Love & Death season 1, episode 1 recap: The Huntress

The first episode of the television series Love & Death opens with the discovery of blood stains in the bathroom of the Gore family home on June 13th, 1980.

However, the episode then takes viewers back in time to September 1978, where a Methodist church choir in Lucas, Wylie, Texas, is singing a hymn during a Sunday service. The choir members compliment Pat Montgomery’s singing voice and his wife, Candace (also known as Candy Montgomery), is among those present. The group also talks about an upcoming volleyball game at the church.

The scene shifts to Allan Gore and his wife, Betty, who are trying to conceive their second child. In another scene, Pastor Jackie visits Candy Montgomery to tell her about her upcoming divorce. Candy consoles Jackie and tries to lift her spirits as she grapples with her insecurities about being a single woman pastor.

In the church volleyball match, Candy and Allan are on the same team as they compete against Pat and Betty. Pat’s behavior towards Betty is awkward as he congratulates her on her pregnancy, which comes as a surprise to Betty since she hadn’t revealed it yet.

Meanwhile, Allan accidentally knocks Candy over during the game and she appears to be smitten with him as he helps her up. The match ends with Candy and Allan’s team winning and everyone celebrates together.

As Candy’s infatuation with Allan grows, she becomes increasingly restless and anxious. She confides in her friend, Patsy, about her feelings, but Patsy advises her to stay away from Allan. Meanwhile, Allan is also struggling with his own feelings for Candy but tries to resist them.

Betty becomes increasingly obsessed with getting pregnant and begins taking fertility drugs, which cause mood swings and tension in their marriage.

Allan and Candy struggle with their growing attraction to each other, but ultimately give into temptation and decide to have an affair. They create rules to try to keep their relationship strictly physical and prevent it from turning into something more.

However, the episode ends with the two planning to meet up at a motel, hinting that things may not go according to plan.

Here are the Strengths and Weaknesses of episode 1 of Love & Death

Strengths:

• Engaging plot: The episode has a captivating plot that keeps viewers interested and invested in the characters’ lives.
• Strong performances: The actors deliver strong performances, particularly in portraying the emotional turmoil of their characters.
• Realistic portrayal of relationships: The show accurately depicts the complexities of relationships, including the struggles of marriage and the temptations of infidelity.
• Attention to detail: The show pays attention to small details, such as the time period, setting and cultural norms, to create an immersive and believable world.

Weaknesses :

• Slow pacing: The episode takes a while to get to the main conflict and some scenes feel drawn out.
• Lack of diversity: The episode features a predominantly white cast and lacks representation of other ethnicities or cultures.
• Some clichéd moments: The show falls into some clichéd moments, such as the trope of the church choir and the awkward interaction between Pat and Betty.
• Unoriginal storyline: The storyline of a forbidden love affair between married individuals is not particularly unique and has been explored in other shows and movies.

Overall, Love & Death’s first episode delivers an engaging and well-acted storyline. The show has the potential to be a compelling drama, but it remains to be seen how it will develop in future episodes.

What did you think of HBO Max’s Love & Death season 1 episode 1? Leave your answers in the comments below!