Say Nothing – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap & Review

Do No Harm

Episode 6 of Say Nothing begins with Dolours and Marian being brought to a men’s prison, despite Dolours demanding that they be sent back to the women’s prison in Ireland to serve their time. The authorities are relentless, and the lone women are subjected to stripping and leering from the men in the prison.

The very next day, they begin their hunger strike to pressure the government to send them back to Ireland. Nobody cares until news of their hunger strike reaches the media. Soon, the authorities begin force-feeding them, an ethically questionable practice. Every day, the women endure the pain of being force-fed, the sensation of choking, and a near-death experience. Marian advises Dolours to relax her body to ease the pain. Their mother visits them and later approaches the BBC to highlight the torturous practice her daughters are enduring.

The prison doctor believes he’s saving the sisters’ lives, but Dolours asserts that he is only prolonging their suffering. Over time, Dolours forms an agreement with the doctor, and the force-feeding continues. On day 135 of their imprisonment, the sisters learn that their mother is gravely ill.

The next day, with the doctor on leave, Dolours endures the pain of force-feeding at the hands of unempathetic medical attendants. Over time, Marian’s condition worsens, and she eventually faints during a feeding. This enrages Dolours, who decides to fight back with all her might, telling the doctor, through her bloody mouth and missing tooth, that this is how it’s going to be. Finally, the doctor refuses to continue, citing ethical concerns.

The sisters persist with their hunger strike until their bodies are in critical condition. Just when it seems Marian might die, the government sanctions their transfer to a women’s prison in Ireland. The sisters then end their long-overdue fast.

The Episode Review

This episode follows the Price sisters as they struggle against the system, rightfully demanding to be sent back to a women’s prison. This unfolds against the backdrop of constant leering from the men in the prison and the ongoing torture of force-feeding inflicted upon them. 

Clearly, the episode has a strong human rights and feminist undertones. The grit and determination of the characters shine through, as they, unlike others in the IRA, boldly accept their sentence while fighting for their rights inside the prison. Ultimately, they succeed as the government finally “blinks.”