The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Isabel
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
The mother of the groom tells her story in the style of a classic psychological melodrama on The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 9, “Isabel.”
It is an apt genre to use for Isabel who has exhibited odd behavior from the beginning. What we didn’t know before and learn on this episode is that her son, Edgar, has been gaslighting her and driving her insane.
Although Isabel is a very unreliable narrator, I believe her about her awful son. Other mind movies have shown Edgar to be a pretty reprehensible guy, particularly in the best man’s story on The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 5, “Sebastian.”
Elizabeth Perkins plays Isabel like a psycho-biddy character (think Norma Desmond), nailing the melodramatic aspects with precision and skill. And what a special treat to see Perkins in a frilly dress jumping on a trampoline (of which her pronunciation is very Moira Rose) as a little homage to Perkins’ character in Big.
The interview with Isabel is a bit different than the others in that she is questioned in front of everyone else. This grand drama needs a bigger audience and it’s a smart way to write it.
The episode’s writers, Anna Lockhart and Katie Miller, have tapped the classic melodrama vein, utilizing tropes and aesthetics that call back to films like Gaslight (1944) and Vertigo (1958).
The latter was directed by Alfred Hitchcock who is known for making cameos in his movies. Dr. Shulkind (David H. Lawrence XVII) bears a striking resemblance to the master of suspense, and his brief appearance feels like one of those famous cameos.
The score is full of haunting orchestral sounds and dramatic tones that crescendo at just the right moment. The costuming, makeup, and set decoration keep in line with the classic films from which the episode draws so heavily.
Adding to this lush aesthetic is dynamic camerawork that accentuates the drama.
The episode employs the very effective dolly zoom move on close-ups of Isabel. This classic in-camera effect is often used to show a character’s unraveling and to create unease with the audience. The technique is commonly referred to as the “vertigo shot,” getting its name from Hitchcock’s Vertigo which used the effect most famously.
All the cinematic references in Isabel’s psychological thriller are on point, making this an engaging experience for the viewer, especially for die-hard cinephiles.
Isabel painting herself the victim so well has me sympathizing with her. Up until the conclusion of the episode, that is. Framing Grace no longer makes her a sympathetic character.
We figure out that Isabel inadvertently drugged Edgar but not with the drug that killed him and Roxana. There are still a lot of questions in this murder mystery and only one more episode to solve it!
What did you think of this episode of The Afterparty? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below!
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The season finale of The Afterparty streams Wednesday, September 6th on Apple TV+.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.
One thought on “The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Isabel”
This was one of my fave episodes to date! I also loved the Wes Anderson style during Hannah’s interview.