As the Australian series finally comes to an end, we witness one of the best-written and executed episodes in the entire season. The writers did a fantastic job, surprising us with a shocking twist that highlighted how even psychopaths’ narratives about killing can evolve alongside changing times. In the Season 1 finale of Deadloch, i.e., Episode 8, Dulcie and Radcliffe, despite their unique and different approaches to handling the town’s gruesome case, finally put an end to the psychopath who had been on the loose. A special mention goes to Sven and Abby, who played a vital role in assisting the detective ‘ma’ams’ with their unique strength and quirkiness in finding clues and keeping us engaged.
A special shout-out goes to head writers and co-creators creators Kate McCartney & Kate McLennan, who explored and normalized diverse lifestyle choices through the perspectives of Deadloch’s “fluid” residents. The series portrayed strong female characters who demonstrated that women do not need to be saved. The choice of challenging traditional narratives and showcasing the empowerment of women in unconventional ways needs to be lauded.
As Prime Video’s murder mystery concludes its first season with this episode, it is evident that while the series was a slow burn initially, it justified its gradual pace in order to establish a satisfying climax.
Before we get to the detailed recap of the last episode, I just want to say that I will miss the characters portrayed by Kate Box (Dulcie) and Madeleine Sami (Radcliffe), who managed to get me invested in their odd relationship, despite all the fuss that happens around them.
*spoilers ahead*
Deadloch (Season 1), Episode 8 Recap:
The final episode of “Deadloch,” Season 1, opens with a naked, bruised man running through the woods near the Glow Warm Trail as if someone is about to kill him. All the women of Deadloch town who were captured by Commissioner Hastings are currently kept in the Footie Club changing room because the station is too small for them.
Dulcie and Radcliffe question the women who are shouting at the top of their voices. They tell them that they have identified the number plate of the car found in the lake as belonging to William Carruthers. Margaret is surprised that his brother, whom she presumed to be in Ubud for the past 6 years, is somehow connected to the murders. She confesses that she has had an estranged relationship with him and hasn’t been in contact for a while.
Meanwhile, Dulcie notices that Skye is not with the other women, and Nadia says that the two of them had a fight, and Skye drove away from Deadloch. When asked if anyone remembers any details about the person who was driving the car on the night Sam O’Dawyer died, Victoria claims that she doesn’t remember much but has a memory of a song playing in the car.
Just then, Commissioner Hastings arrives and becomes furious with Dulcie and Radcliffe for breaking protocols and talking to the women. When Dulcie is asked if she knew about Skye running away, Hastings gets even angrier and suspends Dulcie from the case. The women then argue about who the killer could be among them, leading to a realization of privilege for most of them. Nadia points out how Cath has been making everything about herself, even when Dulcie has been doing her best to find the killer. Sharelle points out that although Margaret claims to be supportive of women, her support has been extremely conditional, forcing people like Sharelle to take up multiple jobs just to make a living.
Tammy and Miranda, who had sneaked into the Footie Club to offer snacks to the women, are warned by Abby not to go to the Carruthers’ island, especially due to the murders and Margaret’s behavior against trespassers.
The man we saw running in the opening scene turns out to be Phil McGungus, whose tongue has been cut off like all the other victims. However, unlike the others, he managed to escape or was allowed to run away so that he could reach Deadloch. When he arrives at the Footie Club, tension arises, especially when Hastings realizes that the killer (whom he assumes to be Skye O’Dawyer) is on the bus, putting all the other men in danger. He then organizes a briefing for his task force while Dulcie tries to overhear from the bathroom stall.
Dulcie, Radcliffe, Abby, and Sven decide to conduct their own investigation apart from Hastings’. Abby suggests tracking Tom O’Dawyer’s location using Nadia’s phone, which is now in her possession. Meanwhile, Sven tracks William’s passport and finds out that it hasn’t been used since 2016.
Hastings, who is hell-bent on assuming Skye to be the killer, locates both her and the men’s location in the middle of the ocean on the Bass Strait ferry that’s headed to Melbourne. At the club, someone enters and informs the women that Margaret is allowed to go home. As she is about to leave, Abby requests her to fund the search because it might involve her brother’s whereabouts. However, as always, Margaret evades Abby’s request, even though this one personally involves her, and drives off.
Dulcie and Radcliffe drive to the point where they locate the last known whereabouts of Skye’s phone but soon realize that it’s not possible for it to be her last location because her car is missing. Just then, they receive a call from Sven, who tells them that Hastings and his men have discovered Skye’s car on the ferry, and all 19 cell phones belonging to the men are inside her car’s trunk.
Dulcie, who has already deduced that the men are still on the bus, wants them to head to the next clue. On the other hand, Radcliffe loses her cool and becomes agitated when she realizes that Ray could also be the next victim, and she can’t bear to lose someone dear to her yet again.
Abby visits Faye’s place to inquire about the dispute she had with William and Margaret regarding the ownership of the island. During the questioning, she realizes that William was willing to give Faye what she was entitled to, but Margaret intervened and prevented it from happening. Abby comes to the conclusion that William might not be involved in the murders, but Margaret’s reluctance to investigate her brother’s disappearance raises suspicions.
Meanwhile, Dulcie and Radcliffe investigate Mona at her shop near the highway. They discover that the bus, instead of going away from Deadloch, actually went towards it, indicating that the person driving the bus may have gassed the men, as they were seen wearing gas masks.
