Ep 3. Chapter 3: The Forbidden Threshold

In "Wormwood" season 1 episode 3, entitled "Chapter 3: The Forbidden Threshold," the plot thickens as Frank Olson's wife, Alice, and son, Eric, struggle to come to terms with his mysterious death after falling from a 13th-floor hotel room window.

Eric sets out to seek answers about his father's death and begins by interviewing former colleagues of his dad, who was a biochemist working for the U.S. Army. These interviews reveal that Frank's job involved working with biological warfare agents and led him to a top-secret facility known as "Camp Detrick." Eric also discovers that his father might have been part of a government experiment known as "Project Midnight Climax," which involved testing the effects of LSD on human subjects.

Meanwhile, another intriguing character is introduced: Sidney Gottlieb, a sinister figure who has ties to the CIA and ran a top-secret program known as "MK-ULTRA" that used mind control techniques. Gottlieb is shown experimenting on unsuspecting human subjects, including Frank Olson, whom he doses with LSD during a retreat at the Deep Creek Lodge.

As the episode progresses, Alice becomes increasingly desperate to uncover the truth about her husband's death and confronts her husband's former colleague, Vincent Ruwet, about his involvement in the events leading up to Frank's death. Ruwet reveals that they had dosed Frank with LSD without his knowledge, causing him to have a severe mental breakdown and leading to his fatal fall from the hotel window.

The episode ends with Alice and Eric attending Frank's funeral, with Alice refusing to accept an explanation provided by the government and vowing to continue her own investigation. Eric, shaken by what he has discovered, pleads with his mother to let go of her obsession and move on from Frank's death, but she remains steadfast in her pursuit of justice.

"Chapter 3: The Forbidden Threshold" is a riveting episode that delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Frank Olson's death, revealing the extent of the government's involvement in testing mind-altering drugs on unwitting human subjects. The focus on Sidney Gottlieb and his MK-ULTRA program provides a compelling look into the dark side of the CIA's activities during the Cold War era, adding another layer of complexity to the show's overarching theme of government secrecy and the lengths to which people will go to keep the truth hidden.