Conrad Roy III, a kid who died by suicide in 2014, is the subject of an eight-episode drama starring Elle Fanning (The Nice). Michelle Carter, Conrad’s then-girlfriend, was charged with involuntary manslaughter after allegedly inciting Conrad to take his life through their extensive textual content communication history.
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— The Girl From Plainville (@PlainvilleHulu) March 29, 2022
The tragic account of Conrad Roy III’s death and the horrific circumstances surrounding it are told in ‘The Girl from Plainville.’ What begins as a normal teenage relationship between Michelle and Conrad takes a bizarre turn when investigators discover clues that his girlfriend may have pushed him to commit suicide following his death.
The Hulu drama follows the development of the central connection and the catastrophic consequences of the subsequent tragedy in two timelines.
The first several episodes go fairly deeply into the plot, beginning with Conrad’s death and gradually unravelling the circumstances that lead up to it. There are a lot of moving elements in this story, with both families, a determined detective, and the centre heroine, Michelle, whose intentions are unclear.
Let’s take a closer look at episodes 1, 2, and 3 of ‘The Girl from Plainville‘ to see what they have to say.
Recommended: How Did Conrad Roy III Commit Suicide and How Many Attempts He Did?
Recaps of the first, Second, and Third Episodes of ‘The Girl from Plainville’
On July 13, 2014, Conrad’s mother, Lynn, calls the police to report her son missing, and the episode begins on an ominous note. Conrad was discovered asphyxiated by carbon monoxide inhalation in his pickup truck in a KMart parking lot by a police officer.
After the authorities arrive, his grandfather and father are the first to arrive on the site, and word of the tragic suicide travels quickly. Michelle Carter, who lives in the nearby town of Plainville, is devastated when she learns of Conrad’s death.
She then reveals that she has been emailing Lynn since before Conrad’s death, and that she is still sending her comforting messages.
Michelle is then presented to Conrad’s best friend, Rob, who is taken aback by the fact that his late buddy never mentioned Michelle. The two discuss holding a memorial service, and the latter goes on to organise a fundraiser for mental health called Homers for Conrad in honour of her partner.
Meanwhile, investigator Scott Gordon notices Michelle and Conrad had substantial text and phone communications in the days preceding up to the catastrophe and launches an investigation.
Conrad and Michelle met in 2012 while on vacation in Florida with their separate families, according to Episode 2. They have a common experience of being unable to sleep and having to take medication to relax.
Conrad’s (supposedly) abusive father, who tries to abuse him physically, is seen in brief sequences, as is the son’s struggle to cope with social anxiety. Conrad and Michelle maintain in touch after they return to their respective towns, and the latter begins to exaggerate the nature of their relationship with her acquaintances.
Back in the current day, Michelle organises Conrad’s memorial, but bizarrely, she chooses to hold it in her hometown of Plainville, where no one knows Conrad except for her. It appears that she is attempting to gain renown through his death, and Detective Gordon, who attends, is dubious of her as well.
When Michelle learns that a detective is looking into her, she panics and writes an incriminating text to her friend Natalie Gibson, claiming that she (Michelle) could have prevented Conrad from committing suicide.
What is Conrad Going to Do with the Medicine Bottle in the 3rd episode of The Girl from Plainville?
Detective Gordon presents Assistant District Attorney Katie Rayburn with Michelle and Conrad’s text chat history in Episode 3, and she is first doubtful of the detective’s theories. Michelle’s involvement in Conrad’s death is doubtful, given his history of despair and attempted suicides.
Katie, on the other hand, eventually uncovers the incriminating text the girl texted her friend and thought that the detective’s claims may have some merit. With a warrant in hand, Detective Gordon seizes Michelle’s phone and electronic gadgets, much to the dismay of her parents.
The plot then shifts to the past, where Conrad is having trouble readjusting to high school life after spending a long time working with his father on their marine salvage business. He records a series of voice recordings in which he ponders social anxiety before attending a party where he spends the majority of the evening alone.
The episode ends with him returning home a little tipsy, staring at a mirror in rage and grief while holding a bottle of drugs.
The third episode ends on a bleak tone, revealing Conrad’s inner agony. When surrounded by people, the quiet, generally courteous adolescent appears to be fine, but his alone time paints a totally different picture.
Conrad appears intoxicated and frustrated upon his return from the party, where he appears to have been abandoned by his best buddy, Rob. He also mentioned how difficult it was for him to navigate high school earlier.
Conrad’s jar of pills in his hand at the end of the episode is a concerning sign, especially because he has intimated to Michelle that he takes huge doses of medication on occasion. He appears to be on his way to doing just that, and the fact that he has consumed alcohol makes the situation even more perilous.
As a result, it appears that episode 3 ends with Conrad’s earlier suicide attempt, which was precipitated by him taking an entire jar of Tylenol. Even though we know he will live, the prospect is nonetheless heartbreaking.
What did Michelle say to Natalie in Her Text?
Michelle remains a mystery at the centre of it all, acting suspiciously as it is revealed that she is copying her consoling words to Conrad’s family from movies on one hand and being the hurt girlfriend on the other.
The fact that she is using his death to gain attention (via the fundraising) is also unflattering.
Michelle’s veneer is shattered one of the few times when she panics after knowing that Detective Gordon is investigating her. The young girl breaks down in the car alone and, in a blur, types out a long message to her buddy Natalie.
Michelle tells Natalie in the text that she might have prevented Connor as he got out of his car because he felt the carbon monoxide spreading, as the district attorney later discovers.
Instead, she ordered him to go back inside and finish the process, thereby encouraging him to commit suicide. According to the district attorney, the explosive communication is incriminating evidence.
Katie’s next move is unknown, the messages she sends to Natalie could cause Michelle a lot of grief and lead to her being named as a suspect in Conrad’s death.