Tamal Kundu
‘Surface’ is a psychological thriller series that airs on Apple TV+. The series revolves around Sophie Ellis (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). Five months after she apparently tried to commit suicide, Sophie struggles to find out who she was before the incident due to severe amnesia. She seemed to have a great life, comprised of a loving husband, great friends, and affluent living. But the question that bothers Sophie is that if her life was so perfect, why did she try to end it? In episode 4, titled ‘Psychogenic,’ Sophie attempts to regain her memories through an experimental treatment involving drugs. Harrison (François Arnaud) gives James (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) a 48-hour deadline to come up with the money. If James fails, Harrison tells him he will go to the partners, prompting James to reach out to Caroline (Ari Graynor) to ask her for money. Here is everything you need to know about the ending of episode 4 of ‘Surface.’ SPOILERS AHEAD.
Surface Episode 4 Recap
The episode begins as Baden (Stephan James) comes to see Sophie and tells her that a friend of his in the financial crimes department is building a case against James. He urges her not to put herself in unnecessary danger when Sophie asks if she can do anything. Later, Sophie visits her therapist, Hannah, and expresses her wish to undergo an experimental treatment involving psychogenic drugs. As Sophie is under a conservatorship, almost all aspects of her life are under James’ control. Without explicit permission from her therapist, Sophie will not be able to convince James to give her money. Desperate to get her memories back, Sophie secretly sells off some of her jewelry pieces to fund the treatment. During the session, she sees more glimpses of the young girl from the past. She also sees herself kissing the same girl.
Meanwhile, Harrison tells James that while he loves him like a brother, he will not go to jail and gives him a 48-hour deadline. Desperate, James reaches out to Caroline, who agrees to give him $4 million. James has already gathered $2 million. He needs five more million dollars to completely cover the financial damage that his actions caused. Baden successfully turns an employee at James’ firm into an informant after threatening him. Sophie learns that her and James’ wedding anniversary was two months earlier and convinces him to take her to the venue where they got married. Once there, she spots a female escort. While James is busy, Sophie asks the other woman to kiss her. As she does, Sophie’s memories of the girl are triggered.
Sophie seduces James. Assuring him that she is there for him, she makes him reveal how much money he has lost in the deal gone bad. Unbeknownst to James, Sophie records their entire conversation. She later visits Baden’s home to share the news, and they have sex. When Sophie goes to see her therapist, she is told that the other woman has contacted the clinic and threatened them to stop her treatment. According to Hannah, Sophie’s mother was diagnosed with a type of psychotic disorder, and Sophie has inherited that gene. Using psychogenic drugs can be extremely dangerous for her.
Surface Episode 4 Ending: Does Sophie Have a Psychotic Disorder?
Episode 4 brings forth new questions about Sophie’s condition. Because of her amnesia, Sophie has earlier shown herself to be an unreliable narrator. With this episode’s revelation, it is hinted that Sophie might be responsible for whatever happened that day. Episode 4 depicts Sophie categorically seducing James, exposing his vulnerability, and then taking advantage of him. In her mind, Sophie resolutely believes that she is doing the right thing because she thinks that James is the one who pushed her into the sea. But the memories that she thinks she has started to regain can be due to the condition. However, at the same time, it’s equally possible that she is right about James. After all, he gave Hannah Sophie’s medical records.
Who Is the Girl in Sophie’s Memories?
While undergoing the experimental treatment, Sophie sees more of the young woman from earlier. This time, the memory involves Sophie kissing the girl. Sophie tries to relive the memory when she asks the escort to kiss her. Evidently, these are the memories of her younger days, when she was still in England and perhaps known as Tess. Circumstances seem to have made her leave that life behind and assimilate among the San Francisco elites as James’ wife. However, a part of her retained her past, and it’s probably what drove her to have the affair with Baden.
Read More: Is Surface Based on a True Story or a Book?
