Death and Other Details Season 1 Episode 8 Review: Vanishing

Imogene is in a dark place and it’s not just because the power is out on the ship. The revelation of her mother’s killer provides little closure on Death and Other Details Season 1 Episode 8, “Vanishing.”

The episode rewinds the clock so that we see the POV of other characters while Imogene is in Rufus’ mind palace. At least with so many people dead or locked up, there is a little bit more room for the ensemble cast to breathe.

Even Trip gets a smidge of character development as he’s seen genuinely forlorn over Alexandra’s death and he implores Leila to forgive Anna. Death has a sobering effect even if no one on the ship is actually sober.

Teddy’s guilt over Llewellyn’s suicide feels slightly out of place as it’s hard to believe she really bonded with someone like him, but Angela Zhou sells it the best she can. It inspires her to investigate further and figure out that he was also poisoned by a bottle of wine, which adds some intrigue.

Not all of the new subplots introduced while the focus is away from Imogene are welcome ones. Was it really necessary to make it that Anna is Llewellyn’s daughter? The ship is steering straight into soap opera territory with all of Katherine’s affairs.

Also, raise your hand if you keep forgetting the priest even has a kid running around on the ship.

Fortunately, the show remembers its emotional core is the story of Imogene and as the timeline converges with the end of Episode 7, she confronts Celia about being her mom’s informant. It leads to a compelling flashback that Celia narrates.

The story of Celia and her husband is a beautiful love story, something this show is severely lacking, that ends in tragedy. It’s no wonder that when given the opportunity to destroy the Colliers she did.

It is maybe a little too convenient Celia ended up a millionaire businesswoman whose granddaughter just happened to meet Anna Collier. Death and Other Details has not exactly shied away from convenience in its plot.

This leads to Imogene confronting Lawrence about what happened to her mother, and in a confused state, he believes she is Kira and apologizes for orchestrating her murder. The scene is sad on so many levels, but most of all you’re sad for Imogene.

As Rufus aptly puts it, she never wanted revenge she wanted her mother back. That’s something she can never have.

There are a few quips here and there, but this episode distinctly lacks humor. The flashback of Celia’s husband dying, Anna revealing Lawrence has dementia, and Teddy agonizing over Llewellyn’s apparent suicide all spell for a pretty grim installment.

I guess tragedy is part of the deal when you’re watching a show called Death and Other Details. Ending with Sams’ mercenary squad invading the ship with no backup in sight and Anna discovering Katherine’s dead body means there’s probably more to come.

Whether Death and Other Details continues this dramatic streak in its two-part finale will determine a lot about the season’s legacy.

What did you think of this episode of Death and Other Details? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Death and Other Details airs Tuesdays on Hulu.

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