USA's Dare Me - Episode 1.09 "Fog of War"
As tragic news spreads through town, Colette ices Addy out and Beth starts asking questions.
In 2019, the television industry aired 532 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of USA's Dare Me.
"Fog of War" was written by Lisa Lutz and directed by Megan Griffiths
People are constantly learning new details about those closest to them. Will never opened up about the tragic death of his wife. Sure, he would tease that he was married once. He simply never went into detail about what happened. And now, everyone fixates on the tragedy of his life following his apparent suicide. They see the tragic accident that killed his wife as the moment that broke him until he couldn't take the pain any more. That helps flesh out his world in a way that everyone can understand. They are trying to come to grips with this tragedy. Of course, it's not genuine in many cases. This is the kind of news that rallies a town together. It spreads quickly. After his body is discovered, everyone knows about it and speculates as to what happened. Addy has operated under the assumption that she knew the full truth. She was there the night Colette discovered the body. She helped cover up any traces of them. That may not have been good enough. The forensics may still find a way to connect them back to the crime scene. Their own fear and paranoia may also doom them. Addy fears that anyone is one big clue away from being able to connect her to this crime. And yes, the police may suspect that it wasn't suicide. That is the idea that everyone is willing to embrace. They can see how that story lines up. They have the evidence to support it. However, the initial reading of the crime scene shows that some things don't quick work out with that hypothesis. Addy saw the horror of Will's broken teeth the moment she stepped into the crime scene. And now, that could be seen as the one piece of evidence proving this wasn't suicide. Beth has the sick and twisted humor to theorize on the many ways and angles a person could kill themselves with a gun. It's truly deprived. But it also showcases how she runs the world through a superiority complex. She believes that she always knows best because she has endured a fair amount of trauma in her life. Sure, there are some things she refuses to talk about or even address herself. There is still no clarity on whether or not she was sexually assaulted by Kurtz. She would rather just live in the moment as the one causing drama in the lives of others. She loves Addy. However, she wants to unnerve her as well. It's fascinating how these two young girls can destroy each other one moment and be so loving the next. Addy fears that Beth is the most significant problem pertaining to the cover-up because she hoards information and slowly teases it out. It's a fun display for her because she gets to make others nervous by what she knows and what she may do with that information. She doesn't know the truth. She doesn't know what happened in that apartment. Addy probably doesn't either. She has always seen Colette as an idealistic figure she could look up to. The audience has operated with the certainty that she isn't because she made a member of the squad complicit in her affair. That means Addy is constantly checking in with Colette to see how she is doing with each major reveal that comes out. She is unsteady. However, Addy is much worse. That is honestly what people should have expected because she is still naive to the horrors of the world. Her mother has long tried her best to protect her from the brutality on display at her job. She sees the horrors of mankind every time she steps out of the house with her badge and gun. She worries about what might happen to her daughter when she enters the world. She is forever paranoid about that. She isn't suspicious of what's going on in Addy's life and the trauma being inflicted on her. The audience can see Addy's sanity fraying away with increasing severity. The season builds to its finale with the suspicion that Will was murdered. That was the viewer's first impulse simply because of the nature of dramatic storytelling. The idea that it was only suicide felt reassuring while trying to maintain a sense of healthy resignation to Colette and Addy's fates. But now, it's clear that Addy has so much more to worry about. Beth may break her. Colette may ask too much. Everything is caving in by people gawking and trying to be intimately involved. That intimacy only inflicts further trauma though which isn't a gift any of them should want. But that highlights the immaturity of these young girls who think they have life figured out even though they are wildly out of their depth and almost welcoming people to come in to destroy them.
