The Returned - Julie - Review

The Returned, “Julie,” was directed by Charles Martin with the teleplay once again by Raelle Tucker. Martin’s other credits include Skins, Wallander, and Being Human. This episode really upped the supernatural and creepy factor for me.

The episode opens seven years ago. We learn that Nikki (Agnus Bruckner) and Julie (Sandrine Holt) were a couple. It’s Halloween and Julie insists on going home, walking through the tunnel where Lucy (Leah Gibson) was attacked and becoming a victim herself. It’s hard to ignore the symbolism of a tunnel when considering a show about the line between the living and the dead. This is also reflected in her
Dia de Meurtos inspired costume.

In the present, we are at Mr Goddard’s funeral. We learn that his wife died 29 years earlier when the damn broke and the town was flooded. The others don’t realize that Helen Goddard (Michelle Forbes) is actually standing among them. Clearly, when someone dies is not a deciding factor. Could the water itself have something to do with it? It’s a lot more clear why Goddard jumped off the damn though.

Lena (Sophie Lowe) and Claire (Tandi Wright) are at the funeral and run into Peter (Jeremy Sisto). I thought it was interesting that Lena told Peter about Simon (Mat Vairo). Camille (India Ennenga) is still being kept secret, so she’s home with Jack (Mark Pellegrino). She asks him if he and her mother are divorced. He says they’re just taking a break. Jack makes sure to emphasize that nothing is Camille’s fault. He also tells her that it was hardest on Lena. But Camille points out that she’s lost a sister too. Their connection as twins may have something to do with the cut that appears on Lena’s back and which gets bigger and bigger as the episode goes on. Is she manifesting Camille’s original injuries?

Peter, meanwhile, goes to the police station and sweet talks his way into having Simon released to him. Peter runs the Caldwell Community Center where he takes people in. He offers to take Simon there, but Simon needs to go and see Rowan (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Peter tells Simon that he died and that he’s not the only one to come back. Peter also reveals that he knew some like Simon a long time ago. Has Peter also come back from the dead? Is that why he hasn’t been so freaked out? How many of the returned are at the Center? Simon leaves only to return to the Center later in the episode.

Hiding Camille is becoming more difficult, mainly because she doesn’t want to stay hidden. Jack wants to simply move the entire family and start over. Claire is not doubt reluctant because of Peter, but also because they aren’t the same people they were before. By the end of the episode, however, she kisses Jack back when he kisses her.

Camille convinces Claire to take her shopping at a mall far enough away that they won’t run into anyone they know, but of course they run into Kris (Chelah Horsdal) who immediately recognizes Camille. Claire is too stunned to know what to do, so Camille lies and says she’s Lena’s cousin Alice. How ironic is that? Sophie Lowe’s last series was playing Alice in Wonderland – and on a deeper level, it’s very much like Camille has fallen down the rabbit hole. Camille insists, “Why wouldn’t she believe me? Any other explanation is crazy, right?” It’s hard to tell whether Kris was stunned or if she is hiding some secret of her own. Later, Camille uses the same cover as Alice to sneak into the Dog Star. Lena is having none of it, however, and outs her as 16 and under age. She tells Camille she wants her gone.

Simon goes to Rowan and essentially pretends to be a ghost. He tells her he was a bit of a screw up. Rowan says she was just thinking about him, and he says that’s how it works – feeding the notion that he’s a figment of her imagination. Simon tells her he just came to say goodbye because she has Tommy (Kevin Alejandro) now and doesn’t need him. She takes him to see his daughter. If only he knew what a creepy guy Tommy really is! We see that he has surveillance cameras up all over their house so that he can spy on Rowan continually – yuck! Lena, however, tips Rowan off that Simon is real. And the next time she sees him they kiss – while Tommy watches on camera…

We have another newly returned person – Tony’s (Aaron Douglas) brother Adam (Rhys Ward). In this case, he returns to an empty house, looking for his mother who has passed away herself. Tony finds a dead wolf, but when he tries to bury it, Adam hits him with a shovel. It’s an odd thing to be doing – killing a wolf. How does Adam fit in with the others?

Given that the episode is called Julie, we really get very little about her. Nikki shows up at her apartment, and we learn that Julie pushed her away after the attack. Noisy neighbor Annie (Jill Morrison) is convinced that the police showing up on Julie’s doorstep means that Julie is involved in some shady and illegal adoption.

        Victor (Dylan Kingwell) remains as creepy as ever. The final scene of the episode is him going into Annie’s apartment with her promise that she’ll feed him. Is he going because he’s eaten everything at Julie’s already? Is he planning on eating Annie? All three of the returned do continue to have voracious appetites.

It seems the mysteries deepen rather than providing us with any real answers yet. I’m really suspicious of both Tommy and Peter at this point, but I’m also not sure that the returned are “good.” What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.