The show picks up where it left off. We see Tommy in that field, with Grace-ghost trying to convince him to kill himself. Tommy screams and puts the gun to his head. The screen goes black and we hear him pull the trigger. But there is no bullet. The gun is empty.
Despite this Tommy theatrically falls onto the ground, into the mud as if he had actually shot himself. His eyes look glassy, his pupils slightly dilated. Tommy is playing dead.
And then in a wonderful moment that could aptly be called “Reality Bites”, Lizzie walks in from the fog. She probably heard the car pull up and saw something was up, went straight out in her pyjamas, talked to Arthur and without blinking an eye went after Tommy. I am in awe with Lizzie. She goes right into the heart of it all. She has no fear.
She speaks while looking at Tommy: “Arthur took the bullet out. On the way back. He said you stopped at the crossroads to throw up.” Lizzie immediately changes the mood from this dramatic, metaphorical, ‘spiritual’ place back to bitter reality. She gives a plain and simple explanation about what happened with the bullets and she reminds Tommy of his very human and undignified reaction earlier in the day. Lizzie does not let Tommy go on with his little script undisturbed any more. Not while she has something to say.
She proceeds to walk over to where Tommy is lying while shaking her head in contempt. As she stops next to Tommy’s head, a bit of mud splashes on Tommy’s face. It is glorious. Even that bit of mud is like a bit of reality reaching Tommy.
Tommy’s suffering throughout the past season was often lonely, in a way self-indulgent. Disconnected. Lizzie is the opposite of all that. She is present, alive, fierce and beautiful.
She says: “You are not even a soldier any more Tommy.“ We see Tommy’s face stir, wake up as he tears up. Lizzie touched on something. All of Tommy’s inner turmoil was lonely and never to be challenged by others, or by reality, except a little tiny bit by Ada. Unlike Ada though, Lizzie does not bother to hold back, especially not in a moment such as this one. She breaks the spell of Tommy’s isolation.
Lizzie has always been this kind of character. Very penetrating and to the point. In some way this scene reminds me of Lizzie’s scene with Linda in season 3. “What is the thing, Linda? The thing you can’t put aside?” Lizzie cuts to the chase as always. It is glorious, sharp, and intimidating to lesser people.
By telling Tommy he is not even a soldier any more she draws out the real source of pain out in the open. Who is he even? What has he done with his life? While WW1 sucked, at least he got on with it. What has he done since? Tommy has lived his life relying heavily at being the tough guy, on the hierarchies of power that he has built around himself. By pointing out that he cannot even claim that sort of power for himself any more Lizzie strips him off his last line of defence as she reaches behind his spectres to his wounded heart.
It may not seem so, but this is a sad scene for Lizzie. Seeing him crumble, go through with his suicidal thoughts, Lizzie knows now she cannot count on anything from Tommy. Nothing at all. She could make do with the cheating and the lies without letting up, but this is different.
She continues: “You are not a soldier, you are a coward. I heard you pull the trigger.“ We see Tommy blink, it is as if being seen and confronted with what he had done he feels at least a measure of shame, as he should.
Lizzie proceeds: “Leaving your family behind without a goodbye.“ Her face is filled with disgust and contempt.
“If you still need a way out, here is six of them.“, Lizzie says as she drops the six bullets Arthur took from Tommy’s gun right next to Tommy’s face.
Lizzie is done. She said her piece. She turns around and walks away back into the fog.
This is a big turning point for them. We saw Lizzie suspect Tommy of having suicidal thoughts in season 5, episode 2: “Should you choose to depart, Tommy, either by your own hand or someone else’s…“. But there is a world of difference between thinking about something and going through with it. Now that Tommy actually went through with it, Lizzie finds herself in a new territory. By going through with shooting himself Tommy showed her that neither her nor the kids would give him sufficient pause to even give them as little as a consideration of a goodbye.
