‘The Watchful Eye’ Recap: ‘Hen in the House’ & ‘Hide and Seek’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Watchful Eye’. This article also contains discussions regarding suicide, which may be triggering to some individuals.
​
There are few things in this world that devastate us more, than seeing our kindness go to waste or to have it blow up in our faces. For we are taught from an early age that kindness trumps all things evil, and that we should express it every chance we get, to quell and disarm those who want to do bad things, and perhaps bring them around to the good side when they see what it has to offer. And it is painfully difficult to learn the hard way, that some people just don’t care about that, and only care about their own agenda and will do whatever is necessary to get theirs. Which is a lesson that always puts us at a crossroads and teaches us a bevy of lessons and always leaves us wondering… why.
​
Why would someone choose to inflict that kind of emotional pain upon others? And why doesn’t the universe properly punish people who continually violate the trust of others? Which are questions that rarely offer an easy answer since we tend to purge those people from our lives, quickly. But there are ways to find catharsis on such matters, and one such way to accomplish that… is through fiction. Where origins can indeed be explored and where that karma can come into play, and it just so happens that a brand-new series on Freeform does just that. For The Watchful Eye is a show that wastes little time in introducing us to an individual with dark goals in their heart and examining why they have chosen to use trust to harm others.

For ‘Hen in the House’ and ‘Hide and Seek’ plunges us into the Ward household at a critical time. For the mother of this family felt she could no longer go on and took her life, and now Matthew, her husband… is doing his best to find proper care for their son, Jasper, through a nanny. Whom he believes he has found in a woman named Elena Santos since she appears to be an honest person that wants to do right and propel herself into a better tomorrow and at first, all goes well. For Matthew gives her a shot and she is wonderful with Jasper and is bubbly and fits right in. But it doesn’t take long for Matthew to realize… that Elena isn’t telling him everything, and while she is quick to apologize for white lies, she does a fine job of keeping her true intentions with this job a secret. For Matthew’s home is host to something she badly wants, and she will use everyone and everything at her disposal to get it.

---

Which is the perfect way to explore the origins behind why people betray trust and/or use it to their advantage. In the instance of someone like Elena, it’s about spite really. For Elena has seen her life not go the way she’s wanted it to, and this is a chance to get rich and get on the path she wants, by breaking the rules and sticking it to people that wouldn’t give her the time of day normally and don’t care about the plight of real people. And she is going to do what she must to get hers and find peace in doing so. Which is a motivation that has a hint of Robin Hood to it but is still nefarious and mean spirited none the less… and fascinating. Because it allows for us to truly get an inside look at such motivations and how much of it is fueled by marginalization and pain, and that’s critical to understand. So, we can spot it before opening up our own homes and hearts to others that might want to inflict harm upon us.
​
However, there was mention of catharsis for such matters, and that is where this story truly shines. Because the building that Elena now lives within, the Greybourne, is not what it seems. For she isn’t the only person with an agenda in this place. There are plenty of others that have their own plans and machinations taking place, which at times plunges Elena into awkward and uncomfortable situations and serves to remind us that sometimes… unsavory behavior attracts unsavory behavior, adding a strange poetic justice to Elena’s plight. One that becomes precarious as well, since we also come to learn… that this place has more going on behind the scenes than anyone is aware. The kind of strange stuff that could cause serious trouble for Elena and anyone else that the seeming spirits of this building latch onto. 

All of which sets the stage for a genuinely unique story. One that is part mystery and part thriller and could in fact… offer potential redemption for Elena. Because at times, she does hint at better angels still being present within her soul, and if properly motivated, perhaps… she can leave behind this plot and embrace a better life the more traditional way. But while we wait to see if that’s the case, we can relish in a lovely premiere. One that sold its theme with quality writing and offered plenty of surprises along the way and featured some solid performances as well. With Mariel Molino (Elena) leading the charge with her delicately nuanced performance. Since she effortlessly bounced between the darkness that drives Elena and the good, and well, at this point it is safe to say, we are all hooked and eager to see what surprises will await us down the line, as Elena continues along in her mission. Until next time.    

---

Powered by JustWatch