White House Plumbers (HBO Miniseries) Episode 4: Recap & Ending, Explained – What does Dorothy tell Howard before taking her flight?

White House Plumbers (HBO Miniseries) Episode 4: In Episode 4 of “White House Plumbers,” a lot of things take place simultaneously, leaving its audience frustrated at how these characters approach their newest problems. The aftermath of the Watergate arrests leaves Hunt in a state of panic. Desperate to eliminate any incriminating evidence, he turns to Saint John for assistance.

Meanwhile, Liddy grows increasingly concerned about the potential connection between the burglaries and the President, prompting him to issue a warning to the Attorney General. As tensions rise, Dorothy finds herself compelled to take charge in order to safeguard her family and the Liddy household.

*Spoiler Alert*

White House Plumbers (HBO Miniseries) Episode 4 Recap:

“The Writer’s Wife”

The latest episode begins with a panic-stricken Hunt waking up his son, St. John, from sleep in the middle of the night and asking if he can trust him. His son is scared to see his father in this state and questions him about his whereabouts. He later learns that his father is a spy, and he fucked up “pretty bad this time.” On the other hand, Liddy reaches home and very casually drops the news to his wife that he will most likely go to prison.

Agreeing to help his distressed dad, the father, and son duo drive to a bridge with all the evidence Howard had at the time. Before throwing it off in the river, his son is tasked with wiping off the fingerprints on the evidence. When John asks why he wants to get rid of the typewriter, Hunt tells him that the less he knows, the better it will be for them.

After successfully disposing of the evidence, Howard and his son return home. Howard feels relieved to be on the safe side. However, his relief is short-lived when he receives an unexpected call from the Washington Post. A journalist named Bob Woodward questions Howard about why his name is connected to the envelope found with one of the Watergate burglars. Howard suddenly realizes that the police and the press must have learned about his involvement. He hides inside the emergency bomb shelter in his house, telling his children to avoid the calls on the landline phone.

Meanwhile, Gordon contacts Richard Kleindienst, the acting Attorney General, to inform him about the potential connection between the Watergate burglars and President Nixon. He shares the crucial information, highlighting that Jim McCord, one of the burglars, also served as the head of security for the committee to reelect the president. The gravity of the situation becomes even more apparent when, at the police station, McCord’s true identity is easily recognized due to his impressive resume. With the scandalous events making headlines, Liddy’s concern shifts from his fate to the potential consequences for President Nixon.

Fearing that the serial numbers on the currency notes might be traced back to the money provided by the committee, Liddy shreds all the funds that were financed to him and Howard. Additionally, he destroys the soap he took from the Watergate Hotel, hoping to eliminate any potential evidence connecting them to the break-in.

However, his efforts to cover their tracks prove to be insufficient. The authorities soon discover that Liddy and Hunt had booked a hotel near the Watergate compound before the break-in. With the FBI and the press on their trail, they try to reach out to the two ‘masterminds.’

Liddy and Howard meet at Howard’s place, and as Liddy explains his efforts to cover up their tracks, Howard becomes increasingly agitated. The revelation of Liddy’s attempts to clean up the situation makes Howard panic. Their differences in opinion on handling the mounting chaos around them become apparent, causing tension between them.

Meanwhile, Dorothy, currently in Paris, discovers the news of her husband’s failed mission through a newspaper article. Overwhelmed with concern, she calls her husband, but the instructions to the children not to answer any calls prevent her from reaching him. Next, we see her fly down with her two children back home and is left stunned to see the press hounding their entire front yard. An FBI officer reaches out to her and shares his business card in case she can get through to her husband.

As Gordon meets John Dean, he expresses his patriotic sentiments towards Nixon and confesses that he is willing to sacrifice his life, even if it means being shot by a sniper appointed by the CIA. Dean can’t help but laugh it off, recognizing that such an extreme action would only escalate more chaos surrounding them. Meanwhile, Liddy remains persistent in his attempts to conceal any connections with the committee in order to protect them.

