‘The Chelsea Detective’ Recap: ‘The Gentle Giant’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘The Chelsea Detective’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It has often been said that time heals all wounds, and there is a lot of merit to that particular phrase. Because as the days roll by and the hours tick along, the pain of a particularly rough moment in our lives, does seem to fade. In fact, there does come a point where it is nothing but an echo in the back of our minds allowing for us to pass that advice along to others when the time comes, since it served us so well. But while there is comfort to be found in knowing that one day we will awaken and not feel the deep ache in our soul that we are experiencing when that phrase is uttered our way, there is one particular problem with this bit of advice. 
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In that, it isn’t one hundred percent correct. Because some emotional wounds run incredibly deep. So much in fact that no amount of time will ever allow for them to close, and we either take that particular pain to the grave with us… or feel its ache once again in later years when someone or something opens the wound and exposes it to fresh air once again. Provided of course... we don't deal with it, and if we don't... it is that latter surprise that is the dangerous one because that’s the kind of pain that comes back so strong that sometimes… it can influence us to do things that we simply should not in order to heal it, such as say… indulge in a measure of revenge to make it stop and it just so happens that this particular conundrum is top of mind today, because it was central to the plot of the next episode of The Chelsea Detective.

But ‘The Gentle Giant’ sure didn’t make that apparent early on. For when we catch up with Max and Priya in this particular tale, they’re dealing with quite the surprising death. Because the victim in this case, a man named Steve O’Hara… was something of a local hero. For he once chased down drug dealers to keep that stuff off of his block and he even went above and beyond as a person by doing everything to care for his incredibly sick wife. So, to find him stabbed to death near a bag of drugs was a shocking revelation to say the least… since there was no rhyme or reason to his end. But once this duo and their team began to dig into the case and look deeper at everything, some troubling truths began to come to light about Steve and his supposed ‘good guy’ persona.

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For he was spotted talking and working with folks that dealt drugs in this part of town and he also was taking part in some under the table deals at work, but even then… the fact that he wasn’t dealing and was guilty of making some tax-free cash… didn’t really reveal a murder motive. But eventually, some incredible work on Max and Priya’s part, and their team… finally revealed that an incident involving him and some of his mates’ decades ago at a soccer event gone wrong thanks to hooligans, led to his death... the long way round. Since he was tasked with killing the soccer hooligan that killed his wife’s brother during that incident when he popped up in Chelsea. Which meant that his wife, Siobhan, was the true mastermind of this mess and she wanted it to happen… because her pain and the possibility of dying without there being any justice for her brother… was too much to bear. Making it clear that time in and of itself, do nothing to heal wounds and that genuine grieving and self-work on the matter… is the only way to truly be free of our pain and wake up in the future, with peace in our hearts.
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However, while that made for an incredibly engaging mystery here, we would be remiss to not point out some of the other powerful moments that took place here involving Max and Priya. Since their journeys outside of work allowed for them to grow. For instance, Priya came to learn that it is okay to ask for help at home since it is a partnership, she’s in and not just a one-sided deal where she has to pay the piper because of her field of work. An epiphany that gave her peace for certain and Max… well he finally came to learn that he is at a crossroads for certain. One where he needs to decide how to handle things with Astrid since the stalemate they’re currently residing within, isn’t helpful or productive in the slightest and it was just wonderful to see these characters in the raw in this manner, and see what their support network looks like, and be reminded of the fact that they’re people with troubles like the rest of us... who push through them to do some good in the world.

In the end however, this was simply… a fascinating mystery through and through. Simply because it went above and beyond in its messaging. Because not only did we come to learn the dangers of not properly caring for our old wounds, but we also came to learn… that nothing is ever quite what it seems in life and that if you take a moment and really look at things in an objective manner… you’ll be shocked at what you see. Plus, you cannot go wrong with more tender moments for Max and Priya, since those sequences just allow for Adrian Scarborough and Sonita Henry to shine as actors, and well, now that this case has come to its close… the time has come to turn our attention to the bittersweet reality that only one more episode in season one remains, and if this brilliant ride is any indicator, we are going to be in for one incredible and thoughtful finale. Until next time.

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