The Clearing – Season 1 Episode 3 “Suffer the Little Children” Recap & Review

Suffer the Little Children

An infant sobs in a car at the beginning of The Clearing episode 3. An inexperienced Freya gets so fed up that she steps out of the vehicle alone.

In the present timeline, when the people who purchased the home Freya is currently residing in arrive to take measurements for the second bedroom, she gets anxious and orders them to leave the premises. She confronts her mom about the sale being made, but her mom is unwilling to listen to her.

Freya shows up at The Kindred residence in search of Dr. Lathan. Dr. Lathan shows up and responds, saying Freya shouldn’t have any possessions when she questions him concerning why he sold her home. He tells her that she should have anticipated this and that she cannot continue to suck on her mother’s teat forever.

In the past timeline, Amy states that Sara can eat anything she desires in her house while everybody is eating. She then goes on to explain that she’d be allowed to make a sandwich for herself whenever she wants. This frustrates Tamsin and Hannah, who then kick her out of the residence.

Dr. Lathan approaches Amy outside to speak. When Amy inquires about Sara, he replies that they’ve left her unconscious on her doorstep. In the meantime, Joe pleads with his superiors to issue a warrant so he can enter the Kindred family’s home and remove the child.

A detective listens in on the conversation when Joe presses his superior to provide a search warrant. This detective shows at the kindred residence to speak with Matriah and he lets her know that Joe thinks they could be holding Sara. When he inquires about the child, she responds that he made the right decision.

In the present timeline, Freya spots a white van from outside as she enters the playground to watch over Billy. She then picks Billy up from school ahead of schedule. A car is pursuing her as she starts chasing the van. Wayne gets out of the car and talks to her regarding their missing child Max and inquires whether Freya has kept in touch with the child. However, when he inquires about Billy, she replies that he won’t get Billy and she walks away.

In the past timeline, when Matriah shows up, she takes the kids outdoors and sings while they play. Meanwhile, in order to dispose of the proof before the police show up, Dr. Latham is seen going through a few of the possessions in the home.

Back outdoors, everybody is in a state of panic because Amy has disappeared. A man comes across Amy and he recognizes her. Thereafter, he picks her up in his truck. Amy ends up having dinner at this man’s house when the police show up, which prompts her to run away. However, she runs towards a tree and is knocked out.

In the present timeline, Freya rings Joe to let him know she thinks Max had been the one in the white van. Max has been waiting for Billy and Freya when they arrive home. Max confronts her mom, claiming that her father told her she left because she had no idea how to be a parent.

Max expresses her disappointment in her mother who wasn’t there for her. When Wayne comes to take Max, he demands that Freya introduce Billy to him, but she declines.

In the past timeline, the police show up to search The Kindred home, inevitably taking all the children away. Joe wanders around inside while looking for Sara, who isn’t present. Despite discovering a network of tunnels, he is unable to locate Sara.

Joe speaks to Henrik and Hannah as they are being loaded into the police vehicles, inquiring about Matriah’s location, but no one replies. Meanwhile, Matriah ends up at the airport. Tamsin, on the other hand, runs inside the woods. As the episode comes to a close, we return to the present timeline once more and see that Anton is at Matriah’s home.

The Episode Review

After building its foundation during the initial two episodes, The Clearing looks at the Kindred’s current state while also delving into the cult’s infamous past. Then, we discover who Freya was and how, as a young woman, she was forced into the events of The Kindred. In the present time, things become chaotic after Freya’s daughter pays an unexpected visit.

After a slow paced and uneventful beginning, this episode ramps up the tension and provides some rather intriguing information to keep us interested in the mystery drama.