Disclaimer (2024) Season Recap & Ending Explained: Why did Catherine want Jonathan to die?

Apple TV+’s new psychological thriller, Disclaimer, takes its audience into a tense, layered world where truth and deception blur between personal histories and manipulative narratives. Written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, the series stars Cate Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a journalist whose life is upended by a mysterious novel that seems to mirror a traumatic chapter from her own past. As she faces accusations, estranged family bonds, and the resurgence of buried secrets, Disclaimer delves deeply into the complex web of relationships—between husband and wife, parent and child, victim and accuser. With a cast featuring Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Lesley Manville, the show explores how storytelling can be wielded as a weapon, reframing personal history with a hauntingly distorted lens.

In this article, we will explore the twists and turns of Disclaimer (2024), uncover the truth about Catherine’s horrifying dark secrets, and determine whether she was indeed responsible for Jonathan’s death as mentioned in the book, The Perfect Stranger. Please be warned that this article contains spoilers.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 1 “I” Recap:

Why does Stephen Brigstocke want to ruin Catherine Ravenscroft?

In the first episode of Disclaimer, we meet three interconnected characters across timelines, revealing the tension between past secrets and present-day lives. In the past, British teen Jonathan (Louis Partridge) goes on a reckless European adventure with his girlfriend Sasha (Liv Hill). However, their exploration ends abruptly when a family emergency forces her to return home, leaving Jonathan to roam Europe alone.

In the present, award-winning TV documentarian Catherine Ravenscroft (Cate Blanchett) receives a mysterious book titled The Perfect Stranger, which claims to tell a true story that closely mirrors her own past. As she reads, memories resurface—of a past affair and a death on a beach—which drive her to destroy the copy of the book in a frenzy. Her husband, Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen), believes her strange behavior stems from anxiety over her complex relationship with their estranged son, Nicholas aka Nick (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

In a separate storyline, Stephen Brigstocke (Kevin Kline), a retired teacher, discovers his late wife Nancy’s (Lesley Manville) writings about Jonathan’s tragic past. Believing Catherine is responsible for his son’s death, he publishes the book under his name with a friend’s help, distributing it across town in hopes of ruining Catherine’s life.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 2 “II” Recap:

What happens between Catherine and Robert?

In Episode 2 of Disclaimer, tension mounts as Catherine’s past begins to unravel. We see Jonathan becoming enamored with a beautiful woman—young Catherine (Leila George)—at the beach with her son. Smitten by her beauty, Jonathan quickly snaps a photo, which she notices, sparking an awkward but flattering exchange.

In the present, Catherine, still reeling from her recent encounter with their college-going son Nicholas, resolves to restore balance in her family. She nearly confides her troubles to her husband, Robert, but refrains, knowing she’s the true protector of the family. Stephen, intent on disrupting Catherine’s life, approaches Nicholas at work under the guise of shopping and leaves behind an envelope addressed to him. Later, Stephen drops off incriminating photos of Catherine with Jonathan at Robert’s office, casting doubt on her past loyalty. Disturbed and conflicted, Robert sees a side of Catherine he never knew—one that stirs a complex mix of anxiety and attraction.

Meanwhile, we learn Catherine has met a very ill Nancy, who has cancer and wants to see Nick, believing he owes his life to Jonathan, though Catherine is reluctant. As Catherine tries to shield her family from this downward spiral, Robert discovers Nicholas’ disheveled apartment and blames Catherine’s influence. In a tense confrontation that night, Robert confronts Catherine with the photos, questioning her loyalty and being shocked by her evasions. Catherine’s admission of Jonathan’s death as the reason for her secrecy shatters Robert’s trust, leaving him no choice but to walk away, his faith in her irrevocably damaged.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 3 “III” Recap:

What does Nancy find in Jonathan’s hotel room?

There is no way to fully understand the angst, anger, and confusion of someone enduring indefinite emotional turmoil. The fallout from Robert’s discovery of Catherine’s affair is palpable as we see him driving away. He ignores Catherine’s desperate calls and drinks heavily to numb his hurt. He spends the night in his car, waking to a flood of messages from Catherine. Unable to drive, he heads to work by bus, reflecting on the strangers around him and questioning the life he once thought he knew.

