Near the beginning of the episode, Detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) and Colin Zabel (Evan Peters) join the medical examiner. They learn that the approximate time of death is between midnight and 2 AM. John (Joe Tippett) rides with Billy (Robbie Tann). Billy apologizes and says he was too tired the night before but John says it isn’t his fault. Billy tells him that Kenny took the gun and he is worried that he blew his head off already. Meanwhile, the detectives learn that there are no tears, abrasions, or ecchymosis. Furthermore, there are no signs of sexual assault. It appears that the bruises occurred at the same time. It is believed that a bullet severed Erin’s finger.

The medical examiner sent the fingernail scrapings to the lab for testing, but she doesn’t think they’ll find anything. John and Billy find Kenny (Patrick Murney) laying on rocks nearby. He seems out of it and tells Johnny that he killed Dylan. Mare and Colin try to figure out why the killer would remove her clothes if she wasn’t sexually assaulted. Mare doesn’t believe that Erin was murdered in the woods. Colin agrees since that would explain why her bike is still missing before John calls Mare. They agree to meet at the station before Mare arrives and begins questioning Kenny. He quickly begins telling Mare and Colin about his encounter with Dylan and shooting him.

Mare tells him that Dylan is alive before we hear from a doctor that the bullet went through his posterior flank and didn’t hit any organs. Dylan’s parents learn that the doctors performed a laminectomy and removed the bullet. They’re not sure whether he’ll walk again and will only know once he gains consciousness. Siobhan (Angourie Rice) edits a video and records audio talking about her brother Kevin being different. As class ends, the professor lets the students know they’ll need to have their documentary edits in by Friday. Moments later, she helps Mare cut Drew’s toenails while Helen watches. He mentions something about living with his mother but Mare says that isn’t going to happen.

Siobhan leaves later and Mare confronts Helen (Jean Smart) about what she said. Mare doesn’t want her mother telling Drew stuff like that. Helen has talked to Kathy with child services and she believes the mother will get custody. Lori (Julianne Nicholson) arrives in time to hear them arguing. When Helen steps out, Mare continues complaining to Lori. Then, Lori explains that Jess came over to her house last night and said Dylan isn’t DJ’s real father. Jess didn’t tell the police because she thinks Frank is the father. Mare doesn’t want to believe it even though Jess said she saw the two of them together. She saw them together several times and once saw Erin in the car with Frank. He supposedly bought baby products for her.

Mare storms out before we see Frank (David Denman) hanging out with his family. Mare interrupts and tries to pull Frank away from his game. He doesn’t want to come outside so she confronts him about lying to her the other night. Siobhan overhears them arguing outside so she steps outside too. Mare asks him about the rumor that he is DJ’s father. He admits he helped her out because things were good at home. Mare wants to know if he slept with Erin while telling Siobhan to go back into the house but Frank wants her to stay. He denies having sex with Erin and says he never would. He agrees to take a paternity test and says he isn’t afraid of it like he isn’t afraid of talking about their son. Next, Mare speaks to Steve (Jeremy Gabriel) and Katherine Hinchey (Debbie Campbell) about their son and Erin.

Mare tells them that they need Dylan to submit a DNA sample because he might not be DJ’s father. Meanwhile, Frank is questioned by Colin about the night of the 10th. He tells him about the house party and going to the Forest Lodge around 10. Frank claims they got home around 2:30 in the morning. Then, he says his friend John Ross took him home. He agrees to submit a DNA sample but reiterates that he never had sex with Erin and didn’t kill her. Chief Carter (John Douglas Thompson) enters and tells mare that Erin’s phone records just came in. He warns her that Frank is there with Faye. She walks by Faye and says good morning but only gets a dirty look in return.

Colin finishes with Frank while Mare looks through the phone records. Colin joins Mare and learns that Dylan’s parents are going to talk to him about giving a DNA sample when he wakes up. Mare looks at the phone records and says the last call was made at 10:55 PM. The call made to Deacon Mark Burton was placed after Erin was beaten in the woods. Colin learns that he is a priest at Saint Michael’s Parish before they run into Father Dan Hastings (Neal Huff) who is Mare’s cousin. They learn that Mark (James McArdle) is at the church. As they walk over to the church, Mare says they should question him right there because it’ll be harder for him to lie.

He tells them he was at the rectory all night with Father Peter and he spoke briefly to a crying Erin. Mark says it wasn’t odd for her to call him because they built a relationship when she was a part of their parish youth group. When asked, he admits they were likely alone several times over the years. He tells them how Christ works through him and he is Christ’s vessel. Mare finds it odd that he wouldn’t call and tell them about their conversation. Mark says he told her she was loved and God Bless before the call was ended. Before they go, Mark agrees to let Mare look at his cellphone and he gives her the password. Dan checks on him after they leave.

When Mare returns, she complains to her mother about Siobhan’s room smelling like pot. She learns that the band has a radio show at Haverford College. Helen learns that Mare has a date with Richard. When Richard Ryan (Guy Pearce) arrives, Helen invites him inside. Mare leaves with Richard after a short conversation with Helen. Meanwhile, the band takes part in the radio show. Androgynous will be playing next. Siobhan tries to get Becca (Madeline Weinstein) up but she seems out of it. Becca already took edibles and the other band members consider taking theirs too. Anne Harris tells Siobhan how everything will go down. Becca gets sick and vomits and Gabe rushes out. Siobhan tries to clean up the mess. Meanwhile, Mare talks to Richard about Drew. He tells her why he decided to start writing and his messed up parents.

