Sharp Objects episode 7 recap: A major reveal

Sharp Objects has its most chilling episode yet as something terrifying is revealed. Here is what went down in the episode titled “Falling”.

At the beginning of the episode, Camille has a surreal dream. In it, she sees shadows moving in the dollhouse Amma owns. This is excellent imagery as it shows exactly what is going on in the Crellin home. From the outside, it seems perfect, but on the inside darkness lurks.

What is the darkness in the Crellin home? Adora poisoning her own children. Hints are given throughout the episode and the pieces come together at the end. Adora fed poison to Marian, resulting in her death. She is also shown poisoning Amma after she comes home with a hangover. It is implied that she also tried to poison Camille, but Camille resisted.

More from HBO

• Hacks season 3 gets exciting release update: Here’s what we know
• Blue Beetle gets disappointing Max release update
• Friends snags No.1 spot on U.S. streaming services – and we’re not surprised
• Will there be a Steven Universe revival? Rebecca Sugar says “if there’s a huge amount of public demand”
• Industry season 3 is not coming until 2024: Here’s what we know about the release

I have to give major props to Patricia Clarkson’s acting here. She is incredibly creepy and unnerving, but it does not come off as over-the-top. Her performance in this episode gave me chills.

“Falling” was a great example of how you can unnerve an audience without using cheap gimmicks like multiple jumpscares. By continuously showing a manipulative Adora spooning poison in her own daughter’s mouth, Sharp Objects creates a sense of dread and unease. Adding to this effect, are the white nightgowns Adora adorns Amma and Camille with. It is a simple way of showing how Adora needs them to fit this role of innocent, young girls.

“Pretend it doesn’t exist”

In “Falling” Jackie has a revealing conversation with Vickery. She asks about his wife and then asks about his “other one”, presumably meaning Adora. Jackie then goes on to say he will do what the rest of the town does: pretend his feelings for Adora don’t exist. This conversation says so much as throughout the episode we learn just how far Wind Gap is willing to go to pretend certain things don’t exist.

Willis goes on a hunt to find more information about Marian’s death. Through his conversations with medical professionals, he learns some shocking things. A nurse lost her job for proclaiming her beliefs that Adora has Munchausen by Proxy disorder. Requests to further investigate Marian’s death are denied. It is a cover-up of Adora’s crimes.

Later, when Willis tells Vickery his findings he brushes it off as “ugly gossip”.  He is also eager to wrap up the murder investigation. He only cares about two things: protecting Adora because of his own selfish feelings for her and maintaining the squeaky clean image of the town.

Wind Gap itself is also like the dollhouse from Camille’s dream. From the outside, it looks perfectly innocent, but on the inside dark secrets lie.

Camille and John

To further investigate the bike found at the slaughterhouse, Camille tracks John down for more quotes. She finds him at a different bar than his usual. Over drinks, he tells her he did not kill the girls. He has been dead inside since the murder of his sister. They bond over their feelings of loss and how messed up death has made them.

After, they go to a motel. He convinces Camille to show him her scars. Instead of being disgusted by them, he kisses them. They have sex.

This sequence shows just how tragically screwed up Camille is. It makes sense for her to bond with someone who also lost a sister. Familial loss is extremely traumatic and the only people who can truly understand it are those who have gone through it themselves. In fact, it is probably healthy for her to bond with a person that gets it.

However, Camille crosses a line because of her need to be loved. She sleeps with a boy half her age who is still in high school (though legal) and is also an interview subject. Not a good decision.

Things are made worse when Vickery and Willis barge in to arrest John. It was a little melodramatic for Willis to find out this way, but it didn’t deter from the episode. Willis is upset and Camille loses someone who cared about her because of one bad decision. It’s ultimately heartbreaking to see Camille sabotage herself.

Also, Amy Adams knocks these emotionally heavy scenes out of the park. Soon later, when she finds out what her mother has done, I could truly feel Camille’s utter despair.

A Lynchian effect

Music can really form the narrative and mood of a television series or film. Sharp Objects uses music excellently. “Falling” is a great example of this.

The dark instrumentals used in the opening credits instantly set up a feeling of tension, framing the mood for the rest of the episode. There were two moments with music that created almost a surreal, David Lynch-like effect.

In the middle of the episode, Adora slightly dances to the music Alan plays while she concocts the poison she will give to Amma. At the end of the episode, we see a flashback of Alan dancing with Amma while a singer croons about poisoning a little girl. When music contrasts with images, it creates a truly chilling experience.

Sharp Objects airs Sunday nights on HBO.