HBO’s miniseries, Scenes From A Marriage, focuses on the breakdown of a marriage between Jonathan and Mira, played by Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain respectively. An adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s Swedish miniseries from the 1970s, the remake follows Jonathan and Mira as they both come to terms with their failing relationship.
At just five episodes long, the series follows the pair closely as they navigate the plains of their rocky marriage, and had a particularly ambiguous ending that saw them both back in their old house and seemingly rekindling their romance. However, where the series delved deep into their personal lives, there are many questions that never get their resolution.
Where is Mira Working Now?
The episode “Illiterates” sees Mira reluctantly admit to Jonathan that she has been fired from her job, partly due to the fact that she wasn’t able to relocate to London. However, by the following episode Mira apparently has a new job, yet it isn’t clarified where. Considering that, as mentioned in the first episode “Innocence and Panic”, Mira was the primary “bread-winner” of her and Jonathan’s household and thus, was concluded that she earned a lot of money.
Therefore, for Mira to get another job in her industry after having been fired is something that could have been addressed, particularly in tandem with how her previous job affected her relationship with Jonathan, and took her away from her daughter Ava, so much.
When Was Jonathan’s Son Born?
In a shocking twist, the final episode finds Jonathan quietly answering his phone and saying hello to not only his new wife, but his son too. However, it is not long before it is revealed that Mira is aware of this, and it just happy to have Jonathan there, back in their old house together.
Whilst it is assumed that a large amount of time has gone by since the previous episode (“The Illiterates”), it isn’t clarified how much. This leaves fans wondering how Jonathan had time to find a new partner, fall in love, get married and then have a child. Also, considering how he is now secretly back with Mira, there must have been enough time for him to realize he wasn’t happy in his marriage too.
Do They Have Joint Custody Of Ava?
Whilst Ava rarely appears throughout the show, much of Mira and Jonathan’s conversations focus on their daughter, and how best to care for her as they navigate their divorce. From the beginning of the series, it is stated that, because Mira travels so much for work, Jonathan is the primary care-giver of Ava, and works from home to look after her.
As the series develops, and Mira and Jonathan’s relationship disintegrates, it is assumed that both parents share their time with Ava. Yet, it isn’t clarified to what degree they share their custody, or if it is a formality. Considering the last episode, “In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World”, indicates that Ava is much older now, it seems confusing that their isn’t any real clarification of how Mira and Jonathan managed the situation, especially in Ava’s younger years.
How Have Jonathan’s Morals Changed So Much?
In one of most devastating scenes of the HBO series, it is revealed in the episode “Poli” that Mira is leaving Jonathan for another man, and the effect it has on Jonathan as he realizes what’s happening is truly heartbreaking to watch. Yet, “In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World” sees him committing the same acts that devastated him in earlier in the series.
Whilst sitting with Mira, Jonathan confides that he isn’t happy with his new wife, and that this isn’t the first time he has committed adultery in his marriage. Considering how much pain he went through when finding out that Mira was cheating on him with Poli, it feels out of character that he would risk hurting someone else in the same manner he was hurt, having already gone through it and knowing the consequence.
Where Are Their Friends Now?
The very first episode, “Innocence and Panic”, introduced not only Mira and Jonathan, but their two friends Kate and Peter, another married couple. After a tense argument over the dinner table, it is revealed that the couple are attempting an open relationship, partly to resolve the fact that Peter had cheated before. Their relationship acts as a harsh contrast of an unhappy marriage, to Mira and Jonathan’s seemingly happy one.
However, this is the only time the couple actually appear in the show; Jonathan calls Peter in the episode “Poli”, to ask him whether he knew that Mira was leaving him. After this emotional confrontation, neither Mira or Peter discuss their friends again, leaving fans wondering if they are still even friends, and what happened to them.
How Many Years Have Passed?
Throughout the whole series, there are many jumps in the timeline that are casually acknowledged but are rarely at the forefront of the narrative, which is perhaps in keeping with the ambiguity of Mira and Jonathan’s relationship. Whilst Bergman’s original series spans eleven years, this adaptation doesn’t cover as much ground. Some of the timeline jumps are confusing, as audiences are left not knowing how much time has passed since various events.
This is especially true in the jump between the episodes “The Vale of Tears” and “The Illiterates” – the former episode ended with Mira asking Jonathan to move to London with her, so that she could keep her job and still see her daughter. The following episode shows the pair dividing their assets, leaving their house and finalizing their divorce, with Mira admitting to losing her job because she’s didn’t relocate, and the series finale hints to the fact that their daughter is now far older than she was when last seen. Whilst the timeline is sometimes clarified, there are some occasions where it would have been useful for fans to have more.
What’s Next For Jonathan And Mira?
Possibly the biggest question left unanswered in the last episode, “In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World”, is the status of Jonathan and Mira’s relationship. Having visited the house they once owned (which is now an AirBnB), the pair find themselves slipping back into familiar habits, and sleeping together.
Whilst Jonathan has clarified that he’s unhappy in his new marriage, Mira has convinced herself that she is happy alone, though it is an empty statement that Chastain phenomenally acts with according heartbreak. The episode ends with the two of them reflecting upon their relationship, and embracing one another, but doesn’t clarify where they’ll go next. Whether they’ll get back together, or continue to have an affair is completely ambiguous to the audience and leaves the whole series on a vague, and frustratingly inconclusive, cliff hanger.
