From the script: This sequence is something of a bookend to Shanna’s debates with Carol, where she showed how strong she could be. She doesn’t do that here, and if that other sequence was about cutting Carol’s demons out of her gut and spilling them onto the carpet, this is about doing the same for Shanna. Side note: this sequence is dedicated to my cousins once removed [names redacted], whose experiences with their youngest son inspired it directly.

Phil added the bit about “Hogwarts letter.” I forget what was there before, but it was important we made it clear that the issue isn’t just that Judith Cochran likes childish things, it’s that she thinks they’re real. If you pinned her down about it, Shanna might admit that enjoying a Harry Potter movie doesn’t mean you’ll end up like Judith, but because of her experiences, she can’t help but associate the two. What her brain knows, her heart doesn’t always agree with.

The worst part for the loved ones, I think, is the cycle. The person going in and out of these institutions, yielding some hope they’ll get better, and then trampling that hope again and again. Although the self-blame is right up there, too. “If only I’d matured faster. If only I hadn’t made her watch those cartoons with me. I mean, it might’ve gone the same way anyway, but how can I really know that?”