Shining Girls Season 1 Episode 3 Recap

Overnight – As the third episode of Shining Girls begins, Dan (Wagner Moura) wakes up on the train, says hello to a little boy, and notices that his arm is bleeding. He finds a receipt in his pocket for a bar and a long list of drinks. Once he pulls a piece of glass out of the cut, he goes to the pub to retrieve his keys. Although they’re in the fishbowl, they’re not all there. The worker insists that was all he had though. Once he gets in his car, he is surprised by the music. He removes the tape and drives home where he tries to get Freddie (Julian Obradors) to let him inside. Since Freddie is playing a game, he doesn’t want to pause. Freddie eventually lets him in before they begin arguing about his breakfast choice. Dan reminds him that he has to go to school, but Freddie says he isn’t going to work.

Dan claims he called him from the office although Freddie says he didn’t. Dan admits he might not have, but he still has to go to school. When Freddie is asked about the tape, he says it isn’t his. Dan notices that some of the books on his shelf have been flipped over so he fixes them. Harper (Jamie Bell) watches them from across the street. After the intro, Kirby (Elisabeth Moss) goes through old newspapers to look for murders. Abby (Erika Alexander) interrupts to see if she has pulled the statehouse interviews. Kirby says regional asked to put a hold on those until they get back from Springfield. Since Abby can’t wait that long, Kirby hands them over. She is asked how it is going on Madrigal. Kirby is searching for other possible victims, pulling unsolved homicide cases, and looking for stalking complaints from women.

Abby recommends keeping her search broad and weeding out gang violence. Kirby has already pulled 136 domestic disputes so far. Although Abby thinks she is doing good work, she says Dan shouldn’t have brought her in on this. Kirby says she flagged their initial coverage on the Madrigal disappearance for herself. By the time Dan showed up, she had already done most of the work. Abby started with Dan at the Observer before bringing him here. She wonders if he is sober. Abby had to have maintenance drill a lock on the outside of his old office because it was the safest place to keep him when he really spun out. Later, Kirby takes the folder to Dan’s desk to show him all the murdered women from the last 25 years. Once he gets off the phone, he learns about Joanne Sellers who was murdered in 1982.

Dan says these are only blurbs while Kirby admits she can’t do anything else without the police records. He tells her to leave it here. Once she mentions the tape, Dan reminds her that they can’t use it because she stole it. Even if she tells the police that she recognizes the voice, there is nothing they can do since it isn’t a credible form of verification. She wants him to write the story with all the other murdered women. He asks how many were unsolved. As they leave, Kirby stops him to ask why he took a leave of absence. Dan explains that he wanted to spend time with his kids. He believes she has already heard something else and seems surprised when she doesn’t follow up with another question. He finds out that Abby has been checking up on him although Kirby says that isn’t why she wanted to know.

She answered everything he asked and figured he’d do the same. Dan insists he isn’t whatever Abby told her. They visit a man who already got their requests from Lieutenant Hayworth. He says they’re only going to look at backup copies before he prevents Kirby from looking through the cold cases. Shel (Tory Davis) gets them set up and they begin seeing what they can eliminate. At a convenience store, a girl calling herself Lisa isn’t allowed to buy alcohol because she doesn’t have an ID. She tries to get Harper to buy it for her. Instead, he tells her to leave through the side door that will put her on Ashland. She is worried he’ll see her go back there, but Harper says he won’t once he drops his quarters. The cashier drops his quarters and Lisa escapes as instructed by Harper.

He follows her and finds her taking more beers. She offers him one, but Harper says he doesn’t drink. When Lisa asks how he knew about the quarters, he says he knows everything about this store. This was the first time he noticed her though. Lisa says she better go since her friends are waiting so Harper points her in the right direction. She stops to ask what Harper is doing. He claims he has to go out this way. Otherwise, the cashier would know he was down here. Lisa finds herself trapped. She tries to bribe Harper to let her leave, but he doesn’t need her money. He asks why she let him follow her. Harper doesn’t think she wanted to although she kept walking.

