Episodes 01

“The Huntress”

In 1978 Wylie, Texas, Candy Montgomery is a loving wife and mother, but finds herself dissatisfied with her life. She is attracted to Allan Gore, a married member of her church group, whose own marriage is strained while he and his wife Betty struggle to get pregnant with their second child. Candy confesses to Allan, who returns her interest, but he is nervous and insists that they weigh the risks carefully. Candy’s pastor, Jackie, tries to talk her out of it, to no avail. Candy and Allan have multiple meetings to discuss their potential affair, with both agreeing that if either of them becomes too emotionally involved, they will break it off. In December 1978, they begin their affair.

Episodes 02

“Encounters”

Candy and Allan continue their affair for months, meeting at different motels and growing closer. Both of them admit that they are falling in love, but continue to see each other, especially as Betty’s depression makes her difficult for Allan to deal with. After Betty gives birth, Allan decides to slow down the affair, which upsets Candy. Allan and Betty’s relationship recovers when they go to Marriage Encounter, a church-sponsored marriage counseling retreat in Dallas. Jackie leaves the parish, and is replaced by new arrival Ron Adams, who does not connect with his community.

Episodes 03

“Stepping Stone”

In October 1979, Allan ends the affair. Candy is upset at first, but decides to work on her marriage with Pat; they attend Marriage Encounter. Betty starts to suspect something happened between Candy and Allan. Pat learns about the affair and confronts Candy, but the two reconcile. The Montgomerys distance themselves from the Gores, who have also left Ron’s church group. On June 13, 1980, Allan leaves on a work trip, leaving an anxious Betty who suspects she is pregnant again. Candy goes to the Gores’ house to pick up a swimsuit. Betty asks Candy if she and Allan had an affair; when Candy confirms it, Betty confronts her with an axe.

Episodes 04

“Do No Evil”

Betty attacks Candy with the axe. Some time later, Candy leaves the house and returns home, where she changes clothes before resuming her day’s activities. Pat and Sherry, Candy’s friend, notice that Candy’s behavior is odd. From his business trip to Minnesota, Allan is unable to contact Betty and calls their neighbors, asking them to break into the house, where they find Betty’s body. The police and the Wylie community assume that Betty was attacked by a stranger. Candy is known to be the last person to see Betty alive; after being questioned by the police about the shoes she was wearing, she destroys the thongs she had worn during the murder. Allan confesses to the police that he had had an affair with Candy.

Episodes 05

“The Arrest”

Candy is questioned again by the police; she admits that she had an affair with Allan, but insists on her innocence of Betty’s murder. Candy engages Don Crowder, a member of her churchgroup, as her lawyer and tells him that she killed Betty after Betty “came at” her. Candy is arrested and kept overnight in county jail despite Don’s efforts to get her out on bond. Journalists sensationalize the case, swaying public opinion against Candy. At pretrial, Don antagonizes Judge Ryan and fails to change the location of the trial. At Don’s recommendation, Candy visits psychiatrist Dr. Fred Fason, who uses hypnosis to explore Candy’s suppressed feelings about Betty’s murder. Pat chafes at being kept out of the loop, until at Candy’s request, Don tells him the truth of Candy’s guilt.

Episodes 06

“The Big Top”

At jury selection, Don announces that Candy did kill Betty, but in self-defense. The trial begins. Allan takes the stand and is questioned about Betty’s anxiety and his affair with Candy. Through the trial, Candy takes Serax against Don’s advice; Don fears that her lack of response makes her appear unfeeling to the jury. Ron speaks to the media on Candy’s behalf. Through questioning the prosecution’s witnesses, Don is able to argue that the murder was not premeditated, but he faces difficulty with the pathologist’s testimony of the 40 brutal axe strikes Candy made to Betty’s body. Judge Ryan orders Don to call the first defense witness ahead of schedule; Don asks for a delay as Candy is still medicated, but Judge Ryan gives them just ten minutes to prepare.

Episodes 07

“Ssssshh”

Candy takes the stand and recounts the events of Betty’s murder, including how Betty attacked her first and how she lost control once she started hitting Betty with the axe. Dr. Fason takes the stand and testifies his opinion that Candy initially acted in self-defense, then had a dissociative reaction triggered by repressed childhood trauma that caused her to strike Betty repeatedly. The prosecution counters by asking about crime scene details that Candy cannot sufficiently explain, and suggests that Candy is a good liar who tricked family and friends. Don has character witnesses testify that Betty was difficult. Ultimately, Candy is found not guilty by the jury. Eight days later, the Montgomerys leave to start a new life in Georgia, with Candy dropping by the Gores’ house on the way to say goodbye to Allan.