'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story' Season 2 Episode 5 Review: A lesson in what not to do during a divorce
Spoilers for 'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story' Season 2 Episode 5 'Scream Therapy'
'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story' is telling a story about the deterioration of marriage leading up to a bitter divorce. The real-life divorce of Betty and Dan Broderick became a public spectacle due to the controversial and explosive nature of their separation. And at the end of it, no party really won. But the USA Network show is telling an even more important story — how NOT to play a divorce.
With each passing episode, Betty (Amanda Peet) makes things difficult for herself. If she is not ignoring the contempt petitions against her, she is not showing up to the court. If she is not trying hard enough to get a lawyer by her side, she is sabotaging her own side of the case. In Episode 5 of Season 2 of the anthology series titled 'Scream Therapy', Betty makes repeated phone calls to the Broderick household and literally rants over the phone for hours at a stretch. What she doesn't know (although she later gets suspicious) is that Dan is recording and gathering all the information against her.
There is no doubt that Dan has played everything out in his favor, leaving Betty not just penniless but with practically nothing. This humiliation, over the course of their divorce, takes a toll on Betty, who in turn, ends up sabotaging her own side in this divorce. At any given point, Betty's grievance is the same. She wishes to see her children when she wants and if they were to be in her custody, she doesn't want the divorce affecting the quality of their upbringing. Of course, she didn't even want a divorce in the first place but that is hardly an option anymore.
Dan is a selfish, sexist misogynist. There is not one moment where he thinks he is wrong. Through the course of the episode, he makes that amply clear. Betty's cries for help seem to him like entitlement. He continues maintaining that Betty is an entitled spoiled brat who is acting out because she is not getting her way. The truth of the matter, however, is that Betty is acting this way because he has left her with nothing and the separation threatens to take everything she has built all her life away from her. He refuses to acknowledge his role in her rebuttals and maintains his holier-than-thou stance.
Betty continues making abusive phone calls — calling the new couple names and showering them with curses. All of these are transcribed for Dan's benefit by his assistant. How else is Dan to prove that he is the better spouse? Dan is also arrogant. He is ready to shut down anyone with a comment — for or against — him and his new life. He doesn't mince words when he tells people to not pester him with their opinions of his divorce and girlfriend Linda Kolkena (Rachel Keller).
A mentally harassed Betty is shown in agony in the solitary confinement of her home — with no money, no kids, piling bills and whatnot. Even when Linda expresses concern over how she will pay her dues, Dan simply shrugs. A nonchalant shrug that is sure to send a wave of horror among audiences. At the end of the episode, Dan proposes to Linda. Surrounded by cheering friends, Dan proposes to his assistant by getting down on one knee. His doom will shortly follow.
'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story' airs Tuesdays at 10 pm on USA Network.