Dirty John wrapped up its first season last night - there's supposed to be a second season, I assume with a completely different story - with an episode that seals this first season as a sterling example of truth stranger than fiction. (I didn't review last week's episode 1.7 because it was mostly rehash.)
John comes close to killing Debra's daughter, Terra. Her instincts with a knife save her, and she fatally stabs John. As he's laying there in the hospital, waiting only for permission of his family to take him off life support, Debra says she can't do it. Fortunately, John's sister is there, and she has no problem at all sending this monster to whatever hell awaits him.
But Debra ... she's good to the last drop. After all of this, including the near-killing of her daughter, she can't bring herself to give the ok for John to be taken off life support? She obviously inherited that insane forgiveness gene from her mother, to a grievous fault.
If this were purely a piece of fiction, I would find it too unbelievable to enjoy. I would be utterly unable, in Coleridge's apt terms, to suspend my disbelief. But since this is based on a true story, what are we to make of it? For me, the lesson is that Debra in her own way is as crazy as John. She doesn't hurt people, but she enables someone who does.
The acting in this series was excellent. But since the storyline defies belief, even though it is true, and that is even more disturbing, I can't say I was enhanced by watching the series. Nonetheless, glutton for punishment that I am, I'll no doubt watch season 2.
See also: Dirty John 1.1: Hunter and Hunted ... Dirty John 1.2: Motives and Plans ... Dirty John 1.4: The Forgiveness Gene ... Dirty John 1.5: John's Family ... Dirty John 1.6: Getting Wise
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