S01.E06: Nowhere Man

[formerlyfreedom]

Nina and Clements devise a plan to nab the pock-marked man; and a sick Adam is taken to hospital, where the doctor drops a bombshell on Claire. Meanwhile, Doug has many near-misses with the Warrens and police on the night of Adam's disappearance.

 

 

[KaveDweller]

Did I miss something that made the mother know Willa was involved in fake Adam showing up? That's a pretty big leap to make about your daughter unless she has done more underhanded stuff than we've heard about already.

[nara]

First of all, how desperate was the cake woman?  I mean, she tracks down the crazy guy who ate a whole cake, then she performs a sex act on him on the FIRST DATE?  Also, is she the only person on the planet who doesn't know to google strangers before going out with them?  How is the pedophile the normal one in that relationship?

 

I liked that Danny came and got his sister out from under the desk.  That was a very sweet scene.  However, I don't buy that he let her wander alone while she was drunk.  He may have gotten her drunk, but he would have gotten her home safe afterwards, particularly after the desk scene.  And the hookup with Bridey was tedious, IMO.  I almost would have preferred for Willa to hook up with Danny--almost.

 

Now that we know all the big secrets, I'm curious about where this is going to go.  BTW, I thought Joan Allen's acting in the bathroom was amazing.

[RedInk]

Good grief, what is happening here? This show is so dreadfully depressing, and I'm clearly not the right audience. At this point, there is no twist that could be remotely satisfying for me.

Willa found the boy who was abducted with her brother and groomed him to take Adam's place for...political reasons? To assuage her guilt?

Even if it were explained, it can't be explained. Also hate Andrew McCarthy's character...if he's not involved with Adam, what is his purpose? I don't feel like I need insight into pedophiles. My empathy has its limits.

ETA: I'm so sorry for the unintentional spoiler! I remembered part of the preview as occurring in the episode.

Edited April 4, 2016 by RedInk
Spoiler tag

[TomGirl]

Whoa! Best episode so far! I almost didn't watch tonight; the show just wasn't doing it for me. But tonight's twist was pretty interesting.

[Sarcastica]

All I have to say is: WTF Willa???????

[nara]

Did I miss something that made the mother know Willa was involved in fake Adam showing up? That's a pretty big leap to make about your daughter unless she has done more underhanded stuff than we've heard about already.

My interpretation of her comment: Claire knows Adam is not Adam. Therefore, someone must have faked the original DNA test. Danny has be suspicious all along, so it's not him. Nina had no incentive because Adam being found made her look like a fool. John is not action-oriented, so she cannot imagine him doing anything that risky, plus there is no reason for him to do so. That leaves Willa, who cares desperately about the election and has been trying to take care of her family for the past 10 years. Who else would try to make the most of boy claiming to be Adam?

[Free]

How is the pedophile the normal one in that relationship?

 

That seems to be the running theme, trying making everyone else even more messed up.

 

Even if it were explained, it can't be explained. Also hate Andrew McCarthy's character...if he's not involved with Adam, what is his purpose? I don't feel like I need insight into pedophiles. My empathy has its limits.

 

Red herring or he's part of the inane twist at the end.

 

I'm curious about where this is going to go.

 

Unless it's an anthology like Secrets and Lies is and even then this seems to have even less mileage, I don't see how it could go past this season.

[CleoCaesar]

That actually wasn't too bad! This show is not exactly genius-level writing but it can craft suspense when it wants to. High praise, I know.

I'm kind of surprised that the show shot its wad so early on in the game. We're only on episode 6, for Pete's sake, and the main mystery the show set up is no longer ambiguous. Not Adam!

One thing this show does horribly is the gratuitous sex scenes. Bridey and Willa was tiresome, but at least not nearly as stupid as the John and Nina one(s).

Could really do without the weird pedo neighbor. I'm not sure what the point of him really is anymore.

