S02.E07: Etienne

[dbklmt]

In the Domain, Jerome is reunited with Claire, Camille and Lena but The Returned won't let them leave.  The army lower the water level and plan to re-integrate the Domain with the rest of the town, which would force The Returned into exile.

[dbklmt]

I've watched it once and am watching again to write the summary for this episode.  I loved it!  Some questions answered but many still to go with only one episode remaining.

 

Prologue:  35 Years Ago: 10 Months After the Dam Burst. (My favorite prologue of all that we've seen!)

We see The Circle in a field with 26 people and Milan standing in the middle.  Milan walks to one man in the circle and says: The time has come.  We're here together.  Ready to follow the path.

We see policemen walking in the woods as he says, You have trusted me.  And I promised you that we would get answers to our questions.  Why did all of these people die?  Why did this tragedy happen?

We see a farmhouse compound as Milan says, Why has there been so much suffering?

Back to the Circle as Milan says, We have looked for our path and we've finally found it.

The policeman enters the farmhouse with his gun drawn as Milan says, If we follow this path...

PM to a woman who is crushing pills in a dish: Stand back. and we hear Milan say, If we take this step, we will find the people we love beyond this world.

Back to the Circle as Milan says, In a place where death no longer exists...where all of the people we love will be with us forever.

An unseen woman says, What about our baby?  We see that it is Simon's mother with her husband standing next to her.  Milan, says, Simon will also be with you.

The policeman opens a door in the farmhouse to reveal 9 children and Baby Simon inside.

Back to the Circle where Milan says, Etienne. where we're going you'll never feel guilty again.

Etienne: Thank you for welcoming me, for helping me.

Milan says to the Circle, Let us pray.

Back to the farmhouse where the policeman says, Stay with her.  Don't move.  He goes outside to another policeman and says, Well, there are sleeping tablets and they were clearly intended for the children. 

A shot is heard from the forest and we see Etienne who has killed everyone in the Circle except for Milan and the unknown man.  Etienne walks to Milan and gives him the gun and is killed by Milan who turns to the unknown man and says as he gives him the gun, PIERRE, I know I can count on you.  Pierre points the gun at Milan's head as he says, Come and join us.  Pierre kills Milan.  Pierre points the gun at his temple, but can't pull the trigger.  He hears dogs barking and runs revealing Victor standing on the hill having watched all the murders.

 

The Helping Hand with Pierre and Frederic:

F: When I went out to call you, Lucho was fine.  But when I went back...  Why did he do it?

P: Was the little boy with him?  F: Yes.  You think it was because of him?  You think it's his fault?  You think they can drive us to suicide?

There is a knock at the door.  A man enters and says, Sandrine wants to talk to you.  Pierre leaves.

The Cellar: (I loved this scene with Sandrine and I felt her pain as she delivered these heartfelt words!)

S: Let us leave, I beg you Pierre.  P: That's not possible and give me the gun.  We won't hurt you.

S: She needs treatment.  We can't leave her like this.  She's in pain.  She's like us. 

P: She's like them.  She can't be treated, Sandrine.

S: We were wrong.  I was wrong.  It is her.  A mother can feel it.  I can feel it.  It's her.  And she's in pain and I have to help her.

She runs to Audrey and says, Look into her eyes.  Look closely at her face.  it's her.  You can see it's her.  It's her.  Talk to her.  Talk to him, Audrey.  A: What should I say?

S: She remembers you.  She told me about the first time she saw you.  I wasn't there so I don't know.  Tell him, Audrey.

A: You came to the high school...to talk about the shelter and your work with homeless people.

S: You see?  it's her.

Frederic who has entered the room walks up and say to Pierre, Don't listen to her.  You mustn't listen to them.  They're not human.  They want to drive us to our deaths.

Sandrine points the gun at Frederic and says, Shut up!  Frederic says to Sandrine, If you stay with her, you'll die.

S: Shut up!  You're talking nonsense.

Frederic: Come on and they all exit as Sandrine says, You're the ones who aren't human.  She shoots the gun as the door closes.

