The Girlfriend Series-Finale Recap: Gone Girl

by

It became evident from the very first episode of “The Girlfriend” that Daniel could only have one possessive psycho in his life, as the following episodes built tension around who would ultimately prevail between Cherry and Laura. The show’s directness was admirable because I had anticipated a climactic confrontation between the two women, which indeed took place.

While several elements from the opening sequence hinted at the nature of their final fight, only the pool and Laura’s bloodied heel were significant in the end. No gunshots were involved. The projector might have been a clue to the incriminating recording Laura had obtained of Mrs. Cherry admitting her history of violence against Cherry. The most surprising revelation in the finale, however, was learning that Mrs. Cherry’s name is Tracey!

In the final scene, instead of maintaining a two-character perspective, the narrative shifted to a single, continuous act. This shift occurred due to Laura and Daniel’s estrangement, which led Laura and Cherry to lead distinct lives with minimal interaction until their ultimate confrontation. The decision to abandon the two-perspective structure in this episode was necessary because it largely focused on less captivating aspects of both characters’ perspectives, exposing the original concept’s inherent weaknesses. It wasn’t particularly enlightening overall.

In the final scene, it’s revealed that instead of accidentally falling from a construction site as initially thought, Cherry’s father was pushed by Cherry due to his abandonment and leaving them with a mountain of debt. When Laura confronts Cherry about this, Cherry nonchalantly responds that “he had it coming.” This disclosure is intended to show the unyielding nature of Cherry’s mental illness, but it seems rushed and lacks depth. Regarding Laura, her recurring issues revolve around her deceased daughter, Rose.

Perhaps by emphasizing how the unique hardships experienced by Laura and Cherry influenced their perspectives and propelled them towards action, instead of focusing on minor variations in dialogue (such as whether Laura yelled or did not yell, or if Cherry stared demonically at Laura or not), we could develop the characters more deeply. In the novel The Girlfriend, the characters are like finely crafted models: each element is present – Laura’s deceased daughter, Cherry’s childhood psychosis, Daniel’s bitterness over being expected to fill the void left by Rose, Howard’s bitterness at his grief being dismissed. However, like a model, they lack depth and a distinct point of view; they are not fully realized.

Let’s revisit the series of incidents leading up to the final confrontation. Upon returning home from a shopping spree, Cherry and Daniel are beaming, having selected an enormous rock for an engagement ring. Daniel urges Cherry to wear it instantly, while she prefers to wait until she has her nails done so she can make the announcement officially on Instagram with French tips. I apologize, but I had to type the word “Instagram” and “Connesta” throughout this time. Daniel doesn’t want their engagement news to be shared on Instagram or Connesta or any other platform; he wishes they could relish their joy privately following the tumultuous aftermath of their public pledge. However, Daniel lacks resolve when it comes to Cherry. A single disapproving glance from her is enough for him to agree: They should host an engagement party.

Laura finds out directly from Daniel about the incident involving Cherry. Since Daniel hasn’t responded to her calls since Cherry returned home with a bleeding head after visiting an art gallery, Laura decides to wait for him outside the hospital where he works, which we now know is part of his medical training. In six episodes prior, this was the first confirmation that he was indeed in the medical field. Laura attempts to explain to Daniel that she would never harm Cherry and insists she’s not a violent person – a point that will prove significant later on. However, Daniel refuses to listen and angrily reveals they are engaged before leaving to meet Cherry, who can see Laura standing powerlessly outside from the car window. Neither of them acknowledges Laura’s presence.

The situation worsens when Laura arrives home to find Howard there, gathering his belongings. Despite everything, he persists in believing that Cherry is a “kind” person – someone who donates money to nursing homes. However, Laura senses the insincerity behind this remark. It’s not just the issue with Cherry that enrages Howard; he’s tired of cleaning up after Laura and has spent years trying to sell her gallery art so it wouldn’t die as a hobby. He feels she never gave him space to mourn in their relationship, and as he leaves, he bitterly claims that their failed marriage was entirely her choice. The scene is tough to watch not due to the raw emotions but because the performance and dialogue seem unrefined. There’s nothing convincing about Laura showing any emotion for Howard, while Howard’s outburst seems more of a routine than genuine frustration. In essence, Howard exists merely to challenge Laura’s self-righteousness – he serves only to say these things.

