‘Darby and Joan’ Recap: ‘Episode 1 & Episode 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Darby and Joan’.
​
What’s fascinating about modern visual entertainment, is how personal and relatable it is becoming. For there was a time where mainstream television and film, did little to address the ills of the world nor did they bother to examine our flaws. For they were truly seen as entertainment through and through and an opportunity to escape the woes of the world. But the advent of streaming and this era of peak entertainment, has forced that notion to be revisited. For so many are now discovering that audiences can and will attach to shows in ways never thought possible if some realism and humanity just so happens to be injected into a film or television series.
​
Which has brought forth, waves of stories that we can all find meaning within and what’s amazing is that networks and studios are going out of their way now to provide us with the most realistic stories possible, and for proof… well then look no further than the new Acorn TV series, Darby and Joan. For this is a show that uses the wonder of the crime drama to explore the power of grief and how we heal from it, and it would appear, that it is going to accomplish that feat, by taking us through the entire grieving process. For when we catch up with Joan Kirkhope in this tale, she’s just received some awful news. In that, her beloved husband Ian has passed under mysterious circumstances far from home and having to bury him, without answers as to what he was up to, haunts Joan to no end.

To the point where she opts to take a voyage to Queensland, Australia to retrace his steps and figure out exactly what went wrong, and well, a chance encounter with a retired police officer named Jack Darby and their desire to team up to aid one another in a time of need… brings forth quite the adventure. One where Jack and Joan begin to own their respective pasts and pain and that’s where this show’s exploration on grief and to another extent, trauma… truly shine. Because we are witness to the power of grief overtaking Joan from the get-go, and it doesn’t take long for us to learn that Jack has a sorted past, and that he is doing everything he can to run from it, and presenting such matters in the raw is brilliant to say the least and important as well.

---

Since it means we get to feel what Joan and Jack feel and that makes for some powerful and unique television. Since few stories present grief and trauma in the raw like this, and that instantly makes these two characters relatable and realistic. Since we’ve felt what they felt, or will, or we’ve known someone in their shoes and well… being part of that invests one in the story and coming to learn these are two fine people as well, has us rooting for them and that is just the beginning of this powerful exploration. Because as the first two episodes in this series play out, we also come to learn that we are going to watch them work to heal in real time and resolve their respective demons as the series rolls along and one way to do that… is by helping others.
​
Because Darby and Joan come to learn they have a penchant for solving crimes as a duo. Since they are quick to step in and handle a murder in an isolated part of the beach that Ian once visited. Plus, they take the time to handle an intimate crime of grief in the second episode. And being distracted by helping others… forces them to see their pain in an objective light and realize that it is okay to open up about it and outright face it, making each case incredibly important since they are the catalyst to the healing journey, and it is just incredible to see broken characters act in such a manner and be treated to a story that offers such wonderful commentary on the healing process.

For this series makes it clear that it isn’t easy and that the steps we all know we should take, aren’t clear to us in the moment. But it is important that we go out and work to heal by whatever means necessary and have a support network around us when we do so we can be lifted up when we need to be, and that message, alongside the captivating mysteries present here… and some shockingly great performances from Greta Scacchi (Joan) and Bryan Brown (Jack), make this a must-see series. For it is a mystery show unlike any other, one that truly grabs hold and does not let go and it will be genuinely fascinating to learn more about healing and see Darby and Joan transform for the better as season one of this dynamic and refreshing series continues along. Until next time.

To learn more about the main characters in ‘Darby and Joan’, check out our interviews the show’s stars, Greta Scacchi and Bryan Brown.  

---

Powered by JustWatch