As the episode begins, Michael Callaghan (Emmett J Scanlan) rolls over and wakes up Ophelia (Emily Reid) so she gets out of bed. She enters Roisin’s writing room and begins to read before Michael enters to check on her. Ophelia tells Michael that she saw Roisin (Catherine Walker) across the drive standing by the trees but she doesn’t believe it. Ophelia doesn’t understand what is happening to her but Michael says it is normal because she is pregnant and the house is creepy. He tries to convince her that it was a terrible, unfortunate accident before calming Ophelia. Michael tells Ophelia that the book she is holding is the first one Roisin wrote.
In the morning, Michael gets romantic with Ophelia until his phone rings and he has to leave the bedroom. Moments later, Ophelia overhears him planning a trip out of town. When the call ends, she learns that Matthew (Dempsey Bovell) called to let Michael know his father Hugh (Ian McElhinney) is in the hospital after collapsing in the house. As Michael leaves, he calls Mary Mulvery (Eleanor Methven) and asks her to check on Ophelia because she isn’t doing well. Sheila overhears Mary’s conversation and quickly interrupts before Mary agrees to check on Ophelia. When the call ends, Sheila exits the bathroom and hears music in another room.
Mary says she left the radio on before Sheila goes downstairs and Mary enters the room in question. She locks the door behind her before the music stops and she leaves. She locks the door from the outside. Next, Sean McKeogh (Paul Mescal) checks on Ophelia and invites her down to the pub that night for a music night. She turns down his offer saying she doesn’t feel great. Michael meets with Matthew and learns from Alice that his father suffered a transient ischemic attack. It is similar to a mini stroke without any lasting effects. Michael is concerned when he learns it might be a warning that something worse is coming and that his father should not be left alone.
Michael gets permission to take his father back to Ireland. Then, he speaks with another medical professional about his father’s visitor from the night before. He checks the notes and finds out that someone signed Roisin’s name when visiting Hugh. Ophelia reads before looking out her window at the cottage. She closes the window and her door closes seconds later. She sits down and tries on Roisin’s lipstick and perfume but Mary enters and surprises her. Mary tells Ophelia about Roisin sleeping in her writing room but not on the night of her death. Mary says she could smell Roisin’s perfume through the black soot when she went to see her and that she can still smell it.
Mary heads downstairs to make a cup of tea. When Ophelia follows a short time later, she finds Mary blessing and praying for the house. Ophelia leaves without drawing attention to herself and rides a bike away from the home. She goes to Sheila’s bar for the night and meets up with Sean. Meanwhile, Matthew and Michael discuss Roisin visiting his father and Matthew suggests it might’ve been a journalist. Then, he asks if Roisin committed suicide but Michael says no. Matthew’s brother works as a consultant at the hospital so Michael agrees to ask him for help. Ophelia hangs out with Sean and tells him that she is pregnant. He asks if the baby belongs to Michael before Sheila interrupts and asks Ophelia about helping Michael with the estate.
When Sheila leaves, Sean promises not to tell anyone about Ophelia’s relationship with Michael. The town’s psychic healer Cloda O’Donnell (Louisa Harland) enters and Ophelia learns a bit more about her. Sheila’s husband died in a vehicle accident and she believes Cloda can talk to him. Michael spends the night alone and thinks about a night out with Roisin. Michael interrupts his wife’s conversation with Nick about film rights for her book. Roisin refuses to leave with Michael because she needs to talk to Nick. Seconds later, Nick is introduced to Michael and he asks Michael what his book is called. He asks Michael to send him a copy.
Michael steps outside for a smoke and runs into Ruth (Shelley Conn). He tells her about his terrible night since Nick already had his book for six months. They chat about Michael feeling left out before he leans in and it appears he tries to kiss Ruth. We jump back to the present as Michael lights a cigarette. He pushes a picture of his wife face down so he doesn’t have to look at her. Meanwhile, Ophelia dances with Sean and has a good time with everyone else. When Ophelia sits down, Cloda approaches her and says she heard Ophelia wants to talk to her. She offers to come to the house since that is here Roisin is. Cloda gives her a card before leaving.
