“Dear Edward,” a new tragedy/drama series on Apple TV, is based on Ann Napolitano’s book of the same name. “Dear Edward” relates the story of a horrific plane crash in which a twelve-year-old kid named Edward Adler was the only survivor who developed PTSD following the tragic incident. This Apple TV series, which has only had three episodes aired, introduces us to the passengers on the plane in the first episode, which helps us connect with them and feel sorrow for their untimely passing in the plane crash. The series portrays many broken dreams, many unspoken words to loved ones, and the tragedies of families who have just lost everything, making it extremely emotional and heartbreaking.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happened To Edward Adler? How Did His Family Die?
The first episode opens with two young boys sitting by the sea while the waves crash on their feet. In a different scene, we observe a young child named Edward (Colin O’Brien) traveling on board a turbulent flight. We learn about Edward’s past and see what life was like for him and his older brother Jordan (Maxwell Jenkins) in New York. They both wanted to eat falafel for the last time in New York before moving to LA. Edward and Jordan were homeschooled since their parents’ thought homeschooling was the greatest way to receive an education. Jordan wasn’t on board with it, though, because he was a little bit envious of Edward because he was a better student and pianist than he was. Jordan had told his mother, Jane, that he would enroll in a public school in LA. Jordan wanted to experience freedom and didn’t want to stay forever with his brother. However, he felt guilty for not telling Eddie because he didn’t want to upset his brother.
As Edward and Jordan arrived at the airport with their parents, they learned that they would be staying in Los Angeles permanently. Edward was hesitant to leave New York and start over in Los Angeles. Jane appeared to be a scriptwriter for a film that was possibly being shot in Los Angeles, but she was also ready to begin her life in the new city. Though the reason was unclear, we can assume Jane moved there for better opportunities that she might not have had in New York. Jane, on the other hand, did not get to sit with her family on the flight because she received a first-class seat from her production house. They settled into the flight, and inside the plane, we saw many people with various professions and various ambitions heading to LA. One of them, a Ghanaian actress living in New York as a single mother, was on her way to Los Angeles for an audition. She also had a brother in Ghana who longed for her and her daughter to return home.
Charles, a wealthy businessman or a design brand owner is seen boarding the flight. His wife had gone to see their daughter, Zoe (Audrey Corsa), on her birthday, but Charles couldn’t join them. A congresswoman was also on board the plane. She had a brief argument with her granddaughter, Adriana (Anna Uzele), who appeared to be an honest aspiring politician working in her grandmother’s Washington office as her political aide for the time being. Every day, she received a slew of calls from ordinary people seeking help. Adriana met one of them, who asked her to assist her ailing brother Byron. Byron was suicidal and lacked a safe place to live. Adriana realized that it was crucial to provide Byron with a home, or he would not live much longer. She promised Byron that she would take care of it and return to the Congresswoman’s office. She met with her grandmother and persuaded her to give her permission to find a home or an asylum for Byron.
Despite the fact that the Congresswoman had agreed to call and arrange the settlement, Adriana learned that Byron had already committed suicide. Adriana chose to leave politics and her job at the Congresswoman’s office after hearing the news. Adriana’s grandmother accepted her resignation but advised her not to give up on herself because she believed Adriana was a woman with great potential who had the ability to make wise decisions with her honesty and intelligence. But Byron’s death had broken Adriana, and she started feeling like she couldn’t do anything for him. So, she decided to take a break.
A couple named Lacey and John are introduced to us. Jane’s sister, Lacey, had a rather strained relationship with Jane. Three miscarriages left Lacey with little choice but to adopt a child, something she firmly opposed. Lacey was adamant about wanting to be a biological mother, but her husband tried to persuade her that attempting to conceive biologically would be bad for her health. Lacey was irritated when her husband asked her to speak with Jane because she thought he and her sister might be conspiring against her.
The airplane encountered a turbulent patch as it was traveling to Los Angeles. Jordan informed Edward about his intention to enroll in a public school, which enraged Edward in the interim. He unbuckled his seatbelt and walked to his mother’s seat in first class to speak with her. Edward was shocked to learn that his mother was also aware of it. But Edward had to return to his seat as the turbulence grew worse. The plane crashed into a field after appearing to lose control. After receiving the notification, the rescue officer went to the scene. There was no chance that anyone was still alive because the plane had been broken up into pieces. Edward, however, was gravely hurt yet miraculously still alive. He was found pressed under a wrecked metal beam, mumbling, “I’m right here.” Following the plane disaster, news of it was telecasted, and the families of the passengers got to know about it. The news broke them down, as they were never going to meet their loved ones again. Before the plane crashed, we saw Jane text her sister Lacey that she loved her, implying that they cared for each other no matter how complicated their relationship was.
After the catastrophe, Edward showed signs of distress from seeing his family members die in front of him. The information that his brother would be admitted to a public school broke his heart. He didn’t want to be apart from his brother, but by this point, his entire family had passed away; therefore, it is understandable how traumatized he would have felt immediately following the crash. But given that he was still alive and saved by the rescue team, it seems to be the reason that he would be transferred to his aunt Lacey’s home since, as far as we can tell, he had nowhere else to go. See what future episodes have to say about it.
