Torture – As this episode of Wolf begins, a man carries a woman through the woods five years earlier. They enter the Donkey Pitch. Hugo (Gwion Morris Jones) begins telling Sophie (Emily Adara) why they call it that. They enter a side room where Hugo has set up a makeshift bed for them. Before long, someone in a hazmat suit walks over and stabs Hugo. Sophie makes a run for it but finds herself trapped inside. The person in the hazmat suit leaves Hugo to come after her. They eventually catch up with her and drag her back before stabbing both bodies.

In the present, DI Honey (Sacha Dhawan) and Molina (Iwan Rheon) secure Matilda to the table which has been nailed to the floor. Oliver (Owen Teale) is brought in and chained to the stove. Once they’re alone, Matilda and Oliver discuss what is happening and doubt they’re police officers because they wouldn’t do something like that. Matilda tries to find out more about Lucia, but Oliver doesn’t have answers for her. Oliver tells her to do what the men tell her to do. Lucia (Annes Elwy) is brought in seconds later. Matilda asks the men if they think they’ll get away with this before asking if they know who her husband is.

Honey tells Molina that he loves it when people say that. When Honey grabs the dog, Lucia pleads with them not to hurt her. Jack Caffrey (Ukweli Roach) takes the dog to the vet and learns that it doesn’t have a chip. Her teeth and coat are in great shape so someone loves the dog very much. It hasn’t been reported missing. She may have a broken toe. Jack learns that they’ll have to keep the dog until they can get some X-rays. She has swallowed something although there doesn’t seem to be an obstruction. Jack takes a picture of the dog to see if he can find anyone who recognizes her. Honey and Molina begin taking jewelry and other items from the family.

Then, they turn around and walk out of the room before the family hears the door slam shut. Matilda begins worrying about Minnet Kable, but Oliver doubts he is anywhere out there. Lucia believes they’re lucky that they were only robbed. Oliver assures Matilda that they can replace the ring he gave her. Matilda wonders why they went to such trouble if they only wanted to rob them. She questions how they’re going to free themselves. Oliver suggests Beca will come over. Matilda worries it’ll take too long since Oliver needs his medication. Jack looks at the note found on the dog asking someone to call the police. He begins speaking to people in the area about the dog.

An older gentleman invites him inside so he can grab his glasses. Jack notices a picture of a girl in the man’s house. Five years earlier, Jack finds the two bodies at the Donkey Pitch. DI Maia Lincoln (Sian Reese-Williams) comes over to ask if he is the SIO. She knows he isn’t so she questions what he is doing on her crime scene. Jack says nothing before walking away. Jack puts down the picture of Sophie. Colonel Frink (Karl Johnson) comes back with his glasses. He doesn’t recognize the dog. Jack apologizes and says he didn’t mean to be rude earlier. Frink says Minnet Kable didn’t just take his granddaughter that day. He took his daughter took.

She moved away and they barely speak anymore. Frink says it means the world to him that the right man is behind bars and that he’ll never hurt anyone ever again. He asks if he is the right one. Oliver tells Matilda to stop because Beca will come. He promises that he is okay. Lucia hears a call outside. They believe it is Beca since she always parks out back. They’re disappointed when Honey and Molina come back in with lunch for themselves. Oliver tries to get answers from them. As far as Honey knows, Kable is still in prison. Oliver asks what his agenda is so they can try to help him. Honey explains that they want them to be scared. He goes on to say he wants them to be really scared.

Honey says simply scaring them would be pointless so it is more than that, but he won’t say what they want. They mix the jewelry into the dog food and give it to the dog. The family pleads with them not to hurt the dog, but Honey makes the dog eat the jewelry. Then, he says they should get going because they’re already behind schedule. Jack goes back to the Donkey Pitch and remembers being at the crime scene when the kids were found. The attack went on for half a day. Cigarettes are found on the victims. While Jack is there, he does an experiment. Honey and Molina give Oliver drugs. Lucia pleads for the dog because it is going to get sick. Honey slaps her across the face.

