'Little Fires Everywhere' Episode 5: Pearl and Lexie's 'unbalanced' friendship irks fans
Spoilers for 'Little Fires Everywhere' Episode 5 'Duo'
Toxic one-sided friendships are no stranger to the screen and usually involve the mean, entitled popular girl taking the shy new girl for a ride, while the latter just begrudgingly gives into the not-so-nice queen bee's every demand, available at her every beck and call, all out of a feeling of gratitude for the one-sided friendship and its minimal perks. Hulu's 'Little Fires Everywhere' however takes toxic friendships to a whole other level through Lexie Richardson (Jade Pettyson) and Pearl Warren (Lexi Underwood) and fans are pretty irked and upset at the 'unbalanced' dynamics between the two.
The most recently dropped Episode 5 'Duo' sees Lexie find out she is pregnant. She looks almost certain that she wants an abortion, but she is a teenage girl with ample sensitivity and emotions when it comes to her own self so for a brief second, she tries to consider other options. But just hinting at unwanted pregnancies in front of her boyfriend throws him back so hard that Lexie is certain there really is no other way out. So she goes to the clinic where Pearl is supposed to pick her up after the procedure, but when Pearl skips school and arrives early she finds out Lexie is getting the abortion done under Pearl's name.
Pearl still stays and gives Lexie a ride home, after Lexie tries defending using Pearl's name saying these things affect the reputation and Lexie can't afford that happening. Lexie even has the audacity to ask Pearl to take her anywhere except the Richardson mansion, and Pearl caves because she is either too good a friend or just blinded by her need to blend in. It's unlikely that Pearl is that desperate, given her worldly wisdom and maturity at such a young age, so maybe it's just kindness and a good heart. Even Pearl's mother Mia (Kerry Washington) goes out of her way to make Lexie comfortable when Pearl brings her home. Mia gives Lexie a tight hug, change of clothes and a bed to rest, and even a comforting beverage to soothe her pain, but she loses it all when Lexie asks her if she did the right thing.
Mia is the first one to point out how toxic a friend Lexie is to Pearl. Given that she had already stolen Pearl's poem and passed it off as her own before pulling the stunt she did at the abortion clinic, it's big of Pearl to still tolerate her. And now, fans are calling it out too. Taking it to Twitter, a fan wrote: "Pearl is doing way too much for Lexi. This is so unbalanced it irks my soul. I can't even fathom Lexi reciprocating."
Another fan shared: "I hope Pearl finally realizes Lexie was never really her friend." A third fan simply remarked that "Pearl needs to beat Lexie’s ass," while another asked, "Pearl... how long you gonna play the fool? Lexie is scandalous."
Fans also noted how "Lexie is so self-serving, and poor little Pearl has a lot to learn about the world," but the majority opined: "Pearl keeps letting this little girl use her it’s so annoying!!!"
'Little Fires Everywhere' drops new episodes every Wednesday only on Hulu.