Meanwhile, Miranda and Tammy, who overheard Abby discussing the potential connection between the killer and the island with Faye, decide to do their own bit to help. They recall witnessing someone urinating on the island on the day of the first murder and believe that they could get to them.
On the other hand, Dulcie and Radcliffe return to Deadloch in search of the bus. While driving through, they spot tire marks on the side of the road leading to the cliff. They discover that the killer drove the bus off the cliff and assume that all the men are dead.
However, Abby, who has examined Mona’s security cameras, sends them snapshots of the bus. The last snapshot reveals that the killer must have dropped off the victims somewhere before driving past the shop and off the cliff. Dulcie deduces that the only other possible location for the victims is the Deadloch Hills.
She instructs Abby and Sven to meet near the Mt. Barbeque area on Grim Hill Road, as it is the only place on the hill where the bus could have been driven to. They try to narrow down their search, but with limited time, they attempt to contact all possible areas where the men could be. Meanwhile, Sven, who is driving away from Hasting’s search with the woman who helped him with his charger near the ferry, learns that someone had air-tasked her to deliver Skye’s Subaru to the ferry. Just when Dulcie and Radcliffe encounter a roadblock in their search, Radcliffe receives a call from Holly and learns that Bushy was not eaten by a crocodile but was killed by someone.
What do Tammy and Miranda find out on Carruthers Island?
As Tammy and Miranda search the island for the killer, they arrive at the cemetery and discover Margaret Carruthers is bitten by a Tiger Snake. Tammy attempts to assist her, but Miranda makes a shocking discovery—she finds the remains of William Carruthers being unearthed by Margaret.
They become furious upon realizing that Margaret was trying to dig up his body because his name had come up during the investigations. Miranda also realizes that Margaret’s plan was to withhold their land, and because William opposed her, she killed him.
Margaret tries to shoot at them but misses her target and succumbs to the effects of snake poisoning, ultimately dying.
Who was Louise McEwan?
Sven calls to inform them that the Airtasker was booked by someone named Louise McEwan. The name rings a bell for Dulcie, who tells them that Louise was killed seven years ago in Sydney, and the investigating officer was Hannah, with whom Dulcie had an affair with.
Dulcie then contacts Hannah to discuss Louise McEwan’s murder and realizes that the attacker/killer had also attempted to kill another woman who was a prostitute in Sydney and that Hannah will be sending a description of the attacker shortly.
When Radcliffe questions why Dulcie is trying to connect their killer with the one who targeted prostitutes, Dulcie explains that in both cases, the killer is targeting “undesirables.” She suggests that the serial killer may have evolved their motives, now targeting toxic men who perpetuate patriarchal agendas and poison society.
Deadloch (Season 1), Episode 8 Ending, Explained:
Who is the Deadloch killer?
As Abby, Dulcie, and Radcliffe piece together the new findings, they all come to the realization of who the killer is.
Radcliffe notices a donkey grazing nearby and realizes it’s Ray’s pet, the one he claimed had died. Dulcie notices Cath’s prescription of Pentabarbitrol, which was assigned to Ray. At the same time, Abby receives the sketch identification of the Sydney killer from Hannah, confirming their suspicions that Ray is the killer.
Back at the station, Victoria remembers the song, and they all sing it together. The scene is cleverly cut with Ray singing the song to his captive victims on the farm that Cath recently bought. Ray reveals his change in motives for killing, influenced by Skye’s wisdom about feminism and toxic masculinity. He used to work as a pastry chef in Sydney and moved to Deadloch upon Skye’s suggestion, starting work at the local bakery while continuing his violent acts, believing it was for the greater good.
Dulcie realizes that Ray must have kept the men at Geoff Haddick’s farm, as the donkey, Lou, starts moving back from where it came. She calls Sven and instructs him to bring the women to the farm, as they might need assistance. The three of them arrive at the farm while Ray is cutting off James’ tongue. They confront him, but he manages to stab Dulcie and makes a quick escape towards the stream, with Radcliffe chasing after him.
The women arrive at the farm and assist the men and Dulcie. Dulcie and Cath reconcile, with Cath admitting that she took Dulcie for granted and made decisions for her. She promises that they will leave Deadloch for good since Dulcie dislikes it.
At the lake, Ray tries to reason with Radcliffe, claiming he was acting in the women’s best interests. However, Radcliffe points out that he never bothered to ask the women if they wanted him to act on their behalf, making his actions psychopathic. He then tries to gaslight her about Bushy’s death and attacks her. However, Dulcie intervenes and holds Ray at gunpoint. In the final act, Ray goes into the water and is swept away by the dangerous current. His body lands on a sharp, broken tree branch, killing him instantly. Dulcie and Radcliffe briefly embrace, solidifying their newfound partnership.
The show then fast-forwards two months later, with Tammy being appointed as the football club captain, and the town seems to have returned to its normal state, free from danger. Abby, now liberated from James’ toxic behavior, is seen happily going about her life in Deadloch. She briefly interacts with Kate from forensics, hinting that she has taken on the role of Deadloch’s new detective.
The ending of the season 1 finale of Deadloch shows Eddie Radcliffe and Dulcie Collins in Darwin. It is apparent that Dulcie has adopted Radcliffe’s sandal-wearing style, implying that the two have grown close.
In the final moments, they are seen knocking on Holly’s door to inform her that they have taken up Bushy’s case. Radcliffe introduces Dulcie as “Duleese,” showcasing the show’s quirky sense of humor and a gateway to Deadloch season 2, which will find our favorite detectives solving another interesting mystery.
