Tamal Kundu
Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Deadloch’ is a crime comedy series set in the fictional town of Deadloch, Tanzania. When a series of murders rocks the sleepy hamlet, senior sergeant Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and detective Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) have no choice but to work together to solve the case. One of the biggest hurdles in their path is their opposite personalities. While Dulcie is reserved and silently competent, Eddie is loud, obnoxious, and can’t wait to get out of Deadloch. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of radical gentrification of the town and the simmering conflict between the new and old residents.
In episodes 1, 2, and 3, following the death of a local man, Dulcie performs an initial investigation, hoping to turn it over when the detective arrives. But when Eddie turns out to be everything that Dulcie thinks a detective shouldn’t be, she continues to be involved in the investigation, much to Eddie’s frustration. As the death toll rises, it increasingly becomes apparent that this might be the job of a serial killer. Here is everything you need to know about the ending of ‘Deadloch’ episode 3. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Deadloch Episodes 1, 2, and 3 Recap
The episode begins with the discovery of Trent Latham’s body. Dulcie lives in Deadloch with her girlfriend, Cath. Before coming to Deadloch, Dulcie used to be a detective, but as Cath reminds her, she has left that life behind. Commissioner Hastings, Dulcie’s boss, asks her to hold the fort until the detective arrives the following day from Darwin. The way Hastings describes Eddie, Dulcie mistakenly concludes that they are a man. Her surprise knows no bounds when Eddie walks into her office. As the news of Trent’s death spreads, it causes quite a buzz in the small town.
Before Eddie’s arrival, Dulcie and her overeager subordinate did some police work, but Eddie completely overlooks that, drawing her own conclusions and sticking to them even though the investigation reveals contradictory information. She spends the entire first episode believing that Trent’s brother Gavin is responsible for his death. After learning from the medical examiner that Trent’s tongue is missing, Dulcie connects it to the death of Rod Dixon, whose body was washed up on the same beach a few years ago, and the tongue was missing. As the pilot episode ends, Gavin Latham turns up dead, killed in the same manner as his brother.
Even though a pattern begins to emerge, Eddie refuses to accept it and seems to be in a hurry to leave town. Eddie comes up with the idea that a local drug ring is responsible for the killings and targets Phil McGangus, an influential businessman. As Eddie continues to accuse McGangus of murder, Dulcie warns Eddie of antagonizing the man. He may not be the killer, but it doesn’t mean that he is particularly a good man.
In this episode, Eddie learns about Sam O’Dwyer, a local who went missing a few years ago. Video footage reveals that there was a boat during a fight between the Latham brothers. Eddie correctly deduces that the boat belongs to Sam and has a different paint job. The officers notice that there was a person on the boat during the fight and conclude that it’s Sam. Toward the end of the episode, Sam’s boat is set on fire, and Eddie encounters a masked man. She tries to give chase but falls into a ditch.
Episode 3 begins with the discovery of another body, but this one has been dead for a while. Dulcie guesses that this is Sam and is proven right. Now, there are four dead people in Deadloch, and all of them are missing their tongues. No matter how much Eddie likes to deny it, these murders are increasingly proving to be the job of a serial killer.
Deadloch Episodes 1, 2, and 3 Ending: Who is the Killer?
Although the humor in ‘Deadloch’ is quite unconventional, at times morbid, the mystery elements replicate a classic whodunit setting. In episode 3, Dulcie consults with a reluctant profiler for confirmation about whether they are dealing with a serial killer. Toward the end of the episode. Dulcie discovers Phil has gone to his boat with an intoxicated Eddie and tracks them down. She finds Phil bleeding, cursing, and fleeing from his boat, while Eddie tries to set sail for Cuba.
We learn a bit about Eddie’s past and why she wants to wrap up the case quickly. This is when Abby arrives. Earlier, she was the one who came up with the explanation that the killer used a double-bladed knife to cut out his victims’ tongues, but the medical examiner, who also happens to be her fiancé, took the credit.
This time, she deduces that as the killer murdering their victims on their boat, the only way they can get these burly men up there is by drugging them, especially as none of these victims had any defensive wounds on their bodies. Eddie earlier ordered toxicology reports on the victims as she believed that they were part of a football club drug ring. It turns out that Trent, Gavin, and Rod had Pentobarbital in their systems, which is a tranquilizer. In an earlier discussion, Abby and Dulcie spoke about how women often use poison as a method of choice while committing murders. This leads them to conclude that their serial killer is also a woman.
Who Leaked Case Information to the Media? Why Does Eddie Want to Wrap Up the Case Quickly?
Although Eddie blames Dulcie’s team and Cath when sensitive information about the case makes its way to the media, the reality is that she is the one who has been speaking to a journalist all along, most often under the influence of alcohol. When Dulcie confronts Eddie in this episode, the latter eventually admits she can’t return to Darwin without solving this case. She recounts how her partner, Bushy, was eaten by a crocodile. She was supposed to have his back but was drunk at a pub at the time. As she was blamed for the incident, she hopes to solve this case quickly and find redemption.
Read More: Is Deadloch Based on a True Story? Is it a Real Place?
