Deadloch is an intriguing and hilarious Australian comedy-crime thriller now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Defying all the traditional gender norms, two skilled female detectives join forces to investigate a string of murders in the eerie landscape of a dead lake in Tasmania, also known as Deadloch. The story primarily revolves around Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins, a serious and dedicated investigator who tirelessly works to unravel the mystery behind the serial killer’s identity. However, her partner, Detective Eddie Redcliffe, often hinders Dulcie’s efforts with her unpredictable actions. Their constant clashes reach a boiling point, leading to a pivotal moment that marks the beginning of the real investigation.
Spoilers Ahead
Episode 1 Recap: Did Gavin Kill His Brother?
Deadloch Episode 1 opens with two local women stumbling upon a dead body on the shores of Deadloch. Trent, the owner of Beast Factory Gym, was soon identified as the victim. Although Senior Sergeant Dulcie was informed about the murder, she had made a promise to her wife, Cath, that she would steer clear of any further involvement in murder investigations. However, due to a shortage of experienced detectives, the commissioner insisted that Dulcie take charge of the case until lead detective Redcliffe arrived. Dulcie kept Cath in the dark and began an investigation for potential suspects in the murder. Despite being grief-stricken, Trent’s wife, Vanessa, didn’t provide a solid alibi. Nevertheless, Dulcie managed to gather information indicating that Trent was at home with his wife and son on the previous night.
The next day, the lead investigator, Eddie Redcliffe from Darwin, arrived, but to Dulcie’s surprise, it was another female detective. However, Dulcie’s annoyance stemmed not from Eddie’s gender but rather from her reckless way of speaking and her constant attempts to solve the case through shortcuts. Upon Eddie’s arrival, she quickly identified Gavin, Trent Latham’s brother and co-owner of Beast Factory, as the murderer. However, Dulcie refused to jump to any conclusions without supporting evidence. Meanwhile, the assistant investigator Abby’s fiance, James, who was also the forensic expert, made a crucial discovery. He found that the victim had been strangled to death and had had their tongue cut off three hours prior to the strangulation. This triggered Dulcie’s memory of another murder case in Deadloch involving Mayor Rob Dixon, who was also strangled to death with his tongue removed. Dulcie realized that these murders were connected, but Redcliffe repeatedly hindered the investigation by insisting that Gavin was the culprit.
CCTV video footage of the deck surfaced, showing Gavin and Trent having a fight on the night of the murder. However, the presence of two seagulls mating obstructed the detectives’ view of what transpired at the end. Dulcie investigated the area around the deck and discovered Trent’s phone. Upon further examination, she learned that Gavin had mistakenly sent a sexually explicit photo of himself to Trent’s number while sending it to Vanessa. When questioned, Vanessa’s son revealed that Vanessa was unhappy with Gavin sending such provocative pictures or flirtatious messages. This revelation explained the fight between Trent and Gavin on the deck. However, just as Dulcie and Redcliffe were narrowing down Gavin as their prime suspect in Trent’s murder case, there came a twist in the plot. The following evening, during a festival, Gavin’s naked, lifeless body was discovered on the shores of Deadloch. He had been strangled to death with his tongue cut off, in just the same way his brother Trent had been killed.
Episode 2 Recap: Who Was Chasing Redcliffe Into The Forest?
Deadloch Episode 2 began with a masked individual chopping off tongues on a boat and feeding them to the fish, adding a dark and menacing mystery to the story. Meanwhile, Dulcie remained focused on the investigation into Gavin Latham’s murder. A new leader named Phil McGangus, the co-owner of the town’s sawmill owned by the Latham brothers, emerged. With Gavin ruled out as a suspect, Redcliffe shifted her attention to Phil, believing that he orchestrated the murders to gain control of the sawmill and other businesses of the Lathams. However, Dulcie, mindful of the similarities to the Rob Dixon murder case, refrained from drawing any conclusions. She even questioned Rob’s wife, Margaret, but didn’t receive much assistance. Margaret suggested contacting Claire, the artist who had depicted Rob’s dead body in a cartoonish style. Recalling the lack of evidence and information during the Rob Dixon murder investigation, Dulcie decided to reopen the case and investigate further. However, as she attempted to exhume Rob’s remains, Phil intervened, claiming that such actions would disrupt the peace of the neighborhood.
Dulcie faced a lack of seriousness regarding the murder case, both from the community and her colleagues, with the exception of Abby. Even the forensic expert, James, failed to provide adequate information, which frustrated Dulcie. Additionally, Redcliffe, who wandered around the town in a disheveled state in her beach shirt and shorts, incessantly insisting on arresting Phil. Another lead named Sam O’Dwyer, a friend of the Latham brothers and Phil, came to light. However, Sam had left the town years ago. His wife, Victoria, who ran a bakery, along with their daughter and son, were distraught. Redcliffe quickly grew suspicious of Sam and began gathering evidence against him. However, Dulcie, with her polite and empathetic nature, prevented the impulsive Redcliffe from rushing to interrogate the family members. As Dulcie reviewed the video footage of the deck, she made a startling revelation. Near the deck, she noticed the presence of Sam O’Dwyer’s boat, within which a mysterious figure was attempting to hide.