It was probably unintentional (although who knows) but I liked that the show had Pockmarks lure young Adam with a dog. That's why pedo neighbor wasn't given a puppy - young kids really can be lured with cute puppies.

Edited April 4, 2016 by CleoCaesar

[Racj82]

Wait, wait wait. The guy had two boys kidnapped at the same time? I mean it's not like it wasn't obvious from the moment they said his DNA test came back wrong. Color me shocked!

At least the show can move on from this obvious reveal.

ETA: Damn lady. No means no. My man had to say no three times and push her off.

I also get tired of TV making getting laid look so easy. The guy went and ate a whole damn cake in one sitting like a weirdo and got a date out of it. Sure!

Edited April 4, 2016 by Racj82

[thuganomics85]

I kept waiting for there be some kind of swerve during Hank's story.  Because it made no sense to me.  Apparently, this cake woman is the only person in the entire town who doesn't know who Hank is, was somehow attracted to him because he was brave enough to eat a cake by himself (?), and is so into him that she went ahead and tried to give him a blowjob after their first date?  I kept waiting for something to explain it; like she knew all along and was trying to prank him.  But she really did just want to hook-up with him?  Even if you didn't know his actual background, Hank never struck me as someone who would be charismatic enough to pull that off.  The whole thing was just weird and was basically a long set-up to reveal that he is taking some kind of hormones, that lower his sex drive because, as he says, he rather be a "eunuch then a monster."

 

Besides that, I actually liked most of the episode.  I'm glad that it does seem like Adam isn't the real one, but this Ben person who had also been kidnapped by the same guy, and apparently will live with the real Adam for some time.  I'm guessing we'll eventually find out what happened to the real Adam.  Also, I'm not surprised to find out Willa was somehow involved with this.  I guess they will explain how she found him and everything, but it sure looks like Willa planted Ben, in order to reunite the family and everything.  Yeah, Willa is a bit off her nutter to say the least.

 

Intrigued over Claire finding out the truth, but I'm going to guess she'll probably keep this between her and Willa for now, because she doesn't want it to torpedo her campaign.  Joan Allen was pretty great in this episode.

 

Will and Bridey hook-up officially this time.  Oh, goodie.  The nosy, arrogant reporter and the wacky, creepy campaign advisor.  Match made in heaven!

 

I did like Danny's bemused reaction to Willa freaking out and hiding under the desk.  Zach Gilford played it in a way where I get the sense that Danny has had to do this a few times before.  I know he's the family drunk that no one trusts, but I get the sense Willa has probably melted down a few times in the past.

 

I did think the kidnapper escaped the sting way too easily.  It felt like they didn't really have enough agents or something in the field.

[Bobbin]

No one thought to mention an appendix scar when they were first trying to confirm that it was the real Adam? Like the old joke about the farmer with two goats. One was on a special diet, but the farmer couldn't tell which goat was which to be sure each got the right food. Finally he thought about weighing them. Sure enough, the white goat was exactly 2 pounds heavier than the black one.

That has got to be one of the most inept human bait setups in the history of law enforcement. Not for TV, though. TV cops are always promising protection -- from across the street and upstairs. No mall security camera footage showing the bad guy beforehand, while he was still wearing his blue jacket?

Still, I watch every week. Not for the plot as much as for Liam James ("Adam"). He's very good playing the role of someone who is apparently playing a role and being convincing on both levels. I see a lot of comments about the other actors and their roles, but few about the central figure. I wonder if it's significant that even while he was coming out of the sedative that Adam/Ben called Claire "Hi, Mom."

[Madding crowd]

Pock marked guy is so creepy; I really felt uneasy when they were showing him driving around with Adam stuffed in that wooden box. I really, really hate people who hurt kids. I'm almost wondering if his wife is in on this-they show her so damn much and the cop recognized her from the mall video. I must have missed something: how did the guy know Adam would be at that mall? Did the cops/FBI really think the guy would approach without  checking everywhere for cops in hiding?

