Drama Mare of Easttown (HBO,Limited Series)

[Deck Rickard]

Spoiler

The episode ends in a way that makes it seem like Billy Ross is the one who had an affair with Erin, and that he killed her. In reality, it was most likely John Ross who had the affair with Erin and is the father of her baby. He killed her, whether accidentally or on purpose. Billy Ross helped him move/stage the body and cover it up (which is why he was covered in blood) for some reason, and was going to take the fall for her murder I guess.

John thinks Billy will crack under pressure, takes him fishing to potentially kill him so his secret doesn't get out. Billy found the gun in the tackle box and knows what John plans to do.

The picture from Erin's journal that she gave to the cops will show John and Erin, not Billy and Erin. Mare is on her way there to arrest Billy, but she has the wrong guy.

My other dark horse prediction is John and Lori's son Ryan having something to do with the murder itself, after finding out about his father's affair with Erin. Another good motivation for John and Billy to want to cover this up -- to protect Ryan. But that's less likely at this point.

Spoiler

Yeah I was thinking along these lines too, or that Billy had the affair with Erin but John killed her to cover it up. Because for Billy to be completely innocent in this and then take the fall for it seems like a stretch. But either way, the scene with Billy and John where Billy says he killed her SEEMS like an admission of guilt, but it could also be read as John talking him into taking the blame (his whole “I need to hear you say it” line felt strange to me).

ALTHOUGH one moment that lends credence to John being both the murderer and the one who was sleeping with Erin might be Billy’s little outburst at John when he asked for help moving a mattress earlier in the episode. It seems like the pot calling the kettle black (and much worse) for Billy to lash out at his bro having an affair if he was sleeping with a child. BUT if John was the one who slept with her and killed her and Billy helped him move the body, then that outburst makes sense (another clue here might be that, once again, John needed help “moving” something).

Your theory about the kid might also be on the money. Though I hope not because I really like that kid for defending the girl against those bullies.

I also still wonder if Mare’s priest cousin Dan factors in somehow. He went to the cops after the conversation with the other priest, perhaps to throw them off of his trail. And there was also the ballistics expert explaining that the gun that killed Erin came from a really old pistol... the kind her father would have had (and hypothetically could have handed down to Dan).

Lastly, I’m still not sure how Erin’s psychotic ex Dylan, his sidekick and her best friend factor into all of this unless they were involved in her death somehow. Because what else would they be trying to cover up? She gave the cops that photo, but if it doesn’t implicate Dylan in anyway, why did he chase her down and beat the crap out of her? There’s something weird there too.

 

[Kaleb]

Spoiler

The episode ends in a way that makes it seem like Billy Ross is the one who had an affair with Erin, and that he killed her. In reality, it was most likely John Ross who had the affair with Erin and is the father of her baby. He killed her, whether accidentally or on purpose. Billy Ross helped him move/stage the body and cover it up (which is why he was covered in blood) for some reason, and was going to take the fall for her murder I guess.

John thinks Billy will crack under pressure, takes him fishing to potentially kill him so his secret doesn't get out. Billy found the gun in the tackle box and knows what John plans to do.

The picture from Erin's journal that she gave to the cops will show John and Erin, not Billy and Erin. Mare is on her way there to arrest Billy, but she has the wrong guy.

My other dark horse prediction is John and Lori's son Ryan having something to do with the murder itself, after finding out about his father's affair with Erin. Another good motivation for John and Billy to want to cover this up -- to protect Ryan. But that's less likely at this point.

Damn, that's actually a solid theory.

 

[The Shape]

Spoiler

Yeah I was thinking along these lines too, or that Billy had the affair with Erin but John killed her to cover it up. Because for Billy to be completely innocent in this and then take the fall for it seems like a stretch. But either way, the scene with Billy and John where Billy says he killed her SEEMS like an admission of guilt, but it could also be read as John talking him into taking the blame (his whole “I need to hear you say it” line felt strange to me).

ALTHOUGH one moment that lends credence to John being both the murderer and the one who was sleeping with Erin might be Billy’s little outburst at John when he asked for help moving a mattress earlier in the episode. It seems like the pot calling the kettle black (and much worse) for Billy to lash out at his bro having an affair if he was sleeping with a child. BUT if John was the one who slept with her and killed her and Billy helped him move the body, then that outburst makes sense (another clue here might be that, once again, John needed help “moving” something).

Your theory about the kid might also be on the money. Though I hope not because I really like that kid for defending the girl against those bullies.

I also still wonder if Mare’s priest cousin Dan factors in somehow. He went to the cops after the conversation with the other priest, perhaps to throw them off of his trail. And there was also the ballistics expert explaining that the gun that killed Erin came from a really old pistol... the kind her father would have had (and hypothetically could have handed down to Dan).