 

We see a road leading to the Domaine which is now open since the water in the lake has receded.  A soldier's truck crosses to the Domaine.

 

The Domaine outside Camille house where the Returned are standing and we see Lucy in a WHITE dress with her traditional blue jacket coming down the street.  Lucy tells Virgil to go get Camille.

Berg says, Something's happening and they look out the window.  Camille says that it is Virgil.  She runs to open the door.

Jerome tries to stop her saying, What are you doing?  Camille:  I have to talk to him.  J: Who is he?  Lena: Let her.

Camille goes out to see him with the others watching.

Virgil: We have to leave.  We're not safe here anymore.  Come with us.  You can't stay with them.  You know that.  Camille: I can't

Virgil:  Come with me.  Camille: I can't.  Virgil: As you wish.

Virgil leaves led by Lucy with the Returned while the family watches.  Berg tries to get closer but Lena says, Don't go near.  He ignores her request and follows them.

 

Inside the house with Lena and Camille:

We see a tear falling down Camille's face.  [Yes, they do FEEL Pierre!]

Lena: Are you in love with him?  Camille crying nods yes.

 

The kitchen with Jerome and Claire:

Claire: What are you planning to do?  J: I'll go see if they're really gone.

Claire: Are you going to leave me on my own?  J: You're not on your own anymore.  I'll find a way to leave here.  Don't worry.

Claire: If we don't go outside they won't do anything to us.  I could stay here for eternity if we're together.

J: I thought...You were so close to us.  Claire: You couldn't know that?  Thank you. Thank you for coming to find us.  They hug.

 

They all go outside and no one is there.  They walk thru the neighborhood and see no one.  Lena tells them that it's this way retracing her steps thru a path that she walked in an earlier episode.  Suddenly she stops and looks to the right as we hear barking dogs.  We see three soldiers with guns standing at the end of the street who turn to look at them.

 

The Returned walking in the woods:

Berg watches and then follows them.  Lucy is leading them, but seems lost.  She starts walking up a hill.

V: Why have we stopped?  Don't you know where to go?

Lucy: Don't you trust me anymore?  Virgil: What about the ones that haven't come?

Lucy: What about them?  Virgil: Are you leaving them here?  You said none of us should remain on our own or we'd end up like the ones hiding in the caves.  (The mystery thickens with who or what is in the caves?)

Lucy: We can't force anyone to come.  V: You don't even know where Simon is.  They're following you because they trust you. 

Lucy: We must continue climbing. Once the child is here everything will be clear.  They continue walking up the hill.

 

The Police Station:

We see Baby Nathan in a room.  Someone enters and it's Alcide but he's followed by a nurse.

 

The Church:

The priest is on the phone talking when Simon ask, So? 

Priest: They want to keep the baby to make sure he's OK.  They're worried.  Simon: What about Adele?

Priest: They think she lied.  They don't believe in this kidnapping.

Simon: I should never have let her go.  Simon grabs Chloe and says, Come on.  Bring your things.  I shouldn't have trusted you.

Priest: Where are you going Simon?  They won't let you near him, Simon.  Chloe and Simon leave the church.

 

The Police Station [such a sad scene for me feeling Adele's heartbreak]

The hospital doctor who delivered Adele's baby enters with a soldier.  Adele who was sitting on a bench gets up to greet him.  He walks to Baby Nathan's room to exam him.  He notices an abrasion on his right forearm.  [Will we ever find out the significance of the abrasions?] 

He exits and meets Adele again with the baby crying in the background.  He stops and says, Your baby has a slight cardiac arrhythmia.  We'll carry out further examinations.  He also has an injury to his forearm.  Did you know?

A: No, what is it?  Doctor: I don't know.  It looks like an abrasion.

A: I want to see him.  Doctor: I don't think that will be possible.

A: Why?  Doctor: They want to know whether the baby's safe with you.

A: What did you tell them?  Doctor: They asked my opinion and I gave it.  I stuck to the facts.  I didn't tell them everything.

