TV Recap: "All’s Fair" Episode 5 — Carrington Comes Undone as Emerald Struggles to Heal
After last week’s harrowing reveal that Emerald was drugged and assaulted, All’s Fair pushes forward into an episode where her trauma continues to shape the emotional undercurrent of the firm — quietly, insistently, unresolved. But while Emerald tries to keep herself moving, “This Is Me Trying” shifts the spotlight to Carrington Lane, whose veneer of control finally fractures. What begins as a routine school drop-off spirals into an unsettling portrait of her unraveling, as Carr’s professional missteps, personal loneliness, and buried wounds collide. Emerald may still be fighting to steady herself, but this chapter belongs to Carrington, and her slow-motion collapse is impossible to look away from.
Episode 5: “This is Me Trying” - Written by Lyn Greene & Richard Levine
Carrington Lane (Sarah Paulson) drives her daughter, Ami (Juliette Diamond), to school with a box of cupcakes she hopes Ami will share with classmates — part apology, part overcompensation for missing her daughter’s birthday weekend due to arbitration. Ami shrugs off the disappointment, suggesting invitations for people like her violin teacher, Mrs. Fosson.
When Ami asks why they no longer see “Uncle Sebastian,” Carrington explains gently, if not diplomatically, that she’ll always love him for helping bring Ami into the world, but “sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is let ’em go.” She adds that Sebastian married a meth addict, a detail Ami seems unsure how to process.
At school drop-off, Carrington shouts “Happy Birthday!” across the lot, painfully watching Ami walk toward a cluster of kids who barely acknowledge her. The untouched cupcakes sit in the backseat after Ami closes the door.
At the firm, Juliana Morse (Brooke Shields) meets with Allura Grant (Kim Kardashian), Liberty Ronson (Naomi Watts), Emerald Greene (Niecy Nash-Betts), and Dina Standish (Glenn Close). Her husband of 38 years suffers from early-onset Alzheimer’s and no longer recognizes her. Their daughter, Bethany (Caitlin McGee), now his legal guardian, refuses to renegotiate the outdated prenup, leaving Juliana financially trapped as she plans to divorce him. Through soft, painful recollections (including flashbacks with Kaitlyn Cote and Jacob Dacus as young Juliana and Sean), she details a life that was once vibrant: a UCLA freshman who married a medical resident and spent decades supporting his career at the expense of her own dreams. “I don’t want to be responsible anymore,” she admits.
In the library, the women dissect the prenup. Dina lectures about the sanctity of vows while Liberty argues most prenups stack the deck against women. Allura notices Emerald’s silence about her assault, but Emerald brushes it off. The team resolves to get Juliana the freedom she’s begging for.
Late to a meeting, Carrington arrives disheveled and distracted. Her client Willow Fallow (Jennifer Morrison) fumes as Ms. Dome (Lorraine Toussaint), counsel for opposing party Eric Dunkin (Scott Evans), begins her statement. Carr’s attention is hijacked by a social post: an old photo of Ami with Sebastian captioned “Together over the years.” Tears well. Willow explodes at Carr’s lack of professionalism, and Carr abruptly quits, leaving her client unrepresented.
Outside, Carr smokes through her unraveling. Dome approaches kindly, revealing she raised a child alone and recognizing that Carr’s spiraling behavior stems from more than professional pressure. Carr confesses that the “father” was once a good friend. Dome hands Carr her card, offering backup whenever needed.
Liberty meets Reggie Ramirez (O-T Fagbenle) at a newly vegan restaurant, one he secretly invested in. When he produces a manila envelope, Liberty is surprised to find that he’s made a prenup. Reggie insists it’s intended to protect her in case his ventures collapse. The moment chills.
