Dangerously Close is the ninth and final episode of Inventing Anna.
Short Summary[]
Anna obsesses over her trial style as Vivian covers the proceedings. Rachel takes the stand and defense lawyer Todd implores his client to cooperate.
Full Summary[]
Todd asks Anna if she's ready. The big day is coming. They only need to sway a few jurors. Their whole case rests on the phrase "dangerously close." The jury will have to decide if she really was dangerously close to committing a crime. For the other crimes, there's too much evidence, but for the big ones, Fortress, CNB, and Rachel, they can't prove she was dangerously close. Anna's upset that his defense is that she's incompetent. Todd explains why they have to do it that way. Anna asks what she's wearing, but Todd doesn't care. The court will supply her clothes. She is upset by that and asks for a stylist. Todd encourages her to calm down and just let him do his job.
Anna picks up the phone and a strung out inmate puts in her code. In exchange, Anna gives her a cup of noodles. The inmate reminds her that the deal was for two. Anna says to bring her more minutes and she'll give her more noodles. Anna calls Neff and asks for the name of a stylist. Neff tells her it's Natasha Lucas. They talk about possible looks for Anna for court.
When they hang up, Neff calls Natasha and explains Anna's situation. Anna calls Neff back and Neff connects Anna and Natasha. Anna assures Natasha she can pay and they start talking about what Anna wants. Natasha already has things in mind and puts outfits together. Once that's done, Anna gets more phone time from another inmate and calls Vivian to ask who else is covering her trial. Vivian says The Post probably, but she doesn't really know. Anna wants her to draw in more interest, but she says that's not what she's doing. Next Anna calls Spodek and Associates. Alexi answers and tells Anna that Todd isn't there, at Todd's behest. Anna tells Alexi to tell Todd to call her father and have him wire money for her stylist or bring it when he comes for the trial.
Todd
Todd practices his defense. Mags gives feedback from the bed. She's tired of the trial and is looking forward to vacation. She says the jury's going to love him.
Todd enters the courthouse.
In the courtroom, McCaw turns around and is surprised to see Baxter sitting in the audience. She tells Lane that Baxter is a proxy for the DA and he's there to watch them.
Kacy enters the courtroom and asks Neff if she missed anything. Neff explains which side is which, but Kacy doesn't want to take a side. At the bench, they hear Donna, the bailiff, tell Kiesel that Anna isn't dressed for court. Todd's not sure what the issue is. Neff tells Vivian that Natasha dropped the clothes off. Kiesel is astonished. McCaw says the court provides clothes, but Donna says Anna won't wear them. Kiesel says she's going to sip her iced coffee and if Anna's not dressed and in court by the time she's finished, she'll be very unhappy.
Todd tells Anna to get dressed, but Anna doesn't like the clothes and would rather wear her jumpsuit. He tells her she legally can't. He says it's hurting her and she just needs to put on the clothes.
Todd tells Vivian and Neff that Anna is refusing to wear the court clothes. Neff says the clothes are at Rikers. Natasha dropped them off there last night. Todd asks if she has others, but Neff can't reach Natasha. Vivian suggests that Todd go shopping, but he's in court and can't go shopping. Neff has to leave for her shift. Todd tries to get Vivian to shop for him, but she says it would be unethical to participate in Anna's defense. She finally agrees to help, in exchange for all the discovery he has on the case.
Vivian goes into a store and tells the greeter what she needs. While she picks an outfit, she has the greeter get some shoes.
Vivian runs the clothes in to Todd, who takes them to Anna.
Anna gets dressed. Todd is frustrated because they need to be in court. Anna walks into the courtroom and imagines showing off to a large crowd. However, in reality, the audience is small. The judge thanks her for joining them and has the jury brought in.
Todd speaks directly to the jury, telling a story about Frank Sinatra to illustrate his point. He says people wanted to be in business with Anna, with the image Anna had created of herself. Anna wasn't close to getting any money. When he finishes, Lane tells McCaw that was bold.
While McCaw talks to the judge about a technical issue that has delayed them entering some evidence, Anna looks back at the audience. Vivian and Neff see this and Vivian asks Todd what it's about.
Todd asks Anna what's wrong and she asks where everyone is.
Vivian realizes Anna wants more press there. Neff pulls out her phone to take a picture, but Vivian tells her only press can take pictures in the courtroom. Neff tries to get her to take the pictures. She wants to draw in a crowd. Anna points to some photographers and says to use their photos.
Neff makes an Instagram and posts pictures from the courthouse. She quickly gains followers and likes and more people start to show up to her trial.