A: Wait... When I left the hospital, I was a bit disoriented.  But I'm fine now.  Doctor: It's not up to me.

A: Please...Tell them I'm fine.  I've understood.  Doctor: You've understood what?

A: That I love this baby. Doctor: There's nothing I can do.  I'm sorry.

 

Simon and Chloe are walking:

Chloe: Why does Lucy want to steal Nathan from us?  Simon: Because she thinks he will save us.

Chloe: Save you from what?  Simon: From the people who are scared of us.

Chloe: Why did she say you would hurt Mom?  Simon: Because she wants to scare us.

Chloe: But it's not true, is it?  Simon: Of course not.

They hear car noise and hide by a building.

Simon: Look out!  You know Lucy gives the impression that she knows everything. But she's like others.  She doesn't know everything.  But what I know is that I'll stop her from taking Nathan away from us.  OK?

Chloe: I'd like us to be together.  All four of us, forever!  Simon: So would I.

Then we see a truck leaving the Domaine and inside are Jerome, Camille, Lena and Claire.

 

The Morgue: (Loved these scenes which were all intertwined fantastically!  It's what makes watching this show so beautifully done.)

We see Julie looking beautiful with a nurse standing over her.  She awakens and smiles as we see the nurse lean down and they kiss.  We hear someone say, "Julie" who then awakens not looking so pretty from what is another dream and she says, Sorry!

Mr. Lewanski has died and we see Julie with the nurse standing over his body in the morgue. 

Nurse: He passed away last night a few hours after you visited him.  We need to be able to inform the people who know him.  Do you know anyone close to him?  Maybe we could find the little boy you told me about.  J: No.

Nurse: If you give me his surname, I could...  J: No, I don't know his name.  Nurse: I thought that...

Then we hear a scream and a voice says as Julie listens from afar: I don't know.  All of a sudden she got up. What's going on?

[I yelled with joy as I knew who it was.]

Julie is walking from her room as the two nurses are talking.

Soldiers brought in a woman's body last night.  A homicide.  That was what they told us but obviously...she was still alive.

And then we see Mrs. Costas.  Yeah!  She lives again!!

Mrs. Costas is sitting up and sees Julie standing at the door and smiles.  The nurse walks up and we hear someone say, You really don't know the name of the boy who was with you? and we see Victor who says, No!

Voice: Did you know the young man who fell?

Victor: He didn't fall. He jumped and then we see a female soldier who is questioning him in a room at the police station.

Soldier: Why would he have done that?  Victor: Because he wanted to die.

She sits down next to him and says, You don't know where your parents are?  Victor: No.

Soldier: You could tell us their names.  Then we could find them.

Victor: I'd like to leave. 

Soldier: That's not possible.  We can't just let you go off on your own.  What would you do?  [No response from Victor just his scary glare.]

Are you trying to scare me?  He looks down as there's a knock on the door.  Another soldier enters with food.

Female Soldier: You must be hungry.  Eat.  I'll come back to se you later.

The soldiers exit but the other one, a male knocks on a door and enters with food saying, Here.  Bon appetit!  We see Milan with his hands folded as if praying.

 

The Woods with Berg following the Returned.

A helicopter appears and everyone begins to disperse into the woods as Lucy shouts, Wait. Stay with me.  Wait.  Please!

One man continues to walk on alone.  It's Etienne and Berg follows him  Suddenly we hear a voice which is Etienne say, Who are you?

B: I know you.  E: I have no memories  I don't remember anything.  Where are the others?

B: Come with me.  Come.  He takes Etienne's hand and they walk away.

Lucy is walking alone when she sees Morgane. [Who the fuck is he although I'm beginning to not care at all?] 

L:  Help me find the others, but he walks right past ignoring her as she shouts, Morgane!

 

The Police Station with the Police Inspector and Adele:

Police Inspector:  Sit down please.  We know more about the circumstances of Captain Mezache's death.  The autopsy report showed that his death was due to an external hemorrhage caused by a bullet wound to the shoulder.  The weapon that was supposedly used belonged to one of his colleagues.

