If the first episode of Grotesquerie seemed like a cautious step towards a less explored direction in crime thriller narratives, the second episode boldly announces its individuality, as psychological distortions dominate the dread of the visible violence and horror. As we get to know the characters more intimately in the second episode, a certain common ugliness rears its head, which adds significance to the series’ morbid theme. Previously, while investigating vicious serial killings, Detective Lois Tryon came across Sister Megan, a nun reporter who found a religious angle to the gruesome incidents, and Lois allowed her to tag along in the investigation. Lois herself is seemingly being pursued by the culprit as well, and caught between the pressure of the investigation and family troubles, she is in a bit of a pickle.
Spoilers Ahead
Lois’ Mental Burdens
The beginning of the second episode reveals a bit more about Lois’ family, as it allows viewers to learn about her mental state, which at present is in a dicey condition. A dinner scene unfolds, from back when Marshall was still healthy, and none of the members of the Tryon family seem to meet eye to eye. Both Marshall and Lois are concerned about their daughter’s morbid obesity, but while philosophy professor Marshall tries to address the issue directly through his sugar-coated, sophisticated conversation with Merritt, Lois decides to take a safer, non-confrontational approach and totally ignores the topic. Merritt feels judged by her father and retires to her room, and Marshall turns to his next topic, Lois’ alcoholic tendencies. Lois decides to drop the bomb by revealing the fact that she is aware that beneath his worldly, wise, humble veneer, Marshall is a sore loser who cheats behind her back and dares to preach to others about their life choices. Hilariously enough, Marshall maintains his composure and tries to justify his cheating by mentioning negative aspects of Lois, which eventually prompts Lois to state that she wishes he were dead. At present, standing outside the hospital ward where a comatose Marshall is admitted, Lois probably doesn’t feel the same.
Lois and Nurse Redd keep locking horns with each other, and as Lois starts suspecting her of making sexual advancements towards her comatose husband, the discussion turns pretty ugly real soon. It is embarrassing at certain points, as it becomes pretty clear that the pressure of the murder investigations, combined with the demons of her past in the form of dysfunctional family relations, have cornered Lois—and she is trying to claw her way out but letting her frustration get a hold of herself. Later on, as Lois is having a drunken conversation with her daughter, Merritt asks her to retire at the final stage of her career. Lois states that she won’t rest until this particular case is resolved, which has lately kept her on her toes. Lois also reveals to Merritt that, going through Sister Megan’s research about crime and cult investigations, she has found out that, as a nun, Megan is scarily obsessed over this morbid stuff—the irony of it is really striking.
Macabre Curiosities
Lois goes to visit Sister Megan at her convent to inform her about a possible angle related to the workplace, as the Burnside couple were employed at the same university, but Megan remains inexplicably adamant that the culprit lacks personal connection with their victims and the fact that the police procedure won’t help Lois in unraveling the truth. From what Megan has assessed from the incidents, the culprit suffers from delusions of grandeur and considers themselves as God, who is punishing the wrongdoers as a form of terrible vengeance. These acts of violence are his testimony to the divine.
The second episode introduces us to Father Charlie, the charismatic spiritual leader of Sister Megan’s order, and as the duo go out for lunch, they quickly hit it off while discussing their common interest in true crime. Hearing two persons of faith bemusing each other with their respective knowledge of the vicious crimes of notorious serial killers like Ed Gein and Sister Mariam Soulakiotis—and even picking favorite ones at that—is deliberately jarring, which pronounces the theme of the series. The duo quickly deduces the religious pattern the culprit wanted to portray; feeding the family with the flesh of the father figure in the Burnside massacre likens the incident to numerous biblical allusions to humans feeding on God’s flesh, while the dismemberment of bodies with blood drained out seems to be a reference to the Book of Leviticus, which is connected with spiritual void. The nonchalance and wit the duo find in this discussion is disconcerting, to say the least. As Father Charlie returns to his private quarters, he relieves himself in carnal ways and whips himself to atone for his sins. The suggestion that the discussion regarding despicable deaths had caused an arousal in him is wild and crazy enough. Is Father Charlie a possible suspect? It’s tough to say before assessing him a bit more, but I am assuming he will be the first red herring in this case.
Divine Killings Continue
Sister Megan calls Lois to inform her that she has found another viable angle through Satanism, but Lois reveals that she is already on her way to apprehend a possible suspect whose blood samples were recovered from near the scene of crime, a former organ trafficker by the name of Sullivan Firkus, who has been recently released from prison. However, upon reaching Firkus’ residence with a SWAT team, Lois finds his decomposing body posed in front of his elderly, lunatic mother, who has been shackled and posed as Mother Mary. Lois admits that she is out of depth as she meets Megan once again and reveals to her that the serial killer has left their calling card, terming themselves as Grotesquerie. Megan emphasizes observing the details and symbolisms associated with religious scriptures, which can provide a key to untangle the mystery. A tired Lois returns home and gives her daughter the music box-type thingie that was recovered from the latest crime scene, as she hopes that the numerical engravings on the box might hold some clue that Merritt can decode. However. Meritt is unable to do so as the box turns out to be seamless, and as she retires to her room, Lois once again feels someone’s presence at the house. At one point, the intruder is shown directly in the background, but Lois fails to spot him. Eventually, as Lois offers her prayers before hitting the hay, she receives another call, informing another heinous killing in the town.
Who Were the Latest Victims of Grotesquerie?
Lois reaches the present scene of crime, a church, where the Last Supper has been recreated with corpses of twelve homeless people, in a hideous, unnerving way. The huge police force present at the scene are appalled, speechless at the sight of something so horrifying; only Megan, who arrives moments after Lois, finds the macabre setting to be extremely fascinating, likening it with the masterpieces of Michelangelo or Caravaggio. Lois’ desperate pleas to make sense of everything feel becoming obsolete in Megan’s obscene curiosity and appreciation for the work of psychopathic killer(s). As for the next course of action, Lois simply walks off of the scene, deciding to return to home—it has been a long day for her after all, and the pressure is exacting a heavy toll from her mental peace.
