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STARZ’s Shining Vale premiered its season one finale, addressing the fate of both the Phelps family and if mothers & their daughters end up following the same paths and choices. Warning, though: if you wish to avoid spoilers of any kind you should stop reading here.
The finale of Shining Vale explored how deep the trench of repetition can be when it comes to trauma-centered actions from mother to daughter and finally to granddaughter. Gaynor dealing with the back and forth internally in this episode was a fantastic way to address her distress during it all. The fast pacing of 3/4 of the episode up until the last bit was a perfect fit for the moments to sink in between Terry and Pat.
Wonderful twists decorated the last moments in the season finale of Shining Vale. The powerlessness felt, as if I were in Pat’s position, I believe was necessary in order to relate to a larger theme of silenced women and the way assumptions of hysteria still wiggle underneath the mask of progress within society. The flips between moments of comedic joy and moments of heart-wrenching distress were exquisitely done. The quick and shocking moments, like the end of Pat’s visit to the mystical shop, were odd yet incredibly funny.
Shining Vale seems to have carefully placed its intentions in the episodes leading up to this finale. The thrust back into the truth of what the household secret comes back again and again through what Jake finds outside and through observation. The appeal that Rosemaryheld out to Pat through a story of a woman broken by expectations than being turned completely around to reveal the sinister reality was a surprise even to me.
It’s so important that Shining Vale showed the rough reality of women hurting other women in a patriarchal society. The dark comfort of belonging to a system that actively hurts you is what Rosemary found herself. The truth of her work in an establishment that actively continued a false narrative of female hysteria was an impactful inclusion in the story and especially in the finale. There are plenty of answers I hope for in a second season, from the biggest being Pat’s future as her rights are signed away by Gaynor to Terry’s health & well-being. I desperately want to know more about the history of the town and if what the Phelps (particularly Pat) have gone through is only one case in a handful of others. An ending to season one, Shining Vale has proved itself to be worthy of attention and expansion of the story it has built.
Shining Vale Season 1 Episode 8 “Chapter Eight – We Are Phelps”
Review by Brittney Bender
10/10
STARZ’s Shining Vale, S01E08, “We Are Phelps”, brought out some amazing performances from the cast and continued to develop a story worthy of admiration. For a season one finale, this episode explored the lines between horror & comedy as well as the lines between mother and daughter in such a way that I can’t wait for another season of the series.
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