Robert skips the office, retreating instead to a small café where he reads The Perfect Stranger—the book detailing graphic accounts of what had happened in Italy when his wife decided to betray him. Through flashbacks, we see Jonathan meeting Catherine at a hotel, where she seduces him. Unfazed by his relationship, she gives him her room key, inviting him to join her. Despite young Nicholas calling out during the night, she chooses to stay with Jonathan, deepening their passionate affair.

Back in the present, Catherine is desperate to protect Nick from Stephen’s manipulations after discovering that he has read the book. She calls Stephen, praising the power of his writing, though he interprets her words as a threat. Her lack of apology only hardens his resolve to expose her to the world.

We flashback to Stephen and Nancy learning of Jonathan’s death. The grieving parents travel to Italy, where they identify Jonathan’s body, noticing his face isn’t swollen and a strange puncture wound on his arm. Nancy devastated and confused by everything that has destroyed her family, decides to check Jonathan’s room, where she finds film reels that she hid from Stephen. The couple then visits the exact spot where Jonathan died, and Nancy learns about Catherine, raging when she discovers that the woman has left for London. The episode ends as they stand in the waves, mourning and the role of Catherine in their only son’s life and death.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 4 “IV” Recap:

Why does Robert kick Cathrine out of their lives?

The episode opens with a flashback of Catherine and Jonathan after their affair, where Jonathan takes intimate photos of her, hinting at his growing attachment. In the present, Robert reads this in The Perfect Stranger and finds himself both aroused and repelled by Catherine’s unapologetic nature. He heads to work distracted, plagued by visions of her affair, and his jealousy intensifies as he wonders if Nicholas may have been aware of her actions.

Meanwhile, Catherine struggles with Robert’s continued silence, becoming increasingly unstable at work. She heads to a bookstore seeking distraction but is confronted by The Perfect Stranger on display, forcing her to run away. On Stephen’s end, we see Nancy’s emotional turmoil over Jonathan’s death, including a harrowing flashback to her suicide attempt. Pulled from the brink by Stephen, she mourns Jonathan and hints at unresolved grief. Nancy later finds photos revealing Jonathan’s love for her, contrasting it with Catherine, who had left young Nicholas unattended to pursue Jonathan.

Sacha Baron Cohen as Robert Ravenscroft (2024, ‘Present Day’) in “Disclaimer,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

In another flashback, Jonathan tragically drowns while rescuing Nicholas, as Catherine callously ignores his silent pleas for help. Grieving, Nancy later succumbs to terminal cancer, leaving Stephen isolated. Now, fueled by bitterness, he devises a new scheme to entrap Catherine, posing as a teenage boy online. At home, the tension between Catherine and Robert escalates as he coldly prepares a taxi and suitcase, signaling that Catherine is no longer welcome in their life.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 5 “V” Recap:

What happens to Nicholas?

With nowhere else to go, Catherine resorts to her mother’s house, hoping for solace. However, her mother’s worsening dementia underscores Catherine’s isolation. Catherine unburdens her pain by talking about the latest events of her life to her mother while she sleeps, even though she knows she won’t be understood.

Meanwhile, Nicholas’s dark descent becomes evident as he secretly uses heroin, explaining his erratic behavior and messy living conditions. Stephen, intent on dismantling Catherine’s life, reaches out to her assistant, Jisoo. Feigning concern, he subtly accuses Catherine of harassment and hints at her darker secrets. His manipulation intensifies as he connects with Nicholas through a fake Instagram account, exploiting Nicholas’s vulnerability by sending delayed messages to increase his desperation.

At work, Catherine’s credibility is undermined thanks to Stephen’s poisonous influence on Jisoo. Colleagues confront her about her dishonesty, with accusations based on the book’s content and the author’s allegations, escalating the tension until Catherine, pushed to her limits, hits Simon in front of the office, further tarnishing her image. Amid her spiraling reputation, Stephen intensifies his psychological game with Nicholas, sending cryptic messages and haunting images of Catherine and Jonathan.

