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Recap / Cruel Summer S 01 E 05 As The Carny Gods Intended

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The events of this episode take place on July 29th, 1993, 1994, and 1995.

It is the annual county fair.

In 1993, Jeanette is late for completing the list item which requires her to go on a date, so for the Skylin High takeover of the county fair, Mallory and Vince set her up with a geeky out-of-towner named Gideon. Kate comes to the fair with Jamie and Ben but, annoyed by their behavior, walks away.

After a turn on the Ferris wheel, Jeanette and Gideon play a game at a stand managed by Martin. On winning, Gideon launches himself into a dorky dance in front of Renée and Tennille. Ashamed, Jeanette lies to them that he isn't her date and prompty ditches him. After consoling Gideon, Martin notices Kate walking alone and calls her to come over. Despite playing alone, Martin declares Kate the winner, giving her tickets and a pink stuffed bunny. Kate leaves the stand, forgetting her scrunchie on the counter. Later, Martin sees Jeanette and lectures her on what she did to Gideon. She notices Kate's scrunchie and asks to take it, so that she can give it to Kate in person. When asked what Martin had to say to her by Vince, Jeanette says that he made her agree to return the scrunchie, which Mallory finds weird.

Back in their respective rooms, Jeanette and Kate both rehearse in front of the mirror. Jeanette imagines giving Kate back her scrunchie, while Kate imagines seducing Martin.

In 1994, Jamie takes Kate to the fair. Kate asks Jamie about his feeling for both her and Jeanette, admitting to have followed him the night when they kissed. Jeanette comes to the fair looking for Kate hoping to clear everything up, accompanied by Derek as her witness. Later, adamant that he didn't kiss Jeanette, Jamie accuses Kate of remembering it wrong. Kate doesn't take his attempt at gaslighting lightly and breaks up with him.

With Cindy refusing to go out to rent a movie because of public outrage towards Jeanette, Greg goes to Vince's store himself, where he meets Angela, who is new to town and looing for an appartment, and gives her his business card. At the fair, Kate sees Jeanette approaching and, guided by Mallory, runs into a funhouse, where they manage to shake her off. Derek advises Jeanette to stop chasing Kate and Jamie, to try being the nerdy self she was a year ago. Jeanette replies that she can't.

In 1995, Kate spends her time listening to her therapy tapes, still obsessed with the name "Annabelle", until she hears herself mention the county fair. Denise finds Jeanette uncooperative and asks her to find someone else other than Vince to depose, since she has too little to work with. In hopes of seeing Jeanette at the fair, Kate drags an unwilling Mallory with her. Jeanette asks Greg if he is still on her side, to which he replies he lost everything for being on her side and isn't sure she is on her own side.

At the fair, Kate sees Jamie in the dunk tank and immediately sends him into the water. Kate sees the booth Martin was running two years ago, pulls out her cassette player and listens to her tape describing the incident. She meets up with Jamie again, who admits to his lie about kissing Jeanette.

Angela takes Jeanette to her bar, where they bond and sing karaoke. Mallory and Kate sneak into the cemetery where Kate buries the bunny next to Martin, then snaps and destroys his tombstone.

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