Love in the Time of Serial Killers

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content.

The real estate agent advises Phoebe and Conner to paint their father’s house an inoffensive neutral color. Conner is unable to help because of his wrist, which leaves the painting to Phoebe. Sam notices her bringing paint cans into the house, however, and offers to help. He reveals that he was a professional painter during the summer when he was younger, and he’s much better at it than Phoebe. Talk turns again to their childhoods, though Phoebe tries to segue the conversation into an account of the Ted Bundy killings. Sam notes that she often turns the conversation toward serial killers when she becomes uncomfortable and asks her why. She responds by telling him more about her father’s volatility and how his fits of rage impacted their family. She explains that serial killers fascinate her partly because they reflect the worst in people and the worst of society. Sam expresses sympathy for how terrible her childhood was but explains that she can’t dismiss all of humanity based on such a tiny data set. He points out how happy Conner and Shani are and, more importantly, how kind they are to each other.