The fifth episode of The Baldwins focuses more on family life as summer nears its end and the kids prepare for school. Alec’s first daughter, Ireland, makes her first appearance.
In many ways, this episode continues from the last: Alec is at his large East Hampton home with his seven kids and wife, Hilaria. One of the kids has a meltdown, but Alec is okay with it. He’d rather have a meltdown than have the kids bottle up their feelings.
The next scene takes place during dinner, where two of Alec’s friends from the movie business are invited over. Hilaria is pleased with the dinner, saying it’s “nice” to see Alec with friends, especially after the shooting incident of 2021.
During dinner, the conversation turns to how Alec and Hilaria first met, accompanied by romantic music in the background. Hilaria adds to the conversation, saying, “It was a chance meeting. Everyone has it in their lives. It’s fascinating.” Alec admits that he didn’t kiss Hilaria until one month after meeting her, and Hilaria talks about her past relationship with a Broadway performer. The tone, focusing on the couple’s 12-year relationship, is light-hearted and somewhat wholesome.
Meanwhile, summer is nearly over for the Baldwin children, which means getting ready for school. One such back-to-school task is taking the seven kids to the dentist.
If the prospect of bringing seven young kids to a dentist appointment isn’t chaotic enough, there’s a balloon artist there for entertainment purposes. Hilaria describes going to the dentist as “a lot” and “crazy.”
Back at East Hampton, Alec is at home, cleaning and organising the house from top to bottom. Comedian Caroline Rhea, a good friend of Alec’s, comes to visit. Rhea was very supportive of Alec during and after the shooting incident.
The two reminisce about their past careers, including when Alec introduced his sister to Anthony Hopkins. Alec uses a stereotypical British accent when recalling the introduction. Alec says it is “hard to say” what his next acting role will be.
By now, it’s quite clear that the theme of the show is shifting away from the psychological trauma of the shooting and focusing more on the Baldwin family’s slice of life.
Over in New York, Hilaria has lunch with her stepdaughter, Alec’s first child, Ireland. Ireland’s husband, Andre, and their baby daughter, Holland, accompany her to the meal.
Hilaria describes her stepmother-stepdaughter relationship with Ireland as “unique.” Before lunch, baby Holland has a playdate with the seven kids.
Hilaria never wished to be the “wicked stepmother” to Ireland and calls Ireland “an amazing person who I never fought with.” Good vibes are present throughout these scenes, with no conflict whatsoever.
However, Alec admits that his relationship with Ireland was “negatively impacted by the divorce,” but after some time, things are “good now.”
The episode ends with Alec and Hilaria going on a beach walk together in East Hampton. While walking along the coast, Alec picks up rubbish and repeats boring Long Island history and geography stories to Hilaria. The couple reflects on how they’ve managed to maintain their relationship through tough times.
Overall, the fifth episode of The Baldwins takes a more light-hearted approach, much like other reality TV series centred around families. There is less focus on the shooting incident—it’s over with—and more on everyday moments, like taking seven kids to the dentist before school starts.
Featured Image Credit: TLC
I am a third-year Politics and Journalism Studies student at the University of Stirling (2022-) and a writer and sub-editor for the Brig for over a year (Nov. 2023-), focusing mainly on political topics.
