2022 – The show begins with Peter Van Gael (Tom Vermeir) rushing down the stairs to investigate a loud noise. He discovers the noise is the video of Sofie’s sexual assault. His frantic search for the remote turned up nothing. After unplugging the electric cable, he turns to face Romee Tanesy (An Miller). She asks what it was. He denies knowing anything. He asks if she is all right when Luk Van Gael (Kevin Janssens) flips on the light. He asks what it was. Romee tells him that she was startled when her iPad started playing a video. Luk admits to being scared. She promises it won’t happen again.

Luk asks Romee if she was watching a horror film. She tells him it was a stupid movie to keep her thinking. Peter is waiting when she enters their bedroom. She asks him to explain the video. When he asks how much she saw, she assures him that he will not win if he plays games with her.

July 1992 – Stef Van Gompel (Vincent Van Sande) sits by the pool while Mark (Felix Meyer), Didier Verpoorten (Bjarne Devolder), and Peter Van Gael (Tom Vermeir) are in the pool. Mark says, “Gawker” when Sofie Geboers (Louise Bergez) walks past them. Didier assures them that he can have it. His comment gets “oooh” from the others. Stef jokingly says, “Didi with his dicky.” Didier approaches Sofie in the kitchen. He suggests the two of them go swimming alone at night. She asks if he is referring to the two of them swimming. Mark and Peter mock Peter. Peter laughs about Didier being rejected. She asks him if she rejected him. Mark tells her that she breaks Didier’s heart and acts as nothing happened.

Didier shows the others a bottle of sleeping pills. Romee Tanesy (Marieke Anthoni) asks for an explanation. He suggests everyone take and try to keep from falling asleep. Saskia Van Dessel (Tine Roggeman) tells Luk Van Gael (Tijmen Govaerts) that when she wants to delay her orgasm, she imagines Fat Dave. Didier informs them that Stef won’t take a pill to ensure he stays awake. Stef reminds him that nothing has been decided. Luk offers to stay awake. They agree he can stay awake.

The sleeping pills are spread out on the table. Everyone washes their pill down with beer.

While the others are dancing, Romee gulps down some alcohol. She passes out on the sofa. Saskia asks Luk if they should take her to bed. He suggests leaving her there. She asks him again if they are going to put her in bed. He agrees, saying sleeping on the sofa isn’t good for your back. They start making out after putting Romee to bed.

Sofie continues dancing with the guys. She stops to take another sleeping pill. She sensually dances with Mark while the others watch. Saskia and Luk have sex. Sharing a cigarette with Peter, Sofie admits to being in the mood for sex. She tells Peter his eyes are “beautiful.” The guys ask Sofie to show her breasts while she dances. She briefly pulls up her shirt, exposing both breasts.

Sofie is passed out on the sofa. Mark, Peter, and Didier are awake when a sick Stef enters the room. Mark and Peter tease Didier about being in love with Sofie forever. Mark demonstrates how to have sex last longer, with Sofie’s lifeless body. Stef reminds him that she is asleep.

Peter and Mark tote her upstairs to bed. Once she is on the bed, Mark unbuttons her shirt, exposing her breasts. When Didier tells them to stop, Peter says, “Don’t be like that.” Didier reminds him that he has been drinking. Peter kisses her on the lips while Didier pleads with him to stop. Stef tries to stop them, but they continue. Peter is the first to have sex with Sofie, followed by Mark. Sofie unknowingly returns Mark’s kiss. Didier and Peter stop him when he gets rough. Stef questions what they did to Sofie. Didier gently picks Sofi’s limp body up and lays her on the bed. He covers her up before leaving.

2022 – Peter denies penetrating Sofie. He tells Romee that he was just pretending. He says Sofie didn’t stop them from doing it. He reminds her of passing out after taking the sleeping pills. She admits to feeling stupid when he laughed at her when she broached the subject. He describes it as a “terrible mistake.” He claims they agreed to inform her but when she had no memory of it, they didn’t. He pleads with her to not tell anyone about what happened. She assures him that if they didn’t find it instead of someone else, everyone would know. She suggests it may have worked out better if they all knew.

She gets physical with him before describing him as “disgusting.” She tells him that he never showed remorse. He assures her that he regrets not stopping Mark but didn’t rape Sofie. She admits to misjudging him.

