S01E08: Mildred and Edmund

**"Mildred and Edmund"** is the eighth and final episode of Season One of *Ratched*, as well as the eighth episode of the series overall. It premiered on September 18, 2020.

## Synopsis

One month later, Ratched fights to save Edmund from the electric chair while dreaming of a new life with Gwendolyn.

## Plot

One month later, Louise is working, and terrorising, the patients at Lucia State Hospital. Bucket pulls her into her office, giving her a warning about her behaviour. Louise finds it difficult to accept Bucket’s rule, but explains that she feels that she has finally found a career at the hospital as opposed to a job. Louise hands Bucket a newspaper in which it details Edmund Tolleson’s fate for the lethal injection.

Nurse Ratched and Briggs enjoy a morning together, however this is interrupted when Briggs begins experiencing side effects of the chemotherapy including hair loss. Nurse Ratched explains that she has found a doctor in Mexico that can help her, but failing this, she describes a peaceful sunset in Mexico in which Briggs passes away painlessly. Briggs remarks that she has had the best time with Nurse Ratched, and will die happy knowing this.

Nurse Ratched visits Lucia State Hospital wherein she questions Nurse Bucket — still the head of the hospital — over the process in which Edmund will be put to death. Nurse Bucket explains the process of the lethal injection, which causes Nurse Ratched to tear up. Nurse Bucket explains that Dr. Hanover’s barn is finally complete and she will allow Edmund to spend an hour a day there to connect with nature before his death; this brings Nurse Ratched some solace and comfort.

Honouring her word, Nurse Bucket brings Edmund to the barn where she explains the deal to him. When he enters the barn, he is made aware that there are four armed guards surrounding him that are authorized to shoot him should he try anything. Edmund simply begins to interact with the animals in a playful manner having expressed that he will not be any trouble.

Governor Wilburn performs the first use of the electric chair for Capital Punishment in front of an entire crowd of people, believing this will gain him support in his election. He expressly asks if he can turn on the chair, to which the executioner agrees. Wilburn turns on the chair, but it becomes clear that something is wrong, and the man sets on fire moments later, but Wilburn refuses to turn off the chair. Meanwhile, Bucket, Ratched and the other nurses listen to the whole ordeal over the radio at Lucia State Hospital, and it becomes clear that Nurse Ratched is hell-bent on ensuring that her brother does not meet the same fate.

On a mission, Briggs and Nurse Ratched visit Governor Wilburn at a restaurant, where they plead for Edmund to be given the lethal injection as opposed to the electric chair. Their efforts are futile, however, and Governor Wilburn explains that he must make a spectacle in order to maintain the votes come the election. He expressly states that Edmund Tolleson’s death will be a spectacle for the masses, much to Nurse Ratched’s anger and disappointment.

Nurse Ratched and Briggs decide that they must take swift action to prevent Edmund suffering the same fate as the previous criminal. They visit Nurse Bucket in an effort to convince her that Governor Wilburn’s execution is not necessary. Nurse Ratched explains that she has a plan in which she will deliver the lethal injection to an unsuspecting Edmund whilst the two enjoy an hour together in Dr. Hanover’s barn. She explains that the cover-up story will be that Edmund became rowdy and they were forced to take action. Nurse Bucket eventually agrees and asks if Ratched would like her to deliver the lethal dose that kills Edmund; Nurse Ratched thanks her for the offer but remarks that it has to be her.

Following on from her conversation with Nurse Bucket, Nurse Ratched serves Edmund his final meal. Edmund is concerned about the meal and questions if his execution has been moved forward, but Nurse Ratched assures him that he still has two weeks left to live, and the two talk about the animals in the barn.

Nurse Bucket is told that Charlotte Wells is waiting for her in the waiting room. When she approaches, it becomes apparent that Charlotte has adopted the persona of Dr. Hanover, firmly believing that he must leave the hospital and embark on a new adventure. Nurse Bucket is uneasy and confused, but leaves the room when Charlotte orders her to fetch Edmund Tolleson, who she hopes to cure. Instead, Bucket brings Huck Finnigan to Hanover’s office and the two try to talk Charlotte down with memories of the charity dance. This only angers Charlotte, however, and when Huck tries to snatch the gun from her hand, she shoots him in the temple, killing him instantly.

Nurse Bucket is horrified by what she has witnessed, but is forced by Charlotte to take the latter to Edmund Tolleson’s cell. On the way, they kill numerous guards before arriving at Edmund’s cell and killing his guard. Charlotte lets Edmund out, and Edmund forces Nurse Bucket into the cell and begins to question her over Nurse Ratched’s plan. Bucket is initially reluctant to reveal anything, but when her life is threatened she reveals that Nurse Ratched planned to euthanize him to avoid the electric chair. Edmund is furious with this and leaves Lucia State Hospital with Charlotte; they cross paths with Nurse Ratched on the way, who is entering the facility, but the two are forced to stare at one another as they grow further apart.

Mexico, 1950, Briggs and Nurse Ratched are enjoying themselves and awaiting the arrival of Betsy Bucket. She arrives moments later, and the three enjoy drinks down by the pool. Nurse Bucket talks about their past adventures, but Nurse Ratched is distracted by thoughts of Edmund and his revenge. She leaves the pool moments later to fetch her book from the room, but instead picks up a gun. She hears a knock at the door, which is revealed to be Charlotte Wells, who reveals that Edmund is standing behind her. Nurse Ratched attempts to shoot Edmund, but finds the gun empty; moments later, Edmund stabs Nurse Ratched, but she awakes and it is revealed to be nothing more than a dream.

Moments after waking, the two are disturbed by another knock at the door, this time from the real Betsy Bucket. The three of them enjoy breakfast, and Briggs reads the newspaper which cites a massacre of seven nurses in Chicago — Nurse Ratched instantly attributes this to Edmund. Mildred doesn’t have time to react, however, as she receives a call from Edmund. She quickly turns the conversation around, however, and warns Edmund that she is coming for him.

## Cast

### Main

* Sarah Paulson as Nurse Mildred Ratched
* Finn Wittrock as Edmund Tolleson
* Cynthia Nixon as Gwendolyn Briggs
* Jon Jon Briones as Dr. Richard Hanover
* Charlie Carver as Huck Finnigan
* Judy Davis as Nurse Betsy Bucket
* Sharon Stone as Lenore Osgood

### Special Guest Star

* Vincent D’Onofrio as Governor George Wilburn

### Guest Starring

* Sophie Okonedo as Charlotte Wells
* Benjamin Rigby as Case Hitchen
* Amanda Plummer as Louise

### Co-Starring

* Gunnar Anderson as Ike
* Elise Robertson as Mrs. Helmstetter
* John Deignan as Warden
* Warren Sweeney as Priest
* Quincy Everidge as Trembling Guard
* Troy Vincent as Reporter
* Matt Lloyd as Waiter
* Bret Green as Mikey
* Jermaine Williams as Harold
* Julia Best Warner as Young Nurse
* Herbert Russell as Heavyset Guard
* Ricardo Félix Rojas as Rosarito Waiter
* Luke Lerma as Receptionist

## Trivia

* It's typical for TV shows to be filmed out of order, particularly in the case of location filming; usually all scenes that use the same location are filmed at the same time to save on costs. Unusually, the scene with Edmund on the phone to Mildred which features at the end of this episode was also the last scene filmed before the show wrapped.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/ratched-season-1-release-date-news-everything-we-know-so-far-05-2020/
2. ↑ **@finnwittrock on Instagram:** Found a continuity photo from the final day of shooting on @ratchednetflix - a rare event that the last day of shooting was the last scene of the season. And made me miss life before masks.