Adele: So a police officer shot him?  PI: No.  The weapon belonged to a member of his squad but it certainly wasn't a police officer who shot him.  Someone must have stolen the weapon and used it against your husband.  Your future husband.

Adlele: And do you have any idea who might have done that?

PI: Not at the moment.  We're working on some theories.  Now I wanted to talk to you about something that intrigues us.  Ten years ago you were due to marry Simon Delaitre.  Is that right?  A: Yes.

PI: To our knowledge the marriage didn't take place because Simon decided to take his own life.  Six months ago...a few days before his death Captain Mezache apprehended a man who was supposedly identified as Simon Delaitre.  Did you know?  A: No.

PI: An examination of Captain Mezache's personal computer shows that you were having an intimate relationship with this young man and that he had become aware of it. 

He shows her a folder with photos that she looks at.  That's when she sees Thomas standing behind the police inspector as he says, Was he the person who tried to kidnap your baby?  A: No and Thomas says to her, He can see you're lying.

PI: Do you think this individual could have attacked Captain Mezache?  Adele, tell me.  It's Simon Delaitre in these photos isn't it?

Thomas: Answer him.  PI: Is Simon Delaitre dead?  A: Yes.

 

The Hospital with Julie and the nurse standing outside Mrs. Costa's room listening...

I've heard of stories like this.  If you need anything just call me.  People who are declared clinically dead but they aren't.

 

Nurse: Do you know her well?  J: A little.

After everyone inside exits Julie says, I must speak to her.  They enter the room.

Mrs. C: Oh Julie, I'm pleased to see you.  J: What happened to you?

Mrs. C: They call me the miracle woman now.  J: Did someone shoot you?  Mrs. C: Yes.  J: Who?

Mrs. C: A young man.  Right in the heart.  I don't think he even meant to do it.  J: Did you know him?

Mrs. C: Not really but I remember seeing him at the Helping Hand.  J: Were you in the housing development?

Mrs. C: No, I'd left with victor.  J: You were with Victor?  Mrs. C: Yes.  He was the one who wanted to leave.  He wanted to find you.  J: Me?

Mrs. C: He was worried about you.  J: About me?  Mrs. Yes.  J: Where's Victor now?

Mrs. C: I don't know.  Maybe they took him away with them.  That kid's so fond of you.

Julie with the nurse who heard everything leave the room.

Nurse: Julie what are you doing?  J: I have to go.

N: Where?  Where are you going?  J: That's enough.  Let me go now.  I have to go somewhere.  I can't explain.

N: Was the boy called Victor?  J: Yes.

N: You said you didn't know his name?  J: I couldn't remember.

N: Are you going to find him?  J: I'm going to try.

N: I can help you.  J: No, thank you.  I'll manage.  Thanks for all you've done.

N: It's nothing.  It's just that...You look so lost.  I was just worried about you.  You have to learn to accept help.  Otherwise, you'll end up on your own.  And then you can't complain.

 

Nightmare Flashes:

The Helping Hand room; Victor walking towards the hooded figure; Lucy saying to him, "You must help us"; Victor walks up and grabs Julie's hands as she looks down at him with Milan holding a gun to her head as he says, "She's going to join us!"; Victor says, "No!"; A shot is fired.; We see a brightly lit scene where Victor is looking at a woman in a BLACK bathing suit wearing a beach hat sitting by the Lake. [We saw this scene in season 1 I believe.]  The camera pans to reveal Julie who says as Victor watches and hears, "OK? The water wasn't too cold?  No, not too bad."  We see her wrapping a blue towel on a person as she says, "You went out a long way."  It's revealed to be a young boy who says, "Yes" as she kisses him.  It's then that Victor wakes up shaking.

 

Police Station with two questioners with Milan in a very bizarre interview:

PI#1: Feeling better?    No response from Milan  It seems you had a lucky escape.  Milan: Yes, it seems so.

PI#1: We've found out that people were hiding in the housing development at the foot of the mountain.  Were you among them?  Milan: No. 

