While Bonnie is finding her groove again, Kathleen is running off the rails, but Diana's unlikely friendship may be the key to setting her straight.

All three of the ladies were off on private arcs on American Woman Season 1 Episode 5, and it allowed for them some time to grow.

One of them has a discovered a terrible secret that could threaten the future of their friendship. What is it?

If you didn't get a chance to read my interview with Jennifer Bartels that posted today, please do. She's delightful and teased a bit of what's to come for Diana. 

Diana is already coming out of her shell a bit by asking for Alan's number. Not to ask him on a date but so they could meet up, and she could retrieve the sweater she left behind with him when he escorted her home.

Before they can even meet, Greg is on the defensive with Alan about it. It seems minor at the time, but it becomes a major plot point because of how it ties into not only Diana's time with Alan but Kathleen's insecurities and Greg's lies.

The thing is, Diana and Alan get along very well. He's a great guy, but there aren't any sparks between Diana and Alan.

It's unclear whether Diana realizes that or not, but she's comfortable enough with him over drinks to share with him what her mother said about him without even having met him. 

She saw you on the porch and. God. This is stupid. She saw you on the porch, and she said you're a homosexual. Oh my.

Diana

• Permalink: She saw you on the porch and. God. This is stupid. She saw you on the porch, and she said...

She didn't do it maliciously but as a way to explain to Alan how awful her mother can be. That backfired on Diana, and she felt embarrassed about bringing it up, but it was good that she did because they may be able to remain friends going forward.

There was so much about the remainder of their conversation that was honest and open and refreshing. At one point, Alan thought if he was into women, he believed she'd be the type of woman he'd want to date.

Diana: So how did you figure it out?
Alan: What? That I was gay?
Diana: Yeah.
Alan: [laughs] It all started with Wally Cleaver.
Diana: What?
Alan: I couldn't stop thinking about Wally Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver.
Diana: Come on.
Alan: It's true. I thought about him all the time, and sometimes I kissed the TV.
Diana: Sounds romantic.
Alan: You can't choose who you love.

• Permalink: You can't choose who you love.

Unfortunately, you can't choose who you love, and that's something Alan learned long ago and of which he's not ashamed. Considering their history, the Greg he knew wasn't ashamed once upon a time, either.

Why Greg has done such a 180 on his beliefs would be a good development, so I hope it is revealed and doesn't remain hidden. 

Kathleen and Greg own a business together, and no matter what happens to them in their relationship, that's something they will have to handle.

Related: American Woman Interview: Jennifer Bartels on Diana's Journey, '70's Fashion & More!

Kathleen may have some deep-seated insecurities that keep her worrying over her looks and with men who don't adore her as they should, but she doesn't seem like the kind of person who would sever business ties with a former lover if they parted amicably.

If anyone deserves the truth about their relationship, it's Kathleen. She's giving so much of herself to Greg, and she's getting nothing but false promises and heartache in return. 

She's hooked on diet pills (for those of you new to the 1970s, we used to have real diet pills that would mess with your body and force it to lose weight) that go with her magic cookie diet as a way to cope with Greg's rejection. She acts like she knows all and can handle anything that comes her way, but she is fragile.

Every time Greg promises to love her and be better, he's crushing her soul just a little bit more and possibly ruining her for the man who will come after him.

Greg wants to be in love with Kathleen, and I believe he loves her, but he can't be in love with her. That's not who he is and the more he tries to fake it, the worse it will be for them both.

Mena Suvari's crying scene ripped MY heart out and crushed it, how can Greg not be affected??

Diana's inquisitive nature loaded her with all kinds of information of which she was previously unaware, and armed with the knowledge her mother was probably right about Greg when she said Kathleen should worry because those "types" stick together, it is going to be difficult to keep secret if she sees how Kathleen is feeling.

Greg didn't have to worry about Alan telling Diana about Greg. Greg told Diana himself by carrying a pack of matches from a gay bar. 

Diana could have gotten that information from anyone, but she happened to get it from Alan. You can't blame the messenger. Diana would worry about Kathleen no matter how she discovered what kind of clientele frequent The Red Target. She only wants her friend to be happy.

Related: American Woman Season 1 Episode 4 Review: The Cost of Living

What do you think Diana should do with the information she has about the bar, Greg's friendship with Alan, and what it might mean about Greg? What would you do if Kathleen was your friend?

Maybe Kathleen just needs to take a little of her own advice and untangle her tingle.

It didn't take long for Bonnie to rush out and buy a device on Kathleen's advice. Of course, part of what added to the tangle in the first place kept her tingle tangled when the electricity went off mid untangling. What a bummer!!

I have a new phrase, though, and I'll cherish it forever. 

Frankly, I can't imagine a better way to untangle any tingle than with the Artiste de Jour, Adam. Yes, he does deserve an entire episode named in his honor. He's so scrumptious.

Why reach for your handheld device when you can reach for two hands and that man??

Bonne looked adorable in her oh-so-'70s outfit when she reached his apartment. I just spent a week trying to win dolls with that theme, and while I didn't get the one that would have made a perfect Bonnie, the one I did win still shares the same vibe.

(Yes, I collect and play with fashion dolls ... once a Barbie, always a fashion doll girl. And Jessica's doll? That was NOT a vintage Barbie!!!)

Related: American Woman Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The Party

The painting Adam had started the night he met Bonnie was truly beautiful. And as the two spent more time together, I liked them even more, too.

But you know it's not going to last or be anything more than a fling when she's not sharing the news with her friends to keep him all to herself, and he's heading to New York City for his first showing for the summer.

Why would you have to be in the city for the entire summer? I've never seen another show that portended to require the artist to abandon their life for several months, and all I know about artists, galleries, and shows I know through fictional television. Surely, they haven't steered me wrong!

The biggest flag thrown on the field was Adam suggesting Good ol' Steve take the kids for a couple of weeks while Bonnie visits him in New York.

It's a valid request since Steve-O should be doing something for the family he abandoned, but it would have been nicer of Adam to ask if all three girls in Bonnie's family could make the trip.

Still, Adam is perfection. The long hair, the lithe body, and the artistic qualities all ready for sexy time? Yes, please. Well, been there done that, but need to replay the movie in my head. 

Bonnie's biggest challenge moving forward is how to get Becca and Jessica to understand (Becca, really) that she's not the bad guy in their lives. Daddy left because he was cheating on Mommy. Mommy has a man over because Daddy already had another lady long before Mommy knew.

Bonnie will eat the dirt Becca is kicking in her face, though, because she wants Becca to have good memories of her shit father. She'll allow her daughter that knowing he'll screw things up all by himself. And Bonnie will be there to pick up the pieces when he does so that Becca can do it all over again.

That's what motherhood is all about. Putting aside your feelings for those of your kids. It's all for them. Even if she screws up sometimes, as long as she knows she's doing everything with them in mind, she can keep moving forward.

What did you think about this episode? What's next? Will Kathleen find out about Greg? Will Bonnie give up Adam for the sake of her kids? Will Diana continue seeing Alan as a new, less angsty friend? 

Hit the comments and let me know your thoughts.

And if you haven't done it yet, watch American Woman online because it's well worth the effort!

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.