 

The bakery lady made no sense. Who in their right mind would just show up at some strange guys house at night? Especially a guy who orders and eats a whole cake in your bakery? Then she tries to give him a blow job after one quick date? I still am not sure what function Hank even plays on this show since it seems he did not have anything to do with Adam's disappearance.

 

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to have the sister be involved in this at all. She would have no way of knowing if her parents would recognize Adam was not their child, other clues could show up etc. I also think the risks of bringing back a fake Adam would outweigh the benefits for the election. Don't buy her with the reporter either. I want to find out the whole story so I will keep watching.

[backformore]

Wow.   this is the first episode where I was on the edge of my seat  to see what happens.   The story is finally moving.   Yes, there are holes in the story.  Even though kids change a lot from age 8 to 18, I think a mother would recognize that a child was not hers. Weird that the brother notices  he's different, but the parents don't. 

 

The bakery  lady?  Maybe she DOES know who Hank is.  the worst criminals in prison have women "fans"  who send money and imagine that they are in a relationship.  It did seem weird to be attracted to a guy who orders a cake (with writing on it)  and eats it in the bakery.   To most women, that would set off red flags.  She also presented herself as being so insecure she cant eat alone  in a restaurant, yet she goes to his house, asks him out AND initiates sex? 

[paulvdb]

My speculation: Ben came from a bad home situation, so when he escaped he pretended to be Adam because Adam's family sounded better than his. Real Adam died some time before Ben escaped (why else would only one of them have escaped). Willa realized what this could do for her mother's campaign, so when the DNA results came back she changed them to make it look like Ben really is Adam. Willa and Ben acted independent from each other and with different motives. Willa wanted to help her mother win the election and Ben wanted a better home.

[KaveDweller]

My interpretation of her comment: Claire knows Adam is not Adam. Therefore, someone must have faked the original DNA test. Danny has be suspicious all along, so it's not him. Nina had no incentive because Adam being found made her look like a fool. John is not action-oriented, so she cannot imagine him doing anything that risky, plus there is no reason for him to do so. That leaves Willa, who cares desperately about the election and has been trying to take care of her family for the past 10 years. Who else would try to make the most of boy claiming to be Adam?

I think I'd just assume it was an external person running a long con or something.

[Ina123]

Willa definitely somehow set it up.

 

Now the scene after he watched her in the shower makes sense and they repeated it last night.

 

She HAD to remind him she is his sister because she's not. Him watching her was a slip-up in the plan.

 

"I'm your sister."   "I know."  "I'm your sister."  I know."

[Texasmom1970]

So the reporter chick has now slept with two of the five family members, eww, let's hope she stops now. Yeah that some crack team of detectives first they miss big signs it's not Adam and then they lose the suspect.

I can sort of understand the Mom not noticing or pushing back her doubts of this being her son. We'll there is no way that can be done now. So if that's Ben and the kidnapper is looking for a other target are we to assume Adam is dead? This show, uggh!

[nara]

I have to give Willa credit for her quick-thinking lie to Bridey about Adam's paternity. She may not have known that Adam was not Adam (she may have just ensured he was accepted as Adam,regardless of whether or not he was) but she handled that situation beautifully, manipulating the manipulator. And then her descent into a breakdown was well acted by Alison Pill, IMO.

Is Hank going the way of the pock marked guy, i.e, getting a beard to cover up his true predilections?

Did pock mark go to the candidate forum specifically to abduct Adam or would any boy have done?

Why is there no special security on Adam's hospital room? They know his kidnapper is likely to come after him...Those flowers should have been intercepted.

[JapMo]

- Agree with another poster that it's odd their one ace in the hole...that Adam isn't Adam...would be revealed so soon. With better writing, they could have dangled that "is he or isn't he" in front of us for probably another whole season.