I had hoped that this scene will play out differently while awaiting season 6. I thought Tommy will not shoot himself but say goodbye to Grace and go back to the house. Lizzie and Tommy ended the season 5 on a high note. Just like she makes him real and vulnerable in this scene, by dragging him out from his theatrics into the reality, she did the same in her last appearance of season 5. In that moment, however, Tommy acquiesced and sought comfort from her. I had hoped that they will continue from that in this season. But that is not what happened. Stephen Knight had something else in mind. He sent Tommy back to square one and made this season the amplification of the previous one.
In this case, bringing Lizzie right to the scene of Tommy’s failed suicide attempt was brilliant. While acutely aware something was wrong and even able to divine some of Tommy’s inner turmoil, Lizzie was kept at a distance from it by Tommy for most part in season 5. He hides the cyanide pill as she enters his office in season 5, episode 3. He has his most vivid hallucinations away from their home. But now, with him down on the ground, he can’t stop her and she gets right into the heart of it all. She shines in her fierceness, strength and independence.
But the situation must have taken its toll on Lizzie. She has her limits. Witnessing Tommy’s attempted suicide has made her realize that no matter how accommodating she is, how in tune with everything around her she is, how penetrating and strong she is, that none of it is going to be enough for Tommy. Because Tommy has other plans for himself. And I think, although the remainder of the season might disprove me, I think that Lizzie gives up a little bit here. She has always wanted to connect with Tommy without a fail. But if Tommy chooses death, then there is no one there for her to connect with. Lizzie has accepted so much for Tommy, she has accepted her role as a full fledged devoted partner to him while getting way less from him in return. But she did not sign up for getting nothing at all.
I find that Lizzie is the character that has the most right to call Tommy out here. She has been through a lot in her life as well. And yet she has always faced reality head on and ‘got on with it’. She never resorted to cocaine, opium or excessive alcohol use like some of the other characters. She never ‘left her post’, she is the true soldier. It can get pretty lonely though, being the only adult around.
I can understand Tommy to a point. Sometimes these kinds of theatrics are a lonely expression of a suffering person. But suffering does not free one from the responsibility for their actions. Tommy actually went ahead with his suicide, with abandoning Lizzie and their kids. I am not optimistic about this big redemption arc they keep announcing. Tommy is always alone in his brooding. How can one have redemption in a vacuum? Because to have something to redeem for, one has to hurt someone first. And then to redeem himself to that person one needs to make amends to that person. That is another reason Lizzie bringing the reality to him hits home for me. Tommy gets so lost in his ‘spirits’/constructs/hallucinations that he ignores the people around him, the ones he could affect positively now, the ones he already owes a redemption or two to. And in that way he continues to pile on his sins.
The scene is amazing. Lizzie did what she always does but with greater power and precision, penetrating to the heart of the matter. Perhaps the show will continue to surprise me, even with the fabled redemption arc.
Through Tommy’s reactions while Lizzie was speaking we could see that she reached him and brought him back to reality. But as he gets up, he still turns inward, to his ghosts: “Mother, they let you pass through. They don’t let me pass. As if there were to be another consequence.“ Not promising. Cillian Murphy really brings it here though. He shows a combination of real, human pain and his ‘spirits’, the abstract constructs that suffering people create to fend off when they cannot face reality. He played it amazingly well.
As Tommy arrives to his house it is day already and the phone is ringing. He picks it up. It is the IRA. They were the ones behind foiling Mosley’s assassination. Lizzie enters the room. I wonder if she came for the phone and if this is the moment when Lizzie realized that Tommy is back, that he did not go through with the suicide. The IRA have dropped off three bodies in front of their house. As Tommy uncovers each of them and finds that Polly is the last one, Lizzie looks on sombrely from the window.
Next we see them at Polly’s funeral. Lizzie is profoundly sad, much like everyone else. Polly’s relationship with Tommy and his siblings was longer and ran deeper, but Polly was important to Lizzie too. She took her in, first into the company and then into the family. She was often kinder to Lizzie than Tommy. To have someone like Polly be kind to you and watch over you even a little a bit after a lifetime of neglect and loneliness is a big thing. Lizzie is profoundly sad and holds back tears while having her arms around her children. Beautifully played by Natasha O’Keeffe.
