Read my review of episode 1
One thing you may have noticed is that every episode of the Returned is named after a specific character. Last episode was named L'enfant after Adele's unborn child and this episode after Milan (Michael Abiteboul.) Although we don't immediately find out who he is, we do find out that he is not a good character.
The Returned is a show that likes to play around with time and this episode is no exception. It begins with a flashback to 35 years ago where Victor's (Swann Namboutin) house is being burgled. However, the difference here is that it is shown from the perspective of the burglars.
We find out that the robbery is orchestrated by Milan, although he doesn't take part in it. Rather it is a far younger Pierre who has to be strongly persuaded to take part, and his unnamed accomplice. We never find out who his accomplice is, which isn't really a criticism, but more like I really want to know, tell me now.
Instead what the episode told us was that Milan and co weren't involved in a burglary, but rather an intimidation tactic. They want Victor and his family to leave the town immediately. Why? Something to do with Victor and his general creepiness. We do know that there is something off about him. Whilst it might seem weird that Victor's family would be warned to leave and then killed afterwards, it is important to note that it was Pierre who gave those warnings in a vain attempt to prevent any bloodshed. Without success, he later tries to stop his accomplice from shooting Victor dead. What do this mean for Pierre? More on this later. But in the meanwhile, feel free to speculate in the comments.
In the present day, we see Serge (Guillaume Goux) discovering Milan in his cabin in the woods and we find out that Milan is Serge's father and has also returned from the dead. We also find out that he isn't the nicest father. In a great scene where the character dynamic between the two is established it is obvious that Milan is in full control and his son is terrified of him. Gwilym Mumford of the Guardian finds Milan's grip over Serge striking in particularly how he can reduce a serial killer to a scared little boy. Click here to go to his recap.
And I completely agree with Mumford on this point. One thing that's not been satisfactorily explored is Serge's motivations for killing, but I think that this scene does well in explaining it. His father is a complete drill-sergeant and it wouldn't surprise me if he was abusive to Serge when he was younger. This abuse must have changed Serge in some way or catalysed his murderous tendencies. Either that or he's suffering from mental health issues and he isn't in full control of his actions. A lot of serial killers and mass-murderers have suffered from parental abuse or mental abuse. Those are my theories at least, but I've probably been watching too much Criminal Minds, so let me know your own ideas.
However, Milan's terror extends far further than Serge to the seemingly unrelated Lucy (Ana Giradot.) In a scene where she is for some reason naked, she confesses to Simon (Pierre Perrier) her fear of Milan's return. This then poses a few more questions. How does she know that he has returned? Do all of the Returnees have some type of psychic connection with each other? And why is Lucy so afraid of Milan? We know little of Lucy's backstory-only that she arrived in town out of the blue and got a job in Toni's pub. Could Milan link into her unexplained past? What do you think?
With Serge's and Milan's relationship, it is the son afraid of the parent, the reverse is wonderfully portrayed in Victor and his mother. The last episode saw her return and Victor's less than happy reaction. Victor's mother tries to rekindle their relationship by cutting his hair and most importantly calling him by given name Louis, but Victor refuses to accept her. Julie (Celine Salette) has to encourage him to sit with her whilst she is eating.
Victor confides to Julie that his mother doesn't love him, which I think is right. It seems more as is she is terrified of him and wants to keep him happy. She tries to act like the perfect mother and tries to protect him, but there isn't any feeling behind her actions. As I said before, this is a great reverse of Milan and Serge's relationship. Where it is the parent doing everything not to anger the child. But why is Victor's mother is afraid of him? Why doesn't she want him to draw? We do know that there is something off about Victor. His drawings have foreshadowed the deaths of characters before.
However, Victor isn't the only one affected by the return of his mother. There is of course Julie. Their relationship is one of the best things of the show and its main driving force. Seeing these two characters together is great, as they're both so interesting. They both have traumatic backstories, which is one reason why they have grown so close. Why Victor says he loves Julie and it is Julie's love that has helped him to grow. How cute was that scene?
There is also another returnee who I have yet to mention: Mrs Costa (Laetitia da Fombelle). Ever since her return in season 1, Mrs Costa has always been in the background and most significantly doesn't have anyone. Her husband killed himself upon her return. In some ways she is the saddest character, as she personifies people's fears of not being remembered when they die. Of all the returnees, she's the only one who hasn't formed a proper attachment to somebody else, so much so, that nobody tried to stop her going with the Horde last season, which only emphasises how sad of a character she is.
So for whatever reason she is now staying with Victor and Julie and her discussion with the latter is very telling. She calls Julie out on how lonely and sad she must be now that Victor's mother has returned. Julie unconvincingly responds that she is very happy that Victor has found his mother and that Victor found his mother. Before Victor, Julie didn't have anyone and she is in danger of not having anyone again.
