Horror and heartbreakdon’t sound like they would go hand in hand, yet there is no better way to describe the television seriesThe Returned. An adaptation of the French seriesLes Revenants,The Returnedmixes elements of horror and sorrow and craftsa story that is more about grief than it is gore. The show follows residents of a small town whose lives are upended when deceased loved ones suddenly come back to life and act as if not a day has passed. The series is as beautiful as it is devastating, and though it may seemlike a simple ghost story on the surface,The Returnedismuch more.
‘The Returned’ Is a Story About Grief
In a small town,residents who have long been deceased suddenly come back to lifeand return to their homes and families,acting as if not a day has passed. They have no memory of ever having died, but their loved ones have been living with the crushing weight of losing them, and remember all too well. Their sudden reappearances initially feel like a miracle to their families. After all, if you could have one more day with someone you lost, surely you’d jump at that chance, wouldn’t you? But it soon becomes clear to everyone that their reappearances haven’t stopped their grief, but merely put it on pause, and actually furthered it.
Instead of working through their pain and picking up the pieces of their lives, they’re nowreincorporating their once-lost loved ones back into their life, and as unfortunate as it is, they just don’t fit anymore. It’s been years now and nothing is the same. For instance, the first thing a man named Simon (Mat Vairo) does when he returns is look for his fiancé, only to discover that she is now engaged to someone new and that he has been dead for six years. The show isfilled with so many bittersweet momentsbecause, as much as you want to root for these people to reunite with the ones they’ve lost, you know deep in your gut that it will never be the same.
There’s No Rhyme or Reason to ‘The Returned’
Unfortunately,The Returnedwas cancelled after only one season, andon a huge cliffhanger at that, so we may never get any answers as to how or why these people “returned”. But from what we do see, there’s really no explanation for it, which adds a whole other level to the story. It also brings in an interesting layer of jealousy among other residents who would do anything for their loved ones to return. Inexplicably though, it’s only a select few, and it’s hard to watch as the residents in town grapple with that envy. But it might be for the better because the show alsotoys with how death affects people in different ways. We see this not only from the point of view of the families of the returned but also from the returnees themselves.
For example, Camille (India Ennenga) is a teenage girl who was killed in a bus accident, and she’s one of the returnees. When she returns to her family, she doesn’t even know that she has died and believes it is the day of her accident. Meanwhile, her family is flabbergasted, and her sister, Claire (Tandi Wright), has taken her place. This makes it hard for Claire to fit back into her family and find that bond with them again. Meanwhile, her family wants to welcome her in with open arms, butso much has changed that it’s almost painful to do so.They’ve already grieved Camille, yet she’s suddenly back acting like nothing changed, and it’s completely upended their lives. They’ve missed her and want nothing more than to have her back, yet it just doesn’t feel quite right. It’s devastating.
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“Feelings are scary. And sometimes they’re painful. And if you can’t feel pain, then you’re not gonna feel anything else, either.”
The Returnedperfectly captures the emotional turmoil of grief, envy, and heartbreak, all the while incorporating horror elements like gore and minor jump scares. It’s also technically a ghost story when you think about it, because really, these are characters coming back from the dead and looming over their lives but not truly fitting back into them like they once did. However, it’s also aboutlearning how to let go and make peace with what you cannot change, as difficult as it may be to do so.The Returnedis so intricate and layered, and it’s one of the best horror shows you’ll see. Just make sure you have some tissues on hand!
The Returned
The Returnedis available to buy on Apple TV in the U.S.
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