Grosse Pointe Garden Society Recap Episode 9 Recap: The Cup

It’s time to revisit an old scene for some new answers in episode 9 of ‘Grosse Pointe Garden Society,‘ titled ‘The Cup.’ In the last episode, we left off right as Brett got into some altercation with Connor. Although we don’t see a resolution to the matter, the ninth episode highlights another conflict involving Brett – his fight with Doug during the garden event. We finally address the situation more comprehensively while also seeing what really happened that night from other angles. The last episode also showed a rift developing between Doug and Patty as the former learned the truth about how his mother was going behind his back to buy his artwork without telling him the truth. Her actions really hurt him, forcing him to step away from her toxic influence.

Keith and Patty Struggle to Reconnect With Their Son

Episode 9 begins with the same future scene we saw in the fourth episode – Doug asking Alice to choose between him or Brett. As he keeps pushing her, Alice loses her temper and states that she chooses neither because she does not want to be controlled by anyone’s expectations. Subsequently, a fight breaks out between Brett and Doug. We skip to the present day, which is two months before the night of the murder. Patty has been calling her son incessantly, but he has been ignoring her since her art-buying antics were exposed in the earlier episode. She orders Keith to fix her relationship with her son because he is at fault for revealing the truth. At Alice’s household, we learn that Doug has stopped painting completely and devoted himself to his job at the Sign Company.

Birdie is rueful about her situation because Ford has stopped contacting her following their discussion earlier. Meanwhile, Alice hands Brett some pages from her recent writing project – ‘The Monster-in-Law Diaries.’ He likes her work. Meanwhile, Marilyn gets ready for the Southeast Michigan Gardening Competition, where the Grosse Pointe Garden Society will go up against Bloomfield Hills, whose President is Theodore. Marilyn gets into a tetchy discussion with Theodore at the event as they observe the judge, Riku, from a distance. Marilyn is worried about losing because Bloomfield has a surprise up their sleeve. Birdie gets social with her house helpers as they all sit down for a game of cards with Olga accompanying them. Once they leave, Olga tells Birdie to try other things to reenergize herself.

Catherine and Marilyn Butt Heads Before the Competition Kicks Off

At the gardening society, the team is enthusiastic about their chances at the competition. However, Marilyn bursts their balloon by stating that Bloomfield has a rare type of flower in their garden – the ghost orchid, which is a game changer. The team gets ready for the event in their best clothes before showing up to the garden. They are shocked when they see a bunch of Easter Island statues littered around the flower beds. Marilyn has been cooking this up as their surprise element. Catherine is dead against the idea but cannot override Marilyn’s decision. Judge Riku arrives moments later to start the competition, and Marilyn greets him. Across town, Doug receives a visit from his dad at his new office space. Although the object of the visit is to reconcile their differences, things only worsen between them.

Two months later, we see Keith gorging on food at the event with Patty by his side. Alice flags them down and tells them that Doug is in trouble. The two parents rush to their son’s aid. Back in the present-day timeline, Riku analyzes every inch of the garden, expressing positive things about the work put in by the team. Based on his reaction, everything seems to be going perfectly well for Grosse Pointe Garden Society and their chances of winning the cup. After the event, Alice returns home to find Doug in the living room, rifling through pages of ‘The Monster-in-Law Diaries.’ She is terrified that he is unhappy with her. However, he agrees with her take on the subject matter, seeing his parents as monsters. He suggests the idea of making her work public, which could ruin Patty and Keith’s lives in Grosse Pointe forever.

The Winner is Announced While Keith Seeks Help From Alice

The team gathers once more to learn the result of the garden competition. Although they are highly expectant of a victory, their spirits are deflated when the host reads the name of Bloomfield Hills as the winner. In the aftermath, the crew is left with the task of clearing out the garden with no rewards for their work. As per the final report, they lost the competition because Riku deducted eight points from them for “cultural appropriation,” a result of bringing in the Easter Island statues. Everyone blames Marilyn for the loss and wants Catherine to replace her. Donna, Marilyn’s helper, states that if everyone is unanimous in their choice, then Catherine can take over as President. An impromptu vote is held, and Catherine comes up as the winner. She decides to visit Marilyn to break the news.

Keith stops by the coffee house and runs into Alice, who is working on her writing project. He tells her about how Patty had an affair in the past, and they had to make sacrifices to save the relationship. Keith begs Alice to somehow bridge the gap between Doug and his mother. Two months in the future, we see Keith and Patty arrive at the hall and break up the fight between Brett and Doug. Keith urges Patty to lay off her son before walking away. Doug follows his father outside, where he tells him about Brett’s love for Alice. Keith consoles his son, and the two have a moment together before Doug leaves. He then notices Brett heading somewhere and follows behind. We skip back to the present, where Catherine arrives at Marilyn’s home to tell her about the group’s decision. However, she feels pity after seeing Marilyn in a sorry state, thereby letting her stay on as President.

The Cup Changes Hands, and Keith Discovers Something Startling

When Doug returns home after his work shift, Alice tells him she invited his parents over for dinner. Although he is reluctant, she tells him that at some point or another, he needs to allow them back into his life because they are his parents. He grudgingly accepts. Elsewhere, Birdie socializes with her tennis club friends, especially after promising to get them into the gala. Their shallow comments and lifestyle make her feel uncomfortable, compelling her to leave. On her way out, she sees Theodore rubbing Riku’s thigh near the bar counter. Alarmed by the discovery, she spills her guts to the rest of the gardening team. They all suspect that Riku judged the event in a prejudicial manner because of a sexual fling with the Bloomfield Hills president. Marilyn uses this to her advantage to lodge a complaint with the competition clerk.

After a hearing, the cup is taken away from Bloomfield Hills and handed over to Grosse Pointe Garden Society. Marilyn unveils the glass trophy at the next gardening session. Catherine backs Marilyn’s input and urges everyone to clap for their leader. Meanwhile, Brett asks Alice about her recent diaries and whether she is thinking about sending them to publishers. Alice tells him she has changed her mind and plans to do nothing with it. In the final part, we see Patty and Keith arrive for dinner. Doug hugs his mother, ending their feud. Patty thanks Alice for her part in the reconciliation. The latter states that now Patty owes her. In the meantime, Brett puts Alice’s work in an envelope and couriers it to the New York Magazine. Two months later, we see Keith follow Brett to the garden shed, where he spies on our four main characters as they prepare to do something to the body.