Bright

**Episode Six** is the sixth episode of the first season of the *Shining Girls* television series. It aired on the Apple TV+ streaming TV service on May 20, 2022.

## Synopsis

*When Harper returns home from war, he finds a new beginning.*

## Plot

In France during 1918, specifically the Battle of Cantigny from World War I. As Harper and the rest of his regiment advance on the Germans, an alert goes out to put on their masks moments before the air is filled with lethal mustard gas. In a cowardly act, Harper turns and flees in the other direction, but is stopped by Leo, who tells him to put his mask on and helps him. Once that’s done, he encourages Harper to go back toward the fight and promises to stay right behind him. A few moments later, an explosion knocks Harper to the ground along with everyone near him. He gets up and finds that the impact popped his mask’s glass eyepieces, making it essentially useless. As the yellow gas continues rolling toward him, he holds his breath and begins frantically searching for a downed soldier whose mask he can take. After a few harrowing seconds, Harper finds a soldier laying on the ground with an intact mask over his head. The soldier is also still alive, but that doesn’t stop Harper from ignoring his screams. He even goes so far as to dig his thumb into one of the man’s wounds, forcing his fallen brother-in-arms to let go of his mask. Harper manages to get it over his head seconds before the mustard gas cloud hits, breathing with unburdened relief while his fellow soldier chokes to death.

Now in 1920, Harper has return from the war. He goes to the building that will eventually become Sid’s to watch a woman (Klara) covered in radium to perform a dance. When she’s finished, Klara salutes the audience in French. After the show, Harper visits Klara in her dressing room and it quickly becomes clear from their conversation that the two have a history dating back to their respective childhoods. Klara eventually tells Harper that she never received the letters he sent her from overseas. Klara also mentions leaving a place called Teenie’s where she and Harper used to work to become a professional dancer. Klara begins telling Harper about how her dance was about Empress Joséphine, Napoleon’s first wife. Instead of showing interest, Harper dismisses the deeper meaning behind her performance. He also tries to point out how small the crowd was, which Klara says was by design since the tickets were more expensive. Following his failed nagging attempts, Harper presents Klara with a fancy embroidered handkerchief. Part of the cloth is ripped, which he claims is due it to getting caught on his pocket knife. He also says it’s from Paris, which finally manages to impress Klara.

Later that night, Harper takes Klara along to commit a robbery. As it turns out, the woman Harper plans to rob is a nun named Britta, who runs a weekly veterans dinner at her church which Harper has been to. Back when they were kids, Klara taught Harper how to case a property and profile the owner so it could be successfully robbed. She expected him to no longer do such things as an adult, but that’s clearly not the case. After Britta leaves, Harper convinces Klara to step inside the house with him. As the pair look through the woman’s belongings, Klara needles Harper about how he used to spy on her when they were little. Harper counters that he was actually looking out for her. Before Klara can respond, the pair hear a repetitive beeping coming from inside one of the dresser drawers in the bedroom. After searching for the sound’s source, they find a digital watch that definitely doesn’t belong in the early 1900s. As Klara and Harper try to figure out what the bizarre device is, Britta walks back in to get an umbrella she forgot. Klara wisely retreats out the window, but Harper decides to stay and confront the nun about her watch. Britta initially refuses to reveal anything, hissing that Harper could never know because he’s a “small man.” He eventually threatens her enough that she tells him where it came from. After obtaining the information, he runs to catch up with Klara. When she asks what happened, Harper lies and says he ducked under the bed to avoid detection. He also explains his decision to stay behind as a way to ensure that Klara wasn’t spotted. Before she can call him on his BS, Harper gives her the watch. Klara says she doesn’t need it, but Harper insists she accept the ill-gotten gift. He then goes on a mini-tirade about how Britta doesn’t deserve the watch. In his mind, she’s received far too much of God’s grace simply for going to church and providing an occasional meal to veterans. Meanwhile, people like him and Klara need to take the riches/blessings that the world still owes them. Klara looks like she wants to argue, but decides not to after becoming enchanted by the watch — especially when it beeps to tell them that it’s currently 6:00 AM in Paris.

The next day, Harper goes to visit Leo, who’s hustling people out of their change near an employment office. Leo immediately senses his friend is hiding a big secret and asks him to spill it. After a bit of prodding, Harper reveals that he knows a “spot” in Lake View before asking if Leo would like to accompany him there. After putting on their uniforms to pose as soldiers raising money for the American Legion, the pair head to the address that Britta wrote down on the back of a picture of her deceased husband. They arrive at a very familiar-looking House and go around to the back to break in. Harper is nervous someone might be home, but Leo assures him that the inch of dust on the shutters indicates they’re in the clear. Upon entering *The House*, Leo asks how Harper knows the owner. Harper lies and says he knows the owner’s cousin, who likes to travel the world and collect nice things. As Leo begins putting items in his satchel, Harper notices the strange flutter/vibration begin to occur. He also observes that all the windows in the house are covered by drapes or blankets. What little light that does get through has an odd, otherworldly shimmer to it. One of the items Leo passes on appears to be a 1980’s era alarm clock. Meanwhile, Harper’s attention is caught at one point by a grandfather clock with a bizarre/curved base.