- It's one thing to go a little cuckoo, but a person as tightly wound as Willa wouldn't stay under her desk ALL DAY. C'mon. Also, Zach Gilford and Allison Pill had a little chemistry going on under that desk. If she wasn't his sister...Hey, sue me. I can't stand Bridey and she's already had the brother and sister. They could be on the rebound, LOL.

- I'm also thinking there's more going on with the pregnant lady. We're all thinking she's clueless, but what if she knows a lot more or maybe she's the nut job and he's getting little boys because she actually can't get pregnant.

- You just knew the cops were going to blow yet another chance to catch the guy.

- Andrew, Andrew, Andrew...just because you direct a show doesn't mean you can stop time. That bakery chick is 30 years younger than you. And regarding the character of Hand, either sh*t or get off the pot. Let's see some kind of connection to Adam in the present, or maybe with Willa. Because I'm getting tired of this character real fast.

[Free]

It felt like they didn't really have enough agents or something in the field.

 

I can see why they failed to begin with.

[Ina123]

Surely to goodness they had an agent or agents sitting at a table in the food court. Adam/Ben looks straight up and stares. An agent would have followed his eyes and seen exactly what he saw. The guy in the blue jacket staring back. Talks into microphone. Hey, The guy in the blue jacket at the rail on the southside.

[JapMo]

EXACTLY, Ina 123. It was stupid in the first place that they would think the guy would show up with Danny sitting with Adam. But as soon as Adam is looking up to the second floor, surely even a security guard would have been able to spot Mr. Pockmark staring at him.

LOL, it occurred to me when Adam said he had to wear the checked shirt, which to me looked flannel, that Al from Tool Time would be the guy who shows up.

[Stella Rose]

I am just about over shows that go all out being weird just for the sake of being weird.  I feel this show is doing just that.  These things don't even seem to drive the plot (which is weird enough on it's own) but we add into it just this episode:

 

Bridey sexing up both brother and sister.,  Check.

Sister is a super conservative Christian so she must be a closet lesbian.  Check.

Mousey Bakery lady and 1st date BJs.  Check.

 

Sigh.

[CleoCaesar]

- I'm also thinking there's more going on with the pregnant lady. We're all thinking she's clueless, but what if she knows a lot more or maybe she's the nut job and he's getting little boys because she actually can't get pregnant.

 

Yeah, something is a little off about the wife. I can't put my finger on it; she's certainly not acting in any weird way. I wonder if she will end up being the big twist (since Adam's true identity is not a mystery anymore).

 

Actually I find their marriage one of the more horrifying things portrayed on the show. A sweet, normal guy and excited father-to-be is really a pedophile psychopath who kidnaps and tortures children. I wouldn't mind it if the wife started to play a bigger role on the show - whether suspecting her husband is not the chill dude he seems OR playing a larger, more sinister role herself.

[ari333]

Who sent the flowers to Ben and how did they know he was in the hospital? with no security. Anyone carrying flowers can just waltz in.

 

And way to bungle the mall sting. No one ever takes their jacket off after being spotted except that's exactly what they do. BAH. Why couldn't they lock down the whole mall? Innocent folks wouldn't mind if it helped catch a pedo/murderer

[LovesLinus]

What is scary to me is that pox guy knows this isn't Adam, and this kid Ben must be terrified that he will either try to kidnap him again or blow his cover & destroy the new family he has.

I hope the ending is good & it all comes together & makes sense.

But if Andrew McCarthy's character ends up having nothing to do with this whole kidnapping story, it was really a waste of time having him involved in the story to begin with. Why follow his journey after his release from prison if he truly was innocent of the crime?

[ari333]

What is scary to me is that pox guy knows this isn't Adam, and this kid Ben must be terrified that he will either try to kidnap him again or blow his cover & destroy the new family he has.

I hope the ending is good & it all comes together & makes sense.

But if Andrew McCarthy's character ends up having nothing to do with this whole kidnapping story, it was really a waste of time having him involved in the story to begin with. Why follow his journey after his release from prison if he truly was innocent of the crime?