Lastly, I’m still not sure how Erin’s psychotic ex Dylan, his sidekick and her best friend factor into all of this unless they were involved in her death somehow. Because what else would they be trying to cover up? She gave the cops that photo, but if it doesn’t implicate Dylan in anyway, why did he chase her down and beat the crap out of her? There’s something weird there too.

Spoiler

I think Father Dan is out of the running at this point. There haven't really been any further hints about him. As for Dylan, he still seems like a huge red herring to me. Whatever he's involved in (burning the journals, etc) seems to be about hiding something else. Maybe he's a drug dealer, maybe he knows who the real father of DJ is and wants to keep it a secret so his parents don't lose the baby.

All signs are pointing to the Ross family. John, Lori, Billy, Ryan. Either one of them, or some combination of them being involved or knowing what really happened. Lori being Erin's killer would be the best twist, IMO, and it would be the biggest shock to Mare. Don't know if they'll go there, though.

I just hope the reveal doesn't wind up being anything too dumb or unbelievable, like the killer being Mare's daughter.

 

[squeekness]

Damn, that's actually a solid theory.

Agreed. Can't wait for the finale.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Spoiler

I think Father Dan is out of the running at this point. There haven't really been any further hints about him. As for Dylan, he still seems like a huge red herring to me. Whatever he's involved in (burning the journals, etc) seems to be about hiding something else. Maybe he's a drug dealer, maybe he knows who the real father of DJ is and wants to keep it a secret so his parents don't lose the baby.

All signs are pointing to the Ross family. John, Lori, Billy, Ryan. Either one of them, or some combination of them being involved or knowing what really happened. Lori being Erin's killer would be the best twist, IMO, and it would be the biggest shock to Mare. Don't know if they'll go there, though.

I just hope the reveal doesn't wind up being anything too dumb or unbelievable, like the killer being Mare's daughter.

Spoiler

Yeah, I was thinking about the possibility of it being Siobhan because she was strangely elusive towards Mare after the killing and she had that breakdown in this latest episode. But all of that is probably just because of the trauma that came from finding her brother’s body and the resentment she holds towards Mare for it. And it also seems that addictive personalities run in the family so maybe the reason why she was MIA after the party where she rescued Erin was because she spent the night getting wasted.

 

[Sawyer]

Every passing scene with Dylan makes me wish Erin’s dad was a better shot.

 

[Kaleb]

I just love the banter between these to.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Jean Smart is really having a moment. She’s been in so many good shows in the past few years.

 

[The Shape]

Jean Smart is killing it on this show, and her new show Hacks is also great.

Gonna miss this show when it's gone.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Is there any chance they might do a second season? I know it’s a finite series but they’ve brought back other things that were supposed to be one-and-done like Big Little Lies.

Would love to see Mare work on a new case and try to make things work with Guy Pearce (assuming he’s not the killer lol), Siobhan dealing with college, etc.

 

[Sawyer]

The more I think about it

Spoiler

the more I think it’s the kid.

If it’s Billy, Julianne Nicholson offered that **** up to Mare awfully quickly after saying she wouldn’t. If it’s John... he already cheated on her twice, I feel like she wouldn’t go out of her way to protect a man who impregnated and murdered a teenager.

I feel like, somehow, it was the kid and that’s what Julianne Nicholson (I’d have to google search to remember her character’s name) was told to keep from Mare... which she would... and that’s why John was coaching his brother into taking the fall (because the brother IS the one who got her pregnant).

I don’t know. We’ll see.

 

[The Shape]

Is there any chance they might do a second season? I know it’s a finite series but they’ve brought back other things that were supposed to be one-and-done like Big Little Lies.

Would love to see Mare work on a new case and try to make things work with Guy Pearce (assuming he’s not the killer lol), Siobhan dealing with college, etc.

Seems like the show is building a strong following, so I hope they would at least consider a continuation in some way.

I've been watching since the first episode aired, and it's actually refreshing to NOT binge watch something. I feel like the breaks between episodes have helped build my anticipation and also makes me focus more on each episode. Also cool that we will all find out what happens in the finale at the same time, as opposed to spoilers being all over the internet.

I enjoyed The Undoing also, but this is way better IMO.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Seems like the show is building a strong following, so I hope they would at least consider a continuation in some way.

I've been watching since the first episode aired, and it's actually refreshing to NOT binge watch something. I feel like the breaks between episodes have helped build my anticipation and also makes me focus more on each episode. Also cool that we will all find out what happens in the finale at the same time, as opposed to spoilers being all over the internet.

I enjoyed The Undoing also, but this is way better IMO.