Alan Reed testifies. He says Anna never paid him for his services and he was never able to get Anna any money.
Gabriel Calatravas testifies next. He and Anna flirt briefly.
McCaw asks David Morrison about the documents Anna provided, which she had faked. He agrees that Anna was persistent in her attempt to get a loan. Todd asks if he kept working with Anna because he was interested in her romantically. David admits that he flirted with her.
An anchor reports on the instagram account following Anna's trial styles.
Kacy shows Neff the account on her phone. She knows Neff is behind it. Neff doesn't deny it and says she's proud of it. Kacy says Neff is making it so Rachel has to tell her story in front of a much larger audience. Kacy tells her to wake up and realize she's Satan's secretary. Neff explains that she respects Anna's hustle, including trading anything she can get for phone time.
Natasha talks about styling for Anna.
Lane and McCaw talk about how the narrative on Anna has shifted because of the Instagram account. They're worried about how it'll affect McCaw, but McCaw isn't worried about Cy or Baxter. She's only worried about herself. She'll remember it for the rest of her life if she loses a single count. She wants them to find the file she asked about ten minutes ago instead of worrying.
Rachel and Kacy have a drink and talk about the account. The followers are starting to harass Rachel and she's scared. Kacy encourages Rachel. Rachel's worried everyone will help her after she testifies, but Kacy tells her just to tell her story.
McCaw calls Rachel to the stand. Rachel talks about her life and her job at Vanity Fair. She then talks about how the issue with Anna has affected her life, especially since they were friends. She was devoted to Anna. Now she's not sure she could ever trust someone again. The jurors are visibly affected by her testimony. McCaw asks why she chose to monetize this. Rachel says she was in debt, but she was also stuck and just wanted to get it all down on paper. She needed to tell her story.
Todd tells Anna they'll get their turn with Rachel tomorrow as Anna is led out of the room. After she's gone, Todd asks Alexi if he speaks Russian. He does, a little.
Todd and Alexi are on the phone with Vadim. Alexi translates as Todd explains who he is and talks about the trial. Vadim reiterates that he won't be coming to the trial. Todd says she needs her family there, but Vadim is firm that he won't come.
Lou, Maud, and Barry join the courtroom audience and ask Vivian what they missed. They're eager to see Rachel's testimony. Court was support to start half an hour ago, but Todd and Anna aren't in court yet. Kiesel then announces that Anna is refusing to join them due to ongoing wardrobe issues. Neff and Vivian immediately start working on it.
Anna tells Todd she can't wear the clothes because they're dirty. She wants new ones and she wants to take the stand. He tells her he can't let her do that. She's angry with him for ruining her reputation. They argue back and forth. She fires him. He says his reputation is also on the line. He looks bad because he can't get her to get dressed in the morning. She says to get out and her father will get her a better lawyer. Todd tells her her father isn't coming. Even her father is done with her act. Anna says the jury loved Rachel. Todd says it's their show and Anna's the star. Todd's the one who stands by her even when he hates her. He says he'll expose Rachel and defend Anna. Anna says she'd rather go to jail forever than come across as a wannabe amateur. She wants respect. She wants Todd to defend her work. Everyone needs to know how close she was. Todd promises and tells her to get dressed.
Kiesel makes it clear to Anna that her behavior is not acceptable.
Todd asks Rachel about her meeting Anna. He asks if she ever paid for anything. She says she doesn't recall, then says Anna was very generous. She didn't keep track of how much Anna bought. Rachel then admits she was the one to turn Anna in, which she didn't mention in her article because she says she didn't have space. He asks how much money she's getting to write a book about Anna. Rachel doesn't know, but Todd knows she's getting $300,000. She also has a TV deal for $30,000, with more if the show gets made. Over $600,000 total, plus the money from the Vanity Fair article. Rachel says it's not about money. It's about trauma. Todd notes that she's sold her trauma to three other people. Rachel starts to cry and says she wishes she'd never met Anna. Once this is done, Kacy gets up and walks out.
Rachel runs into Kacy on her way out. Kacy's shocked that Rachel turned Anna in. Rachel says she had to cooperate with the cops to get reimbursed. Kacy asks why she hid it and says she'll have plenty of money now to pay Amex. Unless someone already paid that for her. Rachel says Amex took care of it. Kacy says she came out ahead after ratting out her friend. Rachel runs past her.
