‘Ragdoll’ Recap: ‘Episode 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for Episode 2 of ‘Ragdoll’.
​
We live in quite the fascinating and conflicted time when it comes to mental health care. Because on the one hand, we are finally acknowledging that the human mind requires the same kind of care as the rest of our body and that is allowing for new research to take place, and new treatments and therapies and medications to be created. So, we can finally shed generations of stigma and give people the proper and complete care they need. But on the other hand, those stigmas are still in play, especially when it comes to the healing process. Since so many of us think we are ‘cured’ when we take a little time for ourselves to heal our minds, which in turn motivates us to just forge ahead and think little about whether or not we’ve actually fully healed. Because the understanding in our world is that when something has healed just enough, it’s somehow ‘good as new’ and that’s problematic for certain.

Because the human mind is incredibly complex and the healing process it requires from an emotional and psychological aspect… requires far more work than most of us are willing to acknowledge. And the problem at hand regarding that… is that rushing back into our everyday lives when we’re trying to put the pieces of our mind back together… can lead to danger and the potential of a relapse into the state we are trying to come back from, and that particular danger is top of mind of today, simply because it was put on full display in the next episode of Ragdoll. For when we catch up with DS Rose and his team, they and the police are reeling from the fact that the Ragdoll Killer, managed to get to the mayor in such a manner and while they’re trying to figure out their next steps… Rose begins to struggle with the case from a mental stability standpoint.

Largely because, this case is a blast from the past, one that truly represents one of Nathan’s lowest points in life and being immersed once again in the world of the Cremation Killer and the potential possibility that somehow, he’s brought this entire mess to life, allowed for the dangers of rushing back from mental health recovery to take the center stage. Since we saw the stress of the case and the echoes of the past, push Rose to do some odd and scary things. Such as make threatening phone calls to the potentially fictional Faust and even threaten to hurt himself if it meant that the killing would stop. Which speaks to some deeply unresolved root issues from his break a few years ago, the kind that quite frankly, have to be resolved for him to find peace, but sadly… there is clearly no time for that at the moment.

Since the Ragdoll Killer is still on the loose, and it is important to note that this episode did give us some insight into the fact that this monster is playing one incredible game of chess. After all, the list was magically leaked out into the world, striking fear into those upon it and that had to come from the killer, and of course, that ending speaks volumes to a killer… that has thought out their plan for mayhem and madness carefully, and has figured out how to exert great influence over others… and that is quite terrifying to say the least. Because it speaks to the possibility that Rose and the team might be helpless at this point, and utterly unable to do anything to stop this master plan and well, there’s also a chance that Rose and his up and down behavior could complicate matters further… especially if he finally has a major outburst at the wrong time to the wrong person. 

But while we wait to see how the police handle the latest surprises that the Ragdoll killer sent their way, we can bask in the majesty of another brilliant tale. One that once again made our mental health and the importance of maintaining it, a huge focus of the story. Plus, the show deserves a round of applause for straight up pointing out that the only way we truly heal in this life is by confronting and conquering the root cause of our trauma and emotional strife and really the question hanging over this story now… is whether or not DS Nathan Rose can do that at a time when it seems impossible. If anything, it will be quite interesting to see how Nathan responds to the stresses and surprises he experienced here and what other surprises the Ragdoll killer has up their sleeve as this fascinating story continues along. Until next time.

---