Les Revenants / The Returned

[wullie]

Yeah, that kid alone gives me the heebie-jeebies. His face must mean he can only be cast in unsettling roles.

[Timbuktu]

Well, that was good. Getting into a rhythm now and for a short series it feels perfectly paced. It takes a bit of a leap of faith at points, I would expect people to have bigger reactions of people came back from the dead, but that is something I can buy into in the world the series is building. Feels a bit Six Feet Under sometimes.

A bit confused about this supposed American 'remake' though. So it was actually called 'The Returned' before being changed to 'Resurrection'; has the same concept but has nothibg to do with the French film/series and is based on a book that isn't even published yet?

[sandman]

I think victor is the antichrist. Who's with me?

[stefcha]

I found this week's a bit less interesting 'til all the stuff in the cabin which was all a bit what the fuck. Some things:

Why on earth did Simon absolutely batter that guy? OK, he's hungry, but it seemed a bit over the top. Was hoping we'd find out what happened to him as well.

Barman. Thought he was just pulled in for no reason other than the last person to see her, but I guess he's the returned serial killer's brother? Didn't seem bothered by the eviscerated squirrels or the dog/wolf on the hook so were they his doing? And then what the hell happened with the dog/wolf? Either he was the killer or knew his brother was and killed him. Or something.

Is that mental doctor going to turn in Victor anytime soon? They're evidently able to do some things not-quite-human, but still she keeps him around. Anyway, seems she was a surviving serial killer victim so maybe Victor has something to do with that.

[barkbat]

Victor must be Mental Doctor's baby - killed when the Serial Killer knifed her belly. That's my new theory anyway.

Does seem like the resurrected are being set up as evil in some way - venegeful at the very least. Not just Simon's uber-violence, but also Mrs. Costa's nonchalant reaction to it. Her return means 'they' can't be killed - and along with Victor's appearance at the bus crash - 'they' can't age either.

The fact a serial killer comes back also suggests this is not God's work. You'd hope he would have better taste.

Plus the falling lake could suggest a huge fissure below... perhaps they are rising up from the abyss of hell.

Having said all that, I hope this doesn't go too schlocky horrror on us. I'm loving the richness of it all. It's so well done. Great writing. Beautifully acted by all.

And the Mental Doctor is just

[twinklyspangle]

I found this week's a bit less interesting 'til all the stuff in the cabin which was all a bit what the fuck. Some things:

Why on earth did Simon absolutely batter that guy? OK, he's hungry, but it seemed a bit over the top. Was hoping we'd find out what happened to him as well.

Barman. Thought he was just pulled in for no reason other than the last person to see her, but I guess he's the returned serial killer's brother? Didn't seem bothered by the eviscerated squirrels or the dog/wolf on the hook so were they his doing? And then what the hell happened with the dog/wolf? Either he was the killer or knew his brother was and killed him. Or something.

Is that mental doctor going to turn in Victor anytime soon? They're evidently able to do some things not-quite-human, but still she keeps him around. Anyway, seems she was a surviving serial killer victim so maybe Victor has something to do with that.

During the police interview scene, she says to the bar manager guy that he was a suspect in the murder trial of the first girl who was killed in the subway.

BUT THIS LED ME TO THIS THEORY!!!!

I'm massively over excited about this thoery. The woman who is now looking after victor has scar marks on her belly identical to the ones on the girl who was murdered in the subway. The SECOND girl, the one we saw being stabbed last week, didn't die, we are told this in the interview scene.

So I reckon she is the SECOND girl, and the footage and scenes of the girl who was still alive are actually her, 7 years ago.

I think they are messing us about with flashbacks of time.

what do you think?

I'm SO into this show right now I keep trying to find someone else watching it in the Real World but everyone is like oh it has subtitles bleh. So I have to come here to express my overexcited theories.

I also thought this week the words dead and death were used a lot more, it was more focus on them being hungrey (I.e although camille ate in the first one, there was a subtle increase in the amount of times eating was mentioned to.

RARRRRR I'm loving it, it gives me a really creepy zombie feeling in my neck.

[twinklyspangle]

I also don't get how Mrs Costa couldn't die again in the fire, yet the bar guy shot the dog and must have carried it''s corpse out to bury it in the field, during which time I assume he would have checked that it was dead or noticed if it was still alive..

So there must be a period of time that it takes for them to come back to life again, it's not just that they can't die.

It occurs to me that maybe they are also dead in some of the flashbacks.The way that noone died other than camille ( and then it's only been referred to as the accident). We don't know anything at all about any of the deaths of the other people, the seriel killer, simon, victor. Camiles mother also asked about the other people in camiles class, but I assume they would have all died in the bus crash?

