Why 'They Shoot Horses, Don't They?' is more relevant than ever
: Meg visits from college and reveals she has grown up with radical ideas. In a protest against the harsh treatment of animals used for hansom cabs in New York City, she decides to ride naked through the streets, causing a major conflict with her father. [S2E11] They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
The episode title is a direct reference to the 1935 novel by Horace McCoy and the acclaimed 1969 film of the same name, both of which center on a grueling Depression-era dance marathon. : "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" (S2E11) Why 'They Shoot Horses, Don't They
: The phrase "They shoot horses, don't they?" is used as a justification for a "mercy killing." At the end of the film, after the marathon destroys her spirit, the female lead begs her partner to shoot her. When arrested, he compares the act to putting down a horse with a broken leg—an animal that has lost its usefulness and is in pain. : "They Shoot Horses, Don't They