 

Is that why "Adam" Ben said that he didnt' want pock mark caught; he wants him dead.  He can blow his cover.

[Bobcatkitten]

This was definitely the best episode. First one where I thought the back and forth in time really worked.

 

Watching kidnapper guy prepare by dosing the dog and then knowing Adam was in the dresser while he is eating Mexican was pretty amazing stuff. And he's smart too - dropping the blue jacket and having his wife there to use as decoy. It's frightening. And I took it that he sent the flowers to Ben/Adam.

 

Not sure how the set up occurred - i.e. whether Willa knew the boy somehow and set up him being found and saying he was Adam - or just realized it after the DNA test came back and covered because she knew it would help the election. 

[ari333]

This was definitely the best episode. First one where I thought the back and forth in time really worked.

 

Watching kidnapper guy prepare by dosing the dog and then knowing Adam was in the dresser while he is eating Mexican was pretty amazing stuff. And he's smart too - dropping the blue jacket and having his wife there to use as decoy. It's frightening. And I took it that he sent the flowers to Ben/Adam.

 

Not sure how the set up occurred - i.e. whether Willa knew the boy somehow and set up him being found and saying he was Adam - or just realized it after the DNA test came back and covered because she knew it would help the election. 

Im confused about the setup too. How did Willa find the other kidnapped boy (Ben) if that's how it went. I'd think she'd just find some random unhappy 20 yr old. The other implies that she knows the kidnapper, knew there was a second boy, knew that he escaped . OR .. IDK what Im saying.  And as mentioned, it'd be better - less risky- to leave it all alone for the gov race - than to find a fake Adam.

 

What was it that Nina (LE) said about Jane, pregnant wife of pockmark, when she saw her on the tape of the mall? That she knew about the tunnels or burrows or what?

 

Adam in that box was horrifying and that Hungry Like the Wolf gave me the creeps too. Was that even his dog?

 

Also, Adam was 5 for the appendix surgery. I think surgery in that year (15 yrs ago) wouldn't leave a huge scar like in the  previous procedures.

Edited April 4, 2016 by ari333

[Luckylondon]

Im confused about the setup too. How did Willa find the other kidnapped boy (Ben) if that's how it went. I'd think she'd just find some random unhappy 20 yr old. The other implies that she knows the kidnapper, knew there was a second boy, knew that he escaped . OR .. IDK what Im saying. And as mentioned, it'd be better - less risky- to leave it all alone for the gov race - than to find a fake Adam.

What was it that Nina (LE) said about Jane, pregnant wife of pockmark, when she saw her on the tape of the mall? That she knew about the tunnels or burrows or what?

Adam in that box was horrifying and that Hungry Like the Wolf gave me the creeps too. Was that even his dog?

Also, Adam was 5 for the appendix surgery. I think surgery in that year (15 yrs ago) wouldn't leave a huge scar like in the previous procedures.

Nina interviewed the pock-marked Guy's pregnant wife when she went to ask someone about all the oil holes and tunnels and locations and who would have access to such things. The woman was friendly and told her that almost anyone who worked there would, she guessed. So Nina remembers her from when she interviewed her in that office that has all the oil company paperwork and maps.

Yes, I believe that dog belonged to the pock-marked guy. His notebook was indicsting how long the dog was out for each time and how many drops of the chloroform-type stuff he used. He increased the drops each time and measured the time. The dog may weigh a similar weight to a small child to use as a comparison was what I saw him doing.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

Im confused about the setup too. How did Willa find the other kidnapped boy (Ben) if that's how it went. I'd think she'd just find some random unhappy 20 yr old. The other implies that she knows the kidnapper, knew there was a second boy, knew that he escaped . OR .. IDK what Im saying.  And as mentioned, it'd be better - less risky- to leave it all alone for the gov race - than to find a fake Adam.

