In this week’s episode of “The Slap,” the narrative takes a poignant turn, steeped in themes of sorrow and loss. The story commences with a flashback revealing the moment before Nathan (Zachary Quinto) strikes young Leo (Dylan Schombing), this time seen through the eyes of Eliza (Uma Thurman). As she observes the entire unsettling scene—particularly when Marcus (Peter Sarsgaard) is caught in a compromising position with the babysitter—Eliza ponders the rationale behind relationships and parenthood. Despite her better judgment, she finds herself reluctantly infatuated with a rising star, Max (Penn Badgley), a charming musician with an uncanny knack for understanding others.
Eliza meets with friends Mia (Thandie Newton) and Claire (Melissa George) for lunch; Claire is in high spirits about Nathan’s legal troubles, dismissing her friends’ worries. Eliza likens her to a modern-day Joan of Arc, a comparison that hints at the absurdity of their situations. Previously, Nathan fancifully likened himself to a Greek warrior, suggesting a blend of myth and drama surrounding their lives.
Eliza pays a visit to her mother, Margaret (Blythe Danner), a psychiatrist whose posh English accent belies her frosty demeanor. Margaret, leaning on a cane she downplays as a mere sprain, suggests that Eliza might be pregnant when her daughter complains of feeling unwell. Eliza quickly brushes this off. Margaret advises Eliza not to confide in Mia about Marcus’ flirtations, a directive Eliza takes to heart. However, she finds herself visiting Marcus to deliver an indirect caution against breaking apart “their” family due to infidelity. At Max’s band performance later that evening, Eliza finds herself ill in a grimy restroom, and a pregnancy test confirms her worst fears.
In an attempt to introduce Max to her mother during a dinner gathering, Eliza is shocked when Margaret announces she’s sold her apartment and accepted a teaching position in Edinburgh—a move that sends Eliza into a tailspin. The next morning, Max confronts Eliza about her pregnancy, eager to embrace marriage and fatherhood, even proposing the name Daisy. Eliza, feeling trapped, firmly rejects him, asserting, “I don’t want this, and I don’t want you.”
Seeking advice from Mia about an abortion, Mia urges her to take some time to think it over. As the plot unfolds, we learn that Eliza’s relationship with her mother is strained; Margaret never wanted custody of Eliza, but circumstances changed when Eliza’s father passed away during their divorce. An offhand comment from Mia about her son leads Eliza to investigate Margaret’s computer, where she discovers her mother is battling an aggressive form of brain cancer. The supposed teaching opportunity in Edinburgh is a facade; Margaret is actually seeking treatment there.
Overwhelmed with her own pregnancy, the threat of losing her mother, and concerns about Marcus and Mia, Eliza approaches Claire to apologize for her earlier harsh words. “The love you show your son is so beautiful,” she admits. She gifts her mother a suitcase—symbolizing both a farewell and the unspoken truths they share. In a touching moment, Eliza lays her head on Max’s shoulder at a bar, searching for solace she can’t find with her mother. She has made a choice to embrace her pregnancy, along with her relationship with Max.
This episode is filled with the melodramatic elements that Margaret criticizes in Eliza’s television show—plot twists, unexpected pregnancies, and serious health issues—but it also explores the profound grief that often accompanies the joys of parenting. The acknowledgment that every beginning carries an end is ever-present.
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Summary
“The Slap” delves into the emotional turmoil of relationships, parenthood, and impending loss, following Eliza as she confronts the realities of her unexpected pregnancy and her mother’s illness. Amid the soap-opera twists, the show poignantly captures the intertwined joys and sorrows of family life.
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