The Act season 1, episode 4 recap: Stay Inside

The Act — “Stay Inside” – Episode 104 — Gypsy’s getting older and Dee Dee is forced to new legal maneuvers to keep control of her “little girl.” But Dee Dee’s limited by her own health problems, and Gypsy goes to greater lengths than ever to connect with men and experience a sexual awakening. Gypsy Rose Blanchard (Joey King), shown. (Photo by: Brownie Harris/Hulu)

The Act cuts to Dee Dee on her couch with Gypsy putting a blanket over her. The two watch a movie together, but Dee Dee covers Gypsy’s eyes when anything sexual happens. Gypsy is able to catch a small peek through her mother’s fingers.

That night, Gypsy checks her dating profile and gets a notification that someone named Nick G. (played by Calum Worthy) wants to chat with her. They chat about Disney princesses, with Nick complimenting Gypsy and calling her beautiful and a good person.

Later, Dee Dee is on the phone with Myra, asking Myra about having power of attorney papers drawn up. Myra explains that it still won’t give her guardianship and Gypsy will still need to consent. Basically, all this would do is allow Dee Dee to call the shots if Gypsy ever truly because incapacitated.

Dee Dee seems ok with this and asks Myra to prepare the documents. Myra seems a little worried about the whole situation but says she’ll call Dee Dee when the papers are ready.

At night, Gypsy and Nick video chat with each other. They’ve chatted all week, but this is the first video chat. Nick asks her to spin around so he can see her, which forces Gypsy to “confess” to him that she’s in a wheelchair and that she’s sick.

She asks if he still likes her, and he says he does. He also says he also has things wrong with him, “challenges” as they call them. Nick says that he thinks he has multiple personalities. The other one, Victor, is a vampire and he’s “dark.” Gypsy says it’s ok and they smile at each other.

One morning, Dee Dee goes over and talks to Mel who is in an emotional state after not having spoken with Lacey since their fight. Mel says she’s afraid Lacey won’t come back because Lacey doesn’t understand that Mel is just trying to protect her. Dee Dee tells her that that’s part of being a mom, never knowing for sure if what you do is right, but doing it anyway.

A new day, Dee Dee has received power of attorney papers for Gypsy. After looking at the papers briefly, Dee Dee goes to Gypsy and asks for help, she’s feeling weak and sick again. Gypsy helps her mom to the bed and tests her blood.

Dee Dee says she doesn’t need a hospital, she just wants Gypsy to sit with her. As they talk, Dee Dee explains that Gypsy is old enough to now have to worry about the fact that lying and cheating can result in being arrested. Dee Dee also talks about having been in jail before and someone trying to stab her. She says she doesn’t want that to happen to Gypsy.

She then tells Gypsy that she has a way to keep them safe: signing the power of attorney papers.

Gypsy tries to say she’s old enough to make her own choices, but Dee Dee cuts her off. Dee Dee tells Gypsy that Gypsy is now old enough to be blamed (aka arrested) for the laundry list of lies and cheats they’ve had over the years.

Terrified of the possibility of going to jail and under the pressure of her mom, Gypsy signs.

Gypsy signing is overlapped with Gypsy talking to Nick. She’s crying, saying she’s trapped and can’t tell anyone. Nick says he will always accept her, no matter what, and Gypsy can tell him anything.

Gypsy then starts telling him everything. About the wheelchair, about the fact she thinks her mom is lying about her sickness. Nick comforts her and tells her that he loves her. He then offers to show her something that might make her feel better and give them something where he can teach her and be her “prince.”

He then shows her a graphic hentai BDSM photo. Gypsy gasps and recoils a bit. But The Act moves on before there’s a response.

The next morning, Dee Dee wakes up to find Gypsy asleep on the floor with her secret laptop open next to her. Dee Dee takes the laptop and smashes it with a hammer repeatedly. When Gypsy comes in, Dee Dee berates her and demands to know what Gypsy is hiding.

Defiantly, Gypsy says that she’ll just get another one.

Dee Dee, enraged, drags Gypsy to her room and starts to bind Gypsy’s arms together on the bed. Gypsy then spits in her mother’s face, causing Dee Dee to stop, collapse on the bed and start wailing.

Gypsy starts to leave but hears her mother crying for her to come back, promising she’ll never do it again. Unable to leave her crying, begging mother, Gypsy stays.

The Act cuts to Gypsy giving her mother insulin on the bed, saying that she’s Dee Dee’s angel and they protect each other.

After Dee Dee falls asleep, The Act shows Gypsy texting Nick, telling him about the computer. Nick promises to take care of her and tell her what to do to “feel safe.” He (well, his “dark side”) talks her through a BDSM scenario that winds up with Gypsy masturbating.

This episode of The Act ends with Nick saying he’ll protect Gypsy and Gypsy asking: “from anyone?”

More pieces of the puzzle continue to be added and we’re one step closer to seeing who kills Dee Dee. Let us know all of your thoughts on The Act in the comments.