The Baxters – Season 1 Episode 1 “Under the Surface” Recap & Review

Under the Surface

Episode 1 of The Baxters begins with the Baxter siblings, Luke, Kari, Erin, and Brooke, congratulating their mother, Elizabeth Baxter, on Mother’s Day. Everyone is there, but Tim, Kari’s husband, couldn’t come because of an urgent last-minute academic conference. From what it appears, the Baxters are a picture-perfect family, a household that people would kill to be a part of. 

The scene shifts, and we see Tim Jacobs, a university professor who happens to be Kari’s husband. Kari is a businesswoman, who runs a successful interior designing company and is also madly in love with her husband, Tim. Unfortunately, what Kari doesn’t know is that her so-called perfect husband is actually sleeping with another woman, Angela, behind her back. 

Tim often sneaks out of his university to spend time with Angela, a student at his university.  Dirk, one of Tim’s students, calls Kari and tells him what Tim has been doing behind her back. Dirk also gives Kari an address, saying he is in the Silver Lake apartments with some other woman. When Kari tries to call him, she finds Tim’s phone to be switched off.

Also, Tim isn’t staying at the hotel he made reservations in. Kari drives to the address and sees Tim with another woman. This breaks Kari’s heart, and she drives away. All this time Kari thought that Tim loved her, but in fact, he was actually sleeping around with Angela. Kari returns home and reminisces about the time when she first crossed paths in college. Like Kari, Tim was also religious and smart, which attracted Kari toward him. They started taking a stroll together, going for coffee and eventually started seeing each other officially. 

The next morning, Tim returns home and tries to reason with Kari, but the latter locks herself in the bathroom. Tim takes the hints and starts packing his bags to leave. As he is exiting the room, Kari confronts Tim if he is in love with Angela, and the latter nods his head. Kari says that they can still mend their relationship, but Tim doesn’t listen.

Tim blames Kari for not being supportive and always being engrossed in her family so much that she doesn’t even have any time for him. Tim has made up his mind, gives back his ring, and asks Kari for a divorce. From what it appears, Tim is not keen on mending his marriage. Kari calls her mother, asking if she can come over and stay with her for a couple of days.

Ashley is convinced that something must have happened between Tim and Kari. Eventually, Karo reveals that Tim has been cheating on her with another woman, Angela. Kari asks his parents and sisters to pray for her, and also not to hate Tim. John suggests that Kari file for a divorce, but she makes it clear that she is not divorcing Tim.

Kari is religious and believes it is not wise to give up on a marriage. Kari is under the impression that Tim is confused and God can help repair their marriage. Ashley says Kari should let go of her marriage, but the latter lashes out at her, saying she has no right to judge her, especially when Ashley is neither a good mother nor a good daughter. 

As the episode nears its end, Ashley runs into Ryan, former NFL superstar and Kari’s past fling, and tells him that Kari’s low-life husband has been sleeping with another woman.  

The Episode Review

It’s clear from the first episode that “The Baxters” is going to be an emotional rollercoaster. Kari is a devoutly religious woman who is determined to work on her marriage, even though her husband cheated on her.

She believes Tim is just confused, but it’s becoming evident that Tim has made up his mind to split with Kari. Kari doesn’t seem to grasp that intentional infidelity is often the ultimate breaking point in a marriage, and no amount of effort can fully mend it.

Even if they do manage to patch things up, there will always be a lingering emptiness, and their relationship will never be the same.