'My Brilliant Friend' Season 2 Episode 7: Stefano's violent streaks has fans growing anxious for Lila's child
Spoilers for 'My Brilliant Friend' Season 2 Episode 7 'Ghosts'
In the penultimate episode leading up to the Season 2 finale of HBO's 'My Brilliant Friend', we were provided with perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching episodes so far.
Upon their return from Ischia, Elena Greco aka Lenu (Margherita Mazzucco) swears that she wouldn't seek Lila Cerullo (Gaia Girace) and Nino Sarratore (Francesco Serpico). Their betrayal pushed her further and further away from her childhood best friend.
Now studying in Pisa - far away from Naples - she begins reading the books that Lila had given to her to keep away from her abusive husband Stefano Carracci (Giovanni Amura).
As Lenu revisits Lila's past through her journals, we are given a flashback into the tumultuous times in Lila's life after Enzo Scanno (Giovanni Buselli) drops her back home. To say that fans of the show are feeling remorse is not cutting it - they're horrified to learn of Lila's agony.
After childbirth, Stefano drops all pretense of good behavior continuing lying to himself about their son's real father and in turn, becomes more and more violent at home. The domestic violence in the house featuring him and the two children is enough to send chills down your spine.
"Can anyone just assure me nothing happens to the baby. I can’t handle it!!" pleaded a fan. "These men around these kids make me too anxious," agreed another. And needless to say, Stefano is not making anyone happy. "Stefano from “My Brilliant Friend” can go take a hike as far as I’m concerned."
"OMFG. this domestic violence scene is A LOT!!!" tweeted a fan.
The male characters on the show are receiving a lot more flak for this episode than previously. "Every male character in my brilliant friend is either horrible, pathetic, or some combination of the two," tweeted a fan.
So much so that he has earned himself the top spot on the list of the 'trashiest men' on the show - replacing Antonio Cappuccio (Christian Giroso) from last week. "#MyBrilliantFriend trashiest men ranking (season two, episode seven): 1. Stefano 2. Antonio 3. Nino 4. Michele 5. Donato 6. Marcello 7. Bruno 8. Rino 9. Lila's dad 10. Alfonso 11. Lenù’s dad 12. Pasquale 13. Enzo."
The violence and abuse - mental and physical - takes a turn for the worse after the truth about Stefano's behavior comes out. But this chapter in Lila's life is far from over and it will be in the next episode that we can tell more.
Simultaneously, upset about the fact that the coming week will be the season finale of the second installment of the series, fans are already feeling bereft of the drama.
"My brilliant friend season finale next week... what am i supposed to do with my Monday nights after that," tweeted a fan.
Still, tonight's episode of 'My Brilliant Friend' was a different kind - capturing with surreal beauty the journeys that Lila and Lenu embarked on after their return from Ischia. "My goodness. Tonight’s episode of #MyBrilliantFriend was pure art. So heartbreakingly beautiful," concurred a fan.
'My Brilliant Friend' airs on Mondays on HBO at 10/9c.
