‘Cape Fear’ Episode 7 Recap & Review: “Mongrel” Reveals More Twisted Family Secrets

This article contains spoilers for Apple TV’s Cape Fear Episode 6

For most of the first six episodes of Cape Fear, we watched a game of psychological warfare unfold. For the most part, it’s been an interesting journey, and we have learned a lot about the characters involved. However, with only four episodes remaining, things needed to ramp up.

In Episode 6, “Mongrel,” we got just that. The game is definitely in its final act, and for those playing, no one is safe.

Max Cady’s Plan Leaves the Bowden Family Fractured

Things kick off right where they left off in Episode 5, as the Bowden family discovers that Nevaeh (Malia Pyles) has been living in their house, moving between the walls. While they call the police, Tom (Patrick Wilson) heads across the street to Max Cady’s (Javier Bardem) house to get his son, Zach (Joe Anders).

However, he has been convinced by Max that he is Max’s son. This works perfectly for Max, who follows Tom and Zach into the street, where Tom beats him mercilessly in front of witnesses.

Cape Fear works best when it forces us to question who is telling the truth and who is lying. Such is the case with Zach, who, as it turns out, has been drugged. The substance erases a person’s personality, leaving them at the mercy of another. To make matters worse, the doctor at the treatment facility where Zach is now being treated has no idea whether the effects are reversible.

This leads both Tom and Anna (Amy Adams) to think hard about how to get even with Max. They even consider planting evidence at his home.

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Max, meanwhile, is out for a drive with the Bowdens’ daughter, Natalie (Lily Collias). It seems she is also in a pretty bad mental state, though it’s completely different from her brother’s. After talking with Anna and Paul (Jay Huguley), her mom’s ex-fiancé, Natalie realizes that Tom isn’t her biological father.

When Max appears outside, as he always seems to, she jumps at the chance to ride with him. She doesn’t trust him, of course, but at this point Natalie doesn’t know who to trust and just wants to run away from it all.

Meanwhile, Ray (Jamie Hector) is trying to track down Crystal (Juliette Lewis), who, as it turns out, is Max’s sister, not his ex-wife as Ray had believed. He gathers enough information to continue his search. Crystal remains a wild card, not entirely stable but one of the few who can truly rattle Max. It remains to be seen how far he is willing to go if she pushes him too far.

‘Cape Fear’ Speeds Toward the Finale

Anna and Tom’s plan to pressure Max leads them to contact Brandon Devereaux (Ted Levine), Anna’s estranged father. His sketchy past, which he claims he has renounced to be welcomed back into the family, is exactly what they need to plant evidence. It’s understandable that Tom and Anna are desperate, but it’s also clear this is not going to go well. It’s too neat and too simple, and those two things are in short supply in this series.

During the car ride, Max continues spinning tales that may or may not be true, and in Natalie’s current state of mind, she is easy prey. Of course, this was part of Max’s plan all along. His psychological mind games are meant to destabilize the family and make them second-guess everything, including their own judgment.

The destination of the car trip is Max’s family home, where he looks for Crystal. He has a conversation with his dad (Ron Perlman) that helps us understand Max a little better. His dad is pretty intimidating, so now there are two people who can put Max on edge.

With no answers, Max and Natalie drive to a docked houseboat, where Ray has already arrived. They find pictures but no sign of Crystal. While Natalie sleeps, Max kills Ray, knowing Ray is now a potential threat. To top it off, Max helps Natalie piece together the evidence, revealing that he is, in fact, Natalie’s biological father.

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As with all things in this show, it’s hard to tell what is truth and what is fiction. After a brief, mind-bending ceremonial dip in the water, Max drives Natalie home. The episode ends with Tom and Anna sitting at the table, calling the police about what they had planted at Max’s house.

There were a lot of moving parts in Cape Fear Episode 6. “Mongrel” featured some great scenes that helped us delve deeper into Max Cady’s dark, twisted mind. While he is clearly an evil man, the episode further paints a picture of how dysfunctional the Bowden family is as some ugly secrets come to light.

Everyone is breaking down, and Max seems to have the upper hand. Still, some things are beyond his control, including Crystal, who may ultimately stand in his way. The show has hit the accelerator and is on a collision course with the finale, only three episodes away.

Cape Fear Episode 6 is now streaming on Apple TV. New episodes premiere every Friday through July 31.