In this week’s episode The Returned, the main focus should have been on Julie and her back story, yet the writers decided to hold things back for a little while longer.
The main event is right at the start of the episode: Seven years ago, Julie (Céline Sallette) dressed in a Catwoman costume leaves a party early – too early according to her girlfriend Laure (Alix Poisson), who is herself dressed up as Batman. We already know Laure as she works at the police station with Thomas (Samir Guesmi) being her boss. Making her way home, serial killer Serge (Guillaume Gouix) is ready to attack his next victim. What follows is a very disturbing scene of pure violence, as Serge stabs Julie ferociously and repeatedly with a knife , as the camera decides to zoom in on Julie’s petrified eyes during the attack.
Moving on to the present day, all villagers we’ve met continue to either struggle or embrace the fact some of their loved ones have returned.
Jérome (Frédéric Pierrot) tries to reconnect with his family members. Toying with the idea to get back together with Claire (Anne Consigny) and move his family out of the village for the sake of Camille (Yara Pilartz), so they can all have a fresh start. His daughter Léna (Jenna Thiam), is far from keen to leave everything she holds dear for the sake of her freaky sister. Léna seems the only one to keep asking the right questions about how it’s possible that Camille has returned at all. We must also mention the appearance of a strange mark on Léna’s back. This one doesn’t bode all too well…
Camille at her end, wants to fit in again. There’s a very awkward scene where Claire takes Camille on a shopping trip, only to bump into the mother of Audrey, one of Camille’s friends who died in the bus crash. Camille is very quick thinking though, as she makes out she’s only Léna’s cousin called ‘Alice’ staying with the Seguret’s for a while. As a viewer you do ask yourself how she can get away with it with not being recognised. Especially later in the episode when Camille meets up with Frédéric at The lake Pub, much to the annoyance of Léna. It’s really odd that he believes the ‘Alice’ story, surely he must remember how his girlfriend looked like four years ago?!! (Léna and Camille are identical twins after all)
It’s still supposed to be an episode about Julie, yet we barely see her. The focus instead shifts to the entanglement of Pierre (Jean- François Sivardier) and his charity, with the police and the characters of Simon (Pierre Perrier), Adèle (Clotilde Hesme) and Thomas. Pierre takes a real interest in Simon, asking him if he believes in resurrection and letting on that the mysteries will soon clear up… We can’t wait for that!
There’s also room to explore the love triangle further as we learn that Thomas has a few secrets of his own. He has placed every room of Adèle’s house under surveillance, which he might later regret as he spots Adèle back in the arms of her ex-fiancee Simon.
At last we see a bit more of Julie as Laure visits her apartment to ask some questions on the matter of Lucy (Ana Girardot). We learn that Laure never talked to Julie in the seven years since the attack. Julie thoroughly shaken by the new case, thinks she sees Serge everywhere, particularly at the end of the episode where the viewer is tricked to see another attack, yet Serge is not there but Victor is.
Ah yes Victor, for sure the most intriguing character! This week he visits the truly annoying neighbour Mrs. Payet, and right before the credits roll it is revealed that she’s now dead, lying in a pool of her own blood surrounded by her cats. Is Victor the murderer?
The Returned is a series where you invest in the characters and this time, feel a bit let down by not seeing enough of Julie while it was supposed to be her episode. There’s bound to be more to learn about the aftermath of the attack.
It also keeps the viewers guessing about all the mysteries, adding questions instead of solving them. The water of the dam still keeps dropping, Léna’s strange marking on her back. What does it all mean? Is the all-knowing Pierre one of The Returned? Why does creepy Thomas have Adèle under surveillance? And just who is the little boy Victor, does his drawings hold a clue?
You’ll just have to tune in next week to find out as the episode will explore Victor’s back story. Cannot wait!
