“When tragedy strikes, you do have a tendency to get unpredictable.”
Some things get figured out in this second episode, but for every answer, more questions pop up in its place. We firmly establish Eleanor’s connection with Robert, dig a little deeper into Mary’s mindset, and see just how haphazard the justice system can get when trying to solve a crime.
Let’s break down episode two: Crush.
Eleanor’s Dirty Little Secrets
Not only does this episode show us that El has been crushing on Robert for years, it also plants a little seed in the audience’s head. With the discrepancy between her version of the night Nancy died and Jay (the subordinate she’s sleeping with) clocking the time she came to his house, one starts to wonder if El had a little more to do with Nancy’s death than she’s letting on. Plus, with her agreeing to plan Cora’s birthday, it really does feel like she’s trying to slide into Nancy’s place, where she feels she was always meant to be.
On top of all that, she’s being stalked by her own brother, Donovan (Leslie Odom Jr.), who just wants to look out for her and also berate her for her soft spot for white men. Yep, her brother is behind the photographer from the first episode. He’s not right for following her around in secret, but he’s not wrong for trying to talk some sense into her about Robert. Their coupling is a bad idea all-around. This situation is only exacerbated later when Robert tells El her brother told him years ago that she was “off-lmits.” Her brother’s been over-involving himself in her life probably since she was a child.
I enjoy Kerry Washington and Odom Jr.’s sibling dynamic here. It’s not a rivalry, but it’s antagonistic in a more protective way. They display love for each other through insults and reads, while Donovan crosses boundaries so often you wonder if they’re there at all. But it feels like a real familial relationship. Eleanor is at her realest when she’s with her overbearing brother.
The Most Obvious Suspect
The police have shifted their focus, officially clearing Davide as a suspect, despite the seemingly incriminating photo of him and Nancy. This puts everyone else in the crosshairs, especially Robert, whose grieving husband act is becoming more strained. While Mary is running a rogue investigation fueled by guilt over Nancy’s affair, the actual detectives are knocking on Robert’s door with a search warrant in hand.
Alibis are more important than ever and Eleanor’s is falling apart before her eyes. Her inappropriate relationship with her literal employee was never a good idea, but even doubly so when he can reveal she didn’t get to his place until 1 a.m., which leaves her without a cover for Nancy’s death.
Diverging Paths
Mary, fueled by her perception that Nancy didn’t consider them close, is going all in on finding out who killed her best friend. Elisabeth Moss really plays this role so well, with a soft and desperate earnestness that feels so tragic in this context. Mary pulls El into her spiral and they actually end up seeking Davide out at his home.
Davide’s pissed at how his life has been turned upside down by a woman he painted once, but he wasn’t her lover and he even scolds El and Mary for not recognizing the pain Nancy was in. He also revealed that Nancy brought a man to his party, so the search is still on for Nancy’s illicit lover.
This is more Mary’s mission, however, El is still head over heels with the wrong man. Continuing to be too involved in the Hennessys’ life, she helps Robert store Nancy’s things, but, naturally, ends up having sex with him surrounded by her dead best friend’s stuff. But that’s not all! The episode ends on a bombshell.
El discovers a letter from Robert to Nancy proving he knew about the affair. He made it seem like he had no clue where Nancy could possibly be the night she was killed, making El telling the truth even more superfluous. If Robert knew, and El is obsessed with Robert, the motive for Nancy’s death just doubled.
Final Thoughts
This episode was a lesson on unreliable narrators. Mary is too blinded by her own BFF guilt to see what’s happening in front of her and El is too busy stepping into Nancy’s old life to care about the consequences. The revelation that Nancy asked El point-blank if she had feelings for Robert suggests that Nancy was well aware of her friend’s crush.
A masterfully put-together episode, that filled out more of the trio’s histories, their connections, and what dark things they’ve been hiding. And really, who even was Nancy Hennessy? It seems like most of the people close to her had no idea.
Check out our non-spoilery review of the entire season here.
New episodes of Apple TV+’s “Imperfect Women” drop every Wednesday through April 29, 2026.
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