 

She didn't have to know anything or choose anyone.  There was a boy who escaped from Pockmarked Man and claimed to be Adam (probably because he learned about Adam while they were in captivity together.)  Willa used that opportunity to fake his DNA records so it would look like it really was Adam.  Which, yes was really stupid because of things like appendixes and bloggers who steal q-tips.  Not to mention wrong, since that is NOT their son and brother.

 

My hatred of Nina continues in this episode.  Her dumbstruck look whenever Claire and her husband were affectionate with each other really peeved me.  And then she told him to go be with Claire like the decision is up to her.  Shut up, Nina.

 

I am curious about Pockmarked Man and Pregnant Wife.  In one of the 10 years ago flashbacks, did they mention something about a child?  Is Ben really their son?  It is odd that they'd been together for 10 yrs and this might be their first kid.  But why lock their own kids up and kidnap other kids, too?  So Ben could have company?

[CPA Carol]

I think Ben is pockmark's kid. When he escaped he pretended to be Adam. He wants pockmark dead because that's his father and he abuses him. I think pockmark wife is in on it somehow. Adam told him about his life so he went there because it sounded better than his own life. What Willa knows I have no idea.

[backformore]

She didn't have to know anything or choose anyone.  There was a boy who escaped from Pockmarked Man and claimed to be Adam (probably because he learned about Adam while they were in captivity together.)  Willa used that opportunity to fake his DNA records so it would look like it really was Adam.  Which, yes was really stupid because of things like appendixes and bloggers who steal q-tips.  Not to mention wrong, since that is NOT their son and brother.

 

But how does WILLA and only Willa know that he's not Adam?   It doesn't make sense that he escaped and then found Willa, and she knew he wasn't her real brother.

 

I think Ben is pockmark's kid. When he escaped he pretended to be Adam. He wants pockmark dead because that's his father and he abuses him. I think pockmark wife is in on it somehow. Adam told him about his life so he went there because it sounded better than his own life. What Willa knows I have no idea.

Yeah, I was wondering about that too.   the show kind of hints at them looking alike, by giving them similar hairstyles. 

The only way he can continue living as Adam is if the kidnapper dies.

[rue721]

I think Willa made it impossible for Badam's identity to be verified (such as by taking the dental records), but I don't know that she was SURE he wasn't Adam until Bridey's paternity test. I think maybe she was suspicious like Danny was suspicious, but instead of being vocal about it like he was, she went the route of covering up all evidence of Badam/Adam's identity as a way of keeping the story of Adam's return viable regardless of whether it was true or not.

 

After Bridey told Willa about the test results, the way that Willa had such a huge meltdown and immediately started thinking back over her weird interactions with Badam make me think that she was genuinely shocked, and hadn't sure about Badam not being her brother until then (just worried/suspicious that he wasn't).

 

I think that Ben and Pockmark are likely related, but I don't think they're father and son. Pockmark is only in his thirties now, so if he were Ben's father, he would have had Ben when he was just a teenager -- in which case I think his own and Ben's mother's families would have been relatively involved in Ben's care (because what 15 or 16 y/o boy would be raising his baby son entirely alone?) and Ben couldn't have just been "disappeared" so easily. I would guess that Ben is Pockmark's brother or nephew or the son of some other scumbag in his family or in his neighborhood. I think that Ben couldn't have been kidnapped from nearby, in any case, because the kidnappings of two similar-looking small boys in small town Maine would have been linked even if they were a few years apart. And why would Pockmark have needed to work on his technique (by practicing on the dog) if he'd already kidnapped another little boy, Ben?

 

Anyway, I wonder if Ben thought that anyone aside from Pockmark could have come looking for him at the mall, or could have sent him those flowers. Maybe he was so willing to be the bait because he kind of hoped someone else might show up for him, like his mother or some other relative? I find it hard to believe that NOBODY else besides Pockmark recognizes him or has been looking for him. Although maybe.