Todd ignores a call from Anna while getting a drink with Vivian. They toast to his cross of Rachel. That could help with one charge. But the others will be hard. Todd can't use his best argument because he promised Anna he wouldn't. Vivian tells him to do whatever it takes. She's excited because they could win. Vivian's phone rings. Todd encourages her to set boundaries, but she answers the call anyway.
Vivian's going through her closet when Jack wakes up and asks her about it. She's looking for her dresses. She has to get them to Anna in time for her to wear them. Jack says what she's doing is unlike her, which she knows. She hates every bit of it. She created this monster, so she feels obligated.
Todd and Mags are fighting because he's going to miss their family vacation, which has been planned for months. He can't abandon Anna. He's all she has. Mags can't understand that. Todd's phone rings and Mags tells him to go get it. It would be easier if he were having sex with Anna because then his commitment would make more sense.
In the other room, Brian answers the call on his dad's phone. He tells Anna that his parents are fighting. Anna tells Brian he can use his dad's guilt to get whatever he wants. When Brian says he'll get his dad, Anna tells him to let them fight even though he doesn't like it.
McCaw gives her closing argument, talk about Anna going to LA instead of going to court. From the audience, Neff posts that days's outfit. At the defense table, Anna shows Todd a drawing she's made of McCaw. When McCaw finishes, Todd waits a minute before getting up. He tells Anna to trust him. He talks about how everyone was embarrassed because of his inexperienced Anna was and how she fooled all of them. Anna never got close to getting any of the money. And they money would have gone to the business, not her. But the business was never real. Anna was in over her head. She couldn't do what she set out to do. Once he's finished, Kiesel gives jury instructions. Vivian tells Neff that Todd tanked Anna. At the table, Todd tells Anna he had to do it.
Outside the courtroom, Neff and Kacy wait. Neff asks for Kacy to help her be patient. Kacy gives her the Serenity Prayer. Her ex is in Alcoholics Anonymous.
Vivian writes on her laptop as she and Todd wait. There are ten counts against Anna. She could get fifteen years if she's convicted on all of them. Vivian knows all this, but she's trying to distract Todd so he'll stop twisting his bottle cap. Todd puts his bottle down. They wonder why the jury is taking so long. Todd doesn't care. He's done his part and he's getting on a plane soon. Alexi can handle it. Vivian's shocked that he's leaving. She says she'll miss him. Todd says they'll cross paths again. The four of them could go out to dinner.
Lou, Barry, and Maud wait for the verdict to come in. Maud has the Scriberia Slack chat pulled up on her computer, waiting for Vivian to deliver any news. Just as Lou gets up to get drinks, Maud says Vivian is typing. Lou and Barry gather behind her.
People return to the courtroom. Anna is led back in and many photographers take pictures. As Kiesel says to bring in the jury, Donna orders everyone to sit down.
At the office, they see that there's a verdict.
The jury enters the courtroom and the jury box. Mags comes and sits in the audience. The clerk asks the foreperson to stand and she announces that they have a verdict. The clerk reads the charges and the foreperson reads that she's guilty on all but two charges, including the one regarding Rachel. After the verdicts are all rendered, Rachel gets up and walks out.
In Scriberia, Lou, Barry, and Maud say that's that.
Kiesel thanks the jury for their service and instructs them on their rights regarding the press. As she talks, Todd tells Anna they won two of the three big ones.
McCaw turns around and sees Baxter on his phone. He gets up and walks out.
Todd tells Anna he has to leave, but Alexi will take care of her. She tells him to have a good vacation, that he's earned it.
Mags and Todd leave the courthouse together. She talks about plans for their vacation. He stops and says he can't go. He can't leave Anna. He promises to come as soon as he can. Mags leaves and he goes back inside.
Todd asks Anna if she's okay. She tells him he betrayed her. He says he beat two of her three biggest charges. She doesn't have to like it. Anna thinks the jury saw through him anyway. She was dangerously close and they saw that. Now the world will know she's not an idiot. She was so close. Todd says he'll call her dad and let him know.
Landon says the traffic on her original article has spiked again. Globally, over four million people have read it. Neither he nor Paul has seen anything like that before. They want Vivian to do a follow-up and they want to give her an office. While they're discussing this, Vivian gets up and walks out.
In the bathroom, Vivian paces and cries. Lou comes in behind her and she tells him Landon offered her an office next to Paul's. Lou congratulates her. Vivian says the white dress Anna wore for closing arguments was hers. Lou says she's burying the lede. Vivian admits that she cares about Anna more than she should. Anna doesn't care about Vivian at all. Vivian wonders what she does now. Lou tells her to move on to the next story. That's her job.
