“Chemistry of Death” was a series with the potential to be engaging with a fresh take on the thriller genre, as seen through the grim lens of a forensic expert. Based on the best-selling novels of the same name, we had assumed that the six episodes would encompass the narrative of the three books: “Chemistry of Death,” “Written in Bone,” and “Whispers of the Dead.” However, the episodes covered just the first two books, and that would have been okay if it had worked better on its pacing. The first book was done in two episodes, whereas the second took four, and neither was as interesting as it could have been. We were hopeful for a moment because we anticipated speed from “Chemistry of Death” Season 1, which would have made a very generic concept somewhat thrilling. But the writers just teased us with it and then dragged out the rest of the narrative. We still haven’t forgiven them for omitting a proper explanation of the staging of the corpses in the first case. What should have been done was to keep the episodes at half an hour each and dedicate three episodes to each case because that was all the substance there was.
We criticize the length of shows and movies a lot, talking about the parts that need not have been there. Hence, we feel the need to clarify our stance on it. Every bit and subplot need not be a part of the narrative, but it must at least be interesting, and if it does not add to the plot, it must add to the atmosphere and tone of the movie or series. Even more importantly, the atmosphere and world-building must balance or elevate the central plot. A recent example that comes to mind is “Wednesday,” where the subplots dominated the episodes, but each one of them pushed the mystery and the character development of the protagonist, making them relevant and engaging for the audience. “Chemistry of Death” focuses too much on the atmosphere and too little on everything else, making it a bit of a snooze-fest. Now that it has come to an end let us go through everything that happens in “Chemistry of Death” Episodes 5 and 6.
New Murders And The Growing Storm
We saw that David Hunter was stuck inside the burning clinic at the end of “Chemistry of Death” Episode 4. At the beginning of the fifth episode, he is rescued just in time. He tells Sergeant Fraser that the killer is still on the island, which immediately alerts her to look for Duncan. Unfortunately, they find him burned to death in the van. The sergeant is devastated, but David, as shocked as he is, starts inspecting the body. He finds that Duncan was hit on the head, which indicates that he was either caught by surprise or knew the killer. The officers need help from the mainland, but all communication is down. Therefore, they decide to ask the fishermen if they could use their radios to get help. But the fishermen have come to know from Sergeant Fraser that the corpse in the cottage was a murder victim, and they are miffed with the police for leaving them to fight the fire by themselves. Fraser is forced to tell them about Duncan being burned to death, which finally brings to light the severity of the situation for the islanders.
Captain Kinross tries to help the officers, but the storm has made communication nearly impossible for anyone. But Fraser and David notice signs of people living in the ships. The captain and the rest of the fishermen try to explain it away, but suspicion has set in. The characters have a truly tedious day with nothing getting done because of the weather. However, later that night, Michael comes looking for David, saying that he cannot find Grace. We don’t understand why he came to David for that, or maybe he came to visit Ellen and just happened to tell David when she called him to help. We don’t know what to say except that the way these characters act is shrouded in mysteries we are finding hard to care about.
Either way, David looks for Grace and finds her about to jump off a ledge, and she is clearly suicidal. He brings her back by telling her about the loss of his family and how he struggles to move forward. Honestly, this conversation should have been a major clue for him, as it clearly pointed towards a woman on the verge of madness. Yet he looked past it at literally nothing for no particular reason. He brings her back to her house, where he tends to her wound. Maggie comes to meet Grace to get some more quotes for the disaster at the clinic but runs into Michael instead and brings up Siobhan Williams, who was his ex.
As the officers and David discuss how to proceed with the investigation in light of the lack of help, they decide to confirm their suspicions that the fishermen are hiding something. As Sergeant Fraser creates a distraction, David gets on the abandoned boat to check for evidence, which is when he spots a fire in the distance. He and the officers immediately leave to check the spot, and to their horror, they find Maggie tied up inside. Before they can help, the fire engulfs her, burning Maggie to death.