 

As for Hank's place in the show:  it still hasn't been explained how Hank went from being a bullied but pretty average-seeming kid (from that 35-years-ago flashback in the previous episode) to being a potential "monster" who actively wants chemical castration. Maybe there's no explanation coming, but I think that's the biggest gap in his past right now. I think it's pretty likely that whatever/whoever happened to Hank to make him into a potential monster might have been related to whatever/whoever happened to Pockmark that turned him into a monster, too. Pockmark is also the right age to have been born at around the time that Hank's flashback took place. Maybe Hank knew Pockmark's father 35 years ago and Pockmark's father abused him, then began abusing Pockmark once Hank had grown up and Pockmark had gotten to be around 7/8/9 years old. In that case, maybe Ben was meant to be the next victim after Pockmark, but Pockmark wanted some other kid to take his place (such as Adam) because he actually was trying to protect Ben.

 

Honestly, that's really convoluted and who knows. But the bottom line is, I think that something probably ties Pockmark and Hank together, such as a shared abuser, and that because of that tie, Hank might have some more insight or even direct knowledge into Adam's kidnapping that he still doesn't want to share. (Which might also explain why he felt guilty/scared enough to confess).

[DoubleUTeeEff]

But how does WILLA and only Willa know that he's not Adam?   It doesn't make sense that he escaped and then found Willa, and she knew he wasn't her real brother.

 

Because she found out first about the DNA and then changed it.  It's already been revealed that the Family has ties to the same company that did the DNA testing. I'm saying he never had to find Willa for Willa to do her thing.  He just went to the Police and claimed to be Adam, it turned out he wasn't, Willa decided it would be awesome if Adam did come back and messed with the results.  Of course, I don't really know how much Willa did, it's just that she didn't HAVE to know Ben before her whole subterfuge began.

[windsprints]

Maybe he was so willing to be the bait because he kind of hoped someone else might show up for him, like his mother or some other relative? I find it hard to believe that NOBODY else besides Pockmark recognizes him or has been looking for him.

 

I wondered if the shirt was part of this. Ben said Pockmark would come if he wore the red plaid shirt. I was confused about the significance of the shirt and why Pockmark would care what shirt Ben had on. I thought perhaps it was some kind of signal from when he was a kid. I may have missed something though.

Edited April 4, 2016 by windsprints

[formerlyfreedom]

Because it's getting so twisty/turny on the show, let's take speculation discussion over to Wait, What Happened? THAT?? and keep the conversation in here about the episode. Discussion of previews should happen over there too, please!

[Free]

Surely to goodness they had an agent or agents sitting at a table in the food court. Adam/Ben looks straight up and stares. An agent would have followed his eyes and seen exactly what he saw. The guy in the blue jacket staring back. Talks into microphone. Hey, The guy in the blue jacket at the rail on the southside.

 

I can see why the initial kidnapping case was botched so badly.

[Cigale]

Ben is Glory!

[bref]

Reading through this thread and seeing the kidnapper repeatedly referred to as Pockmark is cracking me up for some reason. That poor actor.

 

In any case, he kind of reminds me of Mr. Carlin from the old Bob Newhart show. 

Edited April 5, 2016 by bref

[formerlyfreedom]

Reading through this thread and seeing the kidnapper repeatedly referred to as Pockmark is cracking me up for some reason. That poor actor.

 

I'm fairly certain the pockmarks are make up, right? He does usually sport a beard in pics on his IMDB page.

 

He is, of course, listed as "Pock-Marked Man" for the show. So yeah, poor guy!

[Madding crowd]

I really do wonder what the point of Hank is on the show especially since they sometimes show him in a sympathetic light, and sometimes not. It is obvious to me that he didn't kill Adam so he should have been a one and done character. In general, I would appreciate learning more about a man who agrees to chemical castration to avoid becoming a predator, but that is not really what this show is about.

