The Sinner season 1, episode 7 recap: Truth hurts
Photo Credit: The Sinner/USA Image Acquired from NBC Media Village
The truth is finally revealed in the penultimate episode of The Sinner.
More from Drama
- The Serpent Queen season 2 release updates and everything we know
- Is Quantum Leap on tonight? (November 22, 2023)
- Is Magnum P.I. on tonight? (Nov. 22, 2023)
- Miss Scarlet and the Duke returns for season 4 at the top of 2024
- The Way Home season 2 trailer reveals 1800s storyline and release date!
At the start of the seventh episode of the eight episode series The Sinner, it’s still unclear why Cora Tanetti murdered Frankie Belmont. The episode begins with her continuing to remember more about the Beverwyck Club, but then blends in a flashback of Phoebe’s birthday. She allows Phoebe to sneak out to a bar with her, knowing it’s a bad idea. It just might be the most reckless thing she’s done when it comes to her sister, even though she’s keeping a close eye on her.
The night we flashback to turns out to be the night where Cora seems to stop remembering what happened to her. Her sister was with her in the woods and that’s when she reveals that she’s supposed to move in with J.D. It took a while, but we finally learn how Cora met Frankie. It seems like the show is left with quite a bit to catch us up on now in just an episode and a half.
Frankie and Phoebe hit it off at the Beverwyck and it’s the one time that Cora strays from watching Phoebe. Phoebe hasn’t been a strong character in this really because it feels as though she just really wants to have the life Cora has and holds her back from doing what she really wants. Cora indulges Phoebe in most of the flashbacks, but in this one it’s starting to feel like she’s finally free… maybe.
Phoebe makes the rash decision that she’s just not going home again, much like the decision Cora made without telling here. Now Phoebe is trying to get her to loosen up and play along with whatever weird fantasy she’s cooked up in her head. This is when everything starts to spiral out of control into the time period that she couldn’t previously remember.
Photo Credit: The Sinner/USA Image Acquired from NBC Media Village
Finally we see what pushed Cora over the edge. Phoebe died with not only her in the room, but while having sex with Frankie. He started doing compressions but cracked her ribs while doing so. As soon as we find out that Phoebe was with Cora on that night, there’s a gut feeling that something goes very wrong. Now that we know what it is and we see exactly how Cora reacts, everything makes much more sense now.
This wasn’t the scenario I had in my mind as Cora was piecing things together throughout the first six episodes. Having it be something that actually happened to Phoebe and not her makes sense, though. Instead of Cora thinking someone else drugged her, she likely went into a downward spiral after watching Phoebe die in the same room as her. It also explains why she buried to and couldn’t remember anything until going back to the club.
Next: The Sinner season 1, episode 6 recap
“Part VII” gives us vital information that we’ve waited quite a bit for. And to have this whole episode essentially be a flashback was a bold move. Previously, they were only here and there, but this one was important enough to have a whole episode dedicated to it. Next week, the series will wrap with it’s final episode and I’m excited to see how they end it.
The Sinner airs Wednesday nights on the USA Network. Be sure to tune in!