We have only two episodes left of this series of ‘The Missing’ and it’s fair to say things have got a little less mysterious, but a lot more creepy, as we learn new information about what happened to ‘Alice Webster’.
Just in case we weren’t confused enough already, last week’s episode saw ANOTHER timeline added to the mix - this time 2015, one year after ‘Alice’ burned herself in the shed, and the eve of Kristian Herz’s trial for her abduction.
We’ve had a few questions answered, namely that the spooky girl who reappeared in the Websters’ lives in 2014 was, as we mostly guessed, Sophie Giroux and not Alice, but this is only the tip of the intrigue iceberg.
As we gear up for the penultimate episode 7, and pray that Julien Baptiste survives long enough to get to the truth of the matter (and put down the butcher’s knife), these are just some of the matters we still need to be unfolded…
Present Day: Most dramatically of all, we had it confirmed that ‘Alice’ was actually Sophie, and that she and Adam Gettrick were in it together - apparently - with plans for a life together. This appeared a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome, but there were hints of something a bit more complicated. He didn’t tell her about his disposal of Jorn, she phoned him at the wrong time, he hit her when she spoke French. Are there cracks in this alliance? And why is their dreamed-of future two weeks away? What on earth is he planning?
In flashback to 2015, we saw them behaving like any other dysfunctional couple, with only the occasional shudder when he remarked on how pretty and young she looked with her hair cut. But how did she make it out of the shed if her brother locked her in as he said?
Around the same time, we found out the huge cover-up Sam Webster carried out for his son Matthew. But just as they seemed to be repairing relations, Matthew spotted Sam’s first encounter with Eve. So Matthew’s always known. What else has he discovered?
Fast forward to the present day: Now that Gemma Webster has finally let rip, is there any hope for her and her errant husband, following his confession of an affair and his lover’s pregnancy?
Still in the present day, and Gemma went to see Eve, ostensibly about the whole messy business. But did Gemma really want Eve to keep her husband’s baby, or was that just a ploy to get to the military records Baptiste was after?
More worryingly, Adam Gettrick has listened to the messages on poor Jorn’s phone, and realised he and Baptiste were working together. Will this put Baptiste in danger - or rather, how?
The poor silver fox Monsieur has enough problems already, what with the tumour, being accused of Stone’s beating, and having a kitchen knife swung wildly in his direction by… Herz’s wife. Oh yes, Nadia, who was getting on very well with her recovery from an almighty beating, until she was presented with a picture of ‘Alice’ on a camera through the post. Who sent it - who’s trying to frame her poor husband, and seemingly succeeding now Nadia’s finally abandoned him?
Or has she, because the credits rolled, just as she promised to tell Baptiste everything she knows about those Iraq days. What did she help cover up, and who has an interest in keeping her quiet?
Most importantly of all, with Baptiste’s mind clearly failing him and forcing him into altercations with unsuspecting military officers, will he finally agree to the surgery, and save the tears of his many fans, for whom he provides the only ray of hope throughout this head-scratching tale? And can we trust his suspicions any more?
That’s enough to be going on with. Any ideas welcome... please tweet to @FrostReporter, and we’ll include in our summing-up.
‘The Missing’ continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One.