‘My Life Is Murder’ Recap: ‘Tough Love’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Ebony Vagulans and Lucy Lawless as Madison Feliciano and Alexa Crowe in Episode 402 of ‘My Life Is Murder’ – ‘Tough Love’. (Photo Courtesy of Acorn TV.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 402 of ‘My Life Is Murder’. To revisit the Season Four Premiere, click here.
​
There was a time where crime dramas explored the nature of murder in a supremely topical light. Wherein the person that committed such heinous crimes was just plain evil and wanted to impart pain and suffering and well, that was it. That was all there was to killers. Which granted, has merit, since murder is the darkest act people can commit. But not every single murder in this world is grounded in a desire for pain and suffering. Some come about because of a poor decision in a singular moment, while others, relate to self-defense or a sense that there is no other alternative to escape pain and suffering. And some… relate to the traumas we carry, as evidenced by the next episode of My Life Is Murder on Acorn TV.

For ‘Tough Love’ explored the power of trauma and how it can indeed bring people to commit to the ultimate darkness if left unresolved and it accomplished this feat, by having Alexa and Madison dive into a case revolving around a seasoned tennis pro/coach. For this well-known coach died in a supremely mysterious manner. Wherein it seemed as though an automated tennis ball system managed to harm him and well, Alexa did not think that was possible, and she was right. For the device simply did not have the oomph to kill, and that prompted her and Madison to look into the usual suspects. Such as the glamorous wife that had it all, and of course, the pupil that everything to gain from his death from a revenge standpoint.

Simply because the ol’ coach was tough on Taylor, to the point where he actually hit her with the ball machine as well, further proving its uselessness in murder. But a talk with Taylor revealed that there was no chance she committed such a crime. She just wanted to get back to her former glory before an injury and the wife, well… while she did enjoy the lavish lifestyle, there was no sense of disdain or fury to commit to murder. Which left perhaps the local tennis protégé at the club. The man that stood to gain everything from the coach’s death. In fact, the murder weapon was hiding in his desk, and that prompted Alexa to get close to him, with an annoying private investigator named Christine at her side. Since Christine was hired to check into infidelity regarding the coach initially, before she stayed on to solve the case, and that too… brought about nothing.

Because none of them were responsible in the slightest. But the placement of that weapon, and the discovery of half of the device used to deliver it, gave Alexa an idea. Because while every clue and every lead were a waste of time, they seemed to arrive at just the right moment, as though someone was guiding her and carefully keeping watch to see who best might fit a clue or a lead. Which meant, someone was watching the case closely and working to control the evidence, which led Alexa to realize, that only an investigative mind could pull this off, and that prompted her to dig into Christine’s past. Wherein she learned, her fellow gumshoe was a former athlete, one that suffered the same abuse that Taylor suffered at the hands of her coach and well, that pain ran so deep, and was so devastating… that she decided to resolve her trauma and Taylor’s… by ending that coach’s life.  

Which truly did express how unresolved trauma can push people to do dark things. Since Christine clearly suffered greatly as an athlete and never once resolved the abuse she received. Which allowed for it to fester, grow and take control when she saw it happening again. To the point where the ultimate act wasn’t even a second thought in her mind. All of which made… for a fascinating and powerful episode. One that showcased a different path to murder and offered up, one hell of a mystery. Because we simply hadn’t a clue as to who did this or why, and the show did an amazing job of throwing us off track before finally revealing… that dark memories brought forth the end of two lives, since Christine will spend the rest of hers behind bars, over the choice to bury her pain… instead of facing and resolving it. Until next time.

---

Watch ‘My Life Is Murder’

Powered by JustWatch