Love & Death – Episode 2 “Encounters” Recap & Review

Encounters

Episode 2 of Love & Death starts with Candy taking a shower after her first hook-up with Allan. She is happily surprised about the fact that Allan is good in bed, contrary to what she assumed. Allan joins her in the shower claiming that he’s late for work. Candy thanks Allan and they go on with their week as they would.

That Sunday in church, the choir team bids farewell to Jackie. Jackie introduces the congregation to their new pastor – Ron and his wife Mary. Betty seems to be the only person who is unhappy about Ron joining the parish. As she grumbles about Jackie leaving them, Betty notices Candy and Allan exchange flirtatious looks. She calls them out but does not make much of it.

A week later, on one of their usual hook-up days, Candy finds a different motel for her and Allan to meet at. The two hook up yet again and discuss Betty. Allan shares tidbits about Betty’s issues with change and how she’s hormonal due to being pregnant. Allan recalls Betty’s recent fight with Ron and how she lashed at him.

He blames himself for leaving Betty to deal with all this alone and feels guilty. Candy adds that she too would never want Pat to be hurt. They still end up having sex and Candy tells Sherry all about the hook-up. She admits that sex with Allan is really good but Sherry still finds it hard to believe.

At their ultrasound appointment, the doctor tells Betty that everything with her baby is going fine but her hypertension could cause issues to the child. Months pass and the affair continues and Candy seems to be in a really good mood spending all this time with Allan.

One afternoon, after one of their hook-up sessions, Candy asks Allan about Betty’s affair. Allan explains that he found out about the affair from Betty who confessed after she felt guilty. Allan and Candy seem to be doing a lot more than just hooking up because they take trips to a fair and spend a lot of time together.

Meanwhile, Candy is getting into Betty’s good books as she gives her something that she really wanted for her baby shower. The Sunday services at church seem to be taking a turn for the worse because Ron seems like an incompetent pastor. Allan and Candy discuss Ron and his sermons being terrible.

Allan also states that since Betty will be going into labour, he and Candy should put a hold on their hook-ups as he would like to be close to home if she needs him. Candy agrees and promises to be there for Betty if she needed her. Candy suddenly comes to a realization that she’s getting deep and is starting to fall for Allan.

Allan reassures her that everything will be okay and that she doesn’t need to worry. One night during dinner, Candy tells Pat that the Gores were thinking of leaving the church and he points out that Pastor Ron’s sermons are the reason for their decision.

One evening, during a council meeting, Betty lashes out at Ron. Candy asks Allan what was up with her and he claims that as she was getting close to delivering, Betty was acting out. Candy tells Allan that she was worried about falling in love with him. He explains that the affair with Candy has helped his relationship with Betty somehow.

Candy tells him that their first rule was to end things when they got too close to each other. The episode moves to Betty delivering a baby girl and the Gore family leaving the Methodist Church to go to a different one. The affair between Candy and Allan is still in full swing.

The Gores invite people from the church including Candy and her family to see the baby. Allan tells Candy that he and Betty were going to take the newborn away to meet his parents. Candy agrees to meet with him on a different day but seems hurt by the fact that Allan is bailing on their date.

The week zooms by and Candy seems to be growing more and more uncomfortable with Allan’s absence. After his return, they meet for another hook-up. One night, Pat compliments Betty on how beautiful she looked and she starts feeling guilty for cheating on him.

Meanwhile, Betty tries to make love to her husband but Allan declines her attempt, claiming he was tired. Betty misunderstands the situation and thinks that Allan does not want to sleep with her now that she’s fat after delivering their second child.

The next day, Allan meets Candy at a diner over lunch and asks her to end things. Candy is shocked and creates a scene in public. Allan explains that sleeping with Candy has him spent and he’s not able to direct his attention to his spouse. Candy throws a tantrum but they end the conversation after deciding to slow things down.

Months pass and Allan gives Candy a call asking to see her for a meal. When they meet, Allan explains how Betty is having a post-partum episode.

Allan asks Candy if she would be okay taking care of the children considering the fact that their daughters were friends. Candy is shocked because a marriage encounter would mean the end of their affair. She still agrees to help them out by taking care of the kids.

Things go pretty well for Betty and Allan at the encounter and the two finally start communicating with each other. Meanwhile, Candy tells Sherry that Betty is going to reap the benefits of the sexual moves she’s taught Allan. Sherry asks Candy to go out to a club for the night and they decide to leave Pat to take care of all four kids.

At the marriage encounter, Betty and Allan discuss the problems of their sexual lives and she asks if he’s sexually attracted to her. He admits that he is and the couple proceed to have sex. At the end of the encounter, Betty and Allan renew their vows before going back home.

Candy seems to be in a bad mood when she sees Betty and Allan being so close. Betty tells Candy that she and Pat should go to one such encounter too and Pat tells her how great the experience was. Candy loses her mind and starts mincing meat aggressively as the episode comes to an end.

The Episode Review

As much as Candy would love to deny the fact, she really has fallen for Allan and she cannot help it. It really seems absurd to me that they decided to end things when they start catching feelings but both parties did not wish to let go. Candy is not the only character to be blamed here but it all really did start from Allan.

He was the first one to end the affair and he is to blame for whatever eventually happened to Betty. He was the person that sought Candy’s help and was flaunting his now perfect relationship and family to Candy knowing full well that she had feelings for him.

I hate the fact that Sherry is observing all this as a bystander as two families break apart. For now, the only characters that deserve sympathy on this show are Pat and Betty. While Candy’s actions cannot be justified, it seems like Allan’s behaviour was a catalyst for what she eventually did and I cannot wait to see it as this season progresses.