This Is Not Him
Episode 4 of Katla Season 1 begins with Grima exhibiting doubts about the glacier pools. After experiencing a bad dream, she decides to head up with Asa and figure out what’s going on. Kjartan isn’t exactly supportive, but Grima is dead-set on doing this. Meanwhile, Rakel arrives on the island. After Mikael’s phone call, she’s there to check up on Darri and figure out hat’s going on. Mikael is obviously distrusting of his Father after the shed incident, and refuses to engage with him when Darri lets the boy out. Well, the secret is finally out as Einar arrives to pick Mikael up. They head to the hotel and find Rakel waiting for them. It’s al too much for Darri though, who hurries out the room and vomits in the sink. We soon find out why. It turns out Darri’s son died 3 years back so how is he back now? Rakel is fully onboard to embrace the fact this is their son but Darri likens this to a nightmare. At the station, Gisli and Vigdis question Gunhild over her story before she decides to leave mid-interview. She runs into Tor at his workshop, where the older Gunhild happens to be already. She immediately becomes spooked though when the younger version mentions the night she and Tor were together 20 years back. Asa and Grima make it to the camp. As they begin digging, they find a piece of clothing hidden in the dirt. As they continue on, the girls head outside and dig a hole under the cabin. As they do, the find a dead body hidden underneath.
The Episode Review
With a shorter chapter this time around, Katla starts to reveal some damning truths about our different characters. In a way, this show feels quite reminiscent of Glitch and The Returned with the way it drops these characters back and forces these families to scramble to make sense of what’s happening. It works well too, with the show leaning into its eerie vibes nicely. The big reveal at the end with the dead body looks like we’re going down a darker path now, while the mystery surrounding these three individuals being returned remains a tantalizing prospect for the future. For now, Katla continues to deliver a gripping mystery across its run-time.
