Does Reagan the Dog Die in Mid-Century Modern?

‘Mid-Century Modern‘ tells the story of Arthur, Bunny, and Jerry, three gay friends who decide to move in together after the tragic passing of their friend, George. The Hulu series focuses on the triumphs and travails of the trio’s golden years as they navigate romance, family bonds, and loss. During their day-to-day adventures, they come into contact with a variety of colorful characters who have their own quirks. One such individual is their next-door neighbor, Penny Newton-Breene, an uptight congresswoman with a wild streak who we are introduced to in episode 7, titled ‘Love Thy Neighbor.’ Her storyline takes an intriguing turn when we learn she is the owner of a dog named Reagan, who proves to be Arthur’s weakness. However, the canine plays a pivotal role moving forward as Penny breaks some sad news. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Reagan Spends His Last Days Under the Care of Arthur

Our main trio meets Reagan on the night Penny comes to Bunny’s house for dinner. The whole day, Arthur and Bunny prepare to confront Penny on her staunch views on gay people. However, they quickly lose their resolve when the congresswoman introduces them to Reagan, especially in the case of Arthur. Soon, a night of merriment and party ensues as everyone is stunned to see Penny’s hidden party-girl personality unleashed. The following day, Penny leaves for Washington, D.C., to pass an anti-gay bill. With no one to turn to, Penny leaves Reagan in Arthur’s care for the duration of her trip. Their arrangement continues for a while. Unfortunately, one day, Penny arrives at the house and shares the news that Reagan has passed away. The dog was already on its last legs, and it succumbed to old age. The trio are devastated.

Reagan’s death comes at an inopportune moment as Arthur and Bunny are once more gearing themselves up to confront Penny on her political stance on gay folk. However, when she shares the sad news of the dog’s passing, it only disarms them further and leaves them unable to pursue the topic. Penny invites them to Reagan’s funeral, which Jerry promises to attend. His friends are slightly less sure as they make it clear to Penny that her public view of gay people is directly hurting the very people she calls friends. The woman “understands” their complaints but says that she must adhere to her audience base and what they want to hear from her. Although they disagree with her views entirely, Jerry convinces his friends that it is in their best interests to extend a loving hand to Penny even if their differences run deep.

Although the dog appears briefly, he contributes heavily to the narrative. Time and again, his presence throws off Arthur and Bunny from making their opinions clear to Penny, illustrating how love for animals can occasionally transcend the division between humanity. The beloved canine also offers a redeeming quality to Penny, who, despite her draconian political views, is less of an enemy to the trio than they believe at first. In fact, they are genuinely shocked at how wild of a partying animal she can be, which Arthur uses to his advantage to make her vote in favor of gay people. As such, her being a dog owner also makes her slightly more palatable and less of a villainous figure. It shows the complexity of human beings and everyone’s different sides. Thus, Reagan adds to her qualities, even if the dog sadly passes away by the end.