Divorce Finale Recap: Detente
The Divorce finale shows the best and worst of Frances and Robert, and therefore the show as a whole.
‘Detente’ is an explosive finale for Divorce, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suffer from the same struggles that it has had all season. All of the characters have transformed into really unlikeable selfish people who constantly sabotage both themselves and others. While Robert has recently taken a turn for the worse, Thomas Haden Church has managed to save the show with his incredible comedic timing while Frances struggles to be a protagonist to root for. There’s nothing wrong with having a cast of characters who are meant to be awful; Veep has successfully been doing it for five season now, but Divorce never seemed able to find the perfect balance between self-centered but also likable.
“All of the characters have transformed into really unlikeable selfish people who constantly sabotage both themselves and others.”
With the rollercoaster ride that has been this season, it makes sense that “Detente” succeeds on some levels and struggles a lot on others. The best storylines this season have usually involved the children, and here both of them once again are at the center of plot. Tom and Lila can’t remember whose house they’re supposed to go to after school, so they end up walking back to Frances’ because they missed the bus. In the first big dramatic moment of the episode, Lola gets hit by a car in the school parking lot which results in a ride to the hospital as well as disillusionment for the family. Both Frances and Robert acknowledge that their behavior recently has taken a huge toll on the kids as they realize that the children probably feel unimportant in the midst of their petty fighting.
Image Credit: HBO
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This resolve doesn’t last long, as Frances weakly admonishes her new lawyer for serving Robert divorce papers in front of the entire school and consents to letting his assets be frozen. It’s a cold-hearted move because she knows the ramifications but still chooses to do it. Of course, this comes at the worst time, as Robert is trying to finally close the deal on his Funspace idea, which actually seems to have taken off as a legitimate business venture. Robert actually owning and operating a successful business would help Frances save money in the long run, but right now the two still seem more invested in short-term victories.
As expected, Robert doesn’t take the news well and he chooses to storm over to Frances’ art gallery opening. Trying to get Frances to admit to freezing the assets, he ultimately offers her support for her dream as well as offers congratulations. The two share a kiss, and choose to part ways again with Robert still seething over the fact that Frances’ gallery seems to be doing well while his dream business has been killed. However, “Detente” isn’t done with the drama and Robert makes one last attempt over the phone to get her to apologize and acknowledge her part in preventing his Funspace idea from happening. Of course she doesn’t but instead requests to take the kids away skiing this weekend despite it being his time with them.
Image Credit: HBO
It’s here in the final scenes that Divorce officially drags Robert down to the level of the rest of the cast. His comedy and love for his children may have helped make him more likeable, but ‘Detente’ wipes that out with his decision to call the police on Frances. While he may have consented to allowing her to have the kids for his weekend, she never “went through the proper channels,” therefore she is technically kidnapping her own children. It’s an incredibly petty move to hurt her but mainly terrifies Tom and Lila as they watch their mother get arrested after everything they’ve been through.
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The promise of an actual detente is short-lived. Divorce was, eventually, able to find its footing this season. It continues to not be every one’s cup of tea, and there’s no real reason to expect that to change. Season 2 promises an all-out war, so don’t expect a happy ending here. For some people, that’s going to be a turn-off.