Sweet Vitriol – The episode begins by showing Harmony Cobel (Patricia Arquette) visiting Salt’s Neck.
Seconds after entering the town she stops to brush her teeth. While stopped she sees an addict huffing something out of a brown paper bag. She also notices a missed call from Devon Scout-Hale (Jen Tullock).
After leaving the addict Harmony stops at a local diner. She and the waiter immediately recognize each other. After a bit of catching up, she tells the waiter that she needs a favor and asks him to meet her at the factory.
At the factory, Harmony asks the waiter to drive her to Sissy Cobel’s (Jane Alexander). He initially tells her no, but she tells him that if they are watching the house, they will recognize her car. He asks her why he would help her with anything. She tells him that they were once old chums. He eventually agrees to help her and before long, she is under the tarp in the back of his truck. While there, she receives another call from Devon. She ignores it for the moment.
At the house, Harmony immediately races up the stairs and to the top bedroom. In the process, Sissy tells her that she and the huff peddler are not welcome there. Harmony tells her that she gave him his thirst for it. Sissy calls her a liar. Harmony finds the bedroom empty. Harmony eventually comes back downstairs and asks Sissy what she has done with her things. She tells her that she has sold them to the poor. Harmony tells Sissy that she wants the key to their mother’s room. Sissy responds by telling her that room stays empty until all who remember her sit with Kier Eagan (Marc Geller).
It is also revealed that Sissy let their mother die as a means of easing her suffering. Harmony says that she would have taken care of their mother had it not been for her studies. Sissy tells her that Mr. Eagan saw Kier in her. Sissy tells Harmony that she is a disappointment but if he returns and pleads for forgiveness the Eagans will forgive her. Sissy continues to refuse to give her the key to their mother’s room. Harmony goes back upstairs looking for the key.
Harmony eventually finds the key and makes her way into her mother’s room. Harmony lies down in her mother’s bed and cries while breathing her oxygen machine. The crying continues for several minutes until Harmony falls asleep.
Harmony is eventually woken when the waiter comes into the room and tells her that he has to get back. She tells him that she has to find it before she leaves but does not tell him what she must find. He tells her that he liked her mother. Harmony tells him that he didn’t know her. He says that she hated Lumon and that was all he needed to know. The waiter eventually asks Harmony if she wants to get high. He pulls a small glass vial and rag out of his pocket and huffs in a similar manner that Harmony had seen the homeless man doing earlier. Harmony takes the vial and rag and takes herself a huff.
Harmony tells the waiter that it is so shameful that he sells it and kisses him. After they kiss, the waiter tells Harmony that he doesn’t think what she is looking for is there. She tells him that she wouldn’t throw it away and goes outside to a cellar. In the cellar, Harmony finds a bust of Jame Eagan (Michael Siberry). She uses a screwdriver to pry the bottom off. Inside she finds what appears to be an old rolled-up notebook. She then leaves and tells the waiter to get the truck ready.
Before leaving, Harmony goes back inside and tells Sissy to not tell them she was there. She also tells Sissy that Lumon destroyed the town and she owed them no loyalty. Sissy tells her there was no town before Lumon and everything that Harmony owns, she owes Lumos as fealty. Harmony then shows her what she pulled from the bust and said they were all her designs. Sissy says that Jame was the inventor.
After looking at the blueprints, Sissy realizes the book is full of Harmony’s designs. She asks her why she has never spoken of this. She says that she was told if she sought credit, she would be banished. Sissy tries to burn the notebook in a woodstove but Harmony gets to the first. She then tells Sissy that she hopes she dies as painfully as her mother did. Sissy tells Harmony that it was her mother who removed the tube herself because she was a coward. Harmony refuses to believe it. Before the argument can get much further, the waiter blows the horn and yells that someone is coming.
Outside, the waiter gives Harmony his truck and tells her that she had better get going. She looks at him and says Hampton. He tells her that he will see her around. Devon calls Harmony again while she’s in the truck but this time she answers. Devon tells her about Mark Scout (Adam Scott) reintegrating. Harmony tells her to put Mark on the phone.
Harmony asks Mark to tell her everything and this is where the episode ends.
Severance Review
To begin, I really like the shortness of this episode. I mean it was only a few minutes shorter but that few minutes made all the difference in the world for me. I certainly did not take Harmony as the mastermind behind Lumon’s designs. That one was a big swift kick in the teeth. Although this episode was someone boring and only featured Mark’s voice at the end, it set the stage for what should be one heck of a pre-season finale. I certainly cannot wait for it. I’d have to give this episode a 6 out of 10.
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