The Woman in the Wall Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Ex Gratia

Lorna and Colman unveil a drastic revelation in their case on The Woman in the Wall Season 1 Episode 5, “Ex Gratia.”

After being at odds for the majority of the season, Colman and Lorna are putting their smarts together to learn more about what happened to them. The penultimate episode for the season brings new revelations as the two continue treading deeper into the investigation.

“Ex Gratia” follows the two closely as they locate Clemence’s daughter, question Colman’s mother about his adoption, and dig through Father Percy’s records. Amid their search, they uncover that the convent wasn’t simply adopting children out or burying them; they were trafficking them.

In exchange for a large donation, the church would willingly sell the women’s children and forge a fake death certificate to ensure nobody would ever come looking. To make matters worse, James Coyle, the lawyer helping Niamh bring justice to the scorned women of the convent, is the one behind it all.

After being enlisted by Colman for a little help, Massey, who has taken it upon himself to make up for playing a part in keeping the convent running over the years, finds that Interpol has been investigating Coyle for his work with the Life, Love, and Liberty foundation up until they started bombing abortion clinics a decade prior.

As it turns out, Coyle changed his name over the years from Ignatius J. McCullen to Jim, later changing it to James to fit in more appropriately. The House of the Sacred Shepherd quickly became the Wisconsin Holy Cross Adoption Agency in order for his work to continue.

We see Lorna take a portion of this information and reveal everything she found to the group during their celebration at the bar, but nobody wants to believe her. And those that do don’t want to have to continue reliving their past with no compensation or reward. If they turn down the offer by the state now, they’re afraid of never getting another confession.

The Woman in the Wall has yet to be shy about what the women had to endure during their time in the convent, but an even more gruesome picture is painted when Amy analyzes and explains precisely what she went through.

Thomas claims Amy, a 15-year-old at the time, seduced him, a married man, and that the church helped her. His impromptu interruption leads her to explain that she was forced to give birth by herself next to two women who didn’t care if she lived or died, who wouldn’t provide any pain relief or even sew her up afterward.

After Amy’s abysmal treatment during labor, she was forced to be back at work rather than resting, as she needed.

Hilda Fay delivers an exquisite performance as Amy Kane in her confrontation with Thomas. The emotions she exudes are palpable, heart-breaking, and perfectly encapsulate the horrors these women were forced to endure.

There’s a sense of curiosity that arises from Thomas’ interactions with Massey beforehand, though, because he mentions how Massey played a crucial part in what happened, which means he knows more than what he lets on as well. Massey is clearly trying to right his wrongs, but we’ve still not been privy to the extent of his involvement with the convent just yet.

As the episode comes to a close, we see Lorna come to some realization after talking to Carmel, the older woman who still lives at the convent, about Aoife and how she rose from the dead years prior.

Carmel: God brought her back for a reason. Maybe it was you.

With only one episode left, the season finale is bound to be an information-filled, tense hour as Lorna and Colman finally come face-to-face with the truth: the truth behind Aoife’s disappearance, Coyle’s connection to the convent, Colman’s adoption, and the status of Lorna’s child; all of it.

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

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Woman in the Wall airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!