Ripley – Season 1 Episode 6 “VI Some Heavy Instrument” Recap & Review

VI Some Heavy Instrument

Episode 6 of Ripley begins with the cops finally finding Freddie’s dead body and they bring in Inspector Pietro Ravini. They begin the investigation at their own pace but they don’t seem too thorough as they drop the hat Tom put on Freddie. However, Ravini ends up getting Freddie’s name and details by asking the car owner. He goes to Freddie’s hotel room and finds a male hook-up and Tom’s address. They also get the cause of death – a blunt object.

Tom hallucinates Dickie but for once doesn’t check the newspapers. The landlady cleans up more blood on the stairs, thinking that the cat has killed a mouse.

Ravini shows up just as Tom is about to leave for Palermo. He believes that Tom is Dickie and interrogates him about Freddie. Tom is shifty and Freddie’s bloody scarf is in the bathtub but as usual, luck is on his side. Tom claims Freddie was robbed during his dalliances and it’s enough to send Ravini away who instructs him to pick up the phone when he calls. 

Marge is upset to see that Dickie’s boat has been sold and the local boatman suggests he may not be coming back to Atrani. She also finally sees the news about Freddie’s death and how Dickie was questioned. Max Yoder, a friend of Dickie, calls and Tom ends up picking up the phone thinking it is Ravini. Max believes he is talking to Dickie and wants to see him before he leaves Rome. Tom pretends the cops are questioning him and never shows up.

Meanwhile, the local boatmen find Tom and Dickie’s San Remo boat which is bloody. The cops question the hotel clerk who gives them the info on Tom and Dickey. He also points out that only one of them checked out but he is not sure which one. Ravini is told and this update confuses him. Marge tries to check in about Freddie’s case but Ravini is out.

Tom tries to leave again for Palermo but Ravini shows up again! He insinuates that Tom Ripley is missing, the boat is full of blood and Dickie was the last to see him in Rome which may make him a suspect. Tom, of course, spins some lies that are again full of holes such as they returned the boat, he ran to Rome because of Marge and Tom didn’t like Freddie or his money.

He suggests that Tom is on the run after doing something to Freddie which doesn’t convince Ravini this time. But he lets Tom go to Palermo as long as he is in touch.

Marge shows up as Ravini leaves after getting the address from the cops and she is surprised to see Tom at Dickie’s place. Tom claims that Dickie ran away because the cops are hounding him about Freddie’s death. She asks him about the yacht and he simply claims Dickie did what he wanted. He sends her back to Atrani and rushes to Palermo at the end of Ripley Episode 6.

The Episode Review

Ripley Episode 6 has Tom cutting it too close that his lies seem to be catching up with him. Not only does he have Marge on his tail now but an inspector who is like a dog with a bone. Even though Ravini doesn’t understand what is going on, he knows that Tom is somehow involved. But honestly, all of this would have been solved had they not lost Tom’s hat which he had put on Dickie. 

But what’s cool is that we can pretty much see Tom’s thinking process as he makes it all up as he goes. And the funniest part is that what he plans in advance never comes to fruition like trying to leave for Palermo. We do wonder if going to Palermo as Dickie is a good move since he will constantly be trailed wherever he goes now. And officially, Tom Ripley is a missing man and Dickie is a murder suspect.