Weird things have happened in Servant. They were creepy, confusing and exciting. In fact, things were disgusting, but nothing could prepare me for the gag-inducing horror of Servant Season 4 Episode 2. Leanne went on the offensive and decided to punish the entire block. So, trigger warning, if bed bugs are making you squirm, you might want to skip Servant Season 4 Episode 2. Know, however, that if you do, you’ll miss some key developments in the race to the end of the season.
Dorothy’s return home has not been triumphant. She struggles. She is in pain, frustrated with her limitations and beyond angry with Leanne. On the other hand, Leanne couldn’t be more pleased with how things turned out. She still honestly believes she can convince Dorothy to love her again, one act of service at a time. She spends most of her time looking for ways to get Dorothy back by her side. Unfortunately, it soon becomes clear that Dorothy is done being scared and playing nice.
However, the men in the house are not on the same page as Dorothy. Julian and Leanne are still cuddling and Sean is obedient. Leanne has firm control over both of them. She sends Sean to his GQ interview despite him thinking he should stay with Dorothy. That allows Leanne to isolate Dorothy and try to find her way back into her good graces. Usually things don’t go according to plan.
Servant has always cleverly used television to cunningly convey critical information and give us a glimpse into a larger world that can feel so far away in our insular existence with the Turners. For example, a news report that Dorothy Watches watches mentions a crime surge that has residents concerned and considering leaving Philadelphia. Is this indicative of the rot spreading past the brownstone and into the city? Before the end of Servant Season 4 Episode 2, we seem to have that answer.
The relationship between Leanne and Dorothy has always been at the forefront. Tender and nurturing at times, it has now turned sour. Dorothy rightfully dislikes Leanne, and nothing will change that. It doesn’t help that Leanne grabbed her phone and restricted access to Jericho. She makes further mistakes by piecing together all of Jericho’s old baby clothes into a quilt, including the yellow onesie he was wearing when he died. For Dorothy, that is devastating as Leanne takes on her job as a mother. As much as Leanne has changed, she’s still the same blundering girl who doesn’t understand how to handle Dorothy. She never really understood the older woman and consistently made mistakes.
Most of Servant Season 4 Episode 2 allowed Nell Tiger Free (Leanne) to unleash her inner Annie Wilkes. She withheld clothes, mistreated Dorothy, said mean things to her, and traded snacks for hugs from Jericho. It is disturbing behavior from the girl who used to be so meek. However, Leanne knows who she is now and embraces her power.
Tobe is back, delivering what appears to be a whole butchered pig. He and Julian circle each other, pretending to want Leanne’s affections. Is there more to Sean’s assistant than meets the eye? He has always been in the shadows. On the periphery, but never a primary player. Undeterred by the bed bug infestation, he finds time to prepare a delicious meal for Leanne. Is he trying to lure the girl back, or will this inconspicuous character play a bigger role in the final battle? Maybe he can convince her to return to the light?
Kourtney, with a K, makes another hilarious appearance in Servant Season 4 Episode 2. Dorothy texted her when Leanne gave her her phone back at Tobe’s insistence. The poor girl had no idea she was walking into a bedbug nest, but managed to help Dorothy turn the tables a bit. Leanne knows she is losing control of Julian and the Turners and can’t understand why they don’t love her. She says the pain and anger feel like bugs crawling under your skin. She’s going to make everyone feel her pain.
Servant has always been at its best when it mixes the absurd with the truly terrifying. It’s shocking but also very funny to see the group jumping around in hazmat suits as Leanne takes a razor blade to Dorothy’s legs. That recipe of classic horror tropes and unexpected quirks is what makes this show unique and special.
Leanne’s group is back. They moved back to the park behind Leanne’s house and are now bolder. Julian is told by one of Leanne’s disciples that Leanne caused this, and it is delightful. If true, Leanne’s power has grown immensely and is spreading far beyond their brownstone. When Uncle George shows up later, he confirms what the park woman said. Leanne has this all under control.
Just as she punishes Dorothy and protects herself, Leanne gives Sean everything he ever wanted. Despite leaving his GQ interview early, they want him back. This time they want him for a more extensive interview. Those words make me wonder if Leanne is a wishing fiend who will dish out your most incredible dreams, but only if you reward her with devotion and love. It certainly looks like she encourages vices and grants wishes like a jinn.
However, Leanne begins to realize that she has overplayed her hand. Dorothy won’t change her mind by surprisingly shaving or smearing lipstick. It’s a turning point when Dorothy tells Leanne that she thinks she’s evil. Leanne understands that she has power over the men because they are terrified of her. However, she underestimates the power of nature that is Dorothy. Anyone who was able to survive that fall must be remarkable. Maybe this ridiculous, chubby, self-centered lunatic really is an angel? In any case, Dorothy is determined to regain control. Leanne may have to try her hardest, because now that Dorothy has hired two home nurses, she won’t have the same access she used to. She will have to use all her influence over the men to force the nurses out.
Nell Tiger Free was chilling in Servant Season 4 Episode 2. All her anger and suppressed frustration were on full display. Julian is fun to watch and Sean has become a fully developed character, but the show has always belonged to Free’s Leanne and Lauren Ambrose’s Dorothy. The battle for Jericho and possibly the world will come down to these two women. Uncle George and his church are scary, but they don’t seem like the Big Bad they were in Season 1.
If there was any doubt about the cause of the house’s decay, there should be none after Servant Season 4 Episode 2. Everyone from Leanne’s disciples to Uncle George is convinced that she is behind all the attacks. Leanne’s minions are the birds, termites, bees and bedbugs. Her powers and her anger grow. So what happens when she loses control? Dorothy puts pressure on her, and the more pressure Leanne puts on Sean and Julian, the more they’ll start behaving unpredictably, which will only make things worse.
It feels like we’re headed for a disaster of epic proportions. Who will survive? Will anyone survive? It’s good against evil, and I’m starting to think we’ve been on the wrong side all along. Dorothy, the most unlikely hero, could be our savior. Catch up on all of our Servant coverage here and watch the next episode on Apply TV+ next week.
stray stray:
- The dish that Leanne asks Julian to make is called Chachoaka or Shakshouka. Traditionally served for breakfast or lunch, this spicy dish consists of tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic and eggs and is similar to the Latin American dish Huevos Rancheros. It would be a terrible idea to feed Dorothy this heavily spiced dish after eating so blandly for so long. It’s also not ideal to know that she can’t go to the toilet on her own. It’s interesting to note that it’s made with a tomato sauce base, considering how much tomato soup Leanne ate when she first joined the Turners.
- I live for Tobe in his pink plastic poncho.
- Exterminator, bro, with his BRB speech was just the comedy we needed after the piles of bed bugs invaded.
- Tobe made Leanne one Mol Rojo. The tomato sauce is made with onions, garlic, cinnamon, chili and sometimes nuts or pumpkin seeds. It’s the only time in the episode that Leanne felt cared for without judgment or fear. It’s also more tomatoes.
- Leanne’s room now has decorations. She prefers a burnt orange color similar to tomato soup.
- Tobe means God is good. I have no doubt that he will play an important role in the final episodes.
As editor-in-chief of Signal Horizon, I enjoy watching and writing about genre entertainment. I grew up on old fashioned slashers, but my real passion is television and all weird and ambiguous stuff. My work can be found here and Travel Weird, where I am the editor-in-chief.
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