Then we have our four year time jump. First time we see Lizzie after the time jump is at her house at an early Christmas party with Ada and a bunch of kids. The two seemed to have been saddled with 2-3 of Johnny Dogs’ kids on top of their own. I wonder if one of the boys is Billie, Arthur and Linda’s son. Two of the boys are running around while Lizzie and Ruby are watching a film on a projector. Lizzie has had it with them: ‘This projector is a gift from Charlie fucking Chaplin. He sent it all the way from Hollywood. Just sit down and watch the film!‘ Oh, Lizzie. An equanimous, graceful mom you are not. But then again, who is? Kids continue unfazed. Ada is trying to reach Johnny Dogs over the phone to hand his kids over to him. It is a funny scene. Despite the all the staff, Ada and Lizzie look quite edgy and overwhelmed. Lizzie perhaps in an attempt to focus the pack on something else interrupts the film to make an announcement. This bothers only Ruby as she is the only one watching it. . Namely, Lizzie, Charlie and Ruby are to travel to Canada on the next day and join Tommy. But Lizzie informed Father Christmas and he was bringing the kids the presents early! The kids look overjoyed while Lizzie plops on the sofa next to Ada. They are both wondering where ‘Father Christmas’ aka Arthur Shelby might be. I like this scene, the comedy in it and I like seeing Ada and Lizzie together. They are the two consistently most grounded characters in the whole show. They are also quite different people which could make for fun conversations. I would really enjoy seeing more of the two together.
While Lizzie fiddles with the movie we see the butler bring the presents. ‘Children, Father Christmas has been!’ As children gather around the presents, Lizzie and Ada get a peaceful moment to chat. Ada asks Lizzie which ship they will be on tomorrow. Lizzie says something like, all the best, most expensive one. She proceeds to express her sadness and disappointment that despite that once they get there Tommy will be there, greeting them with a dead voice: ‘Hello Lizzie. Hello children.‘ Ada tries to imbue some optimism in Lizzie by saying it is a holiday, things might be different. Lizzie is not buying it. Lizzie says “…he’ll be the same way he’s been since Polly died. No more Polly. No more whiskey. No more Tommy.“ Natasha played this beautifully. Both her funny impersonation of Tommy’s ‘dead voice’ and her deep, heavy sadness over the situation.
I, personally, do not like this whole ‘dead Tommy’ thing they are going for. What does it even mean? Not in the least due to the fact how completely contradicted it is at the end of the episode.
There are two consequences of Tommy being ‘no more’ that the show relies on for the plot development when it comes to Lizzie and Tommy. One is that Tommy being ‘dead’ signifies a greater distance between them. Since we left them doing pretty well at the end of season 5, SK needs to justify the distance between them. The other is that the extent of her loneliness makes Lizzie acutely aware that there are things she will miss no matter how much money she has thus pushing her to reevaluate her priorities. This is OK and consistent with Lizzie’s development throughout the series. Lizzie is always growing and she has always wanted more from Tommy. She was willing to make various concessions, but she has always fought for at least some degree of closeness and intimacy.
None of these developments needs a ‘dead Tommy’ to justify them. The rift between them arises naturally from preceding events. Tommy has alienated Lizzie in a way he had never done before by going through with his suicide attempt. He made Lizzie painfully aware of her own limitations when it came to their relationship. None of his grandstanding about how he is the one with all the money and power, how she needs him, none of his lies or his cheating could have done to Lizzie and their relationship what his suicide attempt did: face Lizzie with the painful reality that she truly can’t do it all on her own. It is a big bitter pill for her to swallow.