[Space Renegade Ulala]

After reading your post, Twink, I'm thinking I really have to watch both episodes again because clearly I have not been paying attention re. the underpass stabbing.

[twinklyspangle]

I've just been severely told off by my partner because apparently it''s stupid and pointless to theorise about a TV show that is for entertainment and a waste of time, I should spend my time thinking about things that are real.

So, sorry! I wasn't trying to be annoying x

[barkbat]

BUT THIS LED ME TO THIS THEORY!!!!

I'm massively over excited about this thoery. The woman who is now looking after victor has scar marks on her belly identical to the ones on the girl who was murdered in the subway. The SECOND girl, the one we saw being stabbed last week, didn't die, we are told this in the interview scene.

So I reckon she is the SECOND girl, and the footage and scenes of the girl who was still alive are actually her, 7 years ago.

I think they are messing us about with flashbacks of time.

what do you think?

I'm not sure I totally understand your theory, but if it is basically that Julie is the future survivor version of the waitress, then why is it the police investigating the crime are no older than in any other story - eg. Simon story, or Mr.Costa arson story? I also don't get what the dramatic payoff is for all that twisting?

I think all we are meant to get is Julie is an earlier victim, and that the killer's re-emergence is going to be a severe test for her - he may even be Victor's father, and Victor a rape baby between them.

Also, having re-watched the bit with the burning photographs....

Mr. Costa is the class teacher, standing by the twins.

[twinklyspangle]

Well she can't be the first girl who got stabbed in the bell because otherwise she would be dead...

Unless she is dead...? Because if you lived on your own you perhaps wouldn't realise that you were dead.

But then the other deaddon't have scars.

[stefcha]

I've just been severely told off by my partner because apparently it''s stupid and pointless to theorise about a TV show that is for entertainment and a waste of time, I should spend my time thinking about things that are real.

So, sorry! I wasn't trying to be annoying x

Tell him to get fucked. I hate TV in general, but this is the sort of stuff that's good about it and that it's supposed to be about, encouraging thinking, imagination and engaging rather than just having your brain drain out of your ears like with the other 99% of it all.

[stefcha]

During the police interview scene, she says to the bar manager guy that he was a suspect in the murder trial of the first girl who was killed in the subway.

Were they that specific? I thought they just mentioned similar circumstances, like just the stabbing and the biting.

BUT THIS LED ME TO THIS THEORY!!!!

I'm massively over excited about this thoery. The woman who is now looking after victor has scar marks on her belly identical to the ones on the girl who was murdered in the subway. The SECOND girl, the one we saw being stabbed last week, didn't die, we are told this in the interview scene.

So I reckon she is the SECOND girl, and the footage and scenes of the girl who was still alive are actually her, 7 years ago.

I think they are messing us about with flashbacks of time.

what do you think?

Yeah, but

Julie (the doctor) can't be Lucy (the barmaid) because they're both in the same time, Lucy was shagging Jerome at the start of the first episode with Lena and her mates seeing him come out in the bar & later that night she was stabbed. Julie was with Mr Costa before he burned his house down, and has also been with Simon and they're all in the same time too.

I reckon that Julie is probably the first woman, but did she die or not? Can't remember if they said anything about murder or just that people were attacked - if Lucy survived then someone else could have. Your version would be miles better as a twist but I don't think that's what's happening.

[RubberJohnny]

I thought the lake stuff in the first ep was to do with the storm, i.e. there was a storm when everyone returned, you can hear it in the background when the parents were talking about the twin who'd returned, there's a very prominent poster with storm imagery when the girl gets off the bus, and there's some weird electricity stuff with the dam substation in the opening credits, like the whole thing is playing off the Frankenstein imagery of lightning/electricity = resurrection.

[stefcha]

I also don't get how Mrs Costa couldn't die again in the fire, yet the bar guy shot the dog and must have carried it''s corpse out to bury it in the field, during which time I assume he would have checked that it was dead or noticed if it was still alive..

We don't know she didn't die again, just that there was no body. Maybe they are just like ghosts, but solid while they're about - they all seem to move pretty fast when they want to or do things like jump out the window unharmed.

No idea what happened with the dog. Strung up on a hook one minute, alive on the floor the next. When he carried it out into the field after shooting it I'm pretty sure it was properly dead then. Maybe their family know something about it all, and that it's happening at least? Maybe it sent them all over the edge.

It occurs to me that maybe they are also dead in some of the flashbacks.The way that noone died other than camille ( and then it's only been referred to as the accident). We don't know anything at all about any of the deaths of the other people, the seriel killer, simon, victor. Camiles mother also asked about the other people in camiles class, but I assume they would have all died in the bus crash?

Pretty sure everyone died in the crash - there's the support group, the monument to everyone, and

Camille even questioning why just her in last night's.

