As the episode begins, Thomas Benson (Ken Nwosu) goes to the doctor for his meeting. The receptionist there is very rude. Eventually, he sits down next to a sneezing man and reads a magazine about joining the elite. When he meets with the shrink, he tells her about his problems. He wants her to say everything is fine so he can return to work. After that, Thomas returns home and is approached by the neighbor who tells him about a new television show Tipping Point. Once the conversation ends, Thomas sits around the house and considers watching the television show. Isobel (Susannah Fielding) calls him moments later.
She encourages him to come back to work so he will not be made redundant. He tells her that he’ll think about it. When Jess (Alexandra Roach) returns, she tells Thomas that things are being worked out between Miley and Casey. Thomas tells her about the pills and online course provided by the doctor. Jess offers to take the credit card so Thomas will not use it. Then, Thomas sits down and starts working on the online cognitive behavioral course. He receives a text from Isobel telling him that he shouldn’t let the others push him around.
When Jess leaves, Thomas gets dressed and heads to work. On the way out, he tells his neighbor that he is lying to his wife and he wants her to keep it a secret. Once at work, Thomas goes straight to Carter’s office. He begins telling Carter (Ben Miller) about the bullying but the boss isn’t willing to accept it. This time, Thomas tells him that he wants him to go through the normal protocols and investigate his formal complaint. When Thomas steps out of the office, the others stare at him. Carter asks to speak with Andy (Sean Sagar) while Thomas waits in a separate room.
Before too long, Andy and Becky (Ritu Arya) arrive to aggravate him. They try to deny bullying Thomas. Becky says she hates Andy but she loves his torso. Andy eventually agrees to show Thomas his torso. It goes back and forth until Thomas touches Andy’s torso twice. Then, they want him to place his head on Andy’s torso. Becky does but Thomas refuses to. The others get angry until Carter’s assistant arrives to tell Becky he wants to speak with her. When Andy starts pressuring Thomas, he gets up and exits the room. He runs into Isobel and accuses her of bullying him too.
She starts crying and denying everything. Thomas says he is sorry if she is really on his side. Then, the group learns that Carter wants to speak with them. This worries Thomas since that isn’t proper procedure. Marion (Elizabeth Conboy) from HR joins the meeting. Andy mentions their disagreement and Thomas tells his boss about the torso things. Andy says he was talking about the meeting being against protocol. During the meeting, everyone turns against Thomas and Isobel does the same at the very end. Thomas freaks out and breaks the boat Carter’s children made for him. They agree to call Jess so she can pick him up.
Eventually, Thomas is left alone with Isobel and she begins digging in. He finds out that she set everything up from the beginning and she was behind it all. She tells him about the laws and says she would get in trouble if she called him a “black fuckwit”. The conversation continues on and on until Thomas leaves without doing anything. However, he pays particularly close attention to his cellphone. Before leaving, Thomas appears to sign the resignation papers. Jess arrives to get him after that and they go home together. Work continues on as normal for the others.
Isobel returns home to her husband and children. Carter checks the resignation letter and sings “Proof to follow” written above the signature. Seconds later, he receives a new email from Thomas and Isobel does too. Thomas sits down with Jess and lets her listen to the recording of Isobel making the derogatory statement. Carter and Isobel listen to the same recording. The police arrive to speak with Isobel at her home. Carter sends an email apologizing to Thomas. He is willing to pay Thomas six figures to stay quiet too. We also learn that everyone involved is going to be fired. Jess suggests they sue so this never happens to anyone again.
Thomas explains that the money will change their lives. She tells him they need him to be happy now and they’re fine as they are. Later that night, we see an anxious Carter waiting for an email. Thomas sits down with his wife and tells her that it is done now. Carter gets the email and Thomas looks toward his bookshelf. We see the book Millionaire by Forty. Thomas says it is done and the episode ends.
