✧˖°. Keeping Up With The Sharpes ✧˖°
Season 5 - "The Breaking Point"
❀ Summary ❀ :
Hazel and Mel’s fiery marriage, already scarred by betrayal, spirals further when tragedy strikes. From miscarriage and guilt to Jeb’s manipulation and Mel’s revenge spree, the couple teeters on the edge of collapse. In the midst of heartbreak, two children — Wilson and Victoria — mark both their undoing and fragile hopes for a new start.
˖°📷༘ Highlights ˖°📷༘
While the details around the conception of the baby aren't ideal, Mel was almost more excited about Hazel being pregnant than Hazel. The couple began to plan for parenthood. They spent time picking out bassinettes and baby-proofing the house. Mel signed up for early parenthood classes and shopped for baby toys as Hazel began to read up on parenting. Despite Mel's enthusiasm, she couldn't completely shake the dread of finding out if Mel was the real father of the baby, and while it wasn't something important to Mel, Hazel still felt that it would make it hard to face her sister or their friends and neighbors. She found it difficult to express these thoughts to Mel, who seemed to be so happy and satisfied with becoming a parent.
Hazel ends up losing the baby that she was pregnant with. She's crushed by the discovery just as she had finally come to terms with raising the kid despite who its father could be. Hazel takes a swig of moonshine, which she was gifted by one of their neighbors a while back. The burn almost allows her to forget the sorrow in her aching chest. Mel is also devastated by the news, and even more seeing how upset Hazel is over the miscarriage. The only silver lining they had was that they hadn't yet told their family about being pregnant. Mel wonders if this is an omen that they should give the swinging that Mel agreed to a break.
Mel and Hazel sit down and console each other. After they comfort each other, sharing drinks, they end up discussing taking a break from sleeping with others to take time to focus on their own relationship and themselves.
Hazel takes the newfound time she has to herself to focus on rekindling the enjoyment she once had for baking and working out. She also branches off into wine making as well as occasionally producing moonshine. Mel uses the time to play around with music production. They study trending music and test out different beats and layering arrangements, causing Mel to wonder why they never thought about going into music before.
One day Jeb stops by the house, after being away for a bit. Not knowing that Cass ended up pregnant and moved out of the family home with her mom, Jeb mistakes Hazel for Cass because they shared the same hairstyle and build. At the same time, Hazel was starting to feel smothered by Mel again after having gone a while without sleeping with other people. Exercising helped take her mind off her desires slightly, but the feelings were still there. Thinking that Hazel was Cass, Jeb began flirting with Hazel right away. It was only after he heard Hazel's voice that he remembered Hazel from the threesomes they'd had together with Alex. They ended up reminiscing and laughing together, having a good time.
As Jeb gets to know Hazel, the topic of non-exclusive relationships comes up. Jeb convinces Hazel to have some fun and proposes that they enter a friends-with-benefits relationship, as a trial run. If he passes the trial, Hazel would go and talk to Mel about swinging with Jeb. If he failed the trial, they'd act as if nothing had happened between them.
Hazel is hesitant and eventually decides against Jeb's offer. She recalls Alex and his infidelity and the hurt it can cause, and determines that she doesn't want to do that to Mel. Jeb, not happy with her answer, does what he wants anyway and assaults her with the hopes of getting her pregnant. That way, he'd become part of her life one way or another. Not wanting to be blamed, Hazel resolves to keep her mouth shut about the assault, not giving Jeb the total satisfaction he wanted, and also not wanting to live through the drama it would cause. Instead, when her wife gets home from work, she hugs Mel a little tighter, feeling guilty about what happened.
Wanting to cover her tracks and rid her mind of her guilt, Hazel talks to Mel about arranging for a sex party as a kind of her last big bang. Mel is reluctant to agree at first, but Hazel explains the smothered feeling she's had and how it hasn't vanished even after focusing on herself. Mel agrees to having the party, and they send out invites. The party goes well, and the couple finds themselves having fun with others as the night goes on.
Later on, Hazel finds out that she's pregnant, and isn't sure of who the father is again. Little did she know that Mel had been keeping track of her cycle even before the sex party and already knew that she was pregnant. They noticed that something was up, but chose not to say anything about it yet. Instead, Mel decided to focus on themself more. They bought the binder they wanted and practiced wearing it, hoping to flatten their chest before having to decide whether or not they'd want top surgery. Mel stops using she/they pronouns and switches to he/they pronouns. He also starts going to the gym more often, wanting to get in better shape and feel good about how they look.
Hazel safely gives birth to her first child: Wilson Sharpe, who comes out looking like the spitting image of Jeb. Mel is no fool and takes this as confirmation of what he had already thought. He becomes cross with Hazel for breaking his trust and their agreement.
Instead of doing something in that very moment, Mel decides to make himself feel good and attempts to capture someone else's heart. He goes out and meets Christina Ripley for a date. He feels a connection with her, they talk, and the date ends with an impromptu woohoo. In an experiment designed for revenge, Mel goes on to impregnate five more women just for the sole purpose of seeing if he can get away with it. After he is sure that the women are pregnant, he returns to nurturing his relationship with Hazel. And then, he tries to talk Hazel into giving Wilson up for adoption. Hazel, still feeling a shred of guilt about what happened that night, does some thinking and decides to relinquish custody of the child to Jeb since he wanted a kid so badly.
Shortly thereafter, Hazel ends up getting pregnant after a drunken mistake is made with a scheming Alex. This time, she gives birth to a girl whom she names Victoria Sharpe. Victoria, thankfully, looks more like Hazel than Alex, so Mel believes that this baby girl is of his own blood.
Their sex lives calm down a bit following the birth of their daughter, allowing parenthood to take priority at least until their baby is in school.
📜Notable moments 𓂃🪶
(Recap)
Hazel miscarries her first child with Mel; grief fractures their bond.
Jeb assaults Hazel, but she keeps it secret out of shame and guilt.
Hazel convinces Mel to host one final swinging party before retiring that lifestyle.
Wilson is born; his resemblance to Jeb is undeniable. Mel knows the truth but doesn’t confront, instead choosing revenge.
Mel begins his revenge arc, woohooing Christina and impregnating 5+ women.
Hazel gives Wilson to Jeb, wracked with guilt but resigned.
A slip with Alex leads to the birth of Victoria, who resembles Hazel; Mel accepts her.
For a short while, Hazel & Mel stabilize and focus on family life.
🌙 Legacy Threads
Wilson’s adoption adds another branch to the family’s messy ties.
Victoria becomes the fragile symbol of Hazel’s hope for a new beginning.
Jeb remains a dangerous thread in the Sharpe legacy.
💭 Author’s Note
This season was the darkest yet. It’s the point where Hazel’s rebellion, her trauma, and Mel’s revenge arcs collided. Playing through this, I remember thinking: “How much worse can it get?” …and then Season 6 answered that question loud and clear 😅. All I can say is buckle up, folks!
