The debut episode of "Passenger" on ITV1 dips viewers into the intriguing maze of Chadder Vale, a Lancashire village that, despite its serene exterior, harbors a sinister undercurrent. Masterfully scripted by Andrew Buchan, renowned for his roles in "Broadchurch" and "The Honourable Woman," this installment sets the scene for a pulse-pounding mystery that intertwines suspense, horror, and dark humor with masterful precision.
The narrative unfolds on a snowy eve, as Katie Wells (portrayed by Rowan Robinson), a local lass, inexplicably disappears on a secluded woodland path. The tranquil aura of the village is shattered by her vanishing act, and the arduous task of uncovering the truth rests heavily on the shoulders of Detective Riya Ajunwa (Wunmi Mosaku), a BAFTA-acclaimed actress whose performance in "Damilola, Our Loved Boy" left an indelible mark. Riya's investigation stirs shockwaves of disbelief when Katie, seemingly unharmed, reappears the following day, acting as though no time had elapsed, sparking a cascade of bizarre events and harrowing crimes that cast a pall of dread and paranoia over the community.
The episode kicks off with a chilling vignette featuring Kane Jackson (Nico Mirallegro), who, while traversing the woods, hears an ominous banging emanating from the rear of his lorry. A peculiar, dark liquid trickles from the vehicle, prompting him to flee the scene in haste. His arrival at the Jumbo Bread factory is laced with tension as he dons a gas mask before unraveling the secrets harbored within the lorry's confines, leaving the audience to ponder the ominous cargo and the rationale behind the gas mask.
Elsewhere, a fiery confrontation at The Dog & Duck pub between Katie, her beau John Trowbridge, and Mehmet Shah escalates into a violent altercation, culminating in Katie escorting Mehmet through the eerie woods. Their journey is abruptly interrupted by a mysterious creature or beast, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats and pondering the sinister threat lurking in the shadowy depths of the forest.
The untimely chill gripping Chadder Vale, accompanied by snow that hesitates to settle, casts an eerie spell over the village. Riya's traverse through its lanes is punctuated by odd observations and cryptic remarks about the weather, hinting at an unseen force weaving its way through the fabric of reality.
At the gym, Riya crosses paths with Tony Corrigan, its proprietor, and later, amidst the tension, celebrates her 40th birthday with a cake—a fleeting moment of levity. The police station scene underscores the village's exemption from grave crimes, with Riya voicing her yearning for more enigmatic cases, like the missing Swedish girl, Nina Karlsson, whose file has been shut following a recent sighting.
Eddie Wells' release from prison after serving half of a decade-long sentence is met with disdain by the community, especially Chief Constable Linda Markel, who brands him with the moniker of a "twisted mind." The episode leaves viewers pondering over Eddie's past misdeeds and their potential nexus with the present enigmas.
Riya's flashback to her youth, where she cowers beneath a bed, adds a personal and enigmatic dimension to her character, hinting at a traumatic past that might steer her present actions. Mehmet's mysterious computer game, which charts the journey of a beast through a forest, mirrors the unfolding events in Chadder Vale, and his notation of a code at the game's conclusion suggests a deeper entanglement in the unraveling mystery.
As the episode draws to a close, the audience is left with more queries than resolutions. The gaping hole in the cage from the lorry at Jumbo Breads and the mysterious black liquid bursting from the stag's corpse in the forensic lab point to a supernatural entity that has slipped into the woods. "Passenger" Season 1 Episode 1 marks an intriguing inception of a series poised to delve deeply into the concealed truths of Chadder Vale, where each character's past and present deeds intertwine in a complex tapestry of mystery and suspense.
