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Who is Erin Carter? — Season 1, Episode 3 Recap

tv

By Elliot W.

- Sep 7, 2023

The third installment of the TV drama "Who is Erin Carter" kicks off with the startling revelation that Margot's lifeless body has been found by a random hiker. Emilio, a police officer who seems to be one of the show's moral compasses, immediately informs Erin. He also spills the beans about Benecio sharing Erin's incriminating photograph with his assistant, Valeria Estrada.

See Also: Who is Erin Carter? — Season 1, Episode 2 Recap

Freaked out by these developments, Erin hastily entrusts her daughter Harper to Penelope, who never misses a chance to shower Erin with judgmental opinions. Taking matters into her own hands, Erin locates Valeria’s residence and goes there. She is met with a gun pointed at her, but she expertly disarms Valeria and pleads her side of the story.

Just when it seems things might calm down, Daniel's goons make an appearance. Erin not only saves Valeria from them, but in the process, Valeria ends up losing a considerable amount of money she had been laundering. Now infuriated, Valeria gives Erin an ultimatum: replace the lost money by the next day or face exposure.

Across the Atlantic, a blonde woman we've been keeping tabs on is finally out on probation in England. She takes up a janitorial role to fulfill her parole conditions. But the news of Margot's death unhinges her, leading her to assault her employer and land herself right back in the custody of the law.

Back stateside, Penelope and Harper share some heartwarming moments, cementing their burgeoning relationship. Penelope opens up to Harper while arguing with her emotionally distant husband over the phone, and even offers motherly guidance to the young girl.

Meanwhile, Erin is full of worry about how to come up with the money she owes Valeria. A glimmer of hope appears when Daniel, father to Dylan, invites her and Jordi to dinner, casually mentioning a private tutoring gig for Erin. She contemplates taking an advance on her salary to pay Valeria but ultimately declines. The offer's impermanence unnerves her; Daniel could terminate the job at any point.

Amidst the chaos, Jordi decides to consult a child specialist for Harper without discussing it with Erin, after their babysitter Olivia raises concerns. This triggers an intense argument between the couple. Harper, feeling increasingly sidelined by Erin's mysterious activities, expresses her frustrations. Eager to mend fences, Erin agrees to partake in a school tennis tournament for parents.

In the tennis match, Erin deliberately loses to Penelope and her spouse, Bruce, sensing Penelope's marriage is on rocky ground and could use the morale boost from a win.

As time runs out to meet Valeria's deadline, tension surges. Jordi grows uneasy, especially after he unseals an old background check Emilio performed on Erin before they got married. What he finds — or rather, doesn't find — shocks him. Erin seemingly has no history or official records, heightening the mystery around her.

In a gripping conclusion to the episode, Valeria betrays Erin by leaking her location to Benecio’s thugs. Though Erin attempts another daring escape, Valeria is fatally shot. Badly injured, Erin narrowly avoids capture by jumping onto a speeding truck. Ultimately, she is off the vehicle, lying motionless on the road. As she loses consciousness, Erin hallucinates the same horned figure that has been haunting Harper.

Upon reflecting on the episode, it's clear that the series has set certain trends, not all of them promising. The show offers nail-biting action scenes but often stumbles in storytelling, marked by Jordi’s baffling obliviousness to Erin’s antics. Likewise, the lack of a coherent police subplot diminishes the overall tension, leaving viewers oscillating between frustration and engagement. This inconsistency could be a significant setback for the series going forward.

Who is Erin Carter? is now streaming on Netflix.

OUR RATING

6 / 10