Despite the complexity of their conversation, what Laura gathers from it are only two words: “Cherry” and “nursing home.” These terms jog a memory for her regarding a shady bill she obtained unlawfully following Daniel’s accident. With renewed determination, she decides to investigate further at the nursing home. Sitting down with John, Cherry’s father, Laura invents a backstory to deceive the on-duty nurse into believing they were acquainted before John’s accident. As soon as he hears the name “Cherry,” John shows signs of distress, the nurse explains, and mentioning Cherry is known to agitate him. Additionally, John shares with Laura information about a construction site accident without explicitly implicating Cherry in it.

The nurse, overflowing with details, additionally informs Laura that Tracey works at a butcher’s shop, the next destination on Laura’s journey exploring Cherry’s past. Even for someone accustomed to covering up her daughter’s misdeeds, Tracey exhibits an impressive composure as Laura persistently delves into her life and attributes every transgression to Cherry. One of the initial things she tells Tracey is that she doesn’t want Daniel to follow in the footsteps of Cherry’s father, suggesting that Daniel’s accident was not merely an unfortunate incident but a deliberate act. She questions how Tracey can shield Cherry, given that Laura is prepared to take extreme measures to ensure her son maintains his pure relationship with any girl she dislikes. When Tracey defends herself by stating that she does it because she’s a mother, Laura responds by asserting that she too is a mother and will do whatever necessary to safeguard her son. “If Cherry learns about your actions,” Tracey warns, “May God have mercy on you and your son.

Laura clandestinely recorded a conversation that we will later discover contained more than what was initially heard. Laura leaves voice messages for Daniel asking for an urgent conversation, but he is in the shower at the time and misses them. Cherry listens to and deletes these messages before Daniel can see them. When Daniel sees Cherry with his phone, she feigns searching for wedding songs.

The preparations for the wedding are well underway: Howard and Cherry have raised a toast to the couple with champagne, and Howard has agreed to escort Cherry down the aisle.

Howard is the sole parent scheduled to attend Cherry and Daniel’s engagement party tomorrow. Tracey is exasperated with Cherry’s chaotic behavior. Upon learning from her mother that Laura has inquired about her father, Cherry becomes enraged. Dressed as a bandit, she heads to the gallery, where she can easily gain access due to knowing the code is Daniel’s birthday. With the sound of her stilettos echoing in the night, she sets fire to Lilith’s portrait of Laura with a cigarette, then tags “LIAR” on all other canvases in the exhibition. She leaves Daniel’s unsettling “Mama Bear” teddy outside Laura’s door as a message. When she returns home, Tracey looks at her disapprovingly.

Despite Lilith’s questionable decision to exhibit her art at the gallery, it’s unfair that her work becomes collateral damage. Upon seeing the state of her canvases, Lilith instantly breaks down in tears, while Laura seems strangely elated. This is because the incident provides Laura with tangible evidence to present to the police, making the whole situation a net positive for her. In a shocked tone, she tells a tearful Lilith, “This is perfect! We got her!” It’s important to note that the use of “we” refers to Laura and someone else who has been absent from Lilith’s life over the past few years. Furthermore, it’s intriguing that their whole affair remains unresolved – Laura once told Cherry long ago in Spain that Howard “didn’t even know the half of it,” implying there was more to their relationship than what was initially known.

Lilith’s pain doesn’t deter Laura from acting decisively. She stealthily makes her way to the engagement party at the precise moment when Cherry and Daniel are delivering their toast. Contrary to what many might anticipate, Laura didn’t burst onto the stage to play the recording of Tracey, instead opting for a more subtle approach. Instead, Isabella tactfully attempts to escort Laura away from the scene. However, before Isabella could manage it, the police unexpectedly arrive to apprehend Cherry on charges of vandalism. Unperturbed, Cherry doesn’t put up a fight during her arrest, and she even considers a clever plan-blaming the damage on Harriet. The idea brings a secret smile to her face, and later, it proves successful. This success, in part, is due to Tracey once more shielding Cherry from blame-a situation that doesn’t sit well with Tracey. Tracey is intimately familiar with the dynamic between Cherry and Daniel: “It’s not love; it’s ambition.