Meanwhile, Carr visits Chase Munroe (Matthew Noszka) at the luxurious home he’s renting for $150,000 a month—paid by Allura. Carr demands honesty about any secrets that could impact his divorce case, but Chase dodges. When she criticizes his greasy hair, he leans into the maternal tone, asking her to wash it like Out of Africa. He strips to his underwear, sits beneath an outdoor shower, and lets her lather his scalp. When he goes in for a kiss, Carr recoils and flees, spiraling fast.
Drunk and driving home, she’s pulled over by Officer Prezbylski (Caleb Alexander Smith) and booked. Her one phone call? Dome. After making bail, Carr apologizes to her housekeeper Philomena, who hangs up on her, and accepts Dome’s offer to team up, especially for the chance to take Allura down. “I think I just met my soulmate,” Carr purrs.
Allura coaches Milan (Teyana Taylor) on how to tell Chase she’s pregnant. Milan calls from Allura’s office: Chase is shocked, then thrilled, then controlling. Milan shuts him down: she’s doing this on her terms. He asks if Allura knows; she hangs up.
Liberty later mediates a meeting between Juliana and Bethany. Bethany resents the idea of “rewarding” her mother for leaving her father. Juliana gently embraces her daughter, explaining her desire to reclaim her life while still honoring what her husband once was. “You’re his voice now. You are his heart,” she tells her. Bethany softens. Dina looks away, seemingly upset.
Afterward, Liberty worries Bethany will still use the prenup as a weapon. Juliana recalls it was originally drafted due to her late in-laws’ concerns about inheritance, a revelation that lands heavily for Liberty.
Ami sits at her mom’s desk as Carr tries to steady herself. She pitches the idea of transferring schools — Benedict Hall, competitive and exclusive. Carr helps Ami brainstorm ideas for her admissions essay, and when Ami suggests writing about Carr being a cutter, Carr, shockingly, agrees. She even encourages Ami to give the essay a powerful opening about what her life would be like if her mother had killed herself. The moment is chilling, raw, and deeply inappropriate. “Good girl,” Carr says. “Start with the gloves,” she instructs, revealing how she keeps her scars hidden from the world.
Liberty invites Reggie the office. She’s rewritten the prenup and returns it, saying she wants it after all. He asks if she’s sure; she is. They kiss, newly aligned.
Emerald rushes into Allura’s office, warning her to stay calm as Detective Connie Morrow (Temara Taylor) arrives with warrants for all their devices related to the murder of Lloyd Walton, the suspect in Emerald’s assault case. Allura argues attorney-client privilege; Morrow produces a separate order.
In questioning, Allura explains they reverse-image-searched Walton while helping Emerald because LAPD failed to act. Morrow counters that Allura’s phone pinged near Walton’s home the night he died. Allura insists she was helping Milan with pregnancy support. Dina storms in to act as council, but Morrow brings up her own connection to the Walton family. “If one of us were to commit murder,” Dina says icily, “we’d be much, much better at it.”
Carr visits Sebastian (Jason Butler Harner) with a bottle of Martinelli’s. He knows about her DUI. She asks why their friendship ended; he reminds her she sued his ex-husband for child endangerment and cut him out of Ami’s life. She breaks down, admitting she’s trying. “This is me trying,” she says, begging for help—for Ami, for herself, for everything. Sebastian softens, agreeing to make peace for Ami’s sake. They embrace, a fragile truce.
At Dina’s home, Dougie (Ed O’Neill) weakly asks for another oxy. He finally confesses the truth: his doctor advised him weeks ago to get his affairs in order. There is no other treatment. Dina tries to deny it, insist on second opinions. Dougie takes her hand — he needs her strength now more than ever.
Dina walks into the kitchen in a daze. As the kettle screams, she begins smashing dishes, vases, anything she can reach. Her grief spills out in shattering waves until she collapses in sobs as the teapot howls on.
Songs Featured in This Episode:
- “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks
Next episode: “Divorce Is Like a Death” - Streaming Tuesday, November 24th, on Hulu.
The firm takes on their toughest, and most personal mediation yet.