Ophelia tells Sean she wants to leave after that and he agrees to take her home. When she returns, she finds Mary in the house making tea. Ophelia reminds her that she doesn’t need to stay but Mary isn’t willing to listen. Mary tells Ophelia that she knows about everything as well as her relationship with Michael. She says things are better out in the open and that nobody is blaming Ophelia for what has happened. Mary says Michael wanted her to have this. She gives her a drink without caffeine because Ophelia isn’t allowed to have caffeine. Ophelia takes it and heads upstairs. Michael gets a call from Matthew with a link to a security video about the Roisin visitor.
Michael checks the video and finds out that Ruth visited his father. That night, Ophelia wakes up in a smoke filled room and hears screams. She wakes up and the smoke has disappeared. Michael tracks down Ruth at the university. He tells her that they didn’t want a circus so they didn’t tell anyone about his wife’s death. Michael is given a drink before the conversation turns to Hugh and his hospital visit. Michael confronts Ruth about the visit from Roisin before she apologizes and says she didn’t mean to scare Hugh. She says she used Roisin’s name so the hospital would let her visit Hugh and she wasn’t thinking. She was worried and wanted to make sure he was okay but Michael doesn’t believe that.
Ruth tells him about the last time she spoke to Roisin. She left Ruth a message and was very upset. Ruth believes Roisin was frightened of something. She visited the following day but her friend was already gone. A bit later, she learned about the house fire. Ruth says there is something about the story that doesn’t sit well with her but Michael says nobody cares what she thinks. He reminds her what she told him at Roisin’s awards and the night he tried to kiss her. He accuses Ruth of wanting him to kiss her and being jealous of his wife. He wonders which one they will believe before telling Ruth to stay away from his father.
Ophelia gets a visit from Cloda the following day. During this time, Michael spends time with his father. They chat about the house before Michael tells his father about Ophelia. Hugh asks how long it has been going on before Michael says he told his wife on the night of the fire. Hugh realizes that is why Roisin was drinking that night. Cloda asks Ophelia about seeing Roisin outside the house. She says the man who built this place shook hands with the devil and bad things happen there. She warns Ophelia that Roisin wasn’t the first and won’t be the last. She also says Roisin is there listening to them. Roisin is angry because of what happened to her.
Cloda warns Ophelia that her baby is in danger because he is coming back and it isn’t safe there. She says they’re here just as Michael and his father arrive at the house. Ophelia rushes to hide Cloda and promises to pay her later. Cloda warns her to look after herself and her girl. Hugh is introduced to Ophelia and he admits he already knows her. He asks her for a cup of tea and she agrees to get him one. Michael checks on Ophelia and makes sure there haven’t been anymore scares. He tells her that he spoke to Mary and she understands everything. Michael promises that she doesn’t have to worry about it and that he couldn’t stop thinking about getting back to her.
Later that night, Ophelia goes to the bathroom and can’t get the light to turn on so she lights a candle while Michael sits with his father downstairs. His dad complains about the house being cold. It appears that Cloda’s card is burnt alongside the logs. Ophelia prepares a bath and jumps inside. She sinks under the water and ends up getting cut across the back with shards of glass. Michael enters with a drink and notices. The globe for the light above has been shattered. At the hospital, Michael tells everyone that the fire infected everything and might’ve shattered the bud. As for Ophelia, she is okay and the baby is too. Also, it is confirmed that Ophelia will be having a girl.
Michael gets a call from the college and has to leave the room. However, it is from Mary. He tells her that his father is just fine and that they’re having a girl. Mary knew it and says everything is prepared. She has a bulb in her bag and replaces it in a nearby light fixture. She listens to a music box while Ophelia says she thought she could deal with it but things were about to get much worse. A stranger looks at Michael’s book and smokes a cigarette before the episode ends.
The Deceived Review
The Deceived has been mostly interesting but nothing spectacular just yet. I can appreciate the back and forth with Michael being an evil monster or a husband in grief. I am sure we’ll find out the truth sooner or later. The paranormal aspect of the show is interesting too but I believe that has all been concocted by someone plotting revenge.
I could be wrong. Either way, The Deceived has me guessing and that is a good thing. The acting is great from everyone. I haven’t noticed anyone out of place despite some of the characters being a bit over the top. The Deceived isn’t bad.
I think many will enjoy it as long as they don’t expect too much. This episode scores a 7 out of 10. Previous recaps of The Deceived can be found on Reel Mockery!
