mystery before us. It endears us to her as we learn why she did what she did. It even confirms Baby Brian was a terrifying changeling, with the show leaning into its inherent horror/fantasy elements.
The episode touches on a relevant, timely theme all women can relate to: How quickly society dismisses a woman’s story. How brusquely they’ll brush off a woman’s trauma. We’ve heard “Believe Women” over the years regarding the #MeToo era and when a sexual assault victim comes forward. Despite overwhelming evidence, men are still quick to victim blame, claiming women merely want “attention.”
As seen earlier in the season, even Apollo, a man who seems incapable of rudeness and disrespect, accuses his wife of wanting to perform an “exorcism” on their son. He coldly tells her to “take more pills.” It’s a gut punch for any woman who’s found herself on the receiving end of disbelief when they’re in pain. The Changeling beautifully explores this point and Emma’s narrative as a whole.
“This Woman’s Work” is a tender ode to women, the magical beings they are, and the tenacity it takes to be one in this world. Cal reminds Apollo of Emma’s strength in eradicating the changeling, and we see how conflicted she feels when confronting the creature masquerading as her son.
The “estrogen island” also reminds us, as an audience, of how powerful women can be when united and how we need to uplift each other to survive in a patriarchal society.
In addition to the theme of believing women, “This Woman’s Work” revisits an earlier topic — postpartum depression. As a genre, horror is an excellent tool for exploring real-life issues such as postpartum depression. The Changeling seamlessly incorporates horror elements while keeping this exploration grounded in truth.
The nonlinear storytelling proves to be a boon for “This Woman’s Work,” a device on which this series relies. However, it successfully provides context for Emma’s story and slowly peels off layers to unveil more questions. It feels especially resonant when the plot builds toward that William reveal. Speaking of which, Samuel T. Herring is utterly terrifying in that moment with Apollo.
On the performance front, this episode belongs to Clark Backo. She delivers an emotionally charged, complex performance, digging deep into Emma’s despair and pain. She’s an electrifying onscreen presence.
LaKeith Stanfield churns out consistently solid work, but he takes a more understated, subtle approach as Apollo becomes an observer of his new surroundings. He masterfully makes Apollo look like he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“This Woman’s Work” is a strong showing for The Changeling that deftly blends genres for a compelling, slow-burn installment. Compared to last week, the series returns to an amalgam of fantasy, horror, and thriller components to weave a dark fairytale of intergenerational trauma, postpartum depression, and the lengths we go for the truth.
Here’s hoping the show continues on this trajectory for its final three episodes and answers our countless burning questions.
Stray Observations:
- Oh, hey, Ian from Workin’ Moms. I didn’t know you were moonlighting as a Norwegian photographer.
- Seeing Emma’s nude photo in the art museum reminds me of the “Nudes” episode from Letterkenny when Clark Backo’s character, Rosie, joined Katy and Bonnie McMurray to figure out who circulated Gail’s nude pictures without her consent.
- I feel like a doof, but it took me two episodes to realize Jane Kaczmarek, who plays Cal, is Lois from Malcolm in the Middle. Malcolm’s mom’s life has taken a serious 180.
- I love how the text message on the phone in the opening credits changes with every episode.
- Is the red suitcase going to be this show’s Rosebud?
- “They bathe it at dusk; They hide it with guile. At home in the forest; Forever lost in the wild” encapsulates some of the episode’s subject matter. The first half seems to allude to the changelings, whereas the second half might be a nod to the island Apollo is on with Cal and the other women.
- Theory: William replaced the real Baby Brian with a changeling.
- The episode title is a reference to the 1988 tune of the same name by Kate Bush.
What did you think of this episode of The Changeling? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.