Harper suggests it should’ve taken them years to get here. He asks why he’d follow her any further when she can’t even find a door. Harper leaves without harming her. Kirby and Dan continue scouring through newspaper clippings and such. The case of Willie Rose interests Kirby who finds that the body was discovered on Lower Wabash behind a Caulfield’s. The wound is similar to Kirby’s. A gold pin was left inside the victim. The murder was from over eight years ago in March 1984. They research the case more and identify another potential match named Catherine Moore. Others matches include Margot Zelle, Karen Polachek, and Summer Francis. Dan says he needs to call his kid to make sure he got home. Kirby comes across the folder for Sharon Leads which would be her case.

Harper notices Freddie in the store so he approaches him and calls him Dan Velazquez’s boy. He claims he worked with Dan at The Observer and saw him there a bunch of times. They chat briefly about the stuff Freddie is buying before he begins walking home. Harper follows him to ask whether Dan is still at the Sun-Times and if they don’t let him do much now. Freddie says he doesn’t know although his dad is usually working on big stuff when he works like this. Harper is surprised that his father hasn’t talked to him about the dead girl named Julia. He imagines what else his father isn’t telling him about. Harper puts a Kit-Kat in his pocket and tells him to not let his father work him too hard. Dan has a drink with pals before heading back to Kirby.

He finds her looking through the evidence from her case since she hasn’t seen it since the hospital. He tells her that they should call it a night and start again in the morning. She reveals she found another woman so there are eight of them with Julia. Kirby asks whether they can work from his home, but Dan suggests they leave it for tomorrow. Once she offers to take them home with her to get started, Dan says they can work at his place although he needs to get dinner going for Freddie. He tells her she has to put it back. Kirby gets emotional while holding a pack of matches from the Bee Happy Bar. She believes it is hers since he left it in her, but Dan says it is evidence. Dan promises they’ll find him, he’ll get convicted, and she’ll get it back.

Kirby puts it back in the evidence bag. They go to Dan’s place where Freddie lies about playing his game. Dan tells him not to be rude. After they say hello, Freddie tells Dan about the weird guy he ran into earlier. Dan reminds him to always get names and take notes. He offers Kirby a drink and recommends that she call Marcus so he’ll know where she is. She looks at a picture of Freddie’s mom Gina with the family. Dan admits that Freddie adores his mom, but she is an addict and has other issues. She has to keep her distance because it doesn’t go too well when they’re together. Kirby calls Marcus before they begin looking at their victims again. They start with Margot Zelle who was 27 when she was killed in 1981 and her body was found at the Lakefront Terminal. The Longshoremen’s Union runs the port so whoever found her should still be there.

Karen Polachek was found in a boiler room in 1974 with no witnesses. She only has a brother. Dan wants to know about the most recent murder from ‘85. The real estate agent was found by a dumpster on the Far South Side. Dan finds information about Kirby including her address, bus route, and more. Kirby claims she takes notes like him, but Dan thinks they’re something else. He says they’re basic facts you already know before learning he is in there too. Kirby explains that everything was different when she got out of the hospital. She needed a way to help her navigate it. Kirby says it makes it easier for her.

They return to the real estate agent named Anne Lower who was found dead in 1985. They had the same wounds, were around the same age, and he left something inside of each victim. Dan doesn’t think it is enough to print since they can’t rely on police records they aren’t supposed to have. There is enough to get started so he wants to present it to Abby in the morning. They can’t tell what the killer left with Summer Francis. Kirby wakes up on the couch and learns from Freddie that Dan went to catch Abby early. She tries to hide the pictures from him although Freddie says he has seen worse. He made coffee for her as Kirby tells him about making and drinking coffee with her mom. Dan goes over the evidence with Abby who says they need CPD to weigh in.

Dan reminds her that it’ll blow their suspect for Julia. Abby says they should tell them before the arraignment so they’ll have time to save face. They’re not sure how they missed this. Abby suggests running the story as a series on Sundays. When she recommends leading with his source, Dan has to reveal that it is Kirby. Abby gets mad and asks whether they’re sleeping together. Dan doesn’t want to put her in the article after what she had to go through last time. Abby argues that his story is a survivor hunting for a serial killer. Dan understands that although he doesn’t want to force her. When Kirby runs into Marcus (Chris Chalk), he gives her a set of clothes and asks whether she slept well. She quickly explains what she is doing for Dan before asking whether Gerard Matthiesen is here when he started.