As for Mare, her father was her best friend but he passed away when she was 13. She goes on to tell Richard about the death of her son and his girlfriend wanting custody of Drew. Richard admits his ex took his son away and she had every right to do so at the time. Richard encourages Mare to sit with Drew’s mother and tell her she wants to be part of his life. Siobhan returns to the studio to get her purse and talks more to Anne. Since they’re off this weekend, Anne invites her to see Boygenius. She admits she is asking Siobhan out on a date but Siobhan says she can’t before leaving quickly. Moments later, we learn that Erin’s fingertip has been found. The detectives learn that the K9 unit has been out and it has been alerted to something by the amphitheater.

Mare doesn’t think she drove her bike there since they’re nearly 14 miles away from Creedham Creek. They learn that the dog picked up a scent where the finger was found and one along the bridge. Mare wants yellow tape around the area and only forensics in and out. Mare believes they’ve found the crime scene before she theorizes with Colin. They contemplate getting dogs to search the area but Colin isn’t sure about that idea. Colin calls and asks for all six firearm dogs to be sent to Brandywine Park. They arrive after dark and search the area. Colin tries to get Mare to give up after 5 hours of searching because the dogs are wrong sometimes. She finds a ricochet mark on the structure above them. She follows its path and finds the bullet stuck in a tree nearby. Next, a doctor tells Dylan he is a lucky man and should rest.

His dad tells him about the rumors regarding DJ but Dylan is convinced that the boy is indeed his son. Nevertheless, his dad thinks it is a good idea to get a test. Brianna and others attend the 37th Annual Winter Food Drive. Betty tells Helen about a strange boy in town but Helen doesn’t take her seriously. Mare cooks and hangs out with John who is upset with her because she made Frank give a DNA sample. Mare denies it and says Frank willingly came to the station. Johnny says he brought Frank home at 2:30 in the morning. Colin arrives to tell Mare about an anonymous tip asking them to look into the circumstances of Deacon Mark’s transfer to Saint Michael’s. Her cousin hasn’t said anything but she hasn’t asked either.

They go looking for answers but Mark hides inside and doesn’t answer. Dylan pleads with his father to bring DJ over and put him on his lap. Mare gets a call from Betty in the morning and finds out that someone has placed naughty graffiti on her shed. Mare visits and asks Glenn if he got the security camera set up. Mare watches the video of the suspect and deletes it before lying to Glenn about it. Mare leaves and visits Carrie (Sosie Bacon) who says she has waited long enough to have Drew. Carrie has signed a lease for an apartment but Mare is worried a big move could hurt him. Mare warns that she’ll tell the court that Carrie is an unfit mother and has psychotic breaks. Carrie fires back saying she hasn’t had an episode in 16 months and Drew is her son. She goes on to say that Kevin hated Mare.

Mare returns to the office and learns from Colin that e-trace records have come back. They believe their primary suspects are Dylan and Kenny. They also discuss Brianna and the Deacon. She says she doesn’t want to go after the deacon again because he’ll lawyer up and they only have one more shot. He tells her just worked the Upper Darby case and became obsessed with it to solve it. Mare goes back and looks through evidence before pocketing drugs. Siobhan records audio about the day her brother killed himself. She returns to the studio to give Anne something back. She also agrees to go to the concert with her. Mare goes to the club and gets a text from Richard about Drew before Colin joins her. Colin orders them more alcohol and they talk about his reunion.

He admits it was awful because his almost ex-wife was there. She called it off weeks before the wedding. Colin says he still doesn’t know what happened. Colin bets Mare was a good mother but she says no. His friends enter and he admits he’d rather stay with Mare. When he walks away, Mare looks at the packet she stole from the evidence room. Moments later, Mark stops on the bridge. He pulls out Erin’s bike and throws it over the bridge. In the morning, Mare gets a visit from Chief Carter who wants to talk about Carrie. She claimed she got pulled over late last night in Kennett Square and cops found two packets of heroin in her glove compartment. She claimed that Mare planted the drugs in her vehicle and the Chief remembers the packets from the Barnett case.

He checked the evidence room and knows that Mare likely took them. He admits a part of him wants to make sure she never wears a badge again before placing her on administrative leave. He says the two cases took a toll and she is still struggling with the loss of her son. As a result, he recommended grief counseling and she agreed. Mare is told that the Chief is doing her a favor because she is worth saving. Then, he asks for her gun and badge. She goes inside and gets both for him. He encourages her not to continue on Erin’s case before he leaves.

 

Mare Of Easttown Review

Unfortunately, I am worried Mare is falling apart and taking the show with her. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the performances from Kate Winslet and Evan Peters but that is about all the episode had going for it. The writing is getting pretty bad. It is becoming unrealistic and cliché.

How many times have we seen the lead detective on a case get kicked off of the case before returning and solving it? It happens in too many television shows and movies for that matter. Plus, I can’t force myself to be remotely interested in Mare’s personal life or the personal lives of her family members.

Why do I care that Siobhan’s friend vomited before a radio show and she found a new girlfriend? Does it really matter that Colin was almost married but his ex ended the relationship before their marriage? I am concerned that the writers are just dragging the show out to get the necessary episodes for HBO and I am seriously worried that I will lose interest sooner or later.

It doesn’t help that the investigation isn’t going anywhere. Colin reluctantly called in the dogs but Mare magically found the bullet in the tree. I lost interest midway through but I don’t think that was mentioned again before the episode ended. I know my preferences are different than that of other viewers, but this soap opera stuff doesn’t interest me in the least.

At the very least, it shouldn’t consume 80% of the episode but it did. If I missed anything or messed anything up, blame it on my waning interest. I’ll likely stick with this show simply because there is nothing else on television right now. I sincerely hope this show gets better because I like the actors and actresses as well as the scenery but the episode was a step back. It scores a 6 out of 10. Previous and future episode recaps of Mare of Easttown are available on Reel Mockery here.