Death and Other Details – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Sordid

Death and Other Details Episode 2 begins with a flashback to six months ago. Keith Trubitsky knocks on Rufus’s door and tells him he has good news. He is Rufus’s assistant and his real name is Danny. He shows Rufus the invitation to the Colliers’ cruise and tells him that Imogene will be there. Since Collier Mills is open for investors, they can finally look through the books and find a connection to Viktor Sams.

At present, Rufus tells Imogene that Viktor Sams is probably an alias for an international syndicate and her mother must have gotten in the crosshairs. But Rufus was never able to check the Colliers’ accounts to prove it. Imogene seems placated. She comes out of the room and onto the deck where she tells everyone else that her ‘questioning’ with Rufus was harsh.

Later, Rufus tries to access Lawrence again but his lawyer blocks Rufus’s way. However, Rufus does notice bruises on the lawyer’s hand. Imogene tries to meet Lawrence too but finds her way blocked by none other than Jules.

Rufus continues questioning the guests and tries to trace Danny’s movements. He learns that as Keith, Danny antagonised Anna. Eleanor, the Chuns’ daughter, reveals that the Colliers are actually bankrupt while Anna insists that Collier Mills is as successful as ever.

Three months ago, we see that Imogene was in a slump, mourning her mother’s death anniversary. But Anna brought her comfort food. On the boat, Imogene meets with Sunil. Anna enters and Imogene admits to her that she’s helping Rufus.

Rufus then questions Father Toby who had previously said he never spoke to Keith. But that was a lie. In fact, Toby did speak to Danny and even introduced him to Governor Alexandra. Danny then proceeded to ask her about getting funds from an illegal source.

When it comes to Leila, Rufus learns she had a car accident but believes it was done on purpose. She suspected Danny of being involved. Meanwhile, Anna and Imogene meet with the Collier couple. A quick flashback shows that Rufus had asked Imogene to get access to the Collier books.

Rufus then finds that Danny, as Keith, had refused to invest in Tripp’s venture and that made Tripp really angry. Multiple people saw the fight between them. A little later, the whole debacle with the waitress happened. Rufus also learns that the bar cart delivered to Danny’s room was ordered from Tripp’s room, although it was an American woman’s voice on the phone.

Imogene reconvenes with Rufus in Sunil’s office and tells him that deceiving Anna felt too easy. Sunil enters and tells them that Interpol is on the way. He also mentions that he caught Trubitsky trying to enter his office at midnight but he then pretended to be drunk and went back to his room.

After Sunil leaves, Rufus tells Imogene that he’s deducted something else — Governor Alexandra and Tripp are having an affair. CCTV footage also caught the exchange of a suitcase between Llewellyn and Teddy, neither of whom mentioned it. He says that all the people on board have something to hide and now that he’s rattled them, they will make mistakes.

It seems to have already been working as we are shown Alexandra breaking off her affair with Tripp. Meanwhile, Eleanor tells Anna her grandmother wants to leave the ship and end the deal. The episode ends with the arrival of Agent Hilde Erikson from Interpol, who is determined to switch things up at the end of Death and Other Details Episode 2.

The Episode Review

The storytelling of Death and Other Details Episode 2 has a peculiar jumpiness to it that does not work very well. There are sudden jump cuts, shifts in the timeline, and abrupt switches in between scenes that interrupt the flow of the story. In fact, a show with a large ensemble of characters such as this one requires a smooth flow so viewers don’t get lost in a sea of names and places.

Imogene herself comes across as a bit simplistic. Her moods seem temperamental and easy explanations from Rufus seem to pacify her strong emotions quite quickly. Another strange point is the reveal that Imogene’s mother probably died in the crosshairs of some bigger fight. It’s odd that this reveal would be made in such a casual, off-hand way. Even Lawrence Collier’s involvement in her death seems to be taken a bit too lightly when, in fact, Imogene has been practically raised by him and his wife.

While there is plenty to keep the mystery going, this show does not seem to be on very strong footing. The acting is on point and the visuals are stylish but the writing and the editing are already letting those finer features down.