She learns he died a few years ago of stomach cancer so she asks whether his negative would still be on file. He wonders why something from 1972 has anything to do with Julia Madrigal. He believes the rolls will be in storage and offers to get them for Dan. She says she’ll look at them since she’ll know which ones he wants printed. They decide to look through the photos together. As they look through the photos, Marcus learns they believe it could be the same guy. One victim was a structural engineer at Holabird and Root. Marcus notices that the victim has cuts like Kirby. He asks what is going on with this story while Kirby sees something next to the victim. When Marcus asks why she didn’t tell him, she explains that she wasn’t sure yet. Kirby thinks she and Dan are breaking a story.

Marcus says Dan doesn’t break stories because they fall apart and he disappears after a few weeks. He warns her that this is going her back to where she was and Dan doesn’t care because he will run right through her. Kirby wants this picture printed. Meanwhile, Harper looks through Dan’s house. When Freddie enters the room, Harper watches him. Freddie never notices him. Then, Harper checks the refrigerator and ends up finding the pictures Kirby had earlier. He looks through the photos of the victims. Freddie hears him leaving but believes it might be his father. Kirby meets with Dan who wants to run something by her. He confesses he told Abby that she is the source because there was no way to publish it without her knowing.

Kirby worries they messed up the police’s case so they’ll leak her name. Dan believes he can keep her anonymous. He encourages her to face the firing squad and remind everyone of all the women they ignored. Dan believes she has to speak for those women. Kirby doesn’t think anyone should listen to her. When she woke up this morning, she didn’t know if she was there for the night or five years. Dan doesn’t think it’ll stick with people if he writes it using the other seven women. He explains the importance of Kirby being here and speaking for the other victims. Kirby looks through the pictures and finds something for The Alder Planetarium. She goes there immediately and tells the guard that she thinks she found a key from here.

The guard recognizes it as a key to one of the staff lockers. She checks her records and confirms that 38 is here. She offers to give the key back to her if Kirby has it. Jin-Sook (Phillipa Soo) is busy doing a presentation about stars. Marcus approaches Dan to say he bought into his vibe when he first started shooting for him. He tells Dan that he only lets people down before asking him not to let his wife be one of those people. Dan says okay. He gets upset after Marcus leaves though. Dan goes to the bar where he drinks and dances alone. He continues drinking and dancing with others until he falls to the ground. Harper watches him from a table nearby. After the show, Kirby approaches Jin to talk to her about the keys that belong to her locker.

Jin confirms they’re hers but she lost them last week and paid $15 for a replacement. Nobody had the locker before her. Kirby mentions the names of the victims to see if anything rings a bell. She tells Jin she couldn’t have lost them last week because the photo is from 1972. Jin doesn’t think she can help her anymore so she leaves. When Harper approaches Dan, he falls down the escalator and drops his bottle of alcohol. Once Dan gets back up, he remembers Harper from their previous conversation. They wait for the train while Harper says he has a gal waiting in Beverly. As Dan tries to wipe the blood from his hand, Harper asks what he was celebrating. He questions whether he finished his article or found the guy who killed Julia.

Dan says they’re still pulling the story together. Harper wonders what he knows about him. Once Dan asks why he cares, Harper says he killed a woman four blocks from his house and he has a kid at home to worry about. Harper claims his kid is with his ex because he never leaves him on his own. Dan says his son is not the killer’s type. Harper questions how he knows there is more than one. Dan reveals she said it was the same. Harper suspects one of the women must’ve survived. He pulls Dan away from the train before it stops and Dan gets on.

 

Shining Girls Review

The third episode of Shining Girls was the most competent and entertaining yet although the story is still confusing. The episode was better paced since it split the time between the investigation and Harper. So far, not enough has been done to explain the time jumps. It just doesn’t make sense for Jin to be killed one episode and alive the next.

I could do without a drunken Dan because we’ve seen this type of character so many times before. Wagner Moura plays the role well regardless. Harper isn’t the quintessential serial killer considering how unassuming the character has been through three episodes. The episode was certainly better than the first two, but I need more explanation soon.

The episode scores a 7 out of 10. Recaps of Shining Girls can be found on Reel Mockery here. Learn how to support Reel Mockery by following this link.