Chapter 35: The Smell of Failure

Summary

• Early Monday morning, Elizabeth Zott is surprised to find the boathouse parking lot full of women, apparently inspired by her suggestion to try rowing on her TV show.
• Dr. Mason is annoyed with the influx and reveals Elizabeth's influence on his patient and on his wife, both of whom were motivated by her show to engage in activities like rowing and childbirth without distraction.
• Elizabeth realizes she neglected to return Mason’s calls due to her busy schedule. She apologizes, but it’s clear they won't be able to proceed with rowing due to the unexpected turnout.
• Elizabeth's show seems to cause a nationwide increase in female interest in rowing, though not without controversy. Outside KCTV Studios, an irate woman holds a sign denouncing Elizabeth as a "GODLESS HEETHEN."
• Walter warns Elizabeth about the dangers of expressing opinions on TV, as evidenced by the picketers, though Elizabeth dismisses them as attention seekers that will eventually move on.
• Walter is worried about death threats against Elizabeth but does not tell her, instead stepping up security measures and informing Elizabeth’s friend, Harriet Sloane.
• Six-Thirty, the dog, slips out of Elizabeth's house and makes his way to KCTV Studios, knowing how to track Elizabeth's scent. He feigns illness to get inside the studio and reunite with her.
• Elizabeth is shocked to find Six-Thirty at the studio and learns from the security guard, Seymour, that her daughter Madeline previously visited the studio.
• Walter lies about why Madeline came to the studio, claiming it was for a "Watch Your Parent at Work Day" school assignment.
• Elizabeth emphasizes she does not want her daughter to view her as just a TV personality, which Walter dismissively assures her won't be the case.
• Elizabeth inadvertently agrees to include Six-Thirty in her show after misinterpreting Walter's distracted agreement to her unspecified proposition.
• The next day, Six-Thirty is officially introduced on Elizabeth's cooking show, which surprises Walter, who had not been fully aware of the plan.
• Six-Thirty becomes popular on the show, even receiving fan mail, though Walter is still not enthusiastic about his presence on set.
• During one episode, Six-Thirty senses something wrong in the audience, specifically focusing on a nonclapper with a large bag.
• Recognizing the scent of nitroglycerin, Six-Thirty anxiously searches the audience for a potential bomb, driven by his past training in bomb detection.
• Meanwhile, Seymour Browne finds the suspicious handbag and alerts the authorities, discovering it contains a bomb.
• Media and police respond to the bomb scare, and Seymour is wrongly credited as a hero for finding the bomb without knowing its origin.
• Six-Thirty watches the commotion from a distance, feeling overlooked and exhausted from the ordeal.
• The reporter, who remembers Six-Thirty from an earlier encounter, questions why a dog would be part of a cooking show. Walter downplays Six-Thirty's role, causing the dog to look visibly disheartened.