PI#1: You didn't tell us the names of those who attacked you, but did you know them?  Milan:  Yes!

PI#1: Why did they attack you?

Milan: Nobody attacks anybody.  Some have the luck to offer the gift of their faith.  Others are lucky enough to receive it.  If they take this step they are all allowed to enter the Circle.

PI#2: What step?  What do you mean?

Milan: Use your imagination.

PI#2: Is this connected to the police officers deaths?

Milan: Everything is connected, don't you think?

PI#1: Right.  The investigation will be set up shortly and you'll have no choice but to answer the questions that will be asked.

Milan: I'm not sure you're asking yourselves the right questions.  [Just how viewers like me feel!]

Another soldier enters and says, Sir the lieutenant is waiting for you in the lobby.  Police investigator #1 exits and the Bizarre Interview ends!

 

Police Investigator #1 and the soldier are walking through the building and we hear these conversations:

Were all the houses search?  Yes, there was no one there.

Where were they.  The Sergeant found them in one of the development streets.

The road became passable last night.

Claire Seguret was held prisoner.  By whom?  She doesn't know.

Police Investigator #1 meets the Seguret family.

PI: Hello.  You must be very tired.  We'll take care of you.  Jerome: Most of all we'd like to go home.

PI: I understand, of course.  We just need to ask some questions about what happened to you.  Take them downstairs and give them some food.

 

The Seguret family is taken downstairs to a room where they are holding Adele.

J: What did the soldiers ask you?  A: They asked me questions about Simon.

J: Did they understand what had happened to him?  A: I don't know.

Camille: What will they do when they find out who I am?  Claire: They won't find out who you are.

Lena: We have to leave here.  They have no right to detain us.

There is a knock on the door and a soldier brings in Chloe telling Adele that she was looking for her.

Chloe: Where's Nathan?  A: He's fine. Don't worry!

Chloe: Did you leave him on his own?  A: I didn't have a choice.

Chloe: Simon is outside.  He's waiting for us.

 

The Mountaintop Homes:  Berg takes his father, Etienne to their home.

E: Is this where I lived?  B: Yes.  This was your office.  E: How long ago did I die?  B: 35 years.  E: I should remember you too? Berg shakes his head yes.

Flashback to Berg as a child in Etienne's office looking at a model of the Dam:

B: Why is the water on this side?  E: Otherwise the entire weight of the water would be concentrated in one place.  You see?  The arched shape spreads the pressure of the water to the banks on the other side.

B: How big is it?  E: It's 720 feet long and 200 feet high.

B: How much longer will construction take?  E: It's nearly finished.

Etienne looks out the window and sees Victor who knocks on the door.

E: Hello!  V: You must stop construction of the dam.

E: Why, son?  V: It will collapse.

E: Where do you live?  Berg joins his father at the door as he says, The dam will be very strong.  You mustn't be frightened.

V: Hundreds of people will die because of this dam.  It will be your fault if all of these people die.

E: You'd better go home now.

Victor looks at Berg and says, Do you believe me?  No response from Berg.

E: Go on. Go home.  He shuts the door and asks Berg, Do you know him.  B: No.

Next we see Victor going to knock at the door of the Lewanski's as he did when he first appeared there in episode 6. 

 

The Police Station:

We see the passport of Camille which is brought to the Police Inspector with her file.  A soldier goes to the room for the Seguret family and says, Mr. Seguret, would you come with me please? 

Showing the passport to him the Police Inspector says, Is this her?  Is this your daughter, Camille Seguret?  J: Yes.

PI: How is it that she was declared dead?  J: I don't know how it's possible.  But she is my daughter.  She's here.  Let us leave. I beg you,

 

We see Julie walking and we hear a voice that says, The end is near.  We mustn't be afraid.  We must have faith.  I have faith.  She arrives at the Helping Hand.  Pierre comes out and says, What do you want?

J:  I've come to get Victor.  P: He's not here.  J: Tell me where he is.

Frederic appears and says, It's because of him that Lucho is dead.  J: What have you done to him?