Redcliffe, having left her department-provided apartment, decided to stay in a cabin. To her surprise, she discovered that the cabin belonged to Sam O’Dwyer. Later that night, a man wearing a blue jacket emerged from one of the rooms and started running, eluding Redcliffe’s capture. Redcliffe chased him into the forest but accidentally fell into a large grave, unable to apprehend the mysterious person. However, Redcliffe deduced that the individual was none other than Sam O’Dwyer, who had not left the town but had been hiding inside the cabin. While Redcliffe endured a night trapped in the grave, Dulcie made a significant discovery. She discovered Sam’s boat had been deliberately set on fire. This act of arson strongly suggested that the boat might have contained crucial and valuable clues that someone had sought to destroy.
Episode 3 Recap And Ending Explained: Was The Serial Killer A Male?
Deadloch Episode 3 began with the discovery of another murder victim who had been saponified. However, the intact jacket revealed his identity as Sam O’Dwyer. The two local women who had previously found Trent’s body located Redcliffe and rescued her from the grave. Redcliffe joined Dulcie and learned Sam had been killed. As the days passed, the number of murders continued to increase, causing Dulcie great concern. She realized that these victims were all killed in the water and then brought back onto the shores of the Deadloch. Based on her general beliefs, Dulcie concluded that the killer was a local male. Dulcie orchestrated a public DNA sampling test where all cisgender males were asked to provide their samples. The plan was to gather DNA evidence that could potentially help in identifying the killer. However, on the same night, a winter festival named “Feastival,” organized by Margaret Dixon, took place. Sam’s daughter, Skye, was responsible for the food. The entire neighborhood was invited to the event, including Dulcie and her wife. She spotted Dr. Kehlman there and urged her to investigate the murders forensically. But Kehlman showed no interest in getting involved in the case. She seemed intrigued by the murders but was intimidated by something, preventing her from taking charge of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Redcliffe, who was no closer to solving the case, got heavily drunk at a pub and encountered her nemesis, Phil McGangus. McGangus attempted to attack her by taking her to the deck, but ended up being attacked by Redcliffe instead. Abby informed Dulcie about Redcliffe’s whereabouts and also mentioned that media reporters were trying to interview Redcliffe for insights into the case. To avoid further chaos, Dulcie left Cath behind at the festival and rushed to the bar. Later, she reached the deck and found Redcliffe attacking McGangus. As McGangus fled with injuries to his eyes, Dulcie discovered that Redcliffe was intoxicated. Overwhelmed with anger, Dulcie scolded Redcliffe for her recklessness and how she was jeopardizing the investigation. In her inebriated state, Redcliffe finally revealed that she only wanted to solve the case quickly so she could return to Darwin. She couldn’t abandon the investigation halfway because her teammates were furious with her back in Darwin.
In a previous case, Redcliffe’s partner, Bushy, had been killed by an alligator while she managed to survive. Since then, Redcliffe has been burdened with guilt, and her other teammates have mistreated her. Therefore, by solving the case, she hoped to happily return to her old department. Touched by Redcliffe’s sadness, Dulcie apologized for her outburst and offered her comfort. Meanwhile, Abby approached them with highly crucial information. None of the local men’s DNA samples matched the one found in the murdered victims. However, the toxicology report indicated that the victims had a significant amount of poisonous phenobarbital in their blood. Dulcie deduced that the victims were first drugged to death before being strangled, with their tongues subsequently being cut off. Dulcie in an eccentric and sexist manner, drew a peculiar conclusion that men don’t poison, suggesting that it was likely the work of a woman. Redcliffe’s mind refocused, and she decided to team up with Dulcie. Deadloch Episode 3 ended by highlighting the female suspects in town: Skye O’Dwyer, Victoria O’Dwyer, Margaret Dixon, Mayor Aleyna, and Dulcie’s wife, Cath. The reason for Cath’s inclusion as a suspect will be revealed in the upcoming episodes.
Final Words
Although it remains speculative, it seemed likely that if the killer was a woman, she must have harbored deep resentment towards the men she had murdered. On the surface, these men were all successful and influential figures in the town, and they were acquainted with each other. It’s possible that there was a singular motivation behind these killings: revenge. In the upcoming episodes of Deadloch, we can expect to delve deeper into this revelation and gradually uncover all the mysteries. Let’s wait for all the mysteries to be unraveled one by one.