 

I also think the sister overacts in every episode, and if Adam being around causes her so much anxiety, why in the world would she want to have a fake Adam around? She seems more interested in her mom's career than her mom is. I rewatched the scene at the food court and it seem so silly that no one would think to follow Adam/Ben's eyes and look up. The guy was clearly staring at him. I like the mystery parts of the show but the finer details are lacking a bit. They keep going off on tangents like the silly bakery girl appearing at Hank's house and the romantic encounter between Bridey and Willa. 

[Free]

I like the mystery parts of the show but the finer details are lacking a bit.

 

That's exactly it, everything else is just padding especially Hank scenes since we already know much of what happened in this episode.

[stephinmn]

Some inconsistencies:

Adam had different sneakers on when pockmark brought him into the dungeon than he had at the time of the abduction.

The actor playing young Adam has brown eyes (which were changed to blue in the photo) but older Adam has blue eyes. I would think parents would notice this difference....kind of a big one.

Appendixes are removed via laparoscopy now, so there might not be any scars. I will give them a pass on that one.

[heyitsme87]

So if willa changed the DNA, because she thought having "Adam" would benefit her moms campaign, what was her meltdown a reaction to? Someone else finding out the secret? or the fact that He is not really Adam? The flashbacks she had looked like that she was piecing together that Adam was not Adam after getting those results.

[rue721]

So if willa changed the DNA, because she thought having "Adam" would benefit her moms campaign, what was her meltdown a reaction to? Someone else finding out the secret? or the fact that He is not really Adam? The flashbacks she had looked like that she was piecing together that Adam was not Adam after getting those results.

 

Yeah, this is why I think Willa set up the DNA test and hid the dental records as a preventative measure, before she even had any idea whether "Adam" was really Adam or not. I don't think she was ever planning to dig into his identity, and didn't want anyone else to be able to, either -- I think she was just going to prop up the story that Adam had come back home, like a good girl, and leave it at that no matter what.

 

But then Bridey's paternity test revelation shattered the plausible deniability that he was Adam and Willa couldn't be a good girl and play along with the story anymore.

 

I don't think that she had any special knowledge of Badam's identity beforehand, I think she's just a freak and wanted to have protections against it ever leaking out that he wasn't really Adam *in case* he wasn't really Adam.

[Ina123]

I think Ben is pockmark's kid. When he escaped he pretended to be Adam. He wants pockmark dead because that's his father and he abuses him. I think pockmark wife is in on it somehow. Adam told him about his life so he went there because it sounded better than his own life. What Willa knows I have no idea.

Best explanation yet.

I don't know how Willa is involved but I still contend that the scene where she reminds him twice, "I'm your sister" was not so much about peeping at her in the shower but that he has to watch what he does because he's playing the part of her brother.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Ina123

[backformore]

I don't know if it's bad writing or a clue but the wife acts TOO pregnant to be actually pregnant, I figure.  She doesn't say or do anything that doesn't refer back to her pregnancy,  in present day.  She even kind of held her back oddly in the flashback about the boombox, which made me wonder if she was faking a pregnancy then, too (or early in a real pregnancy, not that you really place your hand on your back like that in the first trimester, typically).

 

 

I might have not been paying close enough attention, but is the kidnapper's wife pregnant in BOTH the "present day"  and the "10 years earlier"  scenes?  

I thought it was only in the present day.  But when the kidnapper was making the wooden chest, there was a comment about "our child will be so spoiled", and then, yeah, her pregnant mom hand-on-her-back thing.  It confused me, like I was mixing up the two time frames.   Can someone straighten that out?

[peachmangosteen]

I hope the ending is good & it all comes together & makes sense.

 

LOL!

 

I'm with the people who thought this was the best ep yet. Sure, it's still stupid as hell, but this episode was really entertaining with it's twists. And with them answering so many questions already I'm really interested to see where this goes.

 

Does anyone know how many episodes there are for this season?