Sticks And Stones Review
I enjoyed the first two episodes of Sticks and Stones. I thought the first was a bit better but both were fairly decent. The finale was a bit hit and miss. I was expecting much more early on. However, the episode stuck with the same formula of allowing Thomas to be bullied and picked on by everyone around him. He eventually went to Carter and told him about it but the bullying didn’t stop there. Thomas did things to make himself look bad along the way.
Then, the last few seconds flipped the script. If it hadn’t done that, the finale would’ve been worthless. The ending really changed the entire narrative of the show and I am not sure if that is a good thing. I am glad Isobel and the others were punished but it made the show a bit unrealistic. Thomas was setting everything up. At what point did he start? I remember him looking at that same book before so it might have been midway through the bullying. Or, he could’ve set it up from the beginning.
Initially, I was thinking Thomas would carry out a workplace shooting or something but that was too extreme. Then, I thought he might try to get even with everyone. There were only a handful of ways to end the show so I guess the ending they selected wasn’t too horrible. At the very least, it makes a lot more sense. Now, I completely understand why Thomas was willing to be abused and continue falling for his coworkers’ antics. I enjoyed the series but the finale wasn’t the best.
I’d give it a 6.5 or 7 out of 10. Previous recaps of Sticks and Stones can be found on Reel Mockery!
Jay Skelton is a fan of all television shows and movies. He tries his best to keep up with the latest foreign television shows and movies. Jay loves skinny dipping in the dark too.
I think you have misunderstood the finale. Thomas wasn’t plotting the entire time and allowing himself to be bullied as part of a genius masterplan. He only had the lightbulb moment to record the evidence as it was happening. It wasn’t pre-empted – I mean, how could it be? He didn’t expect protocol not to be followed and for a group HR meeting to be held instead of one-to-one meetings. He had no idea how the story would unfold. If he was planning the entire thing, he would have recorded evidence way before that i.e. the chest touching scene. He wasn’t “willing to be abused and fall for his co-workers antics” – he was just powerless to stop it. The scenes of Thomas alone, crying and battling with his emotions show that he was genuinely hurt, and not just playing along as part of a masterplan.
Great summary of the final episode none the less.
Yeah I kinda figured that out. Not sure if I mentioned it but I assumed he decided to play along when he first looked at that millionaire book. Would be farfetched to think he initiated the bullying. Then, again, anything is possible. lol. Thanks for your comment. Happy Holidays!
s much as Thomas’ wife is pushing him to “do the right thing”, in reality the man is work-driven and $$ driven, so while he might, for a few minutes think not to sign the DNR so he could “sue the company for more” – he also understands at these types of law suits can take YEARS and hardly even work in the favor of the plaintiff – meanwhile they guy is out of a job, not getting ANY money and probably won’t work again… plus if he DOES win a huge amount, it would more than likely bankrupt the company and he’d never see a dime – such is the legal system.
It IS more likely that a reporter will read the police blotter and see the report on the arrest and make a story about HER and her accomplices – keeping Thomas’ name out of it – which would probably get the same results while NOT costing Thomas his job.. REALLY GREAT SHOW!!!
Agree with this. The legal system is so slow and you can’t fight these corporations. They have more money to spend on lawyers and would bankrupt you before everything is said and done. 🙂
I too don’t think he planned it from the start, although I agree that would’ve been a fantastic twist had it been more apparent at the end that was the case. For me, referencing the book revealed he had ambitions of being a millionaire and he took this opportunist moment to barter for 6 figures compensation instead of the proposed 5 in order to reach his ambition, and atone for the misery he endured at the actions of his tormentors.
I did find the ending slightly unsatisfying, in that we never got to see Andy and Becky get their comeuppance, who to me were the most heartless bullies. It also seemed too easy just to record Isobel’s confession on his phone… You’d think someone as smart as her would’ve been more careful, especially as it was obvious he was clutching his phone. They should have shown him retrieving his phone from the other end of the room after she left, revealing that he had turned on the recorder before dropping it.
Agree with everything you said. The end was a bit quick. So, I take it more people actually somewhat appreciated the show than what the scores elsewhere show? Thanks for your comment!