Who Were The Fishermen Hiding?
The fishermen were hiding immigrants who needed a safe passageway across the island. Since Maggie’s death, police vigilance has increased on the island, and that places the captain and the fishermen at a greater risk of discovery. They decided to impose a curfew so that people would be confined to their homes, and they could avoid falling into the purview of suspicion. They advise the islanders not to set foot outside of their homes, owing to the killer who is still among them.
While Kevin and Mary tend to the sick immigrants, they are finally discovered by Sergeant Fraser. She asks them about Kelly Ann and they tell her that she used to deliver the fake passports once they were done. Fraser suspects that Captain Kinross must be the killer. When Kevin goes to meet his dad, he finds him packing everything in a hurry. Captain Kinross tells him that the supplier of the passports has been arrested, and the police will be coming for them next. Kevin refuses to leave, which finally makes him understand that his son might have been the one who revealed the truth to the police. Captain Kinross was definitely an abusive father, which we come to know when he calls his son “weak” and “just as stupid as his mother.” Kevin asks him whether he had anything to do with Kelly Ann’s death, and Kinross just tells him that asking the question means that he does not trust him. What is it with men expecting trust from the people they treat the worst?
‘Chemistry of Death’ Ending Explained: Who killed Maggie, Duncan, and Kelly Ann?
Meanwhile, Michael goes to meet Ellen, who tells him about the curfew on the island. It is surprising to us that he had no idea about it. Later, David and Andrew find a bruised and battered Grace in her house, and she blames Michael for it. David, Fraser, and Andrew believe that Michael might be behind the murders and arrest him after placing Grace in the hotel with Ellen. When they take him to his house, he denies ever having harmed Grace, and when he comes to know that she is in the hotel, he tells them finally that she was the one to kill Siobhan, and now, Ellen might be in danger. True to his suspicions, Grace is indeed threatening Ellen and holding Anna at knifepoint. She believes that she needs to take her life but is scared to “go alone,” and David offers himself. We can tell that the events right from the first episode have only exacerbated David’s trauma, so he might be serious about wanting to die at Grace’s hands. However, at the last moment, Michael comes in and is stabbed by Grace.
The situation is dire, not just because of an injured Michael but because the gas is leaking in the kitchen. As they frantically look for a key, Michael asks for some moments with Grace. He has a lighter in hand, which means that he might want to kill himself along with her. He reveals that Grace was his sister all along. The key is found, and the gas is turned off, but by the time the officers come back inside, they find that Grace has escaped, leaving a dead Michael behind. The case of the death of Maggie is solved when David receives a voicemail from Duncan, telling him that Kelly Ann was his senior at school, and she was named Becky then. This helps David connect the dots, and he figures out that Becky was killed by Andrew, who also killed Duncan to cover his tracks.
When confronted with it, he reveals that Becky’s death was an accident that happened when he just wanted to teach her a lesson. He had killed Duncan because the latter had figured out that Andrew was the killer, and he couldn’t afford to ruin his legacy. Having confessed to his crimes, Andrew jumps off the cliff and commits suicide. With the murders solved, Michael returns to the mainland and is seemingly trying to move on with Jenny. He tries to tell her that he wants to return to his old job, which is forensics, when he hears a knock on the door. He finds Grace outside, and without warning, she stabs him and leaves. Grace undoubtedly blames him for the death of Michael, and this might have been her revenge.
What To Expect From ‘Chemistry of Death’ Season 2?
If there is a “Chemistry of Death” Season 2, we figure it would follow the third book, “Whispers of the Dead,” and simultaneously try to find Grace. We also want to see David Hunter get better. He has suffered too many traumas, and it is time for him to start healing them. His and Jenny’s relationship might progress further, so that could come with its own set of complications. Either way, the most important thing for “Chemistry of Death” is to really pace the series as per the pulse of the audience. We will repeat what we said earlier: the story has potential; it just needs to be written according to the sensibilities of the changing times, and we truly hope that happens sooner rather than later.
