‘Servant’ Recap: ‘Donut’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 308 of ‘Servant’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It really is quite fascinating how people respond to be pushed around a little harder than they should be. Simply because, the response is so incredibly polarizing. For some folks, immediately offer up some harsh push back and set their boundaries rather than endure more pressure. While others, tolerate it and internalize their concerns. Whereas the rest of us, tend to try and find middle ground with the person that’s pushing, so we can understand where they are coming from and find peace in the process. But some folks… well their response to being pushed around is nothing short of epic since their response is bitter and vengeful and taken to the highest degree until they receive an apology or something in return for their suffering.
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If anything, that latter aspect of how we respond to external pressure is of note today, because it served as the focus of the next episode of Servant on Apple TV+. For when we catch up with the Turner family in ‘Donut’, Dorothy Turner is giving everyone the business for pressuring her to keep Leanne within the household. To the point where she’s exiled Sean to the couch and where simple acts of kindness or ones that make her life just a little easier, are shoved aside in a desperate attempt to make it clear that Dorothy will have her way, or no one in this household will be happy and well, that more or less breaks Leanne’s heart. Because she wants unity and peace, and her sorrow brings about an interesting interaction.

For Isabelle spots a distraught Leanne in the park one fine day and quickly empathizes with her over what is obviously fallout from a Dorothy-wrath related moment and their bonding over such matters leads to the genesis of a shockingly dangerous friendship. Since it quickly becomes clear that Isabelle isn’t just in this to be nice, she wants dirt on Dorothy and wants to know exactly what happened on that fateful August day. In part to capture the truth but also to teach the always ‘holier-than-thou’ Dorothy a lesson and well, when she gets what she wants, specifically proof that Jericho died… and reveals to Leanne that she is ready to expose this to the world… that pushes an unstable nanny into a corner as well, and that leads to quite the powerful twist in this particular tale.

Because Sean’s biggest attempt to reconcile with Dorothy, by inviting her father and his lady over, and Julian as well… to enjoy a fine dinner and watch the newest episode of his show, leads to some incredible revelations. Such as the fact that Dorothy is horribly jealous of Sean’s success since she had no problem changing the channel to check in on a story, she believed had some control over, since it went to Isabelle, but that Leanne may have control over who lives and who dies in this world. For hard focus from Leanne, while watching Isabelle report upon an active shooter situation… led to Isabelle’s death. Making it clear that Leanne’s power is vast and that if pushed too hard as well… especially when it comes to the possibility of losing her precious family environment, she’ll go as far as she needs to in order to protect her interests and desires.

Which is a revelation and twist that ups the ante in this story like never before. Because just like that, Leanne is someone to be feared since she can decide upon a person’s fate. Leaving us to wonder what could happen to Dorothy if she continues to press and of course, it also bears some questions regarding what Leanne really is… since this is the kind of power that the Grim Reaper would harbor. But before we dive too deep into speculation, we really need to offer up a round of applause for one fascinating tale. One that really informed us how rotten and unlikable and spoiled Dorothy is and can be and of course, for showing us what pushing the wrong people can bring forth and well… this sets the stage for a different kind of showdown now. One that the Turners are ill prepared to take part in since they are going to be battling a being that can end them without giving it a second thought. Until next time.

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