Pratik Handore
Netflix’s ‘Black Mirror‘ season 6 comprises five episodes sprawling different genres, examining various facets of human nature through sci-fi, dystopian, and other tropes. The second episode, titled ‘Loch Henry,’ stars Samuel Blenkin (‘Dracula‘), Myha’la Herrold (‘Industry‘), Daniel Portman, John Hannah, and Monica Dolan. It follows Davis and Pia, a young documentary filmmaking couple who discover the dark secrets of a sleepy Scottish town. As a result, viewers must be looking for an explanation of the events, twists, and ending of ‘Black Mirror’ season 6 episode 2. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Black Mirror Season 6 Episode 2 Recap
The second episode, titled ‘Loch Henry,’ follows Davis, a young documentary filmmaker and student who returns to his sleepy hometown of Loch Henry in Scottland. His girlfriend, Pia, accompanies Davis to his hometown, where she is introduced to Davis’ mom, Janet. At his childhood home, Davis shares how he and his family enjoyed watching an old detective show. However, his mother was deeply devastated when his father, Kenneth, a police officer, died when Davis was very young. During dinner, David explains to Janet that he and Pia are in town to film footage for a documentary movie about a local man who guards rare eggs.
Later, Davis and Pia meet the former’s childhood friend, Stuart, the local bar owner. Stuart tells Pia about Iain Adair, a man who lived at a nearby farm and was responsible for the death of Davis’ father. Davis explains that Iain was mostly considered an unsavory presence by the townsfolk. Loch Henry was once considered an ideal tourist town, but all that changed when a young couple, Dawn and Simon Challis, mysteriously disappeared from the town on the last day of their trip. The police failed to find the couple, and the world moved on to other news until one day.
Iain got into an argument at the bar, which led Kenneth to his house. After a brief altercation with Iain, Kenneth was shot in the shoulder and called for backup. When help arrived, Iain had already killed his parents and himself. Meanwhile, the police discovered several missing people who had been abducted, tortured, and killed inside Iain’s dungeon. On the other hand, Kenneth landed in the hospital and died, but not entirely because he was wounded in the fight with Iain. Pia requests to see the place where Iain lived. After visiting the farm, she becomes convinced they should tell the story of Loch Henry’s infamous, twisted, but little-known serial killer.
After convincing Davis to make the documentary about Iain, the young couple gets the approval of Kate Cezar, a prolific documentary producer. With the greenlight in hand, Pia and Davis film some footage with Stuart’s help. However, their car accidentally crashes with a tractor while driving home from the shoot. As a result, Davis is forced to spend the night at the hospital. Meanwhile, Pia returns home to convert their recorded footage into digital footage. However, she comes across a startling discovery that changes the trajectory of her and Davis’ lives.
Black Mirror Season 6 Episode 2 Ending: Who is the Actual Killer?
In the aftermath of the episode, Pia discovers the old detective show videotapes in Davis’ house and sees the entire footage on it. However, her discovery completely changes her perception of Davis’ family. Initially, Pia feels that Kenneth was an honest cop who was killed while trying to subdue a predator and a serial killer. However, the footage she finds reveals that Kenneth was an accomplice in Iain Adair’s infamous and heinous crimes. Furthermore, Janet was also involved with the men as the group kidnapped tourists, performed sexual acts with them, and tortured them before killing and hiding their bodies.
The revelation completely flips the script on the narrative we have been following so far. Interestingly, Pia’s search for a scandalous story for her true crime documentary and desire to sensationalize it prove to be her undoing. In contrast, the carefully guarded secret of Davis’ family is now out in the open. In a separate scene, Stuart’s father confesses to Davis at the hospital, claiming he had always known that Kenneth and Janet were involved with Iain’s crimes. Ultimately, Davis and Pia are both forced to deal with the weight of the newfound revelations in the Loch Henry killer’s saga, and their fates are now inadvertently tied to the story.
Is Pia Dead? What Happens to Janet?
After Pia discovers the truth about the tourist murders in the sleepy town of Loch Henry, she is forced to have dinner with Janet. However, the burden of the truth weighs down on Pia, and she starts acting weird. As a result, Pia sets out for a walk to clear her head. Janet quickly deduces that Pia has found the videotapes containing the evidence of her crimes. She drives to find Pia and tries to convince the young girl to return home and discuss the situation. However, Pia is scared of Janet and makes a run for her life. She slips while crossing the river and dies after hitting her head on a rock. Thus, the burden of the truth claims Pia’s life.
In contrast, Janet returns home after witnessing Pia’s death. She gathers the memorabilia and tapes from her escapades with Kenneth and Iain and takes one last look at them. Janet writes a note to Davis and places it on the kitchen counter, along with all the evidence of her crimes with Kenneth and Iain. Janet then proceeds to commit suicide, killing herself by hanging to the roof. Ultimately, it seems like Pia’s death makes it inevitable for Janet to hide her crimes. The true story of the Loch Henry killer is bound to come out, and the overwhelming guilt of her crimes seemingly forces Janet to end her life. Moreover, her note for Davis suggests that Janet wants the truth unveiled to the world.
What Does Davis’ Fate Mean?
The episode’s final moment jumps a few months ahead, showing Davis has successfully completed the documentary titled ‘Loch Henry.’ As a trailer for the documentary plays, Davis breaks down talking about his family’s involvement in the tourist murders. In the end, the documentary wins a BAFTA award. However, Davis is mostly disassociated and detached from the critical acclaim and praise his work is receiving. There is a sense of tragedy in Davis’ fate as his journey throughout the episode provides an effective and thought-provoking satire about the true crime documentary genre.
Davis sees both sides of the coin as Pia initially convinces him that his father is a victim. However, Davis is devastated when he learns the truth about the killings and his parents’ role. Moreover, Pia’s death seems to have deeply affected Davis as well. However, Davis never saw his father as a victim but was convinced to do so by Janet and Pia. In contrast, the sensationalization of his father, mother, and girlfriend’s intertwined story makes Davis a tragic and sympathetic figure but not entirely a victim. Ultimately, Davis’ fate highlights the pain and suffering caused by sensationalizing true crime stories. It closely examines the effect such depiction of crimes through the true crime documentary genre has on those involved with the culprits and victims, adding a layer of tragedy as Davis experiences both sides.
Read More: Where Was Black Mirror Season 6 Filmed?