Frederic pulls out a gun and says, She's like him, like them.  We must kill her.

P: Don't do it, Frederic.  Take her downstairs.  J: Let go of me.

P: Wait.  Where are the others?  J: Who? Who do you mean? 

P: Them.  The ones who took you away.  The ones who were with the Boy.

J: I don't know.  I've no idea. 

P: Julie, I know you're lying.  I know you're protecting them.  Why?  No response.

P: They've brought only unhappiness into your life.  No response.  They've destroyed everything.  J: No.

P: You've suffered a lot but your suffering can stop today.  If you help us, if you join us.  Julie, the choice is yours to make.  You're not like them.

J: I....  P: You're not like them.  J: I don't know anything.  P: Put her with the others and she goes into the room with Sandrine and Audrey.

 

FINAL SCENES:

Victor goes into Milan's room.

Milan: I knew I'd see you again.  Victor: Don't hurt Julie.

M: Julie?  I don't hurt anyone.  I save them.  You asked me to do that.  V: I didn't ask you to do anything.

M: You're the one who decides everything I understood when you came to see me.  I felt your presence in the clearing.  V: I don't decide anything. 

M: You must tell me what I have to do now.  Why did you make us return?  What do you want from us?  V: It's not me.

M: You can count on me.  I'll help you to go all the way.

 

Police Investigator #2, the Captain comes down the hall and finds Victor with Milan.

Captain: What are you doing here?  Get out.  He says to Milan with Victor watching, I know the story of the Circle.  It was a cult that existed about 30 years ago.  Why did you mention it?  M: Why do you think?

Captain: That's enough now.  Tell me what you know.

Milan: You want to know how you're going to die.  You're scared you'll end up like your colleagues.  Tied to a tree.

Captain: Who told you what happened to them?  M: I can read your thoughts.  I know your fears.

The captain pulls out a gun and holds it on Milan's chest and says, Shut up.  Shut up. Victor is panting/shaking again and he turns off the electricity.

 

A soldier comes down the hall and looks into the open room and sees the Captain.  He says, Are you OK, Captain.  The captain turns and shoots him.

 

In the room with the Segurets, Adele and Chloe they all jump when they hear the shot.  Footsteps and the door opens.  It's Jerome who says, Come quickly.  They leave and encounter the soldier's body in the hallway.  Jerome takes a flashlight and Lena takes his gun.

 

We hear a voice say, No, the power's still on in the rest of the town.  A policeman tells Police Inspector #1, Sir, we heard a shot.  It sounded like it came from the basement.  He tells the police officer to take 5 men with him and go to the basement.

 

The Basement :

Jerome & family, Adele and Chloe are walking upstairs with the policeman going down. 

The policeman meet the crazy captain with his gun and their guns locked on him.  He is cornered.  They ask him to put down his weapon.  He does but as they move towards him we see that they appear to him with abrasions looking like zombies.  He puts his gun back up, but is shot dead by one of the policemen.

Jerome and everyone else reach the exit door to the outside.  As they head outside Adele says, Wait.  I must get my son back.  She tells them to look after Chloe and she tells Chloe that she will be right back with Nathan.  They leave and literally run for the hills seen in the background.

Adele goes to the room where baby Nathan is and outside she finds Simon.  They enter but he's gone. 

A: The soldiers must have taken him somewhere.  S: No.  A: You think it was them?   S: It was Lucy? They won't hurt him.  A: Help me find him, I beg you.

 

We see Victor walking out of the police station as the lights come back on.

FADE TO BLACK

1 episode to go and there are still lots of answers needed, but like SierraMist I'll just be happy if we get some for Victor and please don't let Julie die!

Edited December 14, 2015 by dbklmt

[Save Yourself]

Really looking forward to next week when you all watch the finale. I've been dying to discuss it with someone and see what others think! It's a shame I don't speak French, I've been meaning to translate some of the French reviews, am curious to know what the natives thought of it all.

