Ringer "She's Ruining Everything" Review

Second episodes usually succeed more often than they fail. The grunt work of the pilot's behind the creators. Second episodes usually revolve around character development. Indeed, Ringer's "She's Ruining Everything" develops its characters which makes the series slightly more watchable and enjoyable.

Bridget assumed the identity of her twin sister in the first episode after an apparent suicide-by-drowning. Bridget's on the run from the FBI because she's crucial in a case that'll put a criminal behind bars for the rest of his life; however, she perceived a lose-lose situation and took off. The wealthy, vibrant world of her sister was off-putting at first. Bridget-as-Siobhan found herself in a loveless marriage, with a step-daughter who loathes her, as well as an affair with her architect's husband. Bridged walked into a life full of broken relationships and betrayals. She treated each individual like they were glass because she had to learn about the people in Siobhan's life. Bridget assumed nothing until she knew more. Well, this episode's about the learning process.

Bridget observes more details and processes more information. Juliette, Siobhan's step-daughter, returned home hung-over from a night partying. Bridget the addict saw a younger version of herself. Juliette looked weary and sad but she's built walls around herself as high as The Wall in Westeros--800 feet tall and made of ice. Bridget reaches out but Juliette retreats, conditioned to after years sharing the same loft with Siobhan. Andrew, her husband, was an enigmatic character whose layers were peeled away in this episode. Andrew's been conditioned too--conditioned to feel worthless in his marriage. The marriage damaged his relationship with Juliette. He's not cold or cruel, just numb and conditioned. Bridget soon realizes what her brother-in-law's marriage was. Before a party, they have a nice conversation. She compliments him. He remarks that he hasn't heard such words in a long time.

Bridget's story is about rehabilitation. She wants to rehabilitate her sister's family because she knows how it feels to be abandoned by Siobhan. There are two significant flashbacks in the episode. Before Malcolm and rehab, Bridget drank until she stumbled into men and made an ass of herself at the bar. The bartender wouldn't let her drive, so she called Siobhan. Siobhan showed up with a coldness that now defines the character. Bridget sat at a table, draped over it, with heavy eyes--the look of an addict. Her twin stood over her in a symbolic frame--Siobhan looming over Bridge. Siobhan walked out on her sister, leaving several dollars to pay for the tab and a cab, and a wound that hasn't left Bridget. She won't leave Andrew and Juliette because they need her. Juliette breaks down in her arms after a bad night in which she took something she shouldn't have. She identifies with these broken individuals because she used to be broken.

While that growth and connection happens, there's a body that needs to be hidden. The problem becomes more urgent when Andrew opts to throw a party in the loft because of the space. 300 hundred people will be within feet of the corpse. The body's never a tangible threat to ruin Bridget's facade--it's just nice to rely on for act breaks. Somehow, the corpse never smells horribly. Bridget hides the body in a steamer trunk. Later on, the body mysteriously disappears. Several characters nearly find it but they don't. SMG draws in a dreadful, expectant breath only to exhale in relief every single time (it became annoying on the third and fourth time). I don't care to speculate about who took the body and what it means.

Siobhan's also alive. She's in Paris, France, and annoyed by her sister's insistence on ruining EVERYTHING.

Overall, I quite liked the character development throughout the episode. I wouldn't mind watching a series with just Bridget, Andrew, and Juliette. I don't like the nonsense with Siobhan, though, or the Henry and Gemma characters. Machado's too distant a character to matter. It's a shame because Nestor Carbonell's great. Scenes between he and SMG are terrific, so I'm hoping he learns the truth and decides to help her in some way. I don't know if I'll write about the series, though.

Rob Bailey directed the episode. The creators wrote the episode.