Catherine’s final attempt to confront Stephen is ignored, and he meets with Robert, successfully turning him against her. With his relationships crumbling, Nicholas feels trapped and rejected, sinking further into heroin addiction. In a moment of anguish, he attempts to call Catherine but can’t bring himself to speak, instead drowning his pain alone, feeling abandoned by those he needs most.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 6 “VI” Recap:

Why does Stephen want to kill Nicholas?

The episode dives into further chaos for Catherine and Robert when they learn that Nicholas has been rushed to the hospital following a heroin overdose. Catherine, shaken from a distressing call with Nicholas, initially believes he’s upset because he’s learned about her past with Jonathan. Upon arriving at the hospital, the Ravenscrofts are informed that Nicholas has suffered a stroke, leaving him neurologically impaired. This medical crisis drives Catherine and Robert into a desperate struggle to understand and help Nicholas while questioning their family’s shattered dynamic.

Meanwhile, Stephen’s vendetta against Catherine continues. Through flashbacks, we see him obsessively erasing his digital fingerprints, even deleting Jonathan’s Instagram account to cover his tracks. He also obtains Nicholas’s hospital location, revealing his fixation on “punishing” Catherine through Nicholas. These scenes are interspersed with more of Catherine’s memories of her past relationship with Jonathan, who left a lasting, troubling impact on her.

Stephen’s obsession reaches a new level as he considers injecting Nicholas with a drain unblocker under the guise of a hospital visit. Preparing for this dark deed, he puts on Nicholas’s deodorant and practices different accents to sound like Nicholas’s grandfather. However, his intentions are thwarted when Catherine intervenes, pushing him away from her son. In the scuffle, Stephen is hit in the head, while Catherine is removed by hospital security. This also gives Stephen the upper hand again, as Robert, embarrassed by Catherine’s behavior, apologizes to Stephen and requests another visit for him to see his son.

In a brief flashback, we see that after their trip to Italy, Nancy called Sasha’s mother to convey the news of Jonathan’s death, leaving the truth behind the young couple’s abrupt return unresolved. Back in the present, Stephen finds Catherine in his backyard, clutching a kitchen knife and demanding that her story be heard. When Stephen reacts, Catherine slaps him in frustration, her anger over his manipulation finally erupting. The episode ends with Catherine insisting on taking control of her narrative, signifying her determination to expose the truth, just as Stephen’s twisted “balancing act” edges closer to a dark resolution.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 7 “VII” Recap:

Is Catherine responsible for Jonathan’s death?

The final chapter (episode) of Disclaimer descends into the long-awaited truth for our protagonist as she battles her way through Stephen’s festering lies and deceit to finally tell her side of the story. Throughout the series, we’ve heard the voice of the author of The Perfect Stranger, a grieving mother, and remarkable storyteller; the voice of Stephen, deprived of his wife and son’s love, attention, and understanding of the unique bond they shared; the voice of an angsty, confused child who was never understood by his parents; the voice of a betrayed husband who, in his worst nightmares, never imagined his devoted wife would ruin him; and the voice of our protagonist, bridging past and present as she shares her anxieties, confusions, worries, and sadness—feelings that never found the right ears to be acknowledged.

Catherine’s voice in the final episode is crucial as she demands Stephen, for once, to shut up and listen to her side, given that he’s already had enough chances to ruin her life and her family’s. During their trip to Italy, young Catherine had hoped it would be a chance for the family to reconnect. However, when Robert chooses to prioritize his work and leaves them behind, Catherine puts on a brave face and tries to make the best of it for their son, Nicholas. She spent the day at the beach, fully enjoying her time with him, feeling proud of herself as a mother who didn’t dwell on her husband’s abandonment. Later, returning to the hotel room, she was happy, feeling she had done her best. But when Nicholas fell asleep, she headed to the bar, hoping to end the day with a glass of wine. There, she noticed Jonathan watching her, just as he had done earlier at the beach—an unusual occurrence for a woman her age.

