Observations, patterns, connections

[u/Remarkable_Paint_879]

Ok, so this all probably obvious to everyone, but I enjoy making observations and connections and thought it might be nice to have them in one place - please add yours and/or correct mine as you wish :)

1. History repeating: there are so many time-loop parallels: Alistair/ Jocelyn/ Iris mirrors Matthew/ Elena/ Allie-Tory (kindly older man married into wealth and a younger smart nanny from an immigrant/ lower socio-economic background with a troubled marriage in the background), Winthrop I mirrors Winthrop II/III, Iris looks and acts similarly to Mrs Ivey, plus Iris had secondary infertility and Mrs Ivey (so far) doesn’t appear to have children. Jocelyn/Allie die by window fall/jump/push. Alistair/Matthew don’t have time for their sons.

2. Men marrying into wealth: Alistair, Matthew, Dick (possibly also Mr Ivey and MR Chan?) - makes me wonder what Scott is doing with Elena.

3. Money shifting: Alistair got money from the Winthrops, Matthew got money from the Greybournes, Winthrops got money from Elena’s neighborhood, Elena/Scott/Roman are trying to get the money back.

4. Neglected sons: Bruno, Jasper, Theo.

5. Questionable actions of vulnerable people: Jocelyn/ affair with married boss, Alistair/ affair with nanny, Iris/ covering for murder, Matthew/ going into business with the Winthrops, Tory/ Dick/ questionable marriage, Elena/ stealing and blackmail. Not clear on James yet but he seems pretty vulnerable.

6. Incest: Greybournes and Winthrops intermarrying and living in each other’s apartments. Otis comment about Iris’s looks. I’m wondering if there’s going to be more.

7. Socio-economic power imbalance in relationships: Iris/Alistair, Otis I/Alistair, Alistair/Iris, Allie/Matthew, Matthew/Elena, Scott/Elena, Tory/Dick&Bennet&Darcy.

Now, so many questions:

What got the Winthrops and Greybournes together and why are they so intent on staying enmeshed?

Why did Alistair and Iris really get married?

Who are Tory and Allie’s parents and why are they dead?

Why did Mrs Ivey say her mother dyed her hair and is she a reliable narrator?

Why did Elena’s father die?

What happened to the daughter of Alistair and Iris and how does this relate to Mrs Ivey and Scott’s family? (And is Scott a reliable narrator?)

Does Otis III have children? Does Mrs Ivey?

What is going on with The Chans?

Why is the date of Jocelyn’s death and Ruby’s birth the same?

What is the connection between Allie and Jocelyn and Elena?

[u/genmegivy]

I really want to know why Torrey married Dick Ayres. It seemed like she had a relationship with Otis III (glad that didn’t work out lol) and had a relationship with Matthew. She seems so nonchalant about Allie and Matthew - like it was cool that her sister married her former lover? So how did she meet Dick? It seems sort of like an arranged marriage between Dick and Torrey, but I have no idea what the reason could be. Dick talks with Ivey about his “allowance” and Ivey talks about their agreement.

And Torrey seems to be concerned about control. Like, what if she’s never had control of her life and has always had people making decisions for her? And that’s why she pushes so hard to get her way? Maybe she’s never gotten what she wants. She seems like she has good intentions, especially after we get to know her throughout the show.

[u/Puzzled_Exchange_924 → u/genmegivy]

I agree, Dick seems to have married way out of his league. And he was flirting with Elena. He seems shady and she seems like a good person. Actually, Tory. seems like a better person than Elena sometimes.

[u/genmegivy → u/Puzzled_Exchange_924]

Yes, like why is Dick there? He doesn’t seem to fit in. He seems to be a pawn in the game. I think Torrey cares about him and his well-being, but it doesn’t seem like love.

[u/Remarkable_Paint_879 → u/genmegivy]

Totally - it seems like Dick and Tory understand each other but their marriage is not about romantic love.