‘London Kills’ Recap: ‘Control Freak’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 304 of ‘London Kills’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One of the most difficult lessons we will ever have to learn in life, is that we can only control so much around us. And what makes that so difficult to process, is that our society believes otherwise. For our parents, friends, co-workers and even strangers on the street… hold to the mantra that we are the masters of our domain, and it doesn’t matter what the universe wants, through sheer determination and moxie… we can bend it and people to our will. Which is why we are shocked when we learn how much of the world is out of our sphere of influence and how, people don’t bend to our wills when we demand them to do so. But while the majority of us, eventually process this reality and learn to control what we can… there are others who struggle with this. 
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To the point, where they learn how negative behaviors and influences can be exerted over others and certain situations to get what they want and well… these are people we work to avoid in life because they are supremely unpleasant and oddly enough, potentially dangerous… as evidenced by the next episode of London Kills. For when we catch up with the team in ‘Control Freak’, Rob and Billie are called out to check out quite the surprise. In that, someone has discovered the body of a man that was reported missing weeks ago, and that of course… leads to a detailed investigation regarding his obviously violent death and the circumstances surrounding it. Which early on… leads nowhere and fast. For there are witnesses that saw him leaving his house and other alibis check out.

But slowly and surely, as this duo began to really dig deep into the details, it became clear that something wasn’t adding up. Especially when they considered that other potential suspects in this case, had no motive to kill the departed… nor did any of their stories add up either. Which forced this duo to pull Vivienne into the case so she could use her instincts and keen eye to help them bear the truth and as it turned out… it was the wife of the deceased behind the whole thing. An act that she committed because she was in fact, a control freak… one that had worked her way into the career path she wanted through sheer will and force and she believed she could reform a broken man in the same manner and have her perfect life. But when he didn’t comply and turned away… rather than learn the lesson… she turned to murder. 

However, while that was a fascinating examination of the dangers of not learning the reality that we can only control so much… this was also an episode that took the time to catapult the whole Grace Harper mess forward in an unfortunate manner. Because despite putting DCS Mulgrew under twenty-four-hour surveillance and supposedly getting a deal in place to finally name names and end this madness, the chief superintendent was keen on instead… hitting Rob over the head when he was assigned to watch him and make a run for it. A move that had catastrophic results. For a frantic search for him at his usual haunts, ended with a phone call to the team from Vivienne. Wherein she revealed she was asked to meet with him at an undisclosed location… and it was all for naught. For when she arrived, DSC Jack Mulgrew was dead, clearly murdered by the people he feared. 

Which of course, brings the team no closer to resolution on their corruption case. If anything, this makes things worse. For now, Vivienne is at risk since she knows too much and when you think about it… everyone else is as well. Since they too have knowledge of this scheme, and these men can’t have that. A reality that undoubtedly means that the stage is now set for a grand showdown in the season three finale. But while we wait to see how this mess finally comes together and whether or not it is solved, we can take a moment and celebrate one quality tale. One that offered up another fascinating examination on the darker side of the human condition. The kind that taught us to just keep a firm grip on what we can and roll with the punches as they come, so we don’t lose sight of what matters and lose ourselves within a feeble attempt to control a world composed of chaos. Until next time.

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