Landscapers Episode 3 Recap and Ending, Explained

‘Landscapers,’ Ed Sinclair’s true-crime show for HBO, has the 1998 murder of William and Patricia Wycherley at its core. As we watch the unraveling of the Mansfield-based murder mystery, the lives of Susan and Christopher Edwards come into sharp focus. Directed by Will Sharpe, the limited series has Olivia Colman, David Thewlis, Kate O’Flynn, Dipo Ola, and Daniel Rigby in central roles.

In the first two episodes, we see how the poverty-stricken Susan and Christopher leave France and come to England to face the police. As DC Emma and DC Paul lead the interrogations, bizarre and traumatic facets of the Edwardses’ pasts come to light. Christopher reveals that his wife had a painful relationship with her parents; Susan is then forced to talk about her harrowing familial experiences.

The authorities also discover the Edwardses’ shady financial history and purported friendship with Gérard Depardieu. Naturally, the police then seek extra custody time because of all the new information procured. Thus, we know things are going to get grimmer for the meek British couple. So, if you were looking for ‘Landscapers’ episode 3 recap and ending explainer, you’ve come to the right place. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Landscapers Episode 3 Recap

The episode opens with Christopher shooting at a bunch of cans during a practice session. The text onscreen states, “In 2014 Susan & Christopher Edwards were convicted of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. To this day they maintain their innocence.”

In an old interview, a younger Susan talks about her favorite film genres. Afterward, the Edwardses talk about the actors they love the most. Then, in the present, we see Tabitha talking to DC Paul about Christopher. In a flashback, we see how a crying Christopher is consoled by a worried Susan, who decides to write to Depardieu in the hopes that he will reply and cheer her husband up.

In another flashback, we see Christopher getting angry over Susan’s film memorabilia expenses. Then, he discovers a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions — seeking an interview with William on his 100th birthday — which Susan had hidden from him. We realize that this is when the couple decides to flee England.

During the police interrogation, Christopher accidentally reveals crucial information about Susan and how the Wycherleys “stole from her.” Meanwhile, a conversation between Douglas and Susan reveals that the solicitor is aware of how deeply the Edwardses love each other.

Then, DC Emma and DC Paul show Christopher a box containing his wedding pictures. In his emotional state, Christopher blurts out an important piece of information pertaining to Susan and guns. He then reveals his own experience with firearms. Later, DC Emma tells Susan that the police think that the Edwardses murdered the Wycherleys for money. As Susan has an emotional breakdown and ignores Douglas’ advice, Emma insists that money was the motive behind the murders.

In the next few scenes, the sets bizarrely come apart and we see the backstage of the show. DC Emma takes us to a stage where William and Patricia await as actors. We then realize that what we are seeing is the police’s view of what transpired on that fateful night in May 1998 — it is presented almost like a play of sorts.

Back in the interrogation room, a weeping Susan claims that her father owned the murder weapon and was into fascist iconography and Nazis. Later, Douglas, who feels like he messed up the case, tries and fails to comfort an inconsolable Susan. Afterward, DCI Griffin congratulates the police department on solving the double murder case and says that the matter is now the court’s business. Although DC Emma and DC Paul are applauded by all, the former retreats to a quiet corner and calls her father.

In another flashback, we see a happy Susan telling Christopher about her horse dream. As the end credits roll, we see images of the sets and stages. The voices of various newscasters reveal how the police believe that the double murder was motivated by money and greed. They then address how Susan and Christopher displayed a heartless attitude in front of the authorities. The voiceovers conclude by saying that the couple is slated to appear before a Crown Court judge on Monday.

Landscapers Episode 3 Ending: What Does Christopher Reveal During His Interrogation?

When Christopher tries to defend Susan’s absurd film souvenir purchases, he claims that his wife was “trying to buy back the happiness her parents stole away from her.” Then, as he goes over how the Wycherleys emotionally abused Susan, he accidentally reveals that they “even stole from her.”

This immediately gets the attention of the police, and soon we find out that, in the late 1980s, the Wycherleys made Susan sign over her share of the rights to their Edgware house as she had started living with Christopher. Susan had helped her parents buy their house with an inheritance she had received from her grandfather, who was close to her. Susan’s grandfather — the one who enjoyed old Westerns — did not like William and so left his money to his granddaughter; he clearly did not trust his daughter, Patricia, as he was afraid that she would hand over the inheritance to her husband.

