Written By Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters
Directed By Constantine Makris
Recap pages are Spoilers Off per policy and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned
A mother is investigated for possible sexual abuse of her stepson, but when the boy's father is murdered, attention shifts to the boy himself. His stepmother tries to impede the investigation into her and her stepson's relationship, which goes beyond the typical mother-son relationship they present to the public.
Tropes
- Black Widow: Finn theorizes that Gloria will murder Kyle as soon as she gets hold of his trust fund. This is never actually proven, but none of Gloria's behavior indicates that she wouldn't do it.
- Children Are Innocent: The detectives get tipped off to Gloria and Kyle's relationship when her daughter, Chloe says something to her teacher about seeing the two in bed together, which the teacher promptly reports to CPS.
- Consummate Liar: Gloria manipulates Kyle and Frank to suit her own ends.
- False Rape Accusation: Gloria makes this against Frank.
- Frame-Up: Gloria tries to do this to Frank, claiming that he raped her and implicating him in the murder, trying to paint him as a Crazy Jealous Guy who killed her husband because he wanted her for himself.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: The fact that Gloria intends to have an abortion is implied to be the final indicator of what a despicable person she is.
- Lecherous Stepparent: Gloria has sexual relations with her stepson, Kyle. Kyle himself has an Oedipus Complex of sorts and truly loves Gloria.
- Papa Wolf: Kyle's dad goes ballistic on his wife and has to be physically restrained when he learns that she has been having sex with his son.
- Sudden Humility: Kyle becomes quite the Smug Snake after marrying Gloria. His haughty attitude goes right out the window when he sees the paternity test results.
- Wife Husbandry: Gloria seems to do this, raising Kyle since he was 10 years old and then (allegedly) only having sexual relations with him once he reached legal age.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Gloria attempts this by staging a rape using Frank's frozen sperm. She also ropes in Frank into murdering her husband by implying that he's abusive (we never find out if he was).