I think a part of Lizzie’s heart shut down to Tommy on that day and Tommy did nothing to fix that. I imagine that Lizzie is still there, not completely shut off, but she does not push as hard any more. And Tommy’s plausible reaction of closing off even more after Polly died would not have helped the situation. This way of looking at it allows for both, the distance between them as well as for their connection to still shine through here and there, as it does, at the end of the episode.
In Lizzie’s final scene of the episode we see her talk to Tommy on the phone. Tommy is in a hotel room with a sleeping prostitute in his bed. I do not really have the stomach for this but at this point Tommy is not even breeching the terms of their relationship that they set back in season 5 during better times so I guess he is technically not doing anything wrong. Tommy takes Lizzie’s call to hear that Ruby is ill with a high fever. Lizzie looks tired with a hint of sadness. She spent the night next to Ruby. Doctor thinks it’s the flu but he will be back to check on Ruby. Lizzie has the sad task of breaking the news to Tommy that they won’t be able to take that ship to come and see him in Canada because of this. Tommy seems to take it in stride. He wants to speak to Ruby but she is sleeping. Tommy appears to be a much better and more involved father than he was in season 5.
Both Tommy and Lizzie reach for a cigarette at the same time. It is like they can feel each other even at this distance and be together in some familiar space their connection creates. It feels real and intimate, despite the background prostitute. They seem to be having a moment.
He suggests they take another ship once Ruby is better. “It doesn’t matter you don’t get here for Christmas, just as long as you get here, right?” Tommy still needs to get a few things done and then ’no more’ “And it’ll just be us and the clean air out in the west.” Natasha plays Lizzie’s reaction beautifully. She smiles but there is so much darkness behind that smile. The whole scene on Lizzie’s side has this dark mood. The angles of the shots, the colours. And Lizzie’s expressions too. Lizzie is in the know, Lizzie is weary of Tommy and any promises he makes. It is sad. He was ready to leave them all in the most final way. You can tell in her face that she is holding something back. It is strangely a new rift between them. Not even Lizzie can be all in in a relationship where the other party does not even want to live.
Tommy on the other hand keeps talking about the upcoming vacation. He seems to genuinely look forward to it. He talks about the place he found, how there is snow there, how he will build a snowman for Ruby. He looks like he really needs, even craves this chance to spend some time just with them.
Tommy asks how long has Ruby been coughing. “A couple of days.”, Lizzie answers. “She’s been out running wild with Johnny Dogs’ kids, out in the cold by the river.” When Lizzie says this we only see her mouth. It helps convey a sense of darkness, a dark foreboding perhaps. ‘Are you OK, Tommy? Your voice, it sounds different.’ Tommy brushes it off as a cold. But then he goes on to speak how he will finish the business in Boston, that that will be ‘the end of it’. He proceeds to say how much he misses Ruby: “I miss the weight of carrying her.” He looks very genuine.
None of this screams a dead man to me. On the contrary. Tommy is concerned about his daughter, misses his family deeply and is looking forward to spending some peaceful time with them. Lizzie’s question about his voice could be like her noticing that he is mmm not as dead?
(Can Tommy switch it on and off now? It makes the whole deadness thing work even less.)
Lizzie tells him about giving Ruby her presents early and how she loved them. It is kind of her to share this with him. A little happiness their child had and Lizzie’s pride over it. God Natasha is killing it here. It is a brief shot, but she is able to still look sort of heavy and dark while exhibiting her joy at Ruby’s joy and her happiness that she was able to do that for her kid. Somehow the scene becomes almost sweet, despite all the darkness.
I am going to be sad when this show is over. All the Lizzie scenes, all the Lizzie-Tommy scenes were such treats. So much gets conveyed by both actors. This scene differs from most of the other Lizzie-Tommy scenes where usually Tommy is the more muted one and Lizzie is the one with bigger emotions. Here Lizzie looks tired while Tommy is easing into the conversation and relaxing around her, expressing himself, venting about his fatigue regarding his ongoing dealing and his desire to be with them. And then of course it culminates in Tommy blowing up about ‘the gypsy stuff’.
