'I May Destroy You' Recap: Episodes 6 & 7 by Michaela Coel

Pop Fiction Women

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*** Just when we thought this show was focused on the aftermath of Arabella’s sexual assault, we get Episode 6: an exploration of race, progress, inclusion, exclusion, past sins, and current blindspots. These issues are explored within the framework of sexual assault, but here each of the main characters is getting some things right and other things very wrong. (00:32)

*** At the start of Episode 6 Terry is so focused on helping Arabella cope in a positive way that she is blind to Kwame’s obvious distance and pain. Arabella reveals that she plans to attend a survivors’ support group run by Theo, an old classmate and Terry clearly does not approve. When Arabella shares with the group that she is here to learn how to avoid being raped our hearts are literally crushed. (01:30)

*** We loved traveling back to 2004, a time of flip phones and high school versions of Theo, Arabella and Terry. With Theo, we see another sexual experience go from consensual to a non-consensual photographing of it and then take a truly bizarre twist when Theo claims to have been raped at knifepoint by the Black boy she was hooking up with. When Terry and Arabella realize the lie, they report it, outing Theo and forming “the Alliance” with their black classmates against Theo. (04:44)

*** But the brilliance of this show is that nothing is clear cut. When we learn about Theo’s childhood trauma we have some empathy for her actions at school, but we can’t agree on whether learning this new information about her makes her remarks at the support group more or less credible. Our heads are spinning. (12:10)

*** Episode 7 explores race, consent, exploitation, privilege, public persona vs private life and even veganism and the climate crisis. Back in the present day, the episode starts with Arabella struggling financially and creatively with her book. Her public persona is intact but has she sacrificed her authenticity that made her who she is? (18:42)

*** When Arabella reads from her new work -- “I never noticed being a woman. I was too busy being poor and Black” -- it absolutely slayed us. We get personal and share when we each noticed our gender and what a revelation that is when it happens. (22:14)

*** Bella starts working for “Happy Animals”, a vegan animal food company and it’s quickly obvious that they are using her for her authentic, voice of the millennial generation, social media star power. (27:24)

*** Simon is back and the truth about what happened the night of Arabella’s assault is a lot more complicated than we thought. Oh Terry, what did you do? And now that she is helping Arabella heal, we debate whether her intentions even matter. As always, everything is grey. (31:07)

*** Terry’s birthday party starts out hot and fun, but quickly turns when Kwame reveals the story of his first sexual experience. Arabella’s blindspot comes out when she locks Kwame in a room with another man who is clearly interested in him. Not her finest move! (39:19)

*** We discuss the episode's exploration of inclusiveness vs exclusiveness -- of who gets raped, who gets assaulted, who can be included in the category of victim and who gets excluded. Can Kwame be sexually assaulted if he goes on Grinder? Terry says, except for Arabella, black women don’t do coke or get raped. It’s harsh all around. (45:45)

*** Kwame is in the bedroom having flashbacks to the assault and when he reaches out to Damon we feel for him. He finally shares his assault with Terry and we hope this is a step forward for him. (50:17)

*** The episode ends with a heated and fascinating discussion about “Happy Animals”. Samson goes into the complication of working for a company like that and how they are using Arabella to access their community and increase their followers, influence, power, and money. Arabella gets her own personal vindication in the end by eating chicken on the Happy Animals video but then it goes viral...so now what are we supposed to believe? (52:00)

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