Sharp Objects series finale recap: The dollhouse’s secrets

This week’s Sharp Objects was the series finale. The Wind Gap killer was finally revealed. Here is what happened in the episode titled Milk.

The Sharp Objects finale begins with Camille having dinner with the Crellins. It is a celebration of the arrest of John Keene. Amma is dressed in a white nightgown and is wearing a flower crown. She is obviously still under the influence of whatever mixture Adora is giving her. This is another great example of how well done the creepy imagery in Sharp Objects is.

Also again, contrasts are used to convey a feeling of unease. The Crellins are acting like it is a nice, normal dinner. However, it is obvious something is very wrong.

There is a dialogue where Amma compares herself to Persephone and it’s brilliant. The story of Persephone Amma recounts has a lot of parallels to Amma’s life and what is going on in the Crellin home. Amma also notes that while Hades runs hell, Persephone is the one that gives out the punishments (possible foreshadowing?).

John Keene interrogated

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

At the police station, Willis and Vickery question John about the blood found. He appears honestly shocked at the discovery. As they keep interrogating him, John gets more and more upset.

I’ve constantly praised Adams, Scanlen, and Clarkson for their acting, but I want to point out how amazing Taylor John Smith as John Keene is as well. He’s pulled off an excellent performance of a brother in grief and a person betrayed by his own town.

Afterward, Vickery makes a comment about going at John until he breaks. Willis says he will break … even if he’s innocent. He tells Vickery he believes they have the wrong guy.

A sister’s sacrifice

Towards the end of the dinner, Adora notices Amma is burning up. She orders her to rest. Camille acts like she is unwell too to receive Adora’s “treatment”. Adora dresses her in a white nightgown and Camille does not refuse the “medicine” Adora gives her.

The way Camille handles the situation says a lot about her character. To prove Adora has been poisoning her own daughters, she takes the poison herself. She self-sabotages to save Amma. Sadly, I think in Camille’s mind this is her “punishment” for not being able to save Mariah.

This sequence also says a lot about Adora. Her behavior towards Camille drastically changes now that Camille is accepting her care.  Perhaps, the source of Adora’s dislike of Camille was Camille’s unwillingness to be “cared” for. It shows how sick Adora truly is. She loves her daughters only when they “need” her.

An arrest is made

While Adora is gone for a moment, an ill Camille tells Amma to sneak out and get Willis. However, Amma is unable to. Not only is she cornered by Alan, but Adora has her so warped that she actually likes the attention Adora gives her, despite the poison.

Willis does show up at the house and Camille tries to get to him but is too weak to. However, soon later, the police arrive.

Curry to the rescue! He came to Wind Gap and demanded the police investigate the Crellin home. They find a poisoned Amma and Camille and the pliers used to pull out Natalie and Ann’s teeth. Adora is arrested but claims innocence.

Transitions

Amma and Camille are treated at the hospital. There, Willis comes to tell Camille they found a variety of poison Camille was hoarding, including rat poison and antifreeze. They both apologize to each other and Willis leaves. I am glad they ended their relationship with no hard feelings.

After they recover, Amma goes to live with Camille in St. Louis.  In St. Louis, Amma starts a new life and makes a new friend named Mae. However, she still goes to visit Alan and her mother in prison. She still loves Adora, despite what was done to her. It shows what Adora has done to her mind. She created a “need” for her.

Curry reads Camille’s last article on the case. In the article, Camille comments on how her need to be with Amma may be like her mother’s. The one thread that ties these women together is their craving for love and attention.

However, they deal with this need in completely different ways. Unlike Adora, Camille is not selfish in her need for Amma’s attention. She lets her live her own life in St. Louis.

Her article also mentions how the prosecution said how Adora’s guilt comes from a “female sort of rage”. They argue Adora’s crimes are rooted in kindness and care. This is more of Gillian Flynn’s classic (and genius) commentary on women and society. Women aren’t seen as being capable of doing such horrific acts. They are raised to be kind, selfless, and caring.

A happy ending … or is it?

As the days past, Camille and Amma seem settled into their new life together in St. Louis. They have a dinner with Curry and his wife. Amma’s new friend, Mae, is also at the dinner. Mae comments on how she might want to go into journalism. The seemingly nice dinner suddenly seems off as Amma makes a strange comment. She tells Mae she is just trying to impress Camille and seems jealous … almost unhinged.

Later, Mae’s mother shows up at Camille’s apartment and asks if she’s seen Mae. Camille saw her last with Amma. Camille investigates Adora’s dollhouse (interesting she brought that to St. Louis). Camille finds a tooth hidden in the dollhouse. She then sees a whole bed of teeth. Amma enters the room. Camille looks at her with disbelief as Amma delivers the haunting final line: “Don’t tell Mama.”

Now that is how you end a series! It was an extremely well done final scene. Again, the dollhouse represents dark secrets hidden behind a seemingly perfect life.

As the credits roll, the audience is left feeling like Camille and feeling for Camille. Like her, we are left in a sudden horror and disbelief. We also wonder when Camille will get a break from her horrific family. There is also a post-credit scene that shows just how terrifying Amma is.

Though sometimes frustratingly slow at parts, Sharp Objects, was overall a well-done series. The tension in the final two episodes made up for its slow start. The cinematography, directing, and acting were all phenomenally done. The haunting final scene will stick with me for a while.

What did you think of the Sharp Objects finale? Comment below