With an all-star cast including Keeley Hawes and Joanna Lumley, we had high hopes for new ITV drama Finding Alice – and thankfully, there was lots to enjoy about episode one.
Finding an unexpected balance of humour and intrigue, the first instalment saw Keeley’s character Alice discover her husband Harry had died on the night they’d moved into their dream home.
Secrets about Harry’s life and private affairs soon began to unravel, as the circumstances around his death became increasingly shrouded in mystery, setting the six-part series up for plenty more drama.
Here are the nine questions we were left with after the first episode...
How did Harry really die?
We were led to believe Harry’s death was an accident until a postmortem revealed someone had been gripping his hands tightly. Then came the CCTV footage from the night of his death, which showed that someone was in the house when Harry was at the top of the stairs.
Who was this mystery figure? Did they have an altercation which led to Harry’s death? If so, was it an accident, or a deliberate attempt on his life?
Why did Alice lie to the police about the CCTV?
Alice was clearly shocked when she saw the shadowy figure at the bottom of the stairs on the CCTV, but when the police later called to ask if she had retrieved any footage from the night Harry died, she lied and said it hadn’t recorded.
Why is she so reluctant to hand over the CCTV, considering it could also stop the police pointing the finger of suspicion at her? Could it be that she recognises the figure and is protecting them?
Did Harry’s money troubles play a role in his death?
Harry was evidently in some serious debt before his untimely death – Alice’s account had hit its overdraft, the building site had been forced to find new financiers, while he’d also signed his dream house over to his parents.
We’re also suspecting it’s no coincidence that Harry’s workplace was also turned over the day either the day of – or shortly after – his death.
So who did Harry owe money to, and could his creditors be involved in his death?
Was that really Harry’s “business partner” who turned up at the house?
Alice and Charlotte were surprised when someone claiming to work with Harry turned up at the house, especially as he’d never mentioned her to them previously.
She managed to explain this away pretty quickly by claiming she’d only just come on board, but we never really got to the bottom of the reason for her visit, or why she suddenly disappeared. And our suspicions were also raised by the large wad of £50 notes she just happened to be carrying around in her handbag.
Why was Harry storing his semen at a fertility clinic?
When Harry’s possessions from the office were returned to his family, Charlotte came across a letter from a fertility clinic requesting final payment for semen storage.
Were he and Alice going through IVF and had simply not told Charlotte, or is this another secret that’s about to rock the family? Speaking of which...
Why did Harry not tell Alice he had another son?
At the end of the episode, we discovered who the mysterious “G” that had been calling Harry’s phone was, when a young man claiming to be his son, George, turned up at the house.
Alice was stunned when “G” revealed his identity, suggesting she had no prior knowledge of his existence. Is he a child from a previous relationship, in which case, why hadn’t Harry told Alice about him? Or is the boy an indication Harry was leading a complete double life, and had a whole other family Alice has no idea about?
Was George there on the night Harry died?
His emergence from the shadows was certainly reminiscent of how the mysterious figure appeared at the bottom of the stairs on the CCTV – did he visit his dad on the night he died? And if so, does Alice have good reason to fear him?
Is Alice going to get together with Nathan?
We can’t be the only ones who spotted the chemistry between Alice and the mortuary worker.
But most importantly, what would Kevin McCloud make of Harry and Alice’s house?
Considering their dream home looks like something from Grand Designs, we need The McCloud’s verdict.
Finding Alice continues next Sunday at 9pm on ITV.