Tamal Kundu
Created by David West Read and based on the namesake book by M.O. Walsh, ‘The Big Door Prize’ revolves around the residents of the small town of Deerfield, who discover a mysterious machine that has appeared out of nowhere in the local grocery store. Called the Morpho machine, it apparently reveals the life potential of a person. Suddenly, life comes to a crossroads for many, as many residents begin to wonder what their life would have been if they had pursued their potential.
Each episode of the series is named after the character it focuses on. Episode 5, titled ‘Trina,’ focuses on Trina (Djouliet Amara), Cass (Gabrielle Dennis) and Dusty’s (Chris O’Dowd) daughter. Here is everything you might want to know about the ending of ‘The Big Door Prize’ episode 5. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Big Door Prize Episode 5 Recap
The episode begins slightly in the past. It is a day after Kolton has passed, and Trina’s grief has found a rather violent outlet. She visits Giorgio’s restaurant and destroys the sign with a baseball bat. When her parents arrive, Giorgio is livid, but only when he is speaking to Dusty, promptly demanding an apology. As he still harbors feelings for Cass, he declares that she doesn’t have to say sorry and even agrees to cut Trina some slack.
Fast forward to the present, it’s Kolton’s birthday, and as much as Trina has gotten better at dealing with her grief, this day will be unavoidably painful for her. Father Reuben speaks to her, enquiring how she is doing and whether she has the support she needs. Trina admits that the last time her parents tried to help her, she basically told them to f[expletive] off.
Meanwhile, Dusty goes to see the Principal in her office, who is not entirely happy that he has gotten half a tattoo on the school premise. When she learns about the issues he and Cass are having, she gives him a coupon to the inn run by a lesbian couple, Martha and Rose. The problem is that Martha once used to be in a relationship with Cass’ mother, Izzy, who told Cass that Martha left her because she had a daughter. Dusty tries to assure his wife by recalling how Martha looked at Cass during their wedding, but his wife isn’t convinced.
Trina discovers that her classmates are reluctant to invite her to their party because they don’t know how to deal with her while she is grieving. Her parents seem to have forgotten that it’s Kolton’s birthday and gone off to the inn. Trina doesn’t remind them, knowing they will immediately return once they learn the truth, and she knows how much her parents need this time together. So, she visits Kolton’s home to spend time with his brother Jacob and father Beau. Like almost everyone else in the town, Beau has no idea Jacob and Trina are secretly dating.
At the inn, Cass and Dusty are offered the chance to be involved in a threesome with a local married woman, but Dusty gets hurt during the session. Meanwhile, Beau discovers that he may not have known Kolton as well as he thinks he does. For instance, Beau thinks Kolton’s favorite movie was ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ when it was actually ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding.’
The Big Door Prize Episode 5 Ending: Did Trina Cheat on Kolton with Jacob?
Since Kolton died in the car accident, Trina has felt guilt and grief, though it appears that she hasn’t spoken about it to anyone, not even her parents. However, sitting in that room with Beau, Trina feels safe enough to be vulnerable there, especially after Beau expresses his grief and frustration of not being a good father to Kolton. Eventually, Trina admits that she wasn’t a perfect girlfriend either, revealing that she cheated on Kolton. A stunned Beau tells her to leave immediately. There are always some people around us for whom grief is almost celebratory, and Beau seems to be one such person. He is so invested in his pain of losing one son that he basically ignores the need of the other, not realizing that he is alienating his only living child.
Although Trina doesn’t say it outright, it is hinted in this episode that she and Jacob first grew close while Kolton was alive and he and Trina were in a relationship. While they are in Jacob’s room, he mentions that he and Trina began spending time together when Kolton left her to hang out with his friends.
Did Izzy and Martha Break Up because of Cass?
For most of her life, Cass has heard from her mother that her relationship with Martha ended because the latter didn’t want any children. In this episode, Cass finally learns this wasn’t the case. Although Martha did end the relationship, it wasn’t for Cass.
When they moved to Deerfield, Martha hoped that Izzy would finally have time for their relationship as she was no longer a professional dancer, but the other woman devoted herself to being the town’s mayor. Martha loved Cass. In fact, she wanted to be part of her life even after the breakup, but Izzy refused. She also told lies to Cass to exact revenge on her daughter and former lover.
Read More: The Big Door Prize Episode 4 Recap and Ending, Explained