[toomuchtv47]

Really looking forward to next week when you all watch the finale. I've been dying to discuss it with someone and see what others think! It's a shame I don't speak French, I've been meaning to translate some of the French reviews, am curious to know what the natives thought of it all.

 

Me too!!  I'm going to do a rewatch of the season so it's fresh in my mind and maybe answer some of my own questions.

[alias1]

Oh my.  What an episode for Victor!.  I got goose bumps when I saw him standing on the hill overlooking the entire scene with Milan.  Still don't know how Milan convinced all those people in the circle they should die.  In the present, he seemed to indicate it was Victor who was causing the Returned to come back from the dead.  Victor said it wasn't.   The actor looks a little older this year than last year but I think he's supposed to be the same age all the time.  Well, he looked the same 35 years ago, and was it 6 years ago that Camille's bus crashed?  I can't remember if there were other past events where he looked the same as the present day.  Of all the answers we are likely to get next week, I hope we find out more about Victor's history.

[blaksheba]

Victor... The actor looks a little older this year than last year but I think he's supposed to be the same age all the time.  

Agreed. it was just a little tiny bit distracting over the season seeing the way they shot Victor in his scenes to try to make him seem the same age he was as when he returned in the previous season. In long shots, he wears very ill-fitting shirts and often stands in a strangely awkward position that it looks to me like they want to make it appear as if he hasn't changed during the months between seasons for the audience. It would be great if the writers could just incorporate the growth spurt into the show  - like now that he's back, he will continue to age or something like that... 

 

That aside, I love this show immensely and am disappointed the season is coming to a close. I've seen some folks on twitter saying the show has lost its way or they they don't understand it anymore, and blah, blah, blah, but this show is still wonderful and unraveling the mystery is an incredible journey. Last night's episode contained one of the creepiest scenes ever for me; I actually had a bit of dread in my stomach. That part when the soldiers went to investigate the shot they heard and they had the soldier/shooter surrounded. The soldier was still hallucinating and was a bit hysterical. When the camera cut to the mediating soldiers/cops and their faces went from normal to almost desiccated resembling fresh zombies, I gasped. That was brilliant and unexpected, then it got me even more excited about the direction of the show. The slow build of tension in The Returned is part of the greatness of the show.

[enchantingmonkey]

American audiences are so used to being spoon-fed that I can see why some are frustrated and complaining about the show.  It's giving us some answers but the show is also allowing room for personal interpretation.  The more I think about it and go back to re-watch scenes, the more I enjoy it.  It's been helpful to revisit scenes from season 1.  

 

I need to re-watch all of Victor's scenes from this episode.  I can't remember all of what was said between Victor and Milan but I think they may both be right, in a way.  Milan sees some supernatural power in Victor, so I can see why he might think Victor decides everything.  Victor knows he doesn't decide everything because he's warned people who haven't listened to him.  I still see him as a lost soul who's trying to fix the world.  I wonder if we'll find out why Milan went from being a part of the plot to send Victor and the Lewanskis away (aka killing them) to revering him.  

 

Poor Sandrine.  I just love that actress.  

 

Julie's dream of kissing the nurse seemed to validate my sense of some romantic feelings there.  And in that scene with Julie sitting on a beach, I was half-expecting Victor to be revealed when the kid pulled the shirt over his head.  I suppose that's what they were going for.  

 

Are those of you who've already seen the finale in the UK?  I know they were a couple weeks of the US broadcast.  I'm resisting the urge to read reviews of the finale, lol.  

Edited December 14, 2015 by enchantingmonkey

[alias1]

 

Are those of you who've already seen the finale in the UK?  I know they were a couple weeks of the US broadcast.  I'm resisting the urge to read reviews of the finale, lol.  

I know.  It''s killing me to wait until next week.  I can't imagine anyone not loving this show.  It's as good as last year in its own way. 

 

I just don't know what they're going to do about Victor if the show gets another season.   He's been the same age all this time and we've never seen him die in between.   I think the bus swerved to miss him before it went over the edge, so I'm pretty sure he didn't die there.  But where has he been in the meantime?  The scene with Julie at the beach was brilliant.  I expected it to be Victor, too.