He tells Molina to take Matilda upstairs and put the dog anywhere but not with Lucia. Jack puts an ad online about the dog. He also researches Minnet Kable. Matilda tries to find a way to escape. She holds the dog before Molina comes back with food. Matilda asks if he was in prison with Kable or just read about him. He tells her to get up so she can go to the toilet. Molina gives her two minutes. When she flushes the toilet, she tries to break the glass mirror but can’t. Jack looks through pictures from the case files. He remembers attending the autopsy and listening to Maia go through the injuries the victims suffered. On her way out, Maia gets into Jack’s personal space.

Matilda uses stuff she found to write a note asking for help with the address to the property. She hides the note in Bear’s collar. Bear seems to chew up a portion of the note. Honey complains about the mess in the house before learning that Molina brought the intestines inside. He told the housekeeper that he was Oliver’s research assistant and they were going to be working undisturbed. Molina tells Honey everything he had to do to get ready. They hear a thud and the dog yelping. When they step outside, they watch the dog run from the house. Molina suspects the mom threw it out of the window.

Honey tells him to put some dog food out because it’ll come back. Molina says they don’t have any dog food. They find part of the note with the address under the window. Honey says Mrs. Anchor-Ferrers just volunteered to go first. They go to Lucia to tell her that the dog fell out the window. Jack receives a call learning that the dog must’ve swallowed jewelry. He wants to look at the items when they finally pass naturally. Jack visits Robbie (Hywell Simons) to talk to him about the Donkey Pitch murders. Robbie says Maia Lincoln’s work is often questioned even though she is the best detective there is.

When Jack asks about her partner DI Gareth Matthews (Kai Owen), Robbie says they’ve always been tight. Robbie confirms that Gareth supported Maia’s theory. Jack continues researching the case at home. He remembers giving Maia a pack of cigarettes and how she flirted with him. Jack checks the jewelry. He finds a ring that has been engraved with “To Matilda, love Jimmy”. The vet says she’ll meet him outside for the bill. He talks to the dog about that in the car. Honey wakes up Matilda and makes her apologize for the dog. She believes he is copying Minnet. When she asks if he is going to rape her daughter, Honey says he wasn’t planning on it because he doubts they’ll have the time.

Jack returns to the walking man (Tim Treloar) to ask if he has something to connect the dog to the donkey pitch murders. The walking man believes he feels that way. Jack says he’ll find the dog’s owner, but he’ll get information about his brother in return. The man refuses to take the dog so Jack gives it to Colonel Frink. Jack meets Maia moments later. He insists he wasn’t complaining back then and he isn’t complaining now either. Jack mentions that she wrote in her notes that Minnet wasn’t very bright. He says there wasn’t much evidence at the crime scene so it looks like a smart criminal was responsible. Maia refutes that and mentions that the cuts were done with both hands while Kable is ambidextrous.

Maia goes on to say he confessed. Jack argues that her theory is full of holes. He doesn’t think one killer could’ve done all of that to two kids. Jack thinks it was two very smart ones and he knew it five years ago. Maia denies that she threw the donkey pitch murders. Jack questions whether she was cut out for the job or whether someone had to tick a few boxes. Maia asks if he is coming. Honey and Molina lead Oliver and Lucia to another room where they find Matilda hanging upside down. Honey comes in with a sword and sings while Jack and Maia get ready for sex.

 

Wolf Review

The second episode of Wolf was on par with the first. The performances remain decent without any issues there and the camerawork is great. The series look good enough and the story is pretty interesting for the most part. The biggest issue I am having with the series is the villains so far because they’re so over-the-top and cartoonish to take seriously.

They’re a little cliché considering one is the boss and the other is being bullied around although this is pretty common among killers. Jack Caffrey’s part is more interesting, but it is also fun to see what Matilda and the family are willing to do to save themselves.

Jack’s interaction with Colonel Frink was a nice touch in this episode. By the time the series is over, viewers will likely feel that it was one or two episodes too long. Overall, the series has been watchable through two episodes but I can also see why viewers would be turned off by the ridiculous villains.

This episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Wolf can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here.