Hotel Beau Séjour: Season 1/ Episode 2 “De vijf” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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As we get to learn more about the characters, so begins the questioning of who may have killed Kato and why.

Episode Focus: The Investigation Begins (Luc, Leon, Ines [Joke Emmers], Marion Schneider [Katrin Lohmann], Chief Inspector Vinken [Johan van Assche] and Dora Lettinckx [Mieke De Groote])

With a dead body that has head trauma and signs of rape, now comes the hunt for a possible culprit. Naturally, the recent ex-boyfriend is the first to be looked at for while killed brutally, and there being vaginal abrasions, she was also blindfolded and cleaned[note]It isn’t fully made clear if this was in hopes of getting rid of evidence or a full on loving act. Either way, they left an eyelash.[/note]. This leads us to learn that the breakup wasn’t necessarily clean. Leon was broken up with and asked to just be her friend. Something which seemingly was hard to do since as fresh as the wound was, she was flirting with other guys soon after. Which, being that Leon is the sensitive type, led him to go off the handle a bit.

Yet, it seems Luc maybe the one who is of real interest. He first lies about his whereabouts after closing shop and then there is camera footage of him being out 4 in the morning in the area where Kato’s phone was last pinged. With this, he seems pushed toward guilt and it doesn’t help he spends part of the episode looking for something Kato likely didn’t take but he lost.

Which very well could be the item Chief Inspector Vinken found. Said item was a horse which would dangle off a zipper. Something that seemingly was on the person who was last with Kato, or at least seemingly was the last person. Though with CI Vinken deleting said footage and still having the item, it seems he is going to bury that evidence. Making you wonder, between the golden boy Leon or his disliked son Charlie, could they be involved?

Commentary

I’m not even going to pretend I really have a clue who did what? If multiple people are involved or why they did it? Kato is noted as a flirt. Also, someone who drinks a bit much. Pretty much, outside of also her being into motocross, there isn’t much painted about her person to know what happened. She isn’t noted as someone into drugs, so it is hard to tie her with the recent drug ring busts, and flirting isn’t a crime. Also, from my take on things, I can’t imagine neither Leon, his cousin Charlie, nor the Chief Inspector murdering her over a bad breakup or anything like that.

At this point, I honestly feel like it will be between Sophia and Marcus. Perhaps Marcus especially since he gives an odd vibe of knowing Kato a bit too well. But, again, I’m firing arrows into the dark and listening out for a thud.

Subplot 1: That Lazy Son of Mine (Charlie & Chief Inspector Vinken)

Charlie has mental issues and was recently traveling about until he ended up in an institution. Now he has returned home, is taking his pills, and is told to get a job immediately. Which he does working alongside Ines and Renee, Kato’s grandma.

Commentary

The main reason Charlie is being noted is because he has been made so mysterious with his whole traveling thing and having an undisclosed mental illness. With that, on top of Inspector Vinken making him seem like a good for nothing, it makes him a prime suspect. Also, considering his relationship with his father in comparison to Leon’s relationship with him, expect some development there.

Subplot 2: Kato In the Meanwhile… (Kato)

Imagine going to your own funeral. On top of that, learning only a handful of people can see you and you can walk across the front row and no one recognizes it is you that they are attending the funeral of. It’s twisted and weird. So weird that Kato needs a break from her parents, but especially her dad who tries to lock her up in a room so she can’t wander.

Yet, she needs closure so she follows Inspector Schneider and Vinken as they investigate her case. She even gives Vinken the heads up to check the hotel and room she was in. Though considering he is hiding evidence, he may not do so. [note]I wonder if Kato is numb to pain and can’t die? With seeing her put on a helmet it made me wonder if that is an issue. Also, considering she is part of a parallel universe, does that mean she needs to eat or even gas up a vehicle? She notes she vomited at her autopsy so she still has bodily fluids, but it is like a vampire where she just has whatever she did when she died? [/note]

Commentary

As noted in the pilot review, Kato’s situation is more interesting than her. She, to me, doesn’t have that Laura Palmer or the girl who died in the first season of Twisted kind of vibe. There is no mystery element to her that lures you in nor is there some sort of charm which makes you wonder why someone would kill her. She seems completely average to the point I’m hoping we learn she was into some weird or nasty stuff to beef up her character. Though, from what it seems, that desire for melodrama likely isn’t going to come to past.