Betty Broderick (Amanda Peet) is being released from jail as USA Network’s Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story episode six begins. She notices a brochure for Help Abolish Legal Tyranny (HALT) and grabs one as she’s gathering her possessions.
Sid Montgomery introduces himself as a feature reporter for the San Diego Register as she’s leaving jail. He’s interested in her case, calling her divorce the worst one he’s seen in this county. He wonders if she’d like to speak on the record and offers her his business card in case she wants to shed some daylight on Dan’s treatment and influence in the legal community.
Betty meets her lunch buddies and shows them Dan and Linda’s engagement announcement in the paper. Someone cut it out and mailed it to her home with the words “Eat Your Heart Out Bitch!” written over it in red ink. The ladies find it difficult to believe Linda would stoop so low. Linda’s anger is usually passive, but Betty wonders who would have done it if it wasn’t Linda.
They change the subject and ask about Betty’s time in jail. She claims to have made a lot of new friends. Deciding that’s an unwise subject to broach, they talk about the upcoming graduation ceremonies. Asking if Betty’s going to attend brings Linda into the conversation once again. Betty warns if Linda shows up, she’ll know for sure Dan’s lost his mind.
Back at home, Betty’s served with another set of papers informing her of the date of her property settlement hearing. She rings up Sid and declares she’s decided to tell her side of the story before the hearing.
Betty continues to write in her diary. She pours her heart out and reveals she hopes Dan will actually say something nice to her at their oldest daughter’s graduation ceremony. “He’ll be nice to me today,” she writes, attempting to convince herself.
Betty shows up and unfortunately so does Linda (Rachel Keller). After the ceremony, Linda sidetracks Tracy (Lily Donoghue) with a hug which prevents Betty from having that honor. Betty does get a chance to speak with Tracy a short while later, but she’s so obsessed with Linda’s presence that she ruins their one-on-one moment. She also ruins her daughter’s enjoyment of her big day.
Betty’s losing her grip on reality and stalks Linda and Dan (Christian Slater) around the reception snapping photos.
Later, Dan and Linda ask Tracy what Betty said about them. Tracy doesn’t go into great detail but does say her mom thought Linda was tacky-looking and asked for her wedding china back. Tracy describes Betty talking about the wedding china a lot but never mentioning the engagement.
Dan and Linda don’t remember Betty ever asking for the china before, and Dan’s not sure where it is. Linda wonders why Betty wants it now and Dan thinks if they give it to her, it might buy them some peace.
Linda wants to install an alarm system but Dan’s against it. He doesn’t want Betty to think she’s influenced their lives.
Betty attends her first HALT meeting and she’s instantly recognized by the group’s leader. The woman asks if Betty would be willing to speak to the group and Betty indicates she would.
Betty gives a brief rundown of her story, finding the sympathetic audience the perfect venue to release some pent-up tension.
The leader becomes a close friend and confidante of Betty’s, and Betty confesses she’s now decided to represent herself in court. After all, no one knows their history better than she does. Betty’s new friend explains why the date of separation is so important to the financial settlement and, when asked, Betty agrees to allow her to help with preparing for the hearing.
The date of the hearing arrives and after seeing the press in the audience, Dan’s attorney requests the hearing be closed. He cites Dan’s children’s welfare as the reason to exclude the media. Betty states she’d like it open since it’s a public proceeding and she has nothing to hide.
The judge warns Betty that by arguing for an open proceeding, it could adversely affect her custody position. She chooses her children over the public. Score another win for Dan.
The hearing doesn’t go well for Betty as Dan’s able to dodge any probing questions. He claims to need any money he receives from his property to help pay for his children’s education.
Betty questions Dan under oath but due to her lack of knowledge of the law, she fails to get Dan to admit what she needs him to in order to show he manipulated her throughout these proceedings. She also fails to get him to put into the record how integral a part she played in supporting them throughout their early lean years.
Betty shows records of Dan withdrawing money from their joint accounts just days prior to what he declared was their official date of separation. He’s forced to admit he failed to report certain assets.
Smarmy Dan uses his legal abilities to weave a story about when they became officially separated and what he should owe Betty. Betty’s unable to elicit the points she needs to make because Dan’s holier-than-thou attitude riles her up too much.
On the stand Dan declares Betty just wants to destroy him. He claims she won’t be happy until she does. He also lies under oath and says Linda didn’t have anything to do with the end of their marriage.
Betty also loses on the publicity front when the article comes out and nothing she discussed in her interview with Sid is included in the piece. Instead, it’s just basically about the hearing being closed. Sid admits Dan threatened to sue him.
Even with everything tilting toward Dan and against her, Betty seems optimistic about her future when she meets Marie (Emily Bergl) for lunch. She’s proud to reveal she’s been hired as a teaching assistant at a pre-school. Marie is forced to inform Betty her lawyer told her Betty’s courtroom was sealed because she’s a child molester!
Betty can’t catch a break.
Betty calls her mom and begs her to fly out and be in attendance when the judge renders his verdict. Her mom refuses, even though Betty’s obviously emotionally beat down and needs help. Her parents don’t want to be a part of this – even if she winds up winning.
The judge sides with Dan on everything. He decides Betty owes Dan $787,063 and after that deduction, she’s awarded a $28,000 lump sum payment. Dan retains sole custody of the children and Betty can visit them on alternating holidays and weekends. He awards Betty $16,000 in monthly support.
Betty’s barely holding it together as the judge delivers his decision. Meanwhile, Dan’s smiling broadly at his win. And with the hearing now over, Betty’s left in the courtroom all alone.
Days later, Betty glances through the photos she took at the graduation ceremony. Photos of Linda seem to infuriate her.
Dan, Linda, and their friends go out to dinner and when Dan steps away from the table, Betty’s friend asks Linda if she ever came across Betty’s china. Linda admits she’s seen it and the friend asks if Linda could give it back as a sort of olive branch.
Linda won’t give it back and instead seems to settle on the idea of breaking it. After all, that’s what Betty would do if she was in possession of Linda’s china.
Betty heads to a store and buys a gun. She tells the salesman she was a marksman back in school. A voiceover by Betty reveals she believes men can do whatever is necessary to defend themselves while women are supposed to just retire to a corner and take it.
The episode ends with Betty filling out paperwork for a gun permit.
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 1 Recap and Review
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 2 “The Turtle and the Alligator” Recap
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 3 “Marriage Encounter” Recap
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 4 “More To It Than Fun” Recap
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 5 “Scream Therapy” Recap
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 7 “The Shillelagh” Recap
- Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Episode 8 “Perception is Reality” Recap
