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The Holy Shea Bible




Chapter 1: Ave Maria, Get Your Machete

On the boat, Madison pulls the severed finger gag, and Shea's first piece of dialogue is reprimanding her daughter. Shea has actually been given the first real lines in the first episode. And she dominates the first few minutes of the show.

Shea can't believe her sister is getting married. On the top deck of the boat, she looks over the wedding crowd like God, unable to hide her disgust. "Look at them!" Trish tries to defend the friends of the groom: "they love Henry as much as I do." Maybe so, Trish, but they will be judged.



As the boat waits to take off, Cousin Ben is revealed near the engine blades. His guilt is sloth, laziness. And seconds after being condemned as someone who's "always late," the engine starts. Cousin Ben won't be late this time, nor will he escape his judgment.

Because Ben has been known to hold-up the metaphorical engine and other people's plans in the past, it's only appropriate that that very engine slice him up exactly on time.

Ben's only character development is his crime. His only action, receiving Shea's judgment. His blood momentarily mixes with the bay water to create the illusion of red wine.



On the island, Shea confides in Richard that Madison needs a friend. Richard says Madison is having a great time- but that's more of a problem than a solution.

Madison looks at a snail with an intense studiousness. The snail is slow, and Shea's daughter wants to magnify its every detail. But there comes a point when you've stopped studying it, you've stopped realizing its tiny imperfections, and have begun killing it. But killing is much easier after learning its faults, so Madison is undeterred by her mother calling her.

Madison and Shea represent the Freudian id and super-ego. Madison is an unrestrained hellian who wants to continuously act and destroy. She's constructed to highlight the super-egotic qualities of Shea- her mother's need to control, to squelch, to judge, and, ultimately, to destroy, all in a religious, socially-upstanding context.

Shea calls Abby to play a snippet of Schubert's "Ave, Maria." "Ave, Maria" in English is "Hail, Mary," a term taken from a traditional Catholic and Orthodox church prayer calling for the interceding of Mary, mother of Jesus, on behalf of others.

Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Shea is the only mother in the Harper's Island group. (Sorry, Mrs. Wellington is a trophy wife at best.) More importantly, both the prayer and the song are a reverent cry for the social intervention of a mother, full of grace and free of guilt.

Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild,
Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled -
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem this down of eider piled,
If thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! stainless styled!
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!

The very next word in the song is "maiden." "Ave Maria! Jungfrau mild" or, in English, "Hail Mary! maiden mild!" Shea is the Maid of Honor. (In more ways than one.)

Shea's relationship with Abby is central to the story. Shea respects Abby, the good girl, above anyone else on Harper's Island. And Shea wants to impress upon Abby the beauty and reverence of her acts. Ultimately, Shea's actions will be shown to Abby in their entirety for Abby's approval.



After Hunter shows up uninvited, a confused Trish goes to Shea, seeking advice. Shea's advice is to tell her father, Mr. Wellington, who will clear it up. And also to tell Henry because "couples shouldn't keep secrets."

"Shea, please," says Trish, "We all know you lived a perfect life, so don't pass judgment on mine."

This comment is essentially a confused reading of the Bible which states, "[S]he without sin, cast the first stone." Shea is perfect. And it's that very perfection which allows her to cast judgment on Trish and everyother sinner- even and especially if that judgment involves stone-throwing violence.

Sorry, Trish. You will be judged. You can not escape Shea's judgment. And not following Shea's advice! Bitch, you're not helping yourself.

Shea gives Trish a final opportunity to call off the wedding (and Shea's designs). "If you have any doubts about Henry or getting married, now is the time to speak up." But Trish is too conceited to see Shea's divinity. The wedding, and Shea, move forward.



Uncle Marty quickly emerges as the most immoral guest. He's lecherous, adulterous as he's driven to other men's women. Marty's besought with vestiges of greed and violence. And yet he profanes the divine by calling himself a man with "purpose" and "a true calling" to protect men on this earth like Henry who deserve love and happiness.

Marty's a false messiah who revels in marrying into the Wellington family, polluting its good name with his lust. His punishment is to be hung out over the bridge in a fake Jesus-on-the-cross pose, and have his libidinous half severed off completely.