Rectify “Plato’s Cave” 

The Case

Sharon Conley‘s Sondra Person is one no-nonsense woman. When Jon goes to see her to talk about what he feels is a lack of evidence in Daniel’s case, she’s not buying what he’s selling. She doesn’t care that Daniel was interrogated for 11 hours and that only the last hour was recorded. She doesn’t care that his sentence was vacated. She doesn’t care what Jon believes when she’s got evidence to contradict it. If Jon has compelling evidence she’s willing to hear it, but until then Sondra thinks she has a very strong case. And for the record, she seems to think Daniel’s guilty. I really like Sondra. She’s the type of person who apologizes to you if she thinks that’s what you need to hear. Only, she’ll apologize in a way that’s not really admitting any fault and she’ll make sure you know that. I can’t wait to see her again.

Plato’s Cave

I think this show is going to make me smarter, because I had to look this up to see what it meant. And I think it’s a really apt metaphor for exactly what Daniel’s going through right now. Even with his glasses, I’m not sure he’ll ever see things clearly. Daniel spent all those years in prison and it stunted his emotional growth as a person. He’s book smart because that’s really the only form of learning he was allowed, unless it was lesson after lesson of cruelty and deprivation.

Daniel is Always Cool Under Pressure

Because of what Daniel went through in prison, it seems like it’s impossible to ruffle his feathers. Even when he and has mother are ambushed outside of Walmart, Daniel is very calm. He helps his mother find the car keys quickly and when she’s too frazzled to drive, he’s fine with just sitting there and letting her collect herself. He doesn’t look at the camera crew. He doesn’t acknowledge their questions. He just sits and let’s his mother collect herself.

What Trey Remembers

Although Trey isn’t entirely truthful with Sheriff Carl Daggett about George Melton’s whereabouts or the last time he saw him, Trey refuses to lie about what he saw and heard in relation to Daniel and Hannah. He testified that he saw them arrive together, saw them argue, and then saw them wonder off together. If they call him to the stand again that’s what he’ll say because that’s what he remembers. Trey says he knows Daniel did it and he wishes he saw him kill Hannah so he could testify to that, but he didn’t. He does give the sheriff George’s cell phone number. He also tells the sheriff Hannah had a handful of lovers before that night.

Tawney as Beatrice from The Divine Comedy

Tawney wants to know if there was a church in prison. There was but Daniel wasn’t allowed to visit so the chaplain would come to him. They talked about all sorts of things but Tawney wants to know if they ever talked about where Daniel would go if he died. Daniel preferred to prepare for the act of dying/letting go rather than the result of that act; he found peace in not knowing. Tawney doesn’t really understand that but she says she’d hate it if he went to hell, if there’s such a thing. Even though Daniel says he doesn’t feel pressure from Tawney, I feel like she’s pushing him. She wonders if he’d be willing to accept Christ into his heart. She thinks he could be born again if he’s baptized. Daniel thinks it’s a beautiful idea but he can’t imagine being given a new life.

Touched in a Positive Way

Things get a little uncomfortable when Tawney – quite innocently and spontaneously – hugs him. Daniel hasn’t been touched in a positive way in so long and hers is the first touch since he’s been out of prison that has soothed him. He knows it’s not proper and he doesn’t mean anything by it. Tawney encourages him to keep trying with others.

Susan

I like that certain people in town still find Daniel deserving – either of understanding or of kindness. Even though Susan claims to be a happily married woman she offers herself to Daniel. She promised herself if he ever got out she’d do this. At first it seems like Daniel isn’t interested. But he is and he takes her up on her offer.

Rectify airs Mondays at 10/9c on the Sundance Channel.