Then, in a flashback, we see how Patricia emotionally manipulates Susan into giving up the house. Later, we see Christopher raging over the fact that the Wycherleys sold their Edgware house for a massive profit and bought the Mansfield house, all without giving Susan a penny. Thus, despite the Edwardses’ insistence upon their innocence, the police come to the conclusion that money was the main motive behind the Wycherleys’ murder and that Susan and Christopher seized the elderly couple’s pensions right after their deaths in order to get back the inheritance they had “stolen” in the first place.

What Do the Police Find Out About Christopher, Susan, and Guns? Who Shot the Wycherleys?

When DC Emma puts the heat on Christopher by saying that Susan will go to jail, he ends up confessing that his wife is terrified of guns and so couldn’t have killed her parents. Thus, the well-practiced story that the Edwardses had been reiterating till now comes apart. Then, Christopher reveals that he used to be a part of a gun club and owns two pistols, both collectibles.

All this information aligns with the forensic report that points out that, judging by the position of the bullets, both William and Patricia appear to have been carefully shot at by the same person. Additionally, right at the beginning of the episode, we see how confidently Christopher uses a gun. In the scenes representing Susan’s story, we see that she is quite terrified whilst holding a gun.

Later, we see Christopher casually but carefully shooting the Wycherleys during the bizarre on-stage recreation of the murder. Thus, in his attempt to protect his wife, Christopher reveals incriminating information about himself. The police naturally come to the conclusion that it was Christopher who shot the Wycherleys.

Why Does Christopher Use the Word Fragile for Susan?

DC Paul asks Tabitha about Christopher’s frequent usage of the word “fragile,” which we know he uses to describe Susan’s disposition. Tabitha reveals that her stepson has always found someone fragile to take care of — his mother, his brother, David, and ultimately his wife, Susan. Thus, Christopher has a history of trying to take care of meek and frightened people.

A couple of flashbacks show us how emotionally devastated Christopher was after David’s death. Tabitha tells DC Paul that her stepson never wished to leave his mother and brother, both of whom met with untimely deaths. The older woman concludes by saying that Christopher is always trying to save someone but never manages to do it.

Later, when DC Emma asks Christopher to stop trying to help people who can’t be helped (i.e. Susan), he states: “Nobody is beyond help in this world. That’s the whole point of this world!” Thus, it becomes obvious that Christopher desperately wants to protect Susan from a world that’s seemingly out to get her. In his attempt to save his fragile wife, who was tormented by her parents, Christopher ends up putting himself in trouble. Thus, the word “fragile” almost becomes Christopher’s way of defending his actions.

Why Are Susan and Christopher Obsessed With Old Hollywood and French Cinema?

In an old interview tape, Susan talks about her love of old films, romantic films, French films, and, in particular, old Western dramas because her grandfather used to enjoy them. Then, Christopher says that he likes Gérard Depardieu whilst Susan counts John Wayne and Gary Cooper amongst her favorite actors.

Later, when Christopher mourns the loss of David, we see Susan writing to Depardieu to lift her husband’s spirits. During the interrogation, Christopher reveals how surprised he was to receive Depardieu’s reply and signed photograph; he seems shocked that someone as famous as the French actor is willing to interact with the common folk. He says their correspondence continued for years afterward; he genuinely believes that Depardieu himself is sending him the letters. We know that the actor’s words gave him strength during his darkest days.

Then, towards the end of the episode, Susan talks about how she used to go on long walks as a child to get away from her parents. During these outings, she would talk to a horse she named after herself. After she married Christopher, Susan imagined riding the horse away into the wind with Christopher. She asks her husband to imagine them riding the horse along the top of the sofa, which acts as the horizon in this scenario.

These visuals are starkly similar to tropes seen in old Western dramas and romantic movies. Every time Susan encounters a stressful situation, she goes back into her world of cinematic fantasies. Even in France, we see Susan purchasing an outrageously expensive Gary Cooper poster when her husband is stressing out about their financial predicament. Later, when Christopher emails the police, Susan retreats to the bedroom to watch an old Hollywood film.

Additionally, Susan associates these classic movies with her grandfather, the only member in her family who showed her some affection. Meanwhile, Christopher, determined to support his fragile wife’s fantasies, goes along with her obsessions and eventually, seemingly tired of his mundane life, becomes enraptured by the likes of Depardieu. The Edwardses thus imagine a romantic life for themselves, in denial of their harsh reality and horrific crimes.