[barkbat]

Well she can't be the first girl who got stabbed in the bell because otherwise she would be dead...

Unless she is dead...? Because if you lived on your own you perhaps wouldn't realise that you were dead.

But then the other deaddon't have scars.

I think you're right! Not about the waitress timelapse! But Julie is dead!

What if they never found the body of the first victim because, it was presumed, the killer had hid her and died before giving up its location.

Then Julie turns up with memory loss. It is presumed to be from trauma - she is presumed to have been his prisioner. Julie is the one people keep referencing when they talk of how a dead person returning has happened before!

As for the scars... how do you know the others don't? The way they all died hasn't been clarified.

[barkbat]

We don't know she didn't die again, just that there was no body. Maybe they are just like ghosts, but solid while they're about - they all seem to move pretty fast when they want to or do things like jump out the window unharmed.

There's been a lot of banging on doors for entities that don't have to be solid. Only Victor has shown supernatural abilites, and he seems very different from the rest. As if he is very used to his predicament...

[stefcha]

I didn't mean they're not solid, just different. And Simon has been darting about like when he got from Adele's window to the door, and then when he disappeared from right next to her last night. OK, she was distracted but he didn't look like he was in any rush - just gone.

[twinklyspangle]

There's been a lot of banging on doors for entities that don't have to be solid. Only Victor has shown supernatural abilites, and he seems very different from the rest. As if he is very used to his predicament...

I think the door banging is only happening to those that are not currently fully aware of their resurrected status though?

Tell him to get fucked. I hate TV in general, but this is the sort of stuff that's good about it and that it's supposed to be about, encouraging thinking, imagination and engaging rather than just having your brain drain out of your ears like with the other 99% of it all.

Thanks. I think he was just not as interested in it as me

[stefcha]

Thanks. I think he was just not as interested in it as me

Being told off for something being stupid and pointless though? Fuck that, should be able to do what you want without having your partner having a go just for you enjoying something they don't. Stuff like that really annoys me.

[twinklyspangle]

Being told off for something being stupid and pointless though? Fuck that, should be able to do what you want without having your partner having a go just for you enjoying something they don't. Stuff like that really annoys me.

bah it's ok, we have an agreement where he will just tell me if I am being really boring rather than him sitting and getting quietly annoyed about me waffling on lol, I was more worried that I was the annoying person in the thread x

[zuum]

As for the scars... how do you know the others don't? The way they all died hasn't been clarified.

Nobody else we've seen has any kind of visible injury which I'm guessing we would definitely seen in the case of the twin killed in the coach. The dead dog also resurrected in complete form rather than being a kind of torn-up zombie dog like we would have if the resurrected were in the form in which they died. Up until the dog I'd kind of assumed that the returned were just living again, independent of their actual bodies but now I'm not so sure; they must inhabit their actual bodies in the form idealised by their loved ones.

Edited June 17, 2013 by zuum

[twinklyspangle]

Well the dog didn't have a noticable hole in it's side. And Camille has no noticabe scars or bruises from a bus crash that killed her? Also Mrs. Costa wasn't burnt in the resturant.

[barkbat]

I guess Mrs. Costa would have had a few burn marks! Maybe Julie isn't dead then, but she has to be a victim of the serial killer, and the whole Victor storyline would suggest she lost a child in the attack.

I suspect there will be a reason for the serial killer to attack in the way he does - not just random madness. Perhaps he had a child with Julie and attacked her when she wouldn't get rid of it.

[twinklyspangle]

The serial killer is the bar managers brother though, right? The reason he was pulled in for questioning is because he was a suspect in the trial of an identical attack 7 years ago. Unless I got the wrong end of the stick from his police interview?

[stefcha]

Yeah, that was it. The woman detective seemed to think it was him both then and now so it looks like they never knew anything about it being his brother, maybe he killed the brother (and mother?) rather than turning him in but why? They've got something to hide for sure.

[barkbat]

That's what I got too. That and a very big Cain and Abel vibe. The way the bar manager said 'that's impossible' on hearing of another attack instantly suggested he knew the killer and knew he was dead.

[stefcha]

Well the dog didn't have a noticable hole in it's side. And Camille has no noticabe scars or bruises from a bus crash that killed her? Also Mrs. Costa wasn't burnt in the resturant.

Whoa, hang on, that was Mrs Costa eating in there?! Shit, I never realised!

[twinklyspangle]

Neither did I, someone mentioned it was her further up. She was eating again aswell. I think it's a case of they all feel hungry and food isn't quite cutting it.

I played a few tracks from Mogwau today on my show and it went down a treat, loving Hungry Face (the name indicates more eating to come aswell!)

[stefcha]

Oh man I actually want to rewatch these to see what else I've missed now. Thank god for PVRs