The Undoing Season 1 Episode 4 Review: See No Evil
Carissa Pavlica
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Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Unfortunately, Jonathan doesn't do anything out of desperation. He knows exactly what he's doing at all times, and what he does is to save his own skin.
The Undoing Season 1 Episode 4 did nothing to change course for Jonathan; it dug him in even deeper as a horrible person. This episode was all about Franklin and Haley. Donald Sutherland and Noma Dumesweni are fantastic in these roles.
Haley is incredible. She is a no-nonsense attorney, and if she believes someone is holding back or lying, she calls them on it. Even though Grace promised she had shared all, I don't think that Haley is certain of that point.
She knows who Jonathan is, though, and she's going to use his flaws to his benefit.
Jonathan: Well, there's no one else apart from Elena.
Haley: Elena and the one where you were distraught. The sad fuck.
Jonathan: Is that supposed to be funny?
Haley: I'm not funny.
Jonathan is a narcissistic bastard who thinks only of himself at all times. Do you believe he only cheated twice on Grace? Franklin's proof that if you can do it once and get away with it, you'll do it again.
Franklin blindsided Grace with his revelation that he and her mother were never happy. He spent a lifetime cheating and making it up to her. A child sees gifts and love and kindness, but in reality, they were penance and groveling, with the hope his wife would turn a blind eye to another screw up and give him another chance.
Apparently, she did, and that scares the hell out of Franklin now that Jonathan has lived up to his expectations.
Jonathan upset me in a profound way the minute I first set eyes on him. I did ask you what it was you loved about him. I asked you whether he seemed so perfect for you because you had explained to him exactly what perfect for you meant, and he was just giving back what you wanted.
Franklin
That conversation, well before Grace learned just how fully Franklin understands Jonathan and why he has remained so wary through the years, reflects on the conversation Grace had with her patient in The Undoing Season 1 Episode 1.
I thought then that she was accusing the woman of doing something that hit close to her heart by reading into the men she meets to find how their traits align with her expectations instead of allowing herself time to get to know someone fully.
Franklin sensed something similar in the way Grace responded to Jonathan, and he cannot stand the pain and regret he feels now knowing he didn't fight harder to help her see things differently.
But, Jonathan uses his charms and looks to the detriment of everyone he meets. It's likely that nobody knows who he is. But, to his benefit, Haley knows who he is, and she knows that's the key to his freedom.
The reason there are so many true-crime programs about men who charm their way into the life and pockets of women and men in their lives is because it works. So many people want to believe that the impossible is true that they're eager to accept it, even if their instincts tell them that there could be a catch.
The earlier episodes proved that Grace had some reservations about her husband. Anytime you are involved with someone like that, you always feel it, but life has taught you that it's unkind to think negatively about others, so you slough it off.
I've been there. It's awful to look back and see how you circumvented your own instincts to believe in the fairytale. In Grace's case, it's got to be even worse since she's at the center of such a horrific crime, and her son is along for the ride.
The audacity of Jonathan's trip to Fernando's house is hard to grasp. But someone like Jonathan, who has gotten away with so much for so long, truly believed that it was an acceptable course of action.
Jonathan: I didn't try to influence him.
Haley: It doesn't matter. You actually thought that you might win over the man whose wife you're accused of savagely killing. How much fucking charm to do you think you have?
Jonathan: I didn't see the harm. I really didn't. I didn't!
Haley: Do you ever?
Jonathan: Fine. I apologize. What's next.
Haley: You actually did think you could change your mind, didn't you? Oh my God. Of course.
Jonathan: What?
Haley: Why wouldn't he believe you? You cast a spell. You have done it with everyone you ever met. With a face like that, I have a handsome charismatic client, capable of mesmerizing. We will win this. We will get the jury to see in you what you see in you. What I see in you.
Jonathan: Wow. How'd I do. Did I pass?
Haley: Barely.
Proof that he's willing to throw anyone under the bus to protect himself was the conversation with Connie Chung. Not only did he try to blame Elena's death on her being "off," but on national television, he let the public believe that Fernando or Grace could have done it in an explosive, jealous rage.
Legally, it doesn't matter if they've both been cleared. But the media could have a field day with them anyway, and it raises suspicions among friends and family, too. He knows that, an so does Haley.
An attorney's job is to free their client. She has no allegiance to Grace, even if Franklin is paying for her to represent Jonathan. But if she goes too far, she should be worried about Franklin.
He's between a rock and a hard place with the whole case. He loves his daughter and regrets the life he led with her mother as well as what he feels is his implication in Grace marrying Jonathan.
He paid for Jonathan's release only because Grace asked, but it was not done without some guidelines. He promised to kill Jonathan if he hurt Grace in much the same way he promised to ruin the Reardon School if they screw with Henry.
Franklin comes off as a kind father and grandfather, but you don't get to his place in life without strength, and he showed his power during this episode. While Jonathan charms his way through life with lies, Franklin takes a different tact.
Even with his infidelity, he admitted he always fessed up and paid the piper. What he says is true. If he threatened Jonathan and Conifer, they'd do well to believe him.
Jonathan tried to sway Grace, and it was nauseating.
Grace: Whatever I feel for you? It doesn't matter because my mind is stronger than my heart. You know that about me. And while you may not be a murderer, you're not my husband. You'll never be my husband.
Jonathan: Come here, come here. Come here. It's me. It's me. It's me.
So far, Grace has suggested that she's done being a pawn in Jonathan's game. She's allowing for some leeway in his guilt or innocence, but she doesn't want him as her husband any longer. It's not going to be an easy path for her to follow, having allowed him to call the shots for so long.
Jonathan: I didn't try to influence him.
Haley: It doesn't matter. You actually thought that you might win over the man whose wife you're accused of savagely killing. How much fucking charm to do you think you have?
Jonathan: I didn't see the harm. I really didn't. I didn't!
Haley: Do you ever?
Jonathan: Fine. I apologize. What's next.
Haley: You actually did think you could change your mind, didn't you? Oh my God. Of course.
Jonathan: What?
Haley: Why wouldn't he believe you? You cast a spell. You have done it with everyone you ever met. With a face like that, I have a handsome charismatic client, capable of mesmerizing. We will win this. We will get the jury to see in you what you see in you. What I see in you.
Jonathan: Wow. How'd I do. Did I pass?
Haley: Barely.
Jonathan hasn't lost any ground in his wicked ways. The look on his face as Haley tried to trip him up in her office was very smarmy.
There are only two episodes left before the conclusion of this limited series, and there is a lot of ground to cover.
Hopefully, we'll see the trial and get a resolution. A lot of times, TV series based off of books like to pivot to make things a little less convincing. The book Defending Jacob was much more resolute in whether or not Jacob killed the little boy.
I'm not interested in an ending that leaves it up to the viewer to determine whether or not Jonathan killed Elena, but it is more realistic. Whether he's convicted or exonerated, the truth is abstract to anyone who wasn't there. Everyone can come to their own conclusions.
Only the people involved ever know what happened, and even then, it's open to interpretation from everyone else. There isn't anything black and white about trying cases.
Where do you stand on Jonathan's guilt or innocence? Chat about that and anything else in the comments.
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.