Saskia Van Dessel (Ruth Becquart) joins Stef Van Gompel (Koen De Bouw) for breakfast. He demonstrates how to remove an avocado pit. She compliments his cologne. He admits to enjoying it when she refers to him as Stef. She tells him that it is his name before asking if he is happy. He admits to being happy at the moment. They discuss being lonely and believing in love. She invites him to join her on a swim. He accepts.

Lia Donkers (Sanne-Samina Hanssen) stares at herself in a mirror. Romee is out for a run. Didier Verpoorten (Herwig Ilegems) shaves. Sofie Geboers (Inge Paulussen) puts her earrings in.

Stef and Saskia hold hands as they emerge from the water. As they set on the beach, she lays her head on his shoulder. She tells him that she loves it when they spend time together. They make out.

Peter watches Peter and Sofie as they sit down for breakfast. He mocks Didier when he says, “I could get used to this.”

Stef and Saskia join the others for breakfast. Sofie toasts Peter and Romee’s generosity. Romee informs them that she and Peter are getting a divorce. When Peter laughs, she tells him that she seriously wants a divorce before leaving.

Sofie joins Romee in a remote location. She admits to being tired of dealing with Peter. She says he somehow thinks everything is fine or doesn’t care. She tells her that she is annoyed with everything about him. Sofie calls her “brave.”

Luk descends the stairs, where he finds Peter gloomily sitting alone. His attempt at talking to Peter receives a “leave me alone.” Lia informs him of Romee’s divorce revelation. Peter and Didier go check on peter. Luk and Lia are in awe when Saskia bursts out laughing. After apologizing, Saskia assures them it wasn’t the right moment.

Didier asks Peter if he knew Romee wanted a divorce. Stef suggests they go shoot clay pigeons. Peter reluctantly follows them.

Sofie asks what’s the average life expectancy for women. Answering her own question, she says 80. She explains how they have 30 years more years to live. She warns Romee about the time she and Peter will spend together after retirement. Saskia assures her that divorce isn’t fun, but it is the only open when the relationship no longer works. Sofie asks if she feels relieved.

Peter tells Stef and Didier it was a surprise when Romee asked for a divorce. Didier assures him there must be an explanation. Stef suggests the blackmailer might be Romee. Peter says possibly. Didier says if Romee knows, she could be telling Sofie now. Peter says he is trying to protect them while Stef runs after Saskia. He sarcastically thanks them for supporting him before walking away.

1992 – Peter suggests they go to sleep when Luk enters the room. Jerking his camera away from Stef, he asks if he knows how much it cost. He calls them “idiots” before walking away.

Luk’s Interview – Onderzoeksrechter Salima Mitonga (Jennifer Heylen) interviews Luk about the fire. In a flashback, Luk is standing in front of the burnt house. He tells her that he returned to the house two days after it burnt because his things were there. She asks what things. He says his camera, a wig, and videos. She sarcastically questions why he returned to the house for some “junk” when he almost died in the fire. He says it was very him and Saskia, no one else. In a flashback, Luk plays a video of Saskia on his camera. She suggests he was trying to avoid being teased by the guys. He nods. When she says, “Lovely friends,” he assures her it is just how guys show their friends they care. He tells her about hiding his tapes in the wig his friends gave him. In a flashback, he placed the wig and tapes inside his pillowcase.

She asks if the fire destroyed the tapes. He shakes his head “no.” She describes his story in which he denied watching the tapes for 30 years as “strange.”

2022 – Luk rows the dingy away from the house when the episode comes to an end.

 

Two Summers Review

The show continues to shed light on what happened at Didier’s house in July 1992. I commend the crew for the integrity of the assault video. I struggled watching Mark and Peter abuse Sofie’s lifeless body. There was just enough detail to make the video compelling.

I question if it was really necessary to utilize two actors for each role. I know there is a 30-year time gap, but makeup works wonders in age transformation. At least, the actors should’ve had some resemblance to help viewers identify them easier. As is, the actors look nothing alike.

Luk seems to be the outcast of the group. The guys rarely if ever include him in anything. His interview revealed the tapes survived the fire. He could very well be the blackmailer, after all, he wasn’t present when Sofie was assaulted.

Romee wants a divorce. After the rape revelation, did it just hit her to divorce Peter? Or was this something, she had pondered for a while? Do you believe Peter’s pretense claims?

Their relationship, as well as Didier and Sofie’s, seemed strained right from the get-go.

The episode deserves a 7. Get more Two Summers recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link to learn more.