Name: Love & Death season 1 episode 5
Director: Clark Johnson
Released: 2023-05-11T12:30:00

In the fifth episode of Love & Death, Candy hires Don Crowder as her lawyer while the police get closer to the truth. The episode is now streaming on HBO Max.

Recap

Candy is awake at 6:30 in the morning, and Pat wonders what is up with her. Meanwhile, the cops talk to Allan and learn that he had an affair with Candy. Suspecting that Allan has something to do with the murder, the cops read him his rights.

Chief Abbott rings Candy’s residence and calls her for further discussion. They take her fingerprints before interrogating her. Candy admits to having an affair with Allan. The cops put forth the speculation that she killed Betty Gore. Candy stays cool while denying the accusation.

The cops let her know that they are pretty sure that she killed Betty. They try to convince her to confess the truth, as they do have fingerprints and footprints that will prove Candy is the murderer.

Candy stays adamant about what she has said. She continues to cooperate and hands them her sandals and shoes for further investigation. Candy and Pat lawyer up by approaching Don Crowder.

Don is told about everything, including the affair Candy had with Allan. Don starts taking desperate measures to make sure that Candy is proven innocent. He asks her to call all the church members and tell them to remind her what she was wearing the day Betty died.

Don also tells Candy to stay away from Allan. Meanwhile, Allan tells his family about the affair. The television and the newspapers have started mentioning the female friend of Allan. A reporter even knocks on Candy’s door, which means the cops are talking to the media.

Don attempts to prepare himself and Candy for what is to come. He talks to Candy alone and asks for the truth if they are going to fight. All this while, Don believed that someone like Candy could never kill Betty.

Candy finally confesses to Don that she did kill Betty, leaving him in shambles. Don doesn’t back down from helping Candy. He tells her not to tell Pat about this. She will only talk about this with him.

Don also lets her know that he is not exactly a criminal lawyer. She is going to need someone who is experienced. He pitches the name of a young lawyer named Robert Udashen. Candy thinks otherwise. She wants someone she can trust and insists on having Don by her side.

Candy and Allan both go through a polygraph test. Back home, Pat starts questioning Candy as she hides things from him. Don, on the other hand, wonders if Candy has a split personality.

Don is still sure that they can protect Candy, as Betty had a lot of people who hated her. Allan passes his polygraph test, but Candy probably doesn’t because a warrant is issued for her arrest.

Don informs her and calls her over to his office. Don and Robert try to track down the bail bondsman. They do get to the bondsman, but the police don’t accept the bond because it doesn’t come from their county. Candy is, therefore, arrested.

Back at his house, Allan feels haunted by the events that transpired there. Whenever he visits the room where Betty’s body was discovered, he imagines what must have happened.

Don defends Candy in front of the media, calling the case against Candy garbage. He gets her out and strictly instructs her to follow certain things. She will have to lose weight, look smaller, and more conservative, which will suggest that she didn’t kill Betty.

Don also tells her that he will be the tough guy in the courtroom, for the opposition as well as for her. He also shares that Robert thinks it’s a good idea to have Candy meet a psychiatrist in Houston.

Don says that if he is going to help her, he needs to know exactly what she is going through. At home, Candy and Pat try to hold it together while Don asks for the support of their congregation.

Two weeks later, during the first hearing of Candy’s case, Don goes through a confrontational discussion with Judge Ryan, and the first hearing doesn’t go in Candy’s favor.

After arguing with Don a lot, Candy finally agrees to meet the psychiatrist, Dr. Fred Fason. A session with Dr. Fason reveals an event from Candy’s childhood that she hasn’t let go of. Most importantly, the session confirms that she is not a sociopath; she just snapped during her fight with Betty.

At night, Don calls Pat. Candy has been waiting to tell Pat the truth, and even Don thinks it’s a good idea. So he starts sharing everything with him.

Review

The fifth episode of Love & Death switches gears again. It is past that dark cloud looming over itself, and the horror movie tone has disappeared again. The show is now on the path of how every crime drama unfolds.
Tom Pelphrey, as Don Crowder, is now taking center stage and doing a commendable job. Watching Don try to help Candy with everything he has instantly makes him likable, but a viewer will always wonder whether these characters are fighting for the right thing.
The fact that Don is so dedicated to protecting Candy says that people really think that she is a lovable butterfly who could never harm anyone. This is the picture of Candy that the show portrayed first, and viewers are now actually left wondering how this case will proceed.