Now we have gotten to know both Annie and Owen, it is about time to move the story along, and ‘Having a Day’ does just that. After the excitement of the first experience of taking the ULP drug (Pill A in this case) at the end of the last episode, the scientists get down to the business of interpreting and analysing all their precious data.
But Owen, strangely, has no data on his experiences with Pill A or he wasn’t affected by the drug at all. Annie on the other hand had a reading that was almost like she had taken the drug beforehand…..
Along with the serial drug trial-taker, number 5 (Danny Hoch), they are brought in for questioning by Dr Morimoto (Rome Kanda). Whilst 5 is in with the doctor, Annie (designated number 9) and Owen (number 1) are sitting outside the office, just like being outside the Headmasters office at school, and Annie admits that she lied to Owen to shut him up about his mission and the fact of her being the contact. On the back of this revelation, Owen admits to not taking Pill A in case Annie was going to activate him for his mission.
Owen, it appears, is more lost now than ever. His reason for being in this situation, his desperation and confusion and of course Annie, has now been dashed. Annie, however, is exactly where she needs and wants to be and fears being thrown off the trial for her previous transgressions and losing her access to the pill that has given her so much in the recent past.
READ MORE: Maniac 1×02 – ‘Windmills’ – TV Review
Dr Morimoto brings Owen into the office and asked about his experience in the trial and recount the story of his worst experience. Needless to say Owen’s story, albeit believable with respect to his relationship with his family, wasn’t enough to make Dr Morimoto believe. Owen’s avoidance of taking the drug is determined and he is forced to finally take Pill A. Upon Owen’s exit from the office, it is now Annie’s turn. With both Annie and Owen at threat of being thrown off the trial, this situation has become serious.
But an incident involving Dr Morimoto leads to a reprieve for both. Annie asks Owen for help by sneaking him back into the office, not only extending an olive branch but allowing them to reconnect after her transgression of lying to him about being his contact. During this bonding experience, Owen recounts his actual experience under the influence of Pill A to Annie and it is clear that Owen has been treated differently his whole life by his parents, leading to his mental issues of today.
With this divulgence of information from Owen, Annie actually decides to be honest with Owen and tells him about her worst day and her reasons for seeking out this trial, depicted in the ‘Windmills’ episode, opening up for the first time to anyone it seems and letting her guard down briefly. Finally admitting that she was addicted to Pill A for the reasons of reliving her memory of saying the worst things to her sister, and the aftermath of that day, and experiencing that time again and again.
READ MORE: Maniac 1×01 – ‘The Chosen One!’ – TV Review
Owen asks why would she do that to herself if this is the worst day of your life, to which Annie replies with a truly heartbreaking reason, but something that you could relate to, if you were to be able to return to a time that clearly and repeatedly. But it also highlights that Annie is stuck in rut of regret, not moving forward with her life.
With the problems surrounding Dr Morimoto it becomes necessary to find a replacement to lead the trial and Dr Fujita (Sonoya Mizuno) makes her case to recall the, previously disgraced, inventor of this therapy system, Dr James Mantleray (Justin Theroux). GRTA, the AI computer, after being told the news of Dr Morimoto, cries a virtual tear which somehow leads to a failure in the inner workings of the computer and the connections of Owen and Annie become fused together and their connection in reality is about to become that much deeper.
