The first episode of The Miniature Wife starts with Lindy thinking about how she still believes in love and marriage, even though her husband, Les, has turned her into a tiny person with his latest invention.
Lindy is stuck in a dollhouse and can’t get out. In a last-ditch effort, she climbs up and grabs an electrical wire, but she can’t hold on and falls.
The story then goes back two weeks. Lindy and Les are having dinner at a restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. There, they both promise to be better people in the coming year.
Lindy tells Gary and Meg that she has planned a trip to Vermont with them to renew their vows and start over. Les is happy that their friends are going on this trip instead of Cabo, and he promises to call their daughter Lulu, who has been ignoring their calls.
Les then tells them his plan: he has put their house up for sale with the option to buy it back later. He says that this year is his last chance to fully commit to his career goals. He tells Lindy to be patient and promises her that they can move back home for good by the end of the year, as long as he gets Hilton Smith to invest in his invention.
That night, the couple makes up and sleeps together. Les is happy that Lindy has let him back home.
The next day, Les gives an impressive presentation of his cell-reduction machine, showing how it could work by shrinking a corn cob. Hilton is interested, but he’s not ready to put money into it right away. He admits that Les is persistent but wants to know more about him before making a choice.
In the meantime, Lindy runs into Richie at a bookstore. He talks about how great her only book is, which came out 18 years ago. Richie works for Les, as it turns out. Lindy ends their affair during their meeting and says she wants to fix her marriage. Richie insists that she take a gift before they leave.
Later, Lindy opens the gift in her car and is shocked to find out that Richie sent a short story he found in her things to The New York Times. The issue is that the story is really her student’s.
Lindy is scared and tries to call her agent Terry, but all she can do is leave a voicemail. She then runs to her student Jackie’s house, tells her how great the story is, and tells her to turn it into a novel right away. Lindy tells Jackie to take a break, be alone, and write. Jackie agrees and goes to her uncle’s cabin in Montana, where she is very impressed with Lindy.
Martin tells Les off at the lab for inviting Hilton to a charity event at his house that night, bringing up the terrible party from last year. He says that Les and Lindy’s behavior, especially when they drink, could hurt their chances of getting money. Les says everything will be fine, but he nervously calls Lindy to check in.
Les runs into Richard on his way out, and Richard says he can’t go to the party.
In another place, Lindy finally hears from Terry, who is overjoyed that the short story is being published. But when Lindy tells the truth, her excitement turns to anger. Lindy begs her to fix things before they get worse and turn into a public scandal, which could hurt her already fragile marriage even more.
When Lindy gets home that night, she finds Starla, Les’s rude secretary, waiting for her. Starla tells her to act like a good wife, wear a dress that has already been chosen, and be supportive. Lindy, who is angry, asks for a moment alone.
A reporter asks Lindy about Les’s work at the party. She refuses to talk to him because she is already drunk, so she goes to the veranda, where she meets Hilton without knowing it. She vents about Les, calling him a fake philanthropist and a workaholic, but she still thinks he’s brilliant. She thinks he’s just another guest.
Someone tells Les in the middle of his speech that Lindy is talking to Hilton. He quickly finishes his speech and runs over. After a tense start, Lindy is sent away, but to Les’s surprise, Hilton agrees to invest, saying that Lindy’s honest comments helped him make up his mind. But there is a catch: Hilton’s chief scientist has to work in Les’s lab.
Later, Les tells Lindy how angry he is because he thinks the new scientist will steal his work. Lindy calms him down by reminding him of his successes and telling him to stay focused. Les suddenly cancels their vow renewal trip because he wants to focus on his work.
Lindy protests, feeling bad about canceling on their friends, but Les ignores her and leaves. Lindy is angry and hurt, so she calls Richie and asks him to come to Vermont instead. He quickly agrees, and they plan to meet later that night.
Lindy tells Starla to end the party and then gives the journalist an interview that reveals a lot.
Les finds out at the lab that Martin has already made a deal with Hilton. Vivienne, Hilton’s scientist, will start right away. Les gets even more angry when she acts like she doesn’t care.
When Les gets home, he sees that Lindy is packed and ready to go. A heated argument breaks out, turning into a brutal fight over their jobs and marriage. Les accidentally turns on his miniaturization device in the middle of the chaos. He uses it on Lindy on purpose when he’s angry, making her smaller.
Les is horrified by what he did at first and tries to say sorry. Lindy wakes up, freaks out, and tries to run away, but she passes out again.
Review of the Episode
The first episode does a good job of setting up the main conflict: a marriage that is very unbalanced because of ambition, resentment, and emotional neglect.
Lindy really wants to fix the relationship, but Les always puts his job first. He is obsessed with getting ahead, thinking that it’s finally his turn after years of helping Lindy become a successful writer.
Lindy, on the other hand, is too scared and unsure of herself to write again after her previous success. Les cancels their vow renewal without thinking twice, which pushes her over the edge and makes her feel even more undervalued.
The main metaphor in the episode is very strong. Lindy’s actual miniaturization is like how she feels in the marriage: small, powerless, and ignored. Les’s actions also show how narcissistic he is becoming as he becomes more and more obsessed with his career goals.
Overall, the episode gives a sharp, ironic, and emotionally real picture of a marriage that isn’t working, which sets the stage for a series that is both interesting and character-driven.