Divorce Recap: Counseling
‘Counseling’ is a solid third episode of Divorce, in the sense that it finally sets up the storyline for the rest of the season. The process for the actual divorce has finally started with Robert moving out at the end of the episode. However, the most compelling question that arises in ‘Counseling’ is whether an emotional affair is just as much of a betrayal as a physical one. Frances and Robert both take different stands on the issue, forcing their different philosophies to finally confront their failed marriage.
The biggest revelation from this episode is that Robert was having a long-term emotional affair with one of his old college girlfriends named Kathy. Frances, along with their marriage counselor, both see this as equally damaging to their relationship as her physical one with Julian. His emotional detachment does provide a deeper understanding as to why Frances would stray, however it doesn’t exactly excuse her behavior. Robert points out that he had the opportunity to be unfaithful the way Frances was but he never took that opportunity. A perfect example of one of Robert’s low-blows coupled with his obliviousness.
Image Credit: HBO
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It’s in therapy that the two characters are meant to finally be truthful about the state of their marriage. While Frances is understandably furious that Robert made her feel crazy for being jealous of Kathy, he at least came clean about the relationship. After seeing her husband’s reaction that she slept with Julian thirty-two times, she isn’t able to do the same when he wants to know if she loved him. It’s a bit unfair of Frances to acquit herself of wrongdoing because of Robert despite the fact that she was completely prepared to leave her marriage to run off with Julian in the first episode.
The final realization that counseling cannot save their marriage is heartbreaking after Robert admits to his comatose friend (who finally awakens in this episode), that the only person he wishes to talk to about everything is Frances but he can’t anymore. Thomas Haden Church has remained remarkable throughout these past three episodes as he is able to find subtle humor in his character’s immense pain.
Thomas Haden Church has remained remarkable throughout these past three episodes.
Meanwhile, Frances has officially decided to rent her art gallery as a fresh start for herself. We also learn that she sacrificed her own career to finance Robert’s and it’s this building resentment which may have started the couple’s unraveling. In the final, heart-rending scene between the two, both Frances and Robert confess that, in spite of everything, they never stopped loving the other. It’s the bleak truth that sometimes love isn’t enough to make a relationship work because life gets in the way.
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But Divorce does work so far, though it at times feels like its a bit of a tightrope walk to make it happen. ‘Counseling’ goes a long way to getting us closer to these characters, and right now that’s all we want.