Catherine heads to her room with only a casual smile back at Jonathan. However, she soon finds Jonathan letting himself inside, realizing she had mistakenly left the room key in the door. In a woman’s worst nightmare come to life, Catherine finds herself trapped as Jonathan, heavily intoxicated, rapes her. He demands that she pose for photographs, threatening to harm both her and Nicholas, who is asleep in the next room, if she doesn’t comply. For hours, Catherine endures the heinous acts Jonathan demands until, finally satisfied, he decides to leave her alone.

The following morning, shattered and in shock, Catherine takes Nicholas to the beach at his request, eventually falling asleep as he plays by himself. When she wakes, she sees Nicholas being swept away by high tide, deep in the sea. Paralyzed by her fear of water, she screams for help, and the next thing she sees is Jonathan swimming out to rescue her child. More people follow, and as Nicholas is saved, the crowd focuses on attending to the boy and his mother. Amidst the commotion, Jonathan is left behind, drowning as his cries for help go unheard, ignored in the chaos of the rescue. His body is later brought in by guards on the shore. Visibly disturbed, Catherine takes her son and leaves for London the very next day.

Disclaimer (2024) Episode 7 “VII” Ending Explained:

Why did Catherine want Jonathan to die?

Stephen, who has been listening closely to Catherine, dismisses her claims and retaliates, stating that he doesn’t believe a word she’s said. However, Catherine responds that she took pictures of her bruises and has enough evidence to prove her innocence, having prepared herself in case she was ever called in for questioning. She even reveals that she became pregnant but, uncertain whether the child was her husband’s or Jonathan’s, chose to have an abortion. Catherine confesses that, although Nicholas owes his life to Jonathan, nothing can change what Jonathan did to her, especially with her child present in the same environment.

Stephen, however, had drugged Catherine’s tea with sleeping pills right before she sat him down, causing her to collapse into a heavily sedated state. This allows Stephen to continue with his twisted agenda of killing Nicholas to fulfill his notion of “blood for blood.” But at the hospital, when he learns that Nicholas has regained consciousness and hears him helplessly pleading, thinking of his mother, and asking to be taken home, Stephen breaks down, realizing the grave sin he has committed out of blind vengeance, never once questioning his actions.

Meanwhile, Catherine wakes up and rushes to the hospital, frantically texting Robert to keep Stephen away from Nicholas. However, Robert ignores her messages. At the hospital, when Catherine sees Stephen coming out of the ICU, she breaks down, believing he has taken her son from her. But Robert immediately comforts her, realizing at last that he was wrong about his wife all along and that it was Stephen who had been poisoning him and his family with his vendettas.

How does Catherine’s life change after the big reveal?

As Nicholas regains consciousness and the family begins to return to a sense of normalcy, we see Catherine and Robert having a heart-to-heart conversation. While Catherine feels relief that Stephen is finally out of her family’s life, she also finds Robert apologetic for his behavior. However, it becomes clear that he is more relieved that his wife didn’t cheat on him than devastated by the fact that she was raped by a stranger. This realization strikes Catherine as another harsh blow, prompting her to decide not to forgive Robert and to part ways with him. She finds a new rhythm with her son, who is also grappling with another chance at life and a haunting memory he can’t fully remember—an event that caused his mother unfathomable pain.

The final episode of Disclaimer ends with Stephen in his backyard, burning all the remnants that connected him to his deceased wife and son. Among these are the first draft of The Perfect Stranger, his published books, the photos he uncovered, and his wife’s favorite sweater, which he had worn for comfort. As he watches the items burn, one picture catches his eye. Pulling it from the flames, he examines it closely and realizes, to his horror, that young Nicholas had, in fact, been awake on the night Jonathan shattered their lives. The boy had witnessed everything that transpired between his mother and Jonathan, which may explain the deep sadness and void he felt as he grew up, ultimately leading to his strained relationship with his mother.

Disclaimer (2024) Trailer:

Disclaimer (2024) Links: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Wikipedia, Letterboxd
Disclaimer (2024) Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Lesley Manville, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Louis Partridge, Leila George, HoYeon, Indira Varma
Disclaimer (2024) Genre: Mystery & Thriller/Drama