Edited December 16, 2015 by SierraMist

[DotCotton]

Regarding the scene at the beach with Julie.  I think the boy at the beach could be the baby she lost when she was attacked.   

[molshoop]

 

It would be great if the writers could just incorporate the growth spurt into the show  - like now that he's back, he will continue to age or something like that...

 

        In an early episode this season, Victor tells Julie that he is growing because of the love she feels for him.

[CMDV]

I really loved this episode. I was getting a bit concerned earlier in the season that they might start feeling the need to have a lot of exposition, characters sitting there explaining things to each other.. but the showrunners seem to have backed off of that, even implying that the people with explanations might not know what they are talking about it. 

 

Whenever shows explain too much, it sucks some of the power out of it and usually the explanations are kinda lame. I much prefer the David Lynch style approach of letting people make their own interpretations - all the info is there, everything does mean something, but he's not going to spell it out for you. I get the sense that the makers of this show are following that route (they must be Twin Peaks fans, this show reminds me so much of it!) which makes me very happy. I love this show so much. 

 

I do wonder what they'll do about Victor though. They've given an excuse for his growing but they're not going to be able to do flashbacks much anymore (although I do think they did ok this season, given the circumstances. I got used to it.). 

 

I am curious why Etienne remembers NOTHING. All the other dead remember everything except how they died. Any theories on why he's different? 

Edited December 15, 2015 by CMDV

[MrPissyPuppy]

 

I am curious why Etienne remembers NOTHING. All the other dead remember everything except how they died. Any theories on why he's different?

 

Perhaps because he felt responsible for the dam breaking?   

[lidarose9]

Perhaps because he felt responsible for the dam breaking?   

 

I suspect it's a mistake to think of all the Returned as being one way or another. I get the feeling they come back according to how they died, maybe. And they don't stay the same after they come back. Some of them (it seems) come back ravenously hungry, but it wears off. Some are unable to sleep, but that wears off. Some regain some memories in time, but not all. Some seem to understand that they are dead, others don't. Some are apparently hiding in the woods eating wild animals. They can change. Hester seemed to awaken from a trance state after Serge begged her forgiveness. Milan seems completely different (and rational) now that he's returned from being drowned. Virgil was explaining that Camille will be able to use some kind of telepathy in time. Lucy has her special ability that the others don't (one assumes). 

 

Besides Milan, the only person to emerge as a clear "villain" (+/-) is Pierre, who should have died in the mass suicide after the dam broke, but chickened out. I suspect that based on his understanding of what was to come, he maneuvered himself into a situation where he'd be the first to know when someone returned -- a homeless shelter. His stockpile of food and weapons makes him look more like a survivalist nutcase, but I think he knew people were going to start coming back and he wanted to be able to control them. How? Something about the tunnels beneath the town where the water seeped in to flood it, something about those two giant sinkholes that have appeared. Something triggered this mass return of the Returned, back when Camille climbed up out of the bus accident site. 

 

I feel very sorry for the army guy with the big dark eyes who interrogates these shell-shocked people who can only stare at him and answer blankly. He must be wondering how to report this to his higher-ups! "Well, yes, she died four years ago, but here she is eating a ham sandwich."

 

I have enjoyed this show so much and am so bummed that the season is nearly over and who knows if we'll get another season, how long we'll have to wait. It is SO RARE to see a TV show with such sophistication. The writing, the acting, the direction, these locations -- all just breathtaking. It's impossible to explain it to people -- I have tried to get my friends to watch it. It ends up sounding like it's a zombie show, but it's not. I don't know what it is, really, but it's beautiful. 

[lidarose9]

I've been meaning to thank dbklmt for the summaries! I have to watch each episode twice cuz even with the show's slow pace, there is so much to take in! So it helps to read your summaries! Thank you!

 

The one scene in this ep that just went over my head completely was the scene between Claire and Jerome, when she was asking him could they all just stay together in the house. Does anybody understand what they were saying?