Finally, the episode we’ve been waiting for
You guys its a miracle.
We finally have a Cole episode, and its officially now my favorite of the season thus far.
I dont think this is just about me being in the tank for Cole, either.
Credit: Phil Caruso/Showtime
This episode had a little bit of that season 1 magic about it, right?
Is it weird that it does not feature Noah, who, ostensibly, the show is about?
Anyway, we start with some steamy Cole sex but surprise!
its Cole and Alison!
A dream more about feelings than lust and an interesting window into Coles subconscious.
Tough start to the day.
Luisa, meanwhile, is sweating every bit of small stuff for this birthday party.
We get a glimpse of the house that Cole is building and oh, boy, it is beautiful.
Again, Ill say: Cole, the big winner on this show with Helen right behind him.
Cuckolds for the win!
He offers to meet Joanie with Alison.
Alison, though it feels like autumn, is wearing one of her gauzy long sundresses.
Theres a court-appointed supervisor as well.
They bicker over whether Alison is up for unsupervised visits.
NEXT: Party time
And now its the party itself.
Oh hey, theres Oscar with a baby strapped to his chest.
He tells Cole that hes never seen Cole so happy and that hes a lucky man.
Probably not the right thing to say to someone who had the worst thing ever happen to him?
Alison appears in yet another not-temperature-appropriate dress while carrying her handmade cake, and Joanie runs to meet her.
Cole is sweet and says hi.
Things are going well till they all see Luisa bringing out that big fancy store cake anyway.
Were talking singing and candles and cake.
When its time for Joanies pony ride, Alison is clearly nervous.
She waves to Joanie.
Joanie, looking behind her for her mother, falls right off the horse.
Luisa stomps right off.
Then its a get-back-on-the-literal-horse-when-you-fall chat, and Cole and Alison are a united front.
Luisa, back inside, is pissed.
She takes the cake and goes outside (well see why later).
Later, he tells her that everything happened so fast, and he just reacted.
But she still feels like an outsider, and Joanie is still not her child.
She worries Alison wants it all back, including Cole.
Cole weakly says hes building a house with Luisa.
(Hes probably thinking about the dream.)
He doesnt get mad really till Luisa says Alison doesnt deserve to be Joanies mother.
Then he sternly says: We lost our child.
Luisa is like yeah, how am I ever going to compete withthat?
And thats a rough thing to say, but its very honest and very true.
Sometimes even tragedy can be a place of exclusivity that others cant follow.
Aaaand, just like that the cops show up.
They ask for his alibi, and Luisa provides one.
But after the cops leave Luisa was like, but really where were you?
Instead, he goes over to Alisons house.
He explodes: This kind of drama just always comes with Alison.
My life is good when you arent around.
He accuses her of trying to sabotage his happiness.
She thanks him for what he did.
I dont want to make things more difficult for you.
But remember everyone, Alison is his love.
And so he does the most inevitable thing and starts making out with her.
NEXT: In Alisons memory, shes wearing more clothes
In Alisons perspective, were back at the playground.
In her memory, Cole and the supervisor are thick as thieves.
Joanie climbing the monkey bars is also much more terrifying in Alisons view.
Joanie balances on the top, and Alison can only sort of whisper for her to come down.
Is now the time to bring up something that has been nagging at me?
(In Coles case, a blue like the ocean on a sunny day.)
This cant be an accident.
And, more to the point, you know who has dark brown eyes, right?
And if its not, then I wish they had cast a little girl with blue eyes.
Okay, back to the show: Alison lies to Joanie that Cole fed her ice-chips during her delivery.
(Could this maybe have been true of Gabriel?)
She also asks if Joanie could spend the night at her house on her actual birthday.
Cole is like, that sure sounds like an unsupervised visit.
Hes all, Ill talk to Luisa, but I cant promise anything.
That kind of thinking does not prove your sanity, Alison!
But the cops showing up stops that kind of murderous thought.
They let her know about Noah, and she is visibly shaken.
They ask if she knows where Cole was that night.
She tells them shes in a custody situation and doesnt need the trouble.
(The cops are much nicer in her memory.)
She listens to that voicemail we heard from Noah back in episode 1.
She puts the timing together and looks vaguely horrified.
Alison attempts to wave at Luisa, who ignores her.
Cole walks up just then, and the two of them make slightly awkward chitchat.
All Alison can see is Luisa acting the mother toherdaughter, and she is not into it.
And now its time for the fateful pony ride.
Luisa is all, hey shes picking up on your anxiety.
So Alison watches and has a full on anxiety attack.
I direct you again to that lovely essay I mentioned earlier.
But some part of me will remember: A heartbeat can stop.
You know who else understands?
He tells her: Look, shes okay.
It happens to me, too.
Now we see where Luisa was when she took the cake outside.
Dont be a monster, says Alison.
Then, she apologizes and thanks Luisa again.
Alison goes home with a glass of wine and continues crafting.
She is not, needless to say, wearing a tiny slip.
Cole shows up, coming in hot, accusing her of sending the police after him.
She keeps apologizing as that tends to be her default these days.
Cole sees the beautiful dollhouse that shes built for Joanies birthday.
And its her and Coles old house, shes built, right?
So hes building a new house and shes building the old one?
She tells Cole she knows theyre in a terrible situation and that its her fault.
But shes back now and not leaving again.
Im going to stay in this town, watching you love somebody else.
She tells him she wishes she did things differently.
But all she can do now is live with the consequences.
But, she pleads, he does not need to punish her.
In the morning when Alison wakes up, Coles gone.
No real surprise there.
But what is, is Luisa stopping her as shes about to get on her bicycle.
Is she here to beat up Ally?
No, shes there to tell her that she could have Joanie on her birthday.
I dont want to be a monster.
Next, Luisa says that maybe Alisons bad decisions are really behind her.
Uh……..
Alison goes down to the beach and goes for a swim.
She sits on the beach and thinks about things and generally exhales.
Its impossible to know what shes thinking but she looks… happy?
And youd think that would be the end, but nooooo.
As shes biking back, she passes a little red car much like Professor Frenchies!!
And, yeah, thats Noah.
