Does anybody else wish Ambrose wasn't such a damaged fellow?

It would be so much easier to root for him when he's the only investigator interested in solving the crimes, as we witnessed on The Sinner Season 1 Episode 5, if he did not literally have himself beat up by a trailer park BDSM mistress when the stress proved too much for him.

All the good he does would be wiped out in an instant if his personal life were discovered, and he's too important to take such a huge risk.

There are law enforcement officers like Ambrose out there. Some care enough about solving the case. It's not only that there is a lack of evidence keeping the District Attorney from prosecuting. Sometimes, officers don't coerce confessions out of suspects just to close the case.

Sadly, we're at the point of our story where Ambrose probably could have the case solved within a short time if left to his own devices, but with the addition of NY police officer Captain Farmer, he'll be sidetracked and waylaid and no doubt additional people will lose their lives.

With the discovery of Maddie's body came Farmer. She wants to become the case. She also wants to micromanage Ambrose and teach him a thing or two about being a detective. After all, he's from a bum-frak little town out in the woods, right?

Farmer's idea is you just dig into the suspect, make them cry and they'll suddenly drop all pretense and say what you want to hear. She's not met Cora or anyone like her. 

If anyone in the group is a country bumpkin when it comes to this case, it's Farmer. Hey, if the name fits...

She lost me at this:

Cora: I didn't kill anybody.
Captain Farmer: Elts. You didn't kill anybody elts.

• Permalink: Elts. You didn't kill anybody elts.

Did anybody else hear her say "elts"? My cousin (God rest his soul) used to say elts, and it drove me nuts. Nothing about Farmer screams competence, but what I do hear is "I'll do what I can to tear you down."

That's why I didn't like seeing Ambrose revisiting his friend. Geez. Get it together. You're not in jail. You're not being tortured or hunted. Life is good!

Still, what Ambrose learned as a result of the hypnosis sessions with Cora was very helpful.

He's not one to sit on his laurels, and once Maddie's body was discovered, he took it upon himself to stomp around in the woods a bit more to see what was out there.

An elite, possibly bigoted hunting club with a large wall hanging very much like the "wallpaper" Cora continues seeing in her flashes is a terrific find. When you put it together with the other things we know about JD and Frankie, we can start forming our theories about what happened.

Oh, isn't that fun?!

Cora recalled a lot of her life with Phoebe, more specifically the things she did to give Phoebe a life. She went too far, not that it's surprising given that her mother made her believe she was responsible for Phoebe's life.

Phoebe: See the ring? He's married, that's why he wants to meet up somewhere discreet. Thousand bucks just to meet up no strings attached.
Cora: He looks creepy.
Phoebe: So? Get some money up front. If you don't like him, walk away. And, if you do like him, we got ourselves a sugar daddy. Cora. Cora, come on, please? We're so close. I can't take it here much longer.

• Permalink: So? Get some money up front. If you don't like him, walk away. And, if you do like him, we...

Phoebe pimping out Cora to get money for the two of them to get out of that house wasn't as quaint as it seemed. Phoebe was manipulative and pushy. Sure, she was dying, but that wasn't Cora's fault. Cora didn't lead her own life until Phoebe died, and even then, she didn't know if she was allowed to enjoy it.

Her involvement with JD was directly related to Phoebe. He "rescued" her from a meet. Or, it may have been part of a set up to get girls. This is where my theorizing begins.

JD is a drug dealer. It makes sense he might be in business with the Beverwyck Club, finding them girls for their hunts. In return, he'd supply them with drugs, maybe at a marked up cost. Frankie, as a doctor, could have been a member. One of the younger members, or a child of an older member. 

They gave hunting a new, exciting meaning. Maybe there are more bodies buried out there in the woods.

Or, maybe their MO is to drug their prey, hunt them down and pay them off if they ever realize what happened. Money is a big motivator on many sides.

With the welcome home Cora received after losing her virginity, I can't think of anything that would make her feel more guilty in the near term after that moment than more sex. What a dismal ending to something that started out lovely for a first time.

Cora opened up a little bit with an inmate about God, and if she was listening, maybe she'll finally be able to separate what her mother beat over her head and what others believe. Cora could use an ear other than Ambrose's.

They're growing very close, and even though he knows Farmer will scour every word they discussed on the phone, Cora and Ambrose used up all of her minutes in a long phone call just talking.

That will no doubt surprise a pinched woman such as Farmer, who thought the only thing Ambrose could see in Cora was her pretty face. What a sad waste of a female.

So, Ambrose felt like his hands were a bit tied. Farmer attempted to get Cora to confess to a crime she doesn't remember committing, and Mason is taking the law into his hands after JD smashed his dad in the head with a pipe.

If Farmer had held back on JD, he wouldn't have brutalized Mason's dad, and whatever is coming next might have been stopped. Way to go Farmer. You are the country bumpkin.

What did you think of this hour? Do you think any of my theory could hold water? What's yours?

Until next time, watch The Sinner online to gather the best clues. And what is YOUR preference? For a case to go away with the wrong person convicted of the crime or to go cold while police investigate all credible leads?

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.