Whatever Laura’s emotions towards Daniel are unlike anything else, it seems. When he visits the house, she attempts to play a recording for him, but before she can, he angrily flings her phone across the room. His buried resentments surge forth: He’s had to be her ideal son, to embody both himself and Rose, living in constant dread of displeasing her. When Laura realizes that reason won’t work on Daniel, she adopts a different tactic. She feigns surrender, telling him that she will miss him dearly and continue to love him deeply. It appears as if she senses her own impending demise already. In an attempt to keep him, she entices him with “one last drink,” lacing it with tranquilizers. If only Laura had been quicker with her phone, perhaps she could have avoided all of this…

Initially, I assumed Laura might overpower Daniel by giving him a substantial dose of drugs, confine him in a room, bind him up, and make him listen to the recording against his will. Yet here I am questioning my own sanity. Instead, she simply played it for him while he was semi-conscious due to the drugs. To be fair, even if she had managed to play the entire recording, he might not have been lucid enough to grasp its content. However, this turns out to be moot because Cherry showed up before Laura could reach the “God help you” portion of the recording. And boy, was she angry.

Initially, Cherry is curious about why Laura dislikes her so much. It seems almost logical for her to ponder what might occur if Cherry manages to separate them – might Daniel never find another woman, leaving Laura in complete control of his life? However, Laura is uninterested in debating hypotheticals. She attempts to dial the police on her phone, but due to her clumsiness, she accidentally drops it, and Cherry seizes the opportunity to snatch it and throw it away. Meanwhile, there’s a sound of Daniel groaning upstairs, causing Cherry to rush up and find him unconscious on the floor.

Laura pushes Cherry into a struggle that ends with both of them near the pool. While Laura is armed with a knife, they fight intensely, trying to drown each other. Daniel, hearing his fiancée and mother’s distress, intervenes and pulls Laura away from Cherry. In the process, Laura unfortunately loses her life. The shocking turn of events leaves an unusual connection between Cherry and Daniel – both having unintentionally caused their respective parents’ deaths.

A year has passed, and Cherry and Daniel are now a married couple, anticipating the arrival of their baby. At their townhouse, they embody a content family alongside Howard. Just before Laura’s passing, Moses, her cat, had returned home to play a pivotal role in this scene. He was found meowing beside a table where Laura’s phone had slipped underneath during the commotion long ago. Daniel retrieved the phone, charged it, and started browsing through its contents. In the process, he stumbled upon a recording that could have prevented Laura’s demise and possibly his own as well. Cherry looked lovingly at him as she listened to Tracey foretell, “At some point, she’ll ask for something from you that you’re not ready to offer, and she’ll discard you.” What a simpleton!

Department of Investigation

• What does everyone think happened to Harriet? Did she go to jail for Cherry’s high-heeled crimes?

In simpler terms, before Laura tragically drowned, she was able to contact the authorities using a landline. As the scene ends, you can hear emergency vehicles approaching, but we don’t get to see what Daniel and Cherry told the police about the situation or how they both managed to avoid being held accountable for it. What’s more intriguing is how Cherry managed to escape from custody so quickly, considering she was only released 12 hours ago. It seems that either the police are incredibly trusting or Daniel and Cherry have found a way to deceive them.

The ending of the series “The Girlfriend” echoed, to some extent, the final act of David Fincher’s movie adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel “Gone Girl.” This film is often credited as pioneering this genre, and one chilling aspect is when Nick discovers that no matter how insane Amy seems, he can never escape her grip. She has power over him. Similarly, Cherry dominates Daniel in the series; she’s simply taken Laura’s place. I was hoping the show would delve deeper into this terror, as deftly as “Gone Girl” did.

Read More

2025-09-11 00:57