Before we dig into today’s episode, I want to link an excellent interview that the Eyes on Screen podcast did with showrunner Bruce Miller! I highly recommend listening, especially for those of you seeking clarity about Daisy’s true identity and how the show differs from the book. I made a TikTok and IG Reel about this, and the comments have gotten downright SILLY with people insisting that the show is doing what they did in the book (send help in the comments). Listen ya’ll, I’m here to review the show, tell you what I think, and explain some of the details and I’m just pointing out with the creators of the show have already said publicly many times. Also, believe it or not, this is primarily a BOOK blog! So, I have indeed read the book; many times, in fact! Here’s a link to my review of The Testaments the novel! (Side note: I am BEGGING you all to stop asking ChatGPT/AI everything and use some media literacy to read actual sources.) Now, with that out of the way, let’s get into the episode!
Episode 104 Green Tea
As the Green girls gather for a tea party, Daisy struggles to keep on task, while Agnes begins to understand what being a woman in Gilead means.
Writer: Elise Brown
Director: Quyen Tran
We begin with preparations for a tea party that is meant to be a test for the Greens as they prepare to become Wives. Daisy is with the Plums picking up flowers and a local florist for the party when an Econowoman comes out to talk to Daisy. We learn that she’s a Mayday plant and tells Daisy that Garth needs to move her now because she thinks Gilead’s closing in on her. YIKES. The Plums and their Marthas are walking up to Agnes’s home for the tea party when Daisy sees some bodies hanging. Agnes tells her it means that they’re safe because those people were trying to hurt the girls. Daisy knows it means that Gilead is closing in on the Mayday operatives.
There are tons of blockades with barbed wire outside the McKenzie home. Paula is inside obsessing over all the details to impress the Aunts, hoping for a good match for Agnes. Agnes is upstairs getting dressed while Becka practices their dance for the upcoming ball. She tries to help Agnes with the steps, but Agnes is nervous she’ll look lame. But Becka says “no, you’ll look adorable; you always do.” I’m sensing something is up with Becka.
Paula is stressing and starts criticizing Agnes’s appearance, but Penny thankfully rescues her. The Plums are taking a look at the food and gifts that Commanders have sent over, which appear to be some sort of signal of how interested they are in marrying Agnes. The girls chat about Penny’s pregnancy and we learn that this is not her first pregnancy; she has apparently miscarried before. Penny has Garth read a card from a Commander to Agnes.
As the girls go outside the greet the Aunts, Daisy causes a distraction so that she can tell Garth about the woman at the flower shop. Daisy wants out of Gilead, but Garth reminds her that the rebellion takes time and that they’ve never had someone get this close to these girls, daughters of High Commanders. He doesn’t know when she can get out but tells her to try to at least get some good, useful intel.
The Plums are all lined up outside with their Mothers as the Aunts arrive. The tea party is meant to test how the Greens handle the pressure of running a High Commander’s household. Paula is laying it on thick as she makes her welcome speech to the Aunts. In Daisy’s monologue, we learn some of the details she’s picked up about the power dynamics of the girls’ families.
As the party kicks off, the Greens criticize their Marthas for all the work they’re doing. Unfortunately, this is what they’re taught to do as Wives. The Marthas do all the work, and the future Wives just have to make it all look perfect. Each of the Greens picks up the teapots their Marthas have prepared and walk out to curtsy and serve their respective mothers tea. This has clearly all been rehearsed, and Aunt Lydia makes mental notes of their performances, as the other Aunts make actual written notes.
Paula sees Miriam doing well, and that See You Next Tuesday decides to tip the scales in Agnes’s favor by tripping Miriam. The whole room gasps and Miriam rushes off to get her Martha to clean up the spilled tea. Miriam is DEVASTATED, and the Plums try to comfort her. She knows this will affect her marriage prospects with the Aunts. Daisy is shocked by this. Miriam apologizes to Aunt Estee for failing her. Being matched with a powerful Commander is their best chance at as good a life as they can hope for.
Daisy sneaks up and finds Commander McKenzie’s study. She sneaks in to try to do some digging but he is seated inside and asks what she’s doing. She makes up the excuse that she saw the chocolate on his desk and wanted some. She apologizes and says she’ll accept any appropriate correction. But he decides to hand her a chocolate. They chat about Agnes, and he asks Daisy if Agnes is happy. He does seem to at least hope she’s happy, given what their lives look like in Gilead high society.
The Plums are downstairs chatting about how the first part of the party went, when Agnes confronts Daisy for staring at Garth. She says that she can get him in a lot of trouble. Agnes storms off, and seems to be jealous that someone else is looking at Garth. Back in the party, Aunt Vidala introduces the concept of the Commander’s Cake. One of the pieces will have something special in it; Aunt Lydia tells her to just let them dig in already. Agnes bites into her cake to find a small porcelain bride in her piece. The rumor is that whoever finds the bride is the first one to get married. But Agnes appears to have chipped a tooth on the bride. Becka’s mom says she’ll call her husband to have him fix her up right away. Agnes looks terrified to have to return to the dentist’s office and I don’t blame her.
Daisy accompanies her to Dr. Grove’s office. Agnes reluctantly heads in once called upon. He knows what to do to fix the tooth and has to give her a mild sedative. Ominous music plays, and I absolutely hate this. She drifts off and he shuts the door and removes his coat. Out in the hallway, Daisy uses the moment to show the chocolate to Garth. Because of the writing on the back, they know that he’s recently traveled to Japan. Daisy also tells Garth that Agnes is in love with him. Back in the room, Agnes starts to wake up again to Dr. Grove washing his hands. He wishes her good luck at the upcoming Ball and leaves the room.
Paula is waiting outside the house when Agnes returns from the dentist’s office. She’s relieved that he was able to repair the issue and that it won’t hurt Agnes’s chances of a good match. She makes a gross comment about Agnes’s teeth, saying that she got bad teeth from her mother. She clarifies that she doesn’t mean Tabitha, and we know she means June. She says, “That’s where that rebellious streak comes from.” I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT. Agnes seems confused, and Daisy gets a nice dig in about Paula after she walks away. Daisy starts to ask about Agnes’s birth mother, but Agnes tells her that it’s rude to talk about that in Gilead. Daisy tells Agnes that her own mother and her birth mother both died too.
On her way back to the school, Daisy passes the flower shop and sees the Eyes raiding the shop. She later found out that the florist ran when she saw the Eyes arrive and was shot dead in the street. Daisy is learning the high stakes of being undercover in Gilead. She’s listening to her radio, and the signal is just a loud beep. Something is up with Mayday, even in Boston, and Daisy begins to panic. Up in her bedroom, Agnes is getting ready for bed. When she removes her dress, she sees that her undergarments had been tampered with at Dr. Grove’s office, and my heart absolutely shattered. Daisy and Agnes both begin to panic under the pressure of their circumstances.