From here we jump to the other returnees being kept prisoner by the Horde: Camille Seguret (Yara Pillartz) and her mother Claire. (Anne Consigny) In the last episode, they were joined by Audrey (Armande Boulanger) who also died in the bus crash that killed Camille. Camille wants to tell Audrey the truth whereas Claire would rather comfort her with a lie. I said it last week and I'll say it again, Camille is in the right here. It's better that Audrey finds out the truth as soon as possible. But Camille and Claire's debate is one of the many standout moments of the episode. Claire argues that Audrey has already been through traumatic experience and doesn't need any more stress and Camille counters that she went through the exact same thing. Claire is worried that Audrey would be terrified of the truth, but Camille argues that "Audrey's always terrified," which I think is a great comment which perfectly describes Audrey's character. It also typifies the blunt, callousness that can be expected from teenagers.
However, things become more complicated when another of Camille's classmates who died in the bus crash returns: Esteban (Thomas Doret). Audrey spots him and calls him into Camille's house. Claire's desperate attempts to hide him from the Horde cause him to panic and he runs out of the house with Audrey and Camille. Claire tries to stop them and fails. I can't help but feel sorry for Claire. She is well-intentioned but misguided. She obviously wants the best for Camille, but is either ignored or disobeyed.
When Camille is alone with Audrey and Esteban, she tells them the truth, but this doesn't stop Esteban from wanting to swim across the flooded town to go back to his parents (little does he know that they killed themselves back in season 1 to be with their son again) However, he doesn't get very far before the Horde stop him. From here the three teenagers run to Esteban's house where Camille to prove her point threatens to cut her throat, as she believes that she is immortal and she cannot die again. We know that this isn't true. The Returned can die again and then return again as is what happened to Simon in season 1. Before she attempts to urm kill herself, she is stopped by a mystery boy who takes all three to the memorial site where their coach crashed. This was another standout moment of the episode and absolutely heart-breaking. All three of the young actors did very well, but in particular Yara Pillartz. Ever since Camille has returned, she has had an icy exterior up, but here we saw the chinks in her armour beginning to show. It was powerful seeing her cry and I got goosebumps.
Things aren't going too well for the other half of the Seguret family. Lena (Jenna Thiam) goes to see her father Jerome (Frederic Pierrot) who has really gone off the rails. He lives in a house where there are plastic sheets hanging from the ceiling and he has a big flowchart and pinboard of clippings which he is using to try to find some logic or reason to why the the Returned have returned. Lena, angry and scared at how deranged her father has become storms out. This is a great portrayal of people's reactions to death. Sometimes it is difficult for people to truly let go, which is what we see in Jerome.
Gwilym Mumford again talks about this scene in depth and particularly in how Jerome is trying to rationalise the impossible. Mumford argued that what the fanbase want is an explanation for how the dead can return. However, I don't agree with the fanbase here. I'm perfectly fine in not knowing. The dead coming back to life is impossible so any explanation as to why this can be will never be fully satisfying. The writers would be better off not trying to explain it, as any explanation needs to be bloody good to adequately satiate the fanbase.
Read Mumford's recap here.
After Lena leaves Jerome's house, she goes to the Lake Pub where she finds Toni (Gregory Gadebois) who has recovered from his earlier accident. Shortly joining them is Pierre who wants Toni to come with them to the Helping Hand. Lena doesn't trust him and I don't either. Mumford compared Pierre's group to a cult, which I would agree with. Pierre seems amiable and charismatic enough, maybe not quite a Jim Jones or Charles Manson type but close enough. In the last season, he saw the Returned as a sign of the apocalypse. Does he still think that? Or is the explanation more innocent?
As we saw in the flashbacks, he didn't want Victor to die. He was ready to spare him and vouched for his life to his accomplice who shot him anyway. In a final flashback, it is revealed that Victor's father survived the initial attack and Pierre's accomplice is about to shoot him. However, Pierre, sick of the bloodshed, kills his accomplice. Is that what motivates Pierre now? Is that why he wants to help the dead? Is he trying to atone for the deaths he's been responsible for?
Although Adele (Clotilde Hesme) was centre-stage last week, she took more of a backstage role in this episode. It is revealed that she has given birth, but her child is dying. Adele wants nothing to do with it and refuses to go to it. It is only with her daughter Chloe's (Brune Martin) encouragement that she does so.
Lastly, we've come to what could be argued to be the framing narrative and I would argue the least interesting one which is why I'm saving it to last. This revolves around Berg's (Laurent Lucas) investigation into why the town flooded. In the first season, there was a narrative about falling levels in the Dam and we've seen in flashbacks that the town has flooded before, but this narrative was always too disparate to really be of any interest to me. It was never really accorded enough time either. Concerning Berg's investigation, there were only two things of note. Firstly, Berg goes to the site of the dam where he discovers a seemingly endless crater/cave/tunnel. Mumford speculated that this could be where the Returned came from. What do you think?
Secondly, and this isn't strictly related to Berg or the dam investigation, but we've finally found out what happened to the police officers who disappeared at the end of season 1. In a chilling shot, they were discovered all dead tied to trees in the forest.
So as per usual, a lot happened in this episode and there is a lot to keep track off. New characters and plot threads have been introduced, including the villainous Milan. And as always there are a million different questions to answer.
What is Milan's relationship to Lucy?
What is motivating Pierre?
Did Milan contribute to Serge's murdering tendencies?
What is the deal with Victor?
Let me know your best theories and anything I've missed.
And be sure to give Mumford's recap a read.
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