Anna Pigeon Season 1 Episode 6 “There’s Always a Road” felt like vindication after not trusting Bethany from the jump! And no, this didn’t come out of nowhere. Bethany has been squirrely from her introduction. On top of that, we also got to see the continuation of what happened to Anna in that cave. And I really hope that Anna Pigeon continues to expand on mysteries in this manner. Oh and more Frederick. Finally!
Let’s dive into Anna Pigeon Season 1 Episode 6 “There’s Always a Road.”
MORE: Need a reminder on how last week’s episode ended? Read our review for Anna Pigeon Season 1 Episode 5 here!
Bethany, I Knew It!
Anna Pigeon Season 1 Episode 6 “There’s Always a Road” made me feel like Gloria from Modern Family when she yelled “I knew itttt!” in the car to Jay. Because there was always something off about Bethany. And no it wasn’t because of her connections to the church or the fact that she was a wife.
The reason why I never trusted Bethany is because she didn’t respect Anna’s boundaries and talked bad about her when she wasn’t around. When it came to her possibly joining the church, Bethany was pushy and made comments that were sly but put Anna’s life and behaviors firmly in the “you need help because you’re not living a godly life” category. Same thing with the panties or the drinking. There was judgement there like she shouldn’t wear those panties and have this job and that others shouldn’t find her attractive because of her drinking.
There’s also a heavy amount of jealousy when it comes to Anna. Bethany feels like she did the right thing. She was the good wife who supported her husband when he got deployed, when he became an addict, and when they came to this park. And here comes Anna, someone who is messy, grieving, and often rude. But she’s treated with kindness, is wanted by others, and her husband is ready and willing to help her after she was “lost.”
So why did Bethany do it?
Bethany did what she did to Anna because she finally could one up the woman that was making her jealous. For a moment, Bethany was in control of Anna’s destiny. She was literally above her as Anna was trapped in that cave. And Anna’s survival depended on Bethany’s generosity. There was a thrill in that, and you can see it clear as day when she went for round two and tried to kill Anna by drowning her and then stage it being a result of Anna’s drinking.
Why Bethany tried to kill Anna also had to do with trying to break Anna. Because in her mind, Anna was someone she envied. And if she broke Anna, then that means Bethany’s jealousy was for nothing because Anna was nothing. But Bethany took it way too far and went into psycho territory when she literally branded Anna with those X’s on her back. That right there will never be forgiven by me and hopefully not by Anna either.
And the last reason why Bethany kidnapped Anna… is because she wanted to be useful to her father. Parental approval is a crazy thing and can’t twist you into knots. And we’ve come to see that Bethany’s dad never acknowledged her and is letting her live this life of struggle. He doesn’t care for her. That’s why he accepted her help and then left her high and dry when it really mattered.
Altogether, the Bethany of it all on Anna Pigeon was a wild ride that showed a different side of our beloved Melanie Scrofano. She can be the badass that saves the day like she did in Wynonna Earp. But she can also be the unhinged and deluded neighbor who has beef with someone who has only treated her with kindness. Now the show needs to give me more… because Bethany can’t be done causing trouble.
A Different Kind of Anna
We’ve come to know various sides of Anna. She’s been withdrawn, angry, hesitant, happy, and hopeful. But I don’t think we’ve ever seen her shaken. Sure, the death of her husband left her devastated. That tore her apart. But this time around in “There’s Always a Road” she was shattered, almost like if a stiff wind hit her, she would break into a million pieces.
So what was different this time around? Anna finally accepted that this park was safe. Or at least it was a space where she could let go a little and stop running. Maybe even let people in. And Bethany took that away from her. Anna didn’t know it was Bethany at that time. But the matter of fact still stands. And for a bit there it felt like Anna was back to the devastation after she lost her husband.
Not so lucky for Bethany, this version of Anna has evolved. She found a place to be safe. She knows it. And sure, Bethany shook her. But Anna got back up. And she didn’t do it alone either. Anna had people around her, Frederick in particular. No shade to Jesse, he’s great. But he feels a little green to the kind of pain that Anna has gone through. And Frederick, he knows Anna and what she’s been through. He also knows the woman she’s trying to be today.
Anna going through pain, Bethany being the worst, and shipping aside, “There’s Always a Road” showcased how talented Tracy Spiridakos is. She left me feeling shaken after she returned home and I had to watch her try to piece herself back together. I also felt her conviction at trying to find the truth, her strength when she fought for her life, and her triumph when she was proven right. And I can’t wait to see more.
Anna Pigeon airs new episodes Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network.
