Episode 2 of Black Mirror's sixth season unveils the intriguing duo of Pia and Davis, who embark on a journey to Scotland to chronicle the tale of an enigmatic egg thief. As they traverse the scenic route, they make a detour to Davis' mother's abode, where Pia encounters Janet for the very first time. Her casual remark about the police's lackadaisical efforts piques Janet's ire, as her late husband, Davis' father, Kenny, was once a lawman.
As the night deepens, Pia and Davis indulge in a candid filming of their intimate moments, unaware that Janet hears their every move from the adjacent room. The following morning, Pia takes notice of an array of videotapes dedicated to Bergerac, an old detective show, proudly displayed in the living room. After an uneasy encounter with Janet, Pia and Davis venture into town.
There, they chance upon Davis' long-lost friend, Stuart, a man unafraid to voice his opinions. He reveals that the town is now a mere shadow of its former bustling self, largely due to the sinister legacy of Iain Adair. Iain, once a quiet and malleable soul, lived on Five Acres Farm with his parents and was revealed to be a tormentor and murderer. Prior to his atrocities, the town teemed with tourists.
In 1997, a newlywed couple arrived for their honeymoon, but a week later, despite their car still parked outside the cottage, the couple vanished without a trace. Kenny was tasked with the investigation, but the trail went cold as the media shifted their focus to the tragic death of Princess Diana. However, the townsfolk never forgot.
One drunken night, Iain Adair spilled the beans in a pub, threatening to unleash chaos. Kenny confronted him, but Iain fired a shot, grazing Kenny's shoulder. Reinforcements arrived, but by then, three bullets had been discharged—one for each of Iain's parents and one for himself, as he took his own life to evade justice. Beneath his basement, a concealed dungeon revealed a chamber of horrors, where Iain tortured and eventually buried his victims in the countryside, leaving a tally of eight innocent souls.
Fascinated, Pia yearns to explore the site of this gruesome chapter and believes Iain's abandoned house would be the perfect backdrop for their documentary. She even suggests abandoning the egg thief angle and focusing solely on the Iain Adair incident. Davis, however, is hesitant, mindful of its personal implications for him and the locals. But Stuart is eager to join the quest, envisioning his drone capturing the perfect aerial shot of the location, potentially igniting a tourism revival.
Davis and Pia embark on a diligent journey, piecing together old news reports, newspaper clippings, and interviews with locals like Stuart, along with numerous shots of Loch Henry. They work relentlessly to capture and edit their documentary, a quest that even Janet supports, offering an interview of her own.
As they delve deeper into the murder house, Stuart, Pia, and Davis collaborate to film the ghastly scenes within. Fluids splatter the torture room, leaving a haunting visual. On their return, the trio encounters an unexpected collision with Stuart's father. His frequent appearances in this episode are now a cause for suspicion. He often indulges in excessive drinking, ultimately ending up in the hospital after the crash with Davis and the others.
In the dead of night, Stuart's father finds himself alone with Davis, begging him to abandon the film. Meanwhile, Pia retires to her home with Janet. Little did she know that the Begerac tapes conceal a deeper truth. As the tape nears its conclusion, the footage shifts, revealing a darker past. It transpires that Janet and Kenny manipulated Iain, coaxing him to assist in the torture and murder of their victims, including the innocent honeymoon couple.
Horrified by the revelation, Pia's composure begins to falter. Her terror intensifies when she spies the mask worn by Janet in the video, now hanging ominously on the wall. She struggles to maintain her composure, desperately attempting to reach Davis on the phone. But the signal remains silent, leaving her alone with her terrifying discovery.
Pia, determined to make a dash for freedom, stumbled through the river's treacherous path, ultimately colliding with a rock, her head cracking painfully against its unforgiving surface. As she slipped into unconsciousness and floated downstream, Janet trembled, fearing her secrets had been laid bare. Back at their abode, Janet surveyed the old photographs of their past victims, gathering every VHS tape and laying them out on the table alongside a note addressed to her son. She then ascended the stairs, her face concealed beneath a mask of torment, and hung herself in the solitude of her bedroom.
We fast-forward to the climax of this documentary, broadcast on Streamberry, where Davis appears on-screen, a forced smile masking the agony he felt. The harrowing truth of what transpired at Loch Henry is laid bare, shocking viewers worldwide. This incident skyrocketed in popularity, turning into a major news story. However, in the wake of this revelation, Davis was relegated to the sidelines, as the spotlight shifted to the harsh reality faced by the victims of such true crime tales. Kate Cezar, the initially reluctant producer, received accolades, while Davis retreated to his room, alone. Stuart called to express his gratitude for Davis' assistance, assuming he was now basking in the limelight. The pub was buzzing, with some patrons even wearing Janet masks. Davis hung up the phone, his gaze lingering on his BAFTA award, revealing the mask he now wears, a symbol of his success as a documentarian. But he pondered, at what cost did this fame come?