Agreed on all counts, though I enjoyed Nicole Kidman’s fashion choices in The Undoing over Kate Winslet’s in this show. Then again, having lived in rural Eastern PA, Mare is much better dressed than a lot of the folks out that way.

And I actually wonder if more streaming services will move to a non-binge model because with episodes coming out week to week, it keeps people engaged and talking about these shows for longer. I just spent half my day reading articles where people are speculating about who might be in that photo and what exactly Dylan is trying to cover up (haven’t read any good theories on the latter). I wouldn’t have done any of that if I had binged this whole show in one day.

 

[The Shape]

The more I think about it

Spoiler

the more I think it’s the kid.

If it’s Billy, Julianne Nicholson offered that **** up to Mare awfully quickly after saying she wouldn’t. If it’s John... he already cheated on her twice, I feel like she wouldn’t go out of her way to protect a man who impregnated and murdered a teenager.

I feel like, somehow, it was the kid and that’s what Julianne Nicholson (I’d have to google search to remember her character’s name) was told to keep from Mare... which she would... and that’s why John was coaching his brother into taking the fall (because the brother IS the one who got her pregnant).

I don’t know. We’ll see.

Spoiler

I definitely think there might be more to all of this than simply "John Ross is the father of Erin's baby and also her killer". I've also theorized the son Ryan or wife Lori (that's her name) could be involved.

I feel like it's very possible that Mare will take John Ross down at the river when the finale starts, with everything seemingly being over. Maybe John or Mare will have killed Billy. But then later on, she somehow realizes that she missed something and that either Lori or Ryan really did it. Would be a nice final twist.

 

[Kaleb]

Spoiler

I definitely think there might be more to all of this than simply "John Ross is the father of Erin's baby and also her killer". I've also theorized the son Ryan or wife Lori (that's her name) could be involved.

I feel like it's very possible that Mare will take John Ross down at the river when the finale starts, with everything seemingly being over. Maybe John or Mare will have killed Billy. But then later on, she somehow realizes that she missed something and that either Lori or Ryan really did it. Would be a nice final twist.

Spoiler: spoiler

Unlikely that they do a S2 considering it's a limited series (however True Detective and Big Little Lies both started off as limited series) but Mare realizing that she has arrested the wrong person might be a good cliffhanger leading into S2.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I still want to know

Spoiler

what Dylan is covering up. Most of the theories online, if you can even call them that, just mention that “something” is going on with him so we can’t rule him out as a suspect, but killing Erin doesn’t seem to be what his big secret is. I don’t think he did it, and if not, why is he trying so hard to cover it up?

 

[flickchick85]

Just caught up on this. It's great!

Spoiler

But it's really obvious that John was the father, right? Like, Billy still killed her because she was threatening to tell people (hence his outburst about how John's affairs have ruined his life), but I feel like that's all almost too obvious. And there's still whatever Dylan's covering up. And tbh, I'm still suspicious of Richard just because he's played by Guy Pearce. Maybe he's the prowler from the beginning.

 

[The Shape]

I can see Richard writing a book about Mare and the events of the series, titled "Mare of Easttown".

 

[Deck Rickard]

Just caught up on this. It's great!

Spoiler

But it's really obvious that John was the father, right? Like, Billy still killed her because she was threatening to tell people (hence his outburst about how John's affairs have ruined his life), but I feel like that's all almost too obvious. And there's still whatever Dylan's covering up. And tbh, I'm still suspicious of Richard just because he's played by Guy Pearce. Maybe he's the prowler from the beginning.

Spoiler

Yeah, whenever Guy Pearce shows up in anything these days, I assume he’s the villain and I’m usually right lol. Not sure here though (it wouldn’t really fit unless they threw us a major curveball), especially since Pearce stepped in to replace another actor (Ben Miles) due to scheduling conflicts. I’ve seen Miles play at least one A-hole in something else but I’m not sure if he’s typecast as a villain often the way that Pearce usually is.

 

[The Shape]

It would be ridiculous for Richard to be the killer. Much more of a “shock” to have Guy Pierce be nothing but a good guy in this.

 

[The Shape]

Big night tonight.

 

[Kaleb]

So of course HBO Max decides to crash.

 

[flickchick85]

Welp, I was right about exactly one thing - it WAS too obvious.

Great finale, imo.

One thing I wasn't clear on:

Spoiler

Are we meant to believe that Ryan might have been the hooded "prowler" Betty Carroll saw outside that day? Like he was contemplating confronting Erin already or something? Or was that unrelated?

 

[Sawyer]

Well...

Spoiler

Called it.

 

[flickchick85]

Well...

Spoiler

Called it.

Well damn.

Spoiler

I'm glad I missed your post above, lol.