Netflix’s Unbelievable tells the true story of Marie, a teenager accused of lying about being raped. In Unbelievable Season 1 Episode 1, Marie relived the trauma of her assault as investigators questioned the validity of her story.
Up Late
The morning after her rape, Marie called a former foster mother, Judith, who came over as police arrived. She told the details to the police offer. Marie was up late on the phone with her former boyfriend, Connor. She’d fallen asleep, but an intruder – a white man with light eyes and his face covered – came in the room. He tied her hands with her shoelace and got a knife from her kitchen. The intruder blindfolded her, took her picture, and penetrated her. He left with the blindfold and used condom, and Marie freed herself with scissors.
As Marie finished telling the story, two older detectives, Parker and Pruitt, arrived. They had her tell the story again. Parker told her to go to the hospital for an examination to gather evidence. There, Marie had to tell her story again for the medical records. The nurses and doctors treated the situation clinically. Marie went to the police station again to tell her story. Parker explained that new details may emerge. Then, the detectives asked her to write her statement.
Doubt
Colleen, another former foster mother, visited Marie, who was moving to another apartment in the housing establishment where she lived with other former foster youths. Colleen took Marie to buy sheets, but she was upset when they didn’t have the same ones she had before. However, Colleen thought she was acting fine.
Judith reached out to Parker to tell him that Marie had been acting out. She felt that moving out on her own was tough on Marie. Parker also spoke with Connor. After the medical examination turned out to lack physical evidence of rape and DCFS gave them access to her file, the detectives confronted Marie about the inconsistencies of her story. Marie admitted the rape didn’t happen, so the detectives had her write her statement. When the statement was different from what she had said, they confronted her again.
Pressured
Marie told her counselors that her statement wasn’t true. She had only done it because she wanted to leave. The counselors had her go back again to the police station. Parker wasn’t there, but Pruitt saw her. He thought that Marie was back because she was ashamed and embarrassed of lying. Marie said that she could take a polygraph test. Pruitt reminded her that since she wasn’t clear about what happened, she risked failing it. If she did, they would have to charge her with making a false statement.
The other foster youths felt betrayed and angry at Marie. On her way home from work, Marie climbed over the railing of a bridge.
What did you think of this episode of Unbelievable? Let us know in the comment section below!