Harper goes upstairs and enters an office, where he finds an almanac from 1973. At the same time, Leo finds a trunk filled with money — including $20 bills featuring Andrew Jackson, which wouldn’t appear until 1928. As Harper continues searching the office, he hears a sound coming from a nearby armoire and realizes that someone is hiding inside it. Instead of retreating, Harper approaches the armoire and mockingly asks if the person inside has enough room. He’s answered by someone who requests that he leave while offering all the money from the trunk downstairs. Harper opens the armoire instead. An older man with a gun steps out, points the weapon at him, and demands to know which war he fought in. When Harper tells him it was “the Great War,” the man asks if he’s referring to World War I or II. This completely throws Harper for a loop. He becomes even more confused when the man has no idea what month, day, or year it is. After Harper reveals that it’s October 9, 1920, the old man replies that he “has not been to this day.” Harper decides to try a different tactic and asks about the watch he gave to Britta. The old man responds by asking if Harper is a craftsman. Harper replies that he could be, but the old man retorts that he can tell Harper is someone who takes instead of creates. He then walks over to a dresser, pulls out a dinky-looking watch, and offers it to him. The device may be from the future, but Harper can still tell he’s being bought off cheap.

Back downstairs, Leo opens another armoire that contains a 1980's sound system. He begins randomly pushing buttons until he accidentally causes “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” by Jim Croce to come blaring through the speakers. Harper uses the distraction to punch the old man and take his gun. Leo eventually bursts in and asks why Harper has turned their simple robbery into a hostage situation. As the two begin to argue, the old man makes a break for it and bolts downstairs. Despite Leo’s request to let him go, Harper chases him outside. Before he can catch up, the old man runs into the street, where he’s struck and killed by a car. To Harper’s shock and amazement, however, the world he’s just stepped into is filled with cars from what appears to be the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Sometime later, Harper goes back to see Klara in the dressing room of what will eventually become Sid’s. He finds her using a gas mask, which she claims helps keep her chest clear. Her coughing fits indicate that it isn’t working very well (thanks in no small part to the radium she paints herself with). Harper then asks Klara over to “his house” to get ready for her next show. When Klara expresses disbelief at his new status as a homeowner, he explains/lies that *The House* belongs to the brother of his lieutenant and he’s been charged with watching over it. Klara remains skeptical, but agrees to come over. Once they arrive, Harper has Klara lay on the floor with him and look up at a chandelier. A few moments later, she gasps in shock/delight as it completely changes forms. When she asks how he did it, Harper explains that things in *The House* randomly change without notice. Sometimes they become newer, older, or just different. As Klara struggles to process what he’s saying, Harper invites her to come with him on a journey. To start, he asks her to think of a specific day or year. When she suggests a thousand years in the future, Harper shoots it down, explaining that nothing will be around by then. When he asks her to be more specific, Klara says she’d like to go as far from their current point in time as possible. Harper takes Klara by the hand and leads her out the back door into Chicago during the early 1990s.

Klara is blown away at seeing what the world looks like over 70 years in the future. When she asks Harper to explain how their trip is possible, he’s unable to say for sure. What he can tell her is that this day is the farthest he can travel into the future. Any attempt to go further results in him walking through the door on October 6, 1920 — the first day he set foot inside *The House*. Despite how thrilled she is, Klara suggests that perhaps they don’t belong in this time. Harper counters that it’s always been that way for them. He asks Klara if she wants to get back, but she doesn’t — maybe not ever. Harper then reveals that the other workers at Teenie’s confirmed they handed his letters to Klara. When he asks why she never wrote back, Klara lamely admits that she didn’t know what to say before insisting he take her on a shopping spree.

When the pair giddily returns from 1993 Chicago, they find Leo despondently waiting in the living room. He tells them that he tried looking for Harper on his own, but *The House* doesn’t open to different times for him like it does for his friend. Harper breaks the tension by introducing Klara, who Leo knows as the girl from Harper’s childhood that he’s always talking about. After Klara heads upstairs to put her shopping haul away, Leo questions why Harper showed Klara what *The House* could do. Harper responds/lies that she simply needs a place to stay. Leo reminds him that bringing other people in on their secret should be a joint decision, especially since they found *The House* together. Harper counters that Leo’s opinion doesn’t really matter since *The House’s* special abilities don’t work for him. Leo is in the middle of pointing out how Harper wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him when Klara comes back downstairs and asks where they’re off to next. Harper says he knows just the place and time. As they’re about to leave, Klara convinces Leo to join them, much to Harper’s chagrin.