Lizzie proceeds to tell Tommy about how Ruby was burning up last night. How she kept talking. She tells him that Johnny Dogs’s kids have been teaching her gypsy. A hint of a laugh crosses Tommy’s face: ‘Teaching her to rob and steal, more like.’ Lizzie responds beautifully with a laugh of her own. Another moment of connection. Lizzie repeats the words Ruby had been saying over and over again: “Tikna mora, tikna mora… Oh beng, oh beng.“ Tommy’s demeanour changes immediately. He gets up. He asks Lizzie to repeat the words. She does. He grills her to find out if Ruby said other words. Lizzie does not think so, but she does not speak Romany. At this point Tommy is being a jerk to Lizzie: ‘Fucking listen to me!’ But I guess Tommy is really worried and frightened so his behaviour is somewhat understandable.
I love the ‘Yes.’ Lizzie gives him when he asks her to confirm Ruby did not say any other words.
Tommy asks Lizzie if Ruby could see anything while she was burning up. Lizzie has had enough. She utters: “Oh fuck.” She is tired and now she needs to deal with a freaked out Tommy while not really understanding what he is on about. Tommy continues with his pressure: “Lizzie, please, just answer the fucking question!” She does. She says Ruby saw a man with green eyes. She tries to calm Tommy down by telling him Ruby was delirious and burning up implying that that is all that was. She also goes on the offensive: ‘What the fuck is the matter?’ Tommy has decided he is coming home. “Tommy, it’s just a fever, love!” Tommy does not care. He proceeds to give Lizzie various instructions. Ruby is not to go to school, to the river, ride horses, pretty much anything. Lizzie is to consult Johnny Dogs’ wives about everything, to tell them everything Ruby said and to follow their advice as if they were doctors. He also asks her to have Johnny Dogs’ eldest wife put a Black Madonna around Ruby’s neck. Lizzie looks overwhelmed and exasperated: “Fucking Gypsy stuff.” This rouses Tommy further. He screams at her while kicking a piece of furniture: ‘YES, it is Gypsy fucking stuff! Lizzie! Yes, it fucking is!’ Poor Lizzie. He wants her to get Curly too, to be with Ruby’s horses. He yells at her to do everything Johnny Dogs’ wives tell her to. He manages an apology: ‘I am sorry Lizzie.’ He is not off the yelling, commandeering mood yet, but you can see his sadness and worry come through as well. So does Lizzie. So she agrees. She agrees to do it all.
God I hope that at least this is not one of those stories where they bring misfortune on Ruby by trying to prevent misfortune. A horrible, horrible trope. Especially when there is a kid involved.
To sum up, it seems like Tommy still very much finds shelter with Lizzie and their family. It is clear that their connection, while perilous and fragile in various ways, still persists. It is also clear that Lizzie is more weary of Tommy and anything he says than she was ever before. Something was lost that day in the field for Lizzie, for better or for worse. I think Lizzie no longer looks up to Tommy without a reservation which is not necessarily a bad thing. What is bad is that Lizzie can no longer have any reliance or trust in Tommy, deep down. I do not think that Lizzie has made any final decisions on this. She is not a resentful person. Given a chance to be happier, have a closer, more open relationship, Lizzie would jump on it. But Tommy has not offered her a way back to being closer. He would need to make an effort and he just never does that.
Facing her own powerlessness in such a huge aspect of her life like her marriage must have been very painful for Lizzie. Lizzie did not start off as a powerful person but whenever she encountered an obstacle she found another way to get something she wanted and to get on with it. Perhaps strangely being married to a Tommy who does not want to live is the most painful wall that Lizzie has ever encountered.
On balance though, she still decided to stay. Once more, Lizzie got on with it. But with more weight and sadness this time around.
Since I am writing before the season is over, all this could be contradicted in subsequent episodes. But, no matter, this is what I see and what makes sense to me. Let’s see where they take it next.
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