The Clearing – Season 1 Episode 4 “The Foundlings” Recap & Review

The Foundlings

In the past timeline, episode 4 of The Clearing sees the Kindred children receiving a full body checkup. Meanwhile, Colin tells Joe that Matriah escaped the country. Joe is aware that she was forewarned, though.

Joe enters Amy’s hospital room to inquire about Sara and to see if she recognizes her in the photograph. Since Anton is present, she is hesitant to speak. Joe makes reference to what she wrote in her diary about Sara, claiming Henrik had told her he’d taken her home. Joe discloses that Henrick never brought Sara home and that he requires her assistance to locate her.

Joe and Colin interrogate Dr. Lathan, Hannah, and Henrik regarding the children, Matriah and Sara. No one among them makes any admissions or provides relevant details regarding the case.

The Kindred children are reunited with their true parents. Anton and Amy assert that they are Matriah’s children, but Matriah denies their claims and forces them to live with the state.

In the present timeline, Freya goes to visit Henrik in jail. Henrik claims that he’s patiently awaited her visit. When she inquires about his relationship with Matriah, he says that she hasn’t visited him. When she presses for details about what actually happened to Sara, he ends up triggered. He claims she doesn’t want to learn the truth.

When Anton comes to Freya’s house unannounced, she invites him inside. He spends the entire day with her and Billy, but when she inquires, he tells her he has not seen Mom, which is a lie.

After informing Billy of the fact that Wayne is his dad, Freya takes him to spend some time with his dad. Max was supposed to join Freya for lunch, but when she doesn’t, Freya worries that she doesn’t want to stay in touch.

Freya learns that Anton has moved in with Matriah, while she goes to visit her. She observes Anton as he folds a jacket that she recognizes from a video. Once she realizes it’s the same jacket, she steps outdoors to re-watch the video. Thereafter, she is convinced Anton is responsible for the missing child’s abduction.

Carrie Anderson, a lost girl, is discovered in a forest as Joe starts his investigation into Anton’s situation. Although Freya feels relieved, she is nevertheless convinced that there’s more to the story.

Henrik goes to a police station and admits that he held Sara hostage. He claims that he was looking for a daughter.

Dr. Lathan is seen in the episode’s final moments. He is preaching to the congregation about restarting their world, but Anton enters the room, and we spot Billy with him.

The Episode Review

This episode focuses on the consequences following the raid on The Kindred home. Several issues have been addressed, such as who confesses to taking Sara, what function Anton is serving in the present, and whether The Kindred will ever rise again.

Although well-written, this episode is extremely unsettling. The show has undertones of Marxist criticism, and it does a beautiful job of getting its point across. The series manages to keep you on the very edge of your seat throughout.