Hulu's The Act season 1, episode 6 recap: A Whole New World

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The Act — “A Whole New World” – Episode 106 — While Gypsy and Nick are on the run, flashbacks to a much younger Dee Dee reveal how trauma with her own mother set her up for conflict with Gypsy. Emma (Margo Martindale), shown. (Photo by Hulu)

The Act then briefly shows Dee Dee in prison. She’s sending letters to Gypsy, but she hasn’t received anything back.

Quickly, The Act moves on to Dee Dee being released from prison and picked up by Janet. When they get home, Gypsy starts crying as soon as she sees Dee Dee. Emma says Gypsy will need to readjust to Dee Dee being there.

Dee Dee then gets mad at Emma because, according to the schedule, this should be Gypsy’s nap time. Instead, Gypsy is playing outside. Emma says Gypsy is happy and now, they do things differently.

Later, Dee Dee is worried that Gypsy is sick, despite Emma saying Gypsy is fine (and throwing in the jab that Gypsy has been fine ever since Dee Dee left). This sets Dee Dee off. She says that Gypsy is obviously sick and Emma is just trying to prove that she’s a better mom than Dee Dee is.

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Emma, coldly, just smiles and says she could have told the cops that Dee Dee wasn’t there when they came looking for her. But, she knew Dee Dee needed to learn. She then says that, from the day Gypsy was born, she knew that Gypsy was better with her than with Dee Dee.

Emma then turns and leaves.

Back at the inn, Nick and Gypsy check back in. Their previous room was taken, so they’re given a smaller room with two twin beds. Time passes as Gypsy sits in a constant state of unhappiness (through talking with Nick, watching television and even having sex). This isn’t the fairytale she’d signed up for.

It’s now their last night before finally going to Wisconsin. Gypsy gets mad at Nick because he won’t take her pills with her. He doesn’t like taking drugs. But Gypsy says they’re supposed to do everything together like Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Angry, she leaves to get a snack from the vending machine.

It’s 1997 now and Dee Dee is laying out pills in a weekly organizer. Emma calls out from the other room, but Dee Dee ignores her. Gypsy asks her mom if she can go play on the trampoline, but she won’t let her.

Dee Dee finally goes to check on Emma. Emma is in a wheelchair now and very sick. Dee Dee seems worried about her, but Emma refuses to be put in hospice care. Instead, Emma asks Dee Dee to just give her her Percocet and some Ensure.

Dee Dee gives her the Percocet but says they’re out of Ensure. She looks at Emma and simply says, “the only way out is through.”

Dee Dee turns to leave, but Emma says she needs Dee Dee. Dee Dee then gets Gypsy and they both climb into bed with Emma.

Later, Gypsy watches television while a doctor talks to Dee Dee about Emma. Apparently, Emma’s tolerance to pain medication has made it so the IV of morphine she’s been getting isn’t working anymore. When asked, Dee Dee lies and says Emma hasn’t had any other pain medications on top of the IV.

The doctor says Emma only has a few days to live because her body is shutting down. He then calls Dee Dee a saint for taking care of Emma and Gypsy.

After the doctor leaves, Dee Dee sits to watch television with Gypsy. Emma calls out to her, but Dee Dee just turns up the volume on the tv.

The Act transitions to Emma in bed struggling to breathe. Dee Dee tells her mom that she loves her and she knows Emma always tried her best. Hoarsely, Emma says that Dee Dee made it impossible for her.

Disgusted, Dee Dee leaves the room and goes to Gypsy. Crying, she tells Gypsy that she has a mom who loves her.

Jump to a new day. Janet is coming to help Dee Dee pack up the house since Dee Dee can’t afford to buy Emma’s house herself. Gypsy asks to go play on the trampoline, but Dee Dee won’t let her. Dee Dee won’t even let Gypsy go outside. Gypsy, frustrated, walks away.

Janet then comes in and gives Dee Dee a stack of letters she’s found. It’s all of the letters Dee Dee had sent Gypsy from prison. None of them are open.

Dee Dee then calls out to Gypsy. She finds her outside playing on the trampoline. As a terrified Dee Dee gets outside, Gypsy takes a bad fall and lands hard on the ground. She’s barely moving as Dee Dee holds her. Janet goes off to call 911.

Back in the present, Gypsy stands in line at the vending machine behind a mother and her daughter. The daughter keeps calling out to her mother which is clearly starting to get on the woman’s nerves.

Hearing this, Gypsy gets emotional and walks back to the room.

Inside, she finally lets loose all of her frustrations. They’re supposed to be in Wisconsin by now. She blames Nick for not thinking and not doing things the right way. She angrily says she can’t keep doing everything for him. She yells at him to start thinking.

Nick apologizes. He says he will never leave Gypsy because he loves her. That also means he’ll do anything for her. He wants her to have her happily ever after. He apologizes again and the two hug.

Dee Dee, returning from the doctor’s visit with Gypsy, carries Gypsy into the house from the car. Gypsy tries to say she can walk, but Dee Dee insists she’s too weak and needs rest.

Once inside, Dee Dee gets Emma’s old wheelchair and puts Gypsy in it. She says it’ll just be until Gypsy feels better. Gypsy says nothing. She seems resigned to be in the wheelchair.

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This episode of The Act wraps up with Nick and Gypsy finally on the bus. For the first time in a while, Gypsy smiles. Her dreams are back on track.

What do you think of this episode of The Act? Is it just me or was sending a murder weapon through the mail a bad choice? Let us know all of your thoughts on Gypsy, Dee Dee and The Act in the comments.

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