Every Year After Recap Season 1 Episode 6 ‘Plan B’
- 10 hours ago
- 5 min read
All right, let’s do this. The big secret that gave Percy five years of panic attacks and five years of casual sex only, the big secret that she kept trying to run away from, the big secret that kept her away from Barry’s Bay and the man she loved since her youthful summers by the lake, was that, after Sam dumped her (and we still don’t have details about this), she slept with Sam’s older brother Charlie. The Charlie who called her and invited her to Sue’s funeral. The Charlie whom she hugged when they first saw each other again after 10 years. The Charlie who had her phone number all this time.
If the show wanted us to feel the weight of the betrayal and the persistent push of the sin, then this could have been better executed. Twitter said this was a change from the book; there, Sam already knew what happened. My take is, whether or not the show wanted to go the route of Sam already knowing the secret, or Sam not knowing and having Percy reveal it to him, was not the issue; either way would have been fine. The execution is the issue, the way the story was built with each episode, each interaction amongst these characters. Also, whatever happened to Percy’s panic attacks? After telling Sam, she just stayed right there, numb to the overnight cold, repeatedly calling Charlie and finally texting him the two words he must have dreaded too — he knows.
Charlie went downstairs to face his brother’s wrath, shirtless, and whilst Charlie was often shirtless in this show, this particular choice in this particular scene was… notable. Charlie drunk ranting at Percy indicated that he understood the magnitude of that choice ten years ago. That he walked in shirtless, as he usually did, was visually off. There was no change in him though he knew things would change between him and his brother. There was no visual indicator of him wanting a bit of armour for the pain that would come. And no, Charlie being shirtless did not give off a vulnerability vibe.
Why focus on these details? Because I would like to see more female focused shows. Every Year After got the lake vibe, slower paced kind of life right (amongst other things, which we will discuss here, I swear this recap is not all negative). I’ve already seen people talk season two, and I want that too, the pieces for a show that emotionally lingers are here. I reckon the storytelling just needs a bit more time to cook, and I hope the writers get this time with an early renewal.
Sam, who was supposed to pick up Sue’s ashes, disappeared for the day, leading Charlie, Jordie, and Chantal on a hunt across town trying to find him. They ended up at Rooster’s, the bar Jordie said Sam went to every day for a month after Percy ghosted him. I thought Sam broke up with Percy? I guess we’ll have to wait for the next couple of episodes to get clarity on this.
Sam was there, and after an almost fight involving the bartender, Chantal, and an unnamed patron, Charlie brought the very drunk Sam home. Sam broke up with Taylor because he knew he loved Percy, but how could he move on from so recent a revelation that the woman he loved slept with his brother? Sam told Charlie that he still loved Percy.
Percy finally getting a chance to reconcile with Sam and blowing it up by doing the right thing and telling him what has been eating at her soul for the past 10 years was more than a valid reason for a crash out. But, after her night of solitude and tears, she received a call from Delilah. Apparently, Whit demanded that she vacate their Barry’s Bay home before he arrived.
Delilah was in shock, because she thought her separation from Whit was amicable. But, when Whit sent his assistant with photos of Delilah and Charlie in compromising positions and reminded her that their prenup had an infidelity clause, Delilah’s world was suddenly turned upside down. She ended up in Jordie’s motel, sleeping on the same bed as Percy, as they must have done when they were kids.
At least Jordie got them a room, because Drew was still around and sharing Chantal’s room. Chantal and Jordie had a moment where they almost kissed, and Chantal confessed this to Drew. Drew reacted like a mature grownup, which was in contrast to how he has been since he arrived unwell. He asked if Chantal did not want to get married, and Chantal replied she did not know. Chantal shared that Barry’s Bay was changing her. Well, yes, I would have thought she’d be back in her office by now. That reminds me that we don’t yet have an update on her passport situation as of this episode.
In the before years, Percy told Sam she was ready, and Charlie, who has had to endure watching the two of them make out all the time at the restaurant, gave them the night off so they could finally do it. Percy was so excited that she did not even notice the weight Delilah carried ever since she unexpectedly arrived early at Barry’s Bay. Jordie found Delilah packing up her car and crying, and he went and interrupted the would be coitus, because Delilah needed Percy. It turned out that Delilah was pregnant of her jerk ex boyfriend’s baby. Percy and Delilah made up, Percy stayed by Delilah’s side for the next couple of days, and when she returned, she still wanted to do it with Sam. This short story detour to Delilah was handled better and was more emotionally effective than Percy’s big secret.
There was this quick shot of Delilah sleeping on the motel bed with Percy beside her, interrupted only by Jordie’s knocking, because he wanted to check on Delilah. A quick shot, dimly lit, and it was a portrait of exhaustion, two friends who reconnected, and Percy intent on supporting Delilah even as her own life’s storms raged outside. A few feet away, in another room, with another pain, was Chantal, a lawyer Delilah would for certain need now. The execution of the female friendships here was strong.
Rating: B-
Strays
🚤Delilah having to teach Percy how to do her makeup whilst movers her soon to be ex husband sent were taking her things out of her house was funny and very Delilah.
🚤Jordie and Chantal bonded whilst fishing, and Jordie told her how his college girlfriend broke up with him after he got injured, and his NBA dream vanished.
🚤A drunk Sam accused Chantal of helping Percy steal The Tavern from them.
Episode Title: I Choose You
Episode Writer: Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky
Episode Director: Jeff W. Byrd
Release Date: June 10, 2026