The group walks through the door and heads to Sid’s, where the local Chicago band Epicycle is playing their single “Hardcore Punk” for a raucous crowd. Leo’s foul mood is quickly lifted when he discovers that his lack of natural rhythm is no issue when it comes to slam dancing. Meanwhile, Klara and Harper decided to get a drink. On their way to the bar, Klara asks if Harper can visit the same day over and over. He feigns ignorance and speculates that it might be possible. When Harper and Klara reach the bar, the person serving them happens to be Sharon Leads, who we’ll eventually know as Kirby Mazrachi. As Sharon/Kirby is pouring their drinks, Klara compliments her earrings and asks where she got them. Sharon/Kirby says they were a gift from an ex-boyfriend who got them for her on their first date instead of flowers. She then notices Klara’s nice coat and correctly guesses that she recently went shopping — thanks in no small part to the tag Klara forgot to cut off. As the two women giggle and enjoy each other’s company, Harper starts to get annoyed/angry. After Sharon/Kirby leaves, he asks what was going on between them. Klara responds that she thought Harper liked the cute bartender and was trying to keep her around for him. Harper however proclaims that the bartender isn’t the one he wants while staring intensely at Klara. She responds by asking if he’s sure about that before grabbing Sharon/Kirby and pulling her onto the dance floor. The two women dance and Harper watches them and grows even more annoyed. When Klara returns and asks him to dance, he coldly rejects her. On her way to the bathroom, Klara runs into Leo, who is having an incredible time. He also reveals that he won’t be coming back with them that evening due to a new friend he met on the dance floor. When Klara asks if the woman is like the ones he and Harper met in Paris, Leo reveals that they never made it to the French capital. He also tells her that she might not know Harper as well as she thinks. The tense conversation is interrupted when Harper walks up with something under Klara’s coat and asks her to go back with him to *The House*. The object turns out to be a video camera, which was used to record the same video Leo gave Kirby at the assisted living home.

Klara asks Harper to fess up and reveal where he actually got the handkerchief he gave her. Harper admits that he got it off someone who died. It was a fellow soldier who didn’t have anyone to give it to, but he did, so he took it. Klara lightly chastizes Harper for lying to her and sits down on the bed next to him. Harper tells her that when he first found *The House*, she was the only person he wanted to show it to. He then pulls her head toward him for a kiss. Klara reluctantly allows it to happen for a few seconds before pulling away. She points out that the radium she painted on her body is getting all over his sheets, but he doesn’t care. Klara continues to deflect his advances, asking if they can try filming her dance again. Harper responds by becoming aggressive, demanding she sit back down on the bed and pulling her toward him. When Klara continues to refuse, he shouts that she needs to come back over to him because she always does. At that moment, Klara realizes that Harper has visited this same day with her countless times. Harper tries to deny it at first, but eventually confesses that he always finds a way to manipulate her into ending their perfect day in bed together. When Klara asks why she never remembers, Harper replies with a very important piece of information; that it is cecause it’s not her house. Klara begins gathering her belongings to leave. When Harper begs her to stay, Klara declares that she’ll always know what a small and damaged man he is no matter how many times he goes back for her. Harper responds to this by punching Klara in the face before throwing her onto the bed and continuing to beat her.

In 1918, Harper and other surviving soldiers from his regiment are recovering bodies from the previous battle. After setting down the body of the man whose gas mask he stole, Harper notices a fancy handkerchief sticking out of his pocket — the same one he eventually gives to Klara. It’s monogrammed, but he fixes that little problem by cutting it off with his pocket knife. While he’s doing this, Leo walks over and says he knew Harper would survive. He looks down, notices the missing gas mask, and tells Harper to make sure it’s returned with the soldier’s body along with a plausible account of how he died. Before walking away, Leo also reminds Harper of his promise to be “right behind him.”

In the mid-1980s, Harper is sitting alone at the bar in Sid’s, but this time it is during a trip in which Klara was never brought with him into the future. Leonard Cohen’s “The Ballad of the Absent Mare,” which was Sharon/Kirby’s favorite song and part of Harper’s message to her (SHARON’S GONE LIKE THE SMOKE) before his assault plays. Sharon/Kirby notices Harper eyeing her and says he can order one more drink before last call. When he tells her to pour him the same one as last time, she doesn’t remember his order, which visibly annoys him. Harper then offers Sharon/Kirby $100 if he can “guess” where her earrings came from by holding them in his hands. Being the kind soul that she is, Kirby decides to go along with the game. When he correctly “guesses” how she got them, however, Sharon/Kirby is visibly creeped out. She lies and says they were a purchase she made for herself from the dollar store and lets him keep them. Harper accepts the earrings, but tells her that he knows he was right. Sharon/Kirby playfully responds “I guess we’ll never know” before walking away to clean the stage area. Harper puts the earrings in his pocket, turns around, and watches his next victim with a vengeful smirk.

## Cast

### Starring

* Elisabeth Moss as Kirby Mazrachi
* Amy Brenneman as Rachel
* Jamie Bell as Harper Curtis

### Guest Starring

* Christopher Denham as Leo Jenkins
* Ulrich Thomsen as Bartek

### Co-Starring

* Wesley Truman Daniel as Private O'Brien
* Liam C. Miller as Gas Alarm Soldier
* Meighan Gerachis as Britta
* Angela Morris as Neighbor
* Raymond Fox as Pedestrian
* Gerard Dedera as American Priest
* Matthew Lunt as French Priest
* Michael B. Woods as Roland

## Images

### Cast Images

Kirby MazrachiDan VelazquezJin-SookMarcusRachelHarper CurtisKlara MeiserLeo JenkinsBartek