At Hunt’s place, Dorothy discusses with her husband, trying to understand the gravity of the situation and the extent of his involvement. As she listens to him speak, she emphasizes the potential consequences they will face and advises him to ‘lawyer up before they get fucked’. Next, we see Howard meeting with a defense lawyer – William Bittman, who explains to him in detail the complexities of his situation, emphasizing the multiple felonies he committed simultaneously.

Howard tells the lawyer that his endgame is not to go to jail. He also shares that Liddy is meeting with Fred LaRue, the president’s lawyer, to discuss clemency for their actions. Meanwhile, Dorothy is impatient and asks about the deal her husband could secure. The lawyer tells him a simple thing – to come clean. However, Howard doesn’t want to name anyone, and Dorothy loses her patience. She then suggests the lawyer tell the people in the white house that loyalty works both ways and she is not ready for her husband to take the fall all by himself.

Dorothy and Howard set a meeting with their lawyer, William, at their home. William addresses their concerns and reveals an important piece of information. He informs them that a substantial sum will cover his legal fees—the White House has decided to provide them with $250,000 in cash. This revelation brings both relief and curiosity to Dorothy and Howard as they consider the implications of accepting such financial assistance.

However, William informs Dorothy that someone named Mr. Rivers wishes to speak with her. The mention of this unfamiliar individual raises Dorothy’s interest. Next, we see the ‘Hunts’ waiting by a secure phone line for Mr. Rivers’s call. Dorothy takes the call and learns that her husband’s loyalty to the country is appreciated. While the Whitehouse would look after the Cubans, Liddy would be on his own. Dorothy tells him that 250000 dollars are appreciated; however, they need more to cut the deal.

Right after the phone call, Dorothy shares that Gordon would be left on his own. However, Howard’s ‘kind heart’ thinks about his partner and tells his wife he will take care of him from their share. In the following scenes, we see Dorothy taking control of her husband’s ordeal as she collects money from the White House from different secret locations and shares one-half of it with Gordan for his family’s wellbeing. While managing their account, and due to the elections almost around the corner, the government decreases the amount they had been sending, and the ‘Hunts’ one day gather that they are slowly falling short of money.

It makes Dorothy take the matter into her hand, where she tries to convince Howard to come clean, and she uses the idea of Howard’s writings as a means to publish the book that would bring out the true story behind the scandalous Watergate story.

Howard agrees with his wife’s idea as the book could get a significant profit and help them improve their image in the public eye. The two then pitch the idea to Gordon; however, he disagrees with them. Dorothy then shares that the government he is ready to sacrifice for has not even paid anything to help him, and the money he has been getting is from their share. Gordan’s ego gets crushed, and he decides never to talk to Howard again.

White House Plumbers (HBO Miniseries) Episode 4 Ending, Explained:

What does Dorothy tell Howard before taking her flight? What happens to her in the end?

While the Hunts undergo a lifestyle downgrade due to legal expenses, their marriage also crumbles. The election results declare Richard Nixon has been reelected as the president. In the meantime, Dorothy is enraged as she had predicted their downfall because of the covert operation if Nixon wins. While driving her to the airport for the flight to collect the government money, Dorothy tells Howard she wants a divorce. Howard is in a state of disbelief, but she tells him that Saint John told her how Howard involved their son while clearing the evidence, and this disgusts her to be with a man who would do such a thing.

In the next scene, we see Dorothy boarding the flight. While settling for her seat, a CBS news journalist, Michelle Clark, approaches her and thanks her for agreeing to meet her. During the entire course of their flight to Chicago, the two women discuss the happening after the scandalous event. When the journalist asks her why she decided to come clean now, Dorothy tells her that it is for her children and that she doesn’t want people to look down on her children due to what happened. Michelle then asks about her husband’s involvement with the JFK rumors; however, before she can divulge the minute details, the flight crashes.

Back at home, Howard keeps getting phone calls (to inform him about the accident); however, he ignores the ringing assuming the press might just be calling to talk about the Watergate scandal. The episode ends on that note.

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White House Plumbers (HBO Miniseries) Episode 4 Links – IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes
White House Plumbers (HBO Miniseries) Episode 4 Cast – Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Lena Headey, Judy Greer, Domhall Gleeson

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