DISCLAIMER: This recap of Dead Boy Detectives Season 1 Episode 3, “The Case of the Devlin House,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Episode three, “The Case of the Devlin House,” finds our heroes delving deep into a decades-old murder case. It brings unresolved trauma bubbling to the surface for Charles. Jayden Revri delivers a beautiful performance, making Charles’s choice to conceal his pain with constant joking and a laidback demeanor all the more heartbreaking. Additionally, the outing propels the overarching narrative by bringing human Monty into the fold. Oh, and Niko continues to be the best character and an excellent support system for Edwin, who’s working through understanding his sexuality. These two are a fun pair.
The Case of the Devlin House
We open with Charles (Revri), Edwin (George Rexstrew), Crystal (Kassius Nelson) and Niko (Yuyu Kitamura) listening to myriad potential ghost clients to search for their next case. The consensus? These ghosts have problems, and they’re all weird. One man has an earth-shattering migraine, while another waxes poetic about an evil seagull.
However, one woman, Susan Kessler (Pam Kearns), informs our quartet about the Devlin house murders. In 1994, her brother-in-law murdered her sister and nieces and then killed himself. Edwin notes that this isn’t a supernatural case — they know who the murderer is. Susan inherited the house upon their deaths but didn’t visit it until she died last week. She heard strange noises and felt an otherworldly presence. Something supernatural is afoot.
After Susan departs, the gang reviews who they’ve seen so far to determine their next case. Charles is drawn to the Devlin house case and explains why they should take it on. Suddenly, the migraine ghost bursts through the door. His head explodes, sending goo flying onto our titular dead boy detectives. However, his head reforms (he is dead, after all). It’s all good.
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Let’s Get It On
Next, the gang decides to research the murder case. Crystal reveals that Jenny has resided in Port Townsend all her life, so she might know it well. Charles offers to accompany her. Edwin’s jealousy rears its head. Crystal clears the air, stating that they’d get it on if she wasn’t being stalked by her demon ex (David) and Charles was human. The sexual euphemisms go right over Edwin’s head.
After that, Edwin orders Niko to join him as they head for the library. This is an interesting pairing. Meanwhile, Crystal asks Jenny (Briana Cuoco) about the Devlin house murders while the latter battens down the hatches for an impending storm. Jenny reveals she was a child when the murders transpired, but she states the wife had an affair, causing the husband to go on a killing spree. He used an axe.
Conducting Research
Edwin dons his human disguise at the library, pretending he’s Niko’s Aunt Cindy. Niko wants Edwin to admit he’s envious of Crystal and Charles. They chat with Maxine (Lindsey Gort), the helpful librarian who gives them a microfiche containing old newspaper articles from 1994. At the same time, Esther (Jenn Lyon) waltzes into the butcher shop, puffing away on her pipe. Lyon’s portrayal of Esther is working for me. She’s over the top in the best way.
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Esther asks Crystal and Charles about Edwin and states that she’s glad they’re staying in Port Townsend. Before they leave, Esther blows (non-paralyzing) smoke in Crystal’s