Jenny
Episode 5 of Solos begins with a woman called Jenny sitting in a waiting room, sporting angel wings and a wand. She was at a birthday party the previous day, hence the outfit. Looking ahead at the future, Jenny mentions how she and her husband Lazlo have been trying for a baby. They’ve been together for 7 and a half years and it turns out he’s an AI counselor. According to Jenny, she’s a closed book but she talks pretty openly about her fears and worries. Specifically, a love interest called Carl whom she had a crush on. Well, Jenny went a bit crazy and ended up naked in front of the mirror with Carl’s girlfriend’s shoes on. Unfortunately this instance led to her dismissal and being kicked out the house. This is especially difficult for Jenny to take given the bond she formed with his son, Tyler. Jenny soon calms herself enough to wonder how she appeared in this waiting room. Well, it seems to be linked to a horrific crash and a party. Jenny speaks in detail about his party and how she encouraged a guy called Colin to drink, dragging him over to a table with cold Bailey’s. She poured the liquor over him, prompting a red-faced Lazlo to force Jenny to go home. She does just that, tears stinging her eyes as she drives home. Clearly under the influence she crashes her car. Only, in doing so she also hits Tyler. It’s a shocking omission, one that sees Jenny overcome with grief as tears and snot plaster her face. As we zoom out, we see Jenny is trapped in her own memories. A logo for E-ternity can be seen on the wall as a surgeon called Kev arrives ready to conduct cerebral extraction. He takes a USB drive and begins uploading her memories. That is, until he realizes that Jenny is the “kid killer.” He’s confused over who would want her memories, eventually deciding to let her stew in them a little longer.
The Episode Review
With more of the Black Mirror influences bleeding through, Jenny is another dark chapter and an interesting blend of sci-fi and melodrama. Jenny’s character is very different from what we’ve seen before across this anthology, and really not all that likable. However, there’s definite influences of mental health bleeding though here and the show does a good job including a number of sporadic and random outbursts across the chapter to confirm that. No one has stopped to help this woman and whether it be depression, a need to fit in or even just loneliness, this chapter perfectly exemplifies some of the attitudes toward mental health. However, just like White Bear in black mirror, it also challenges our perception of this with a big reveal at the end. Specifically how this woman – whether accidental or not – killed a child. The twist ending alone is worth persevering through this one, propped up by some great acting too.
