The InBetween Review: The Length Of A River (Season 1 Episode 6)
Tom has perhaps the biggest case of the series so far on The InBetween Season 1 Episode 6, “The Length Of A River.”
The Newlywed Killer has struck on the same day three years in a row, and that day is upon Seattle again. But Detective Hackett is determined to catch him this time, hopefully, before he strikes again.
Sadly, Shelly and Jim Edwards are killed, and neither Hackett, Asante, or Cassie are getting many clues as to the identity of the killer at first other than the name Ashley.
Gender bias makes the detectives assume that Ashley is a potential victim. Serial killers are statistically male.
Ashley might be in danger. But he is also the killer’s male ex-fiancé. Her name is Lyla and she’s really bitter about the fact that Ashley left her at the altar for their wedding planner. He plans to marry her.
So Lyla takes her anger out on newlyweds by luring them into a support group and then killing them.
When police finally do solve the case, Damien is hard on himself for making assumptions about the killer’s gender and Cassie lets him off the hook. But frankly, the entire precinct should be ashamed of themselves. Everyone is calling The Newlywed Killer “he” the entire episode.
It’s an interesting way to discuss gender on a crime show. But for the point to have real meaning and impact on viewers, the case would have to last more than one episode.
Anything viewers could possibly learn or ask questions about regarding gender and crime barely matters because at the end of the episode, we know we’ll never see Lyla again. The case is solved in about 25 minutes when other storylines are taken into consideration.
The InBetween doesn’t have to be a fully serialized show, but every once in a while this season there is a case that would definitely benefit from remaining unsolved for at least one more episode. The Newlywed Killer is one of those cases.
Fiancés are a theme on the episode. More interesting than the murder cases is Cassie’s quest to help her college friend Melinda figure out her dead fiancé Jenna’s final message and get closure two years after her sudden death.
Jenna doesn’t have a message, she just needs Melinda to take off her engagement ring and finally let go so that Jenna can move on from The InBetween.
If you’re a romantic at heart, that’s a letdown. But it is interesting to think about the fact that holding on to a loved one too hard could actually be doing them harm.
The InBetween is realistic only in that Cassie makes sure to tell everyone she’s helping that she’s just interpreting signs. She’s not always right.
But in the end of the episode, she is always right in the cases we see on screen. So, of course she’s right and her interpretation of her visions helps free Jenna.
Good for Jenna, bad for viewers. It’s just plain boring. Plus, it makes these reviews hard to write because it prevents me from talking about the larger conversation I see the show trying to have.
What if Cassie was wrong or Melinda refused to take off her ring? The idea that it’s hard for everyone to let go would be so much more authentic.
Even on a TV show, life can get messy.
It is quite a relief that Cassie confronts Bryon about his health, though. Because something is definitely wrong and there is no way he can deny that anymore.
Right now on the show, Bryon is the easiest character to become invested in so I’ll be here as long as he is.
What did you think of this episode of The InBetween? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The InBetween airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
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Esme Mazzeo
Esme Mazzeo is a lifestyle and entertainment journalist from Long Island. When she's not writing for work, she's writing for fun, or searching for something to satisfy her sweet tooth. She thinks rainy days are the best kind of days. Certified night owl.