[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for The Resort Episode 6, “Hunch Fo Club Seeth.”]
The mystery of Sam and Violet’s disappearance is still unfolding in The Resort, but Episode 6 takes us closer to answers when the 20-somethings find author Illan Ibbera, played by the delightful Luis Guzmán. Sam (Skyler Gisondo) and Violet (Nina Bloomgarden) have been through a bit of an ordeal with Alex (Ben Sinclair) in Episode 5, who’s convinced he is the Alejandro in Illan’s book, “The Disillusion of Time,” in which Violet’s mom left ominous clues in the margins of her copy before her death.
Violet is closer than ever to finding Pasaje in Episode 6, and Illan further confirms the belief that Pasaje is real that Alex instilled in her in Episode 5. Here, Bloomgarden breaks down where Violet’s head is at throughout this adventure, from what she thinks she’ll find at the mystical, possibly real Pasaje, and why she couldn’t bring her father, Murray (Nick Offerman), along, to TV Insider.
Violet is very determined to get to Pasaje; it’s the whole reason for her trip. Is she at a point where she kind of doesn’t care what happens to her, or does she doubt that anything bad could happen to her?
Nina Bloomgarden: Grief makes you do a lot of crazy things, especially since she’s at a stage with a lot of numbness. I think she’s looking to feel something, and that’s why she keeps going into these situations that are seemingly dangerous, but I don’t think she really understands the dangers of what she’s getting herself into. She’s just expecting to find this thing.
When you’re watching the show, there feels like there’s a lot of danger, but when you’re playing it, you’re not really thinking about that. It’s rare that you think you’re going to be murdered, so had Sam and Violet felt any real fear for their lives at any point, they may have jumped ship. But she’s still too curious and determined to find her mom, or to find what her mom was talking about. That’s enough for her to push past these obstacles and these crazy men she meets along the way.
What does Violet think she’ll see at Pasaje?
It’s more of like a want. She’s expecting to see her mom, but I think deep down she knows that doesn’t make sense. She thinks she’s gonna find closure; that’s what she’s looking for. You find out in Episode 5 that she wasn’t there when her mom died, and there’s a lot of regret for her in that. She didn’t get to say goodbye, and it feels open-ended. I think when you don’t see your loved one’s body, it’s hard to find closure. When she finds this book, there’s this hope that she can maybe say goodbye. She’s hoping she can say goodbye to her mom at Pasaje.
How does she feel about having Sam with her through this process? Why doesn’t she bring her dad, Murray?
Sam became a pleasant surprise. If her dad had come with her, it would be too heavy and uncomfortable. I recently lost my own father, so grief is super uncomfortable, especially when you’re with someone who’s going through the same loss. It’s hard to talk about, especially when you’re in your 20s, with a parent. Because her dad did get to say goodbye, it’s almost a way for her to be like, “I need to do this alone” and “I’m doing this for us.” “I’m gonna go see mom.”
There’s also the fear of saying that and being rejected by your parent, because maybe your parent’s like, “I don’t want to talk about this. Your mom’s gone. I don’t want you to be thinking about her and thinking about these fantasies.” There’s a lot on the line for her to bring it up with Murray, whether or not he would react that way.
With Sam, he’s going through a different loss, but still a loss. Because of their age, it makes it lighter for her. She doesn’t have to sit in the heaviness. It can still be an adventure. I think that’s what she needs at that moment.
What thoughts is she having about her dad as she goes through the jungle with Alex, meets Illan Ibbera, and continues this adventure?
There’s definitely a little regret. She wishes at times that her dad was there since it is a fun adventure. But at the same time, she thinks she’s gonna see him again and tell him what she saw. She thinks she’s going to find Pasaje, see her mom, and then relay that story to her dad. I think she’s excited to do that. She wants to do it herself, and then take her dad after.
There’s also the fear of showing up and you don’t find what you’re looking for, and that would be harder to go through if she’s with Murray, because it’s kind of a double loss. If her dad doesn’t come, she can just keep up the lie that she visited her friend in Cancún.
Illan says he got out of Pasaje, but his best friend, Alejandro, was never seen again. Alex says in Episode 5 he thinks he’s Alejandro. Does Violet believe that when Alex says it? Does she believe it after meeting Illan?
When she’s in the room in Episode 5 with all the Post-Its, and Alex pulls the Post-It that says Pasaje, she begins to put things together. But again, it’s crazy. She’s getting information that this book is actually real, and that’s a big thing to comprehend. That turns your entire life on its head.
I think she’s starting to comprehend what’s going on at that point, and Illan solidifies it for her. That’s when she realizes that she could really see her mom again. Sam is skeptical about going to Pasaje, but Alex gave her a sense of calm and ease. She’s going, and if Sam wants to come along, he can.
Does Violet believe Pasaje is a villain like Illan says and doesn’t care, or does she not believe that her mother’s message could lead her astray?
I think she realizes that Illan is a coward, because he never went in himself. I think she’s blindly following that idea that he never went in for himself, so how could he know and say such things? She believes she’s gonna see her mom at that point. I don’t think she sees Pasaje as a villain.
The Resort, Thursdays, Peacock