Vivian tries to soothe Maddy to sleep.
Anna lies awake in her cell.
People writes about Anna's sentencing. Both David, Chase, Val, Nora, and Kacy all comment on it. Rachel posts that her book will give everyone the real story.
Kacy reads an advanced copy of Rachel's book. Neff tries to take it from her to read it, but Kacy says she's not in it much and Neff can read it when it comes out. Kacy finally relents and lets Neff have the book. Neff doesn't take it. She says she's wasted enough time on all that. She's done living life through others. She's going to go inside and give her notice. Kacy calls her back and says the judge has sentenced Anna.
Todd and Vivian sit on a bench. Anna will serve four to twelve years. In twelve years, so many things will be different. Todd reminds her that's just the maximum. Anna will be forty. She won't be an Instagram star. She'll just be a lonely woman whose life was stolen from her. Todd says Vivian got more clicks and Anna got more time. Vivian turns it around and says she knows Todd's getting more clients because of this, so she's not the only one who benefited. She tells him to go to the airport and be with his family. They sit on the bench together and Todd tells Vivian Anna's going to Bedford Hills.
Vivian rides the bus to Rikers.
Anna tells Vivian she's ready for real prison with real criminal masterminds. And Bedford Hills is nice. Vivian apologizes to Anna for everything. She didn't deserve such a long sentence. Vivian blames her article. Anna says her only mistake was overestimating people's ability to handle stress. Vivian asks if she'd do it all over again the same way. This will be the last time they see each other and she's apologizing to Anna. Anna says she doesn't like Vivian. They had a deal and Vivian made good on it. She's famous. Anna reaches her hand over the barrier and Vivian takes it. The guard reminds them no touching. Anna says Vivian will come visit. Vivian says she'll come visit and the guard tells Anna her time is up. As she's led out, Anna tells Vivian she looks good and she lost some weight.
Updates play on the screen alongside pictures of the real Rachel, Kacy, Neff, Todd, and Jessica Pressler, the inspiration for Vivian.
Anna rides the bus to Bedford Hills.
Anna was released from prison on February 11, 2021. A month later, she was taken into custody by ICE for overstaying her visa.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Anna Chlumsky as Vivian Kent
- Julia Garner as Anna Delvey
- Arian Moayed as Todd Spodek
- Katie Lowes as Rachel DeLoache Williams
- Alexis Floyd as Neff Davis
- Anders Holm as Jack Mercer
- Anna Deavere Smith as Maud Lewis
- Jeff Perry as Lou Shaw
- Terry Kinney as Barry Klein
- and Laverne Cox as Kacy Duke
Guest Stars[]
- Rebecca Henderson as ADA Catherine McCaw
- Caitlin FitzGerald as Margaret Vanderburn-Porter
- Anthony Edwards as Alan Reed
- Tim Guinee as Paul Hudson
- Debra Mooney as Judge Diane Kiesel
- Armand Schultz as Landon Bloom
- Gabriel Sloyer as Gabriel Calatrava
- Kaydx as Lane
- Shannon Thornton as Natasha Lucas
Co-Starring[]
- Luca Sweeney as Brian
- Chris Cafero as David Morrison
- Kyle Beltran as Alexi
- Mary Theresa Archbold as Bailiff Donna
- Shari Abdul as Greeter
- Adrienne Rose Bengtsson as Strung Out Inmate
- Amy Argyle as Anchor
- T. Oliver Reid as Clerk
- Mechelle Lassiter as Foreperson
- Gemma McIlhenny as D.O.C. Officer
- James Lloyd Reynolds as Baxter
- T.L. Flint as Guard
Music[]
| Song | Performer | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| "I Like That" | Soolja |
|
| "Best Friend" | Saweetie feat. Doja Cat |
|
| "Fight Like a Man" | Angie Rose |
|
| "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony feat. Kid Ink |
|
| "YES!" | Kyle feat. K Camp and Rich the Kid |
|
Notes and Trivia[]
Gallery[]
Episode Stills[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Quotes[]
See Also[]
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A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here. |
| Inventing Anna | |||||
| #01 | "Life of a VIP" | #04 | "A Wolf in Chic Clothing" | #07 | "Cash on Delivery" |
| #02 | "The Devil Wore Anna" | #05 | "Check Out Time" | #08 | "Too Rich for Her Blood" |
| #03 | "Two Birds, One Throne" | #06 | "Friends in Low Places" | #09 | "Dangerously Close" |