‘Love & Death’ Episode 1 Recap & Ending Explained: Why Does Candy Want to Be in an Affair?
Welcome to the Recap and Ending Explained for Love & Death, the new HBO drama starring Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemmons, Patrick Fugit, and Lily Rabe. The series tells the story of Candy Montgomery, a middle-class housewife who got into trouble in the 1980s after starting an affair with one of her neighbors. The affair would end up in murder, and Candy became a celebrity as the case reached national levels of scrutiny. HBO places Love & Death as one of its most important shows for this season, and the amazing cast proves they are confident about it.
However, the series suffers from some strange decisions regarding the story’s editing and pacing. The scenes don’t flow very well between each other, and several scenes feel like they could be cut out completely, and it wouldn’t matter for the story. The miniseries also lacks a sense of progression, as from the beginning, it becomes clear that Candy is not a normal housewife. She is evidently unhinged and is screaming in silence for attention. It makes for good showcase material for Olsen, but it might not be the best for the story.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Love & Death Episode 1. Read at your own risk.
Why Does Candy Want to Be in an Affair?
The episode begins with the introduction of Candy, her family, and her friends. Candy Montgomery could be considered to be the perfect housewife, she has gorgeous kids, a good house, and friends, and she is a respected member of the community. However, you can see from the get-go that Candy is not happy. She has a sadness in her eyes that cannot be described as quiet but as raging. She is sad, and she is tired of being sad. We meet her husband, Pat, and it becomes clear that whatever put them together in the first place doesn’t exist anymore.
We also get to meet Allan Gore and his wife, Betty. Allan and Betty are basically going through the same things as Candy and Pat. There is no love in this relationship, and there is no passion. The two have sex in a very mechanical fashion because Betty wants to get pregnant again. Maybe it is her way of keeping Allan close, as she knows he is drifting further away from her with each passing day. It is a sad state of affairs, but it is something that is normal and happens every single day around the world.
However, there is a wrinkle in all of this. Allan, Candy, Betty, and basically everyone in the community is part of the Methodist church, and so there are expectations when it comes to being part of that community and the behavior people must have. The two couples are part of the Church’s choir, and during one of the masses, the pastor reveals to the entire community that one of their members, Candy’s friend, Jackie, is getting divorced from her husband. This is outrageous for these people. It seems like Jackie is being shunned from the community because of it.
Jackie visits Candy, but she has to get in through the backdoor. She cannot be seen talking to Candy; it would taint Candy’s reputation. During this conversation, Candy reveals what she has been thinking about for a while. She wants to have an affair, have fun, and feel passion again. She says she has done everything a wife is supposed to do and wants the rewards. Jackie explains that having a husband, children, a house, and people who support you are the rewards. She warns Candy that this plan can only lead to something bad.
How Do Candy and Allan Start Their Affair?
The episode continues, and our two main characters seem to clash this time. One night, while playing volleyball, Candy and Allan clash with each other. It is common when playing the game, but this wasn’t a common clash. It was special. In what sense? In the sense that for the first time, Candy sees Allan in a different light. Allan isn’t handsome or athletic, but Candy finds him quite attractive in ways she can’t explain. Candy becomes so attracted to Allan that she doesn’t keep it a secret and shares her intentions with her friend Sherry.
Meanwhile, Allan is having his own problems at home. The series spends a lot of time making Betty unpleasant on the show. She is always annoyed, she wants Allan to do things the way she wants them done, and Allan is completely indifferent to her. At one point, Betty gets mad with the kids for no logical reason, and Allan just stands there watching, which makes Betty mad, because everything makes her mad. Allan explains that he doesn’t judge, but at times like these, he doesn’t know what to say.
One day after practice, Candy approaches Allan, and they go inside his car. She says she has something to discuss with him, and as if it weren’t a big deal, Candy explains that she is attracted to him and suggests that they should have an affair. Allan rejects the suggestion at first, but it is evident that he is thinking about it. Candy is pretty and doesn’t have all his wife’s bad qualities. It seems like a no-brainer. Both of them say they love their partners and wouldn’t do anything to hurt them, so they leave it like that.
However, as time passes, Candy and Allan become closer, talk endlessly over the phone, and go out to have lunch. This is going to happen; they are clearly attracted to each other. Candy rents a room at a motel and waits for Allan there for their first real encounter. She opens the door in her gown, and she looks amazing. Allan enters, and the expected happens. They have sex, which is good sex—the kind they don’t have with their partners.
As Candy turns on the shower and gets under it, we see that a different Candy opens her eyes as the water falls on her. As the water goes into the sewer passage, we see blood. Something bad has happened. This is, of course, a foreshadowing of the murder that will happen in the future and how Candy will shower after doing the deed.