Villainess Review: Carolyn (Secrets on Greek Row)

I was looking forward to this film, Secrets on Greek Row, mainly because the title reminded me of the 2021 film, Secrets of Sorority Row. That film gave is a very fantastic villainess, and I figured that this one wouldn't disappoint. The film actually opened with a scene from 2007, where a businessman, Roger Lancaster, was facing some consequences, as he had sexually assaulted one of his employees, Vera Quaid. So in a moment similar to that predator doctor from The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, with the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, Mr. Lancaster commits suicide.

Fast forward to the film's current timeline, and Vera's daughter, Kaylee Quaid, is the president of the Theta sorority, though a meeting with Vera sees Kaylee on the receiving end of some lecturing from the former. We later learn that Kaylee is in a relationship with Wally Lancaster, and yes, he's part of that family, which comes out when Vera meets him for the first time. Wally and Kaylee's relationship takes a bit of a hit, but at a party, Wally reassures Kaylee that he loves her and wants to be with her, despite fraternity leader Chase's efforts to get in the way, and also in spite of Wally's mother having immense antipathy towards the Quaids.

Sadly, tragedy strikes when Wally is fatally electrocuted, and prior to the funeral service, the sorority's new house mother, Carolyn, introduces herself with an aura of Southern charm. The funeral sees Wally's mother, Sabrina Lancaster, explode at not only Vera, but Kaylee as well, as she delivers a huge storm of accusations and misogynistic shaming towards both of them. Seriously, I lost count at how many times I rolled my eyes at Sabrina. Even over a decade and a half over finding out that her husband was a sexual predator, she lashes out at Vera for "ruining her life," and shames both Vera and Kaylee to make her own son's funeral all about herself. She should be thanking Vera for exposing her rapist husband, but instead, she verbally attacks her. The fact that women like this exist in real life just sickens me.

Anyway, Kaylee is left dealing with a lot of things. For one, Wally's death, obviously. Secondly, Chase appeared and was only concerned with what "story" Kaylee was going to tell regarding Wally's death. A new house mother was third, a threatening message was fourth, attempts on her life were fifth, and the slut-shaming Karen known as Sabrina Lancaster was sixth. Sabrina was all up in Kaylee's business; after it comes out that GHB was in Wally's system, Sabrina wasted no time accusing Kaylee of drugging her son, and even after Chase revealed his role, Sabrina still pointed the finger mostly at Kaylee. It got worse when a party was raided by police, as Sabrina led them in and even made a warped Hansel and Gretel reference--referring to Kaylee as a "witch who lured in young boys." How was Sabrina not slapped after that?

To the surprise of no one, nothing is found, and Sabrina gets told for making false accusations, but afterwards, Chase ends up hospitalized after his epilepsy acted up, and on the following day, GHB is suddenly found in Kaylee's room. Kaylee's arrested, but she's bailed out by Vera, who tells her to stay away from the sorority, though Kaylee decides not to. Unfortunately, a hearing ends with Theta no longer being recognized as a sorority, and as Carolyn is packing up, Kaylee is encountered by Sabrina, who gives a way too late apology and comes to a way too late realization that Kaylee isn't the predator she thought she was (ya think, lady?!). Sabrina gives Wally's phone to Kaylee, who looks at it and sees photos of her and Wally together. She would also find something else: Chase lacing a drink with GHB and forcing Wally to digest the concoction.

So Chase was partially responsible for Wally's death; if Wally wasn't so impaired, the fatal accident doesn't happen. A confrontation sees Kaylee inform Carolyn, but to Kaylee's shock, Carolyn served as an obstacle in Kaylee's play to call the police. Her reason: she didn't want to get her brother in trouble, and it was followed by Carolyn striking Kaylee with the coffee pot. We see Kaylee tied up to a bathtub that was filling up with water quickly, and after her pleas to Chase fall on deaf ears, Carolyn enters and orders Chase to leave.

It turns out that Carolyn is Chase's half-sister (they have different mothers), but that and her insanity were the only things that were real about her--even the Southern accent was fake. Carolyn had made the attempts to eliminate Kaylee, and planted the drugs in her room to cover for her younger brother, and during her rant, Carolyn informed Kaylee that she was getting away with everything until Kaylee and Sabrina buried the hatchet. After voicing that she would do everything for her brother, Carolyn handed a knife to Kaylee and ordered her to commit suicide, but not only did Kaylee refused, she managed to turn out the shower and point it towards the villainess, who attempted to drown Kaylee. The attempt ended with Kaylee grabbing the knife and stabbing Carolyn, and after Carolyn made one last attempt to prevent Kaylee from escaping, she ended up kicked in the head and died via stabbing. Chase was also taken down by Kaylee's sisters, and Theta was back in business--with Vera as the house mother.

Secrets on Greek Row aired on Lifetime on April 21, 2023, and featured Jessica Morris as hidden villainess Carolyn. Finally...finally...Jessica Morris as an active main villainess in a Lifetime film! She has done way too many Lifetime films to not be evil in one of them. Now, this isn't Morris' first villainous Lifetime movie role; that honor went to 2022's Secret Lives of Housewives, where she played Kendra Davis. However, in that film, Kendra's heel turn came at the 11th hour, and all she did was cover up a murder. In this film, Carolyn was all over the place in her sinister quest to cover for Chase, all while masking her evil demeanor with a faux-Southern accent. Carolyn was quite charming, but when push came to shove, she could be maniacally ruthless and bloodthirsty, as the film's climax showed.

Soap opera fans recognize Jessica Morris as Jennifer Rappaport on One Life to Live, but she is known for her many, many Lifetime films. Three such Lifetime films include Danger in the Spotlight, Abduction Runs in the Family, and Bodyguard Seduction--all of them featuring villainesses that I have written about on Vocal. I truly hope Jessica Morris does more evil on Lifetime; I had known for years that she would be golden as a villainess if given the chance, and I hope she plays some more delicious Lifetime evildoers following her appearance in this film.

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Check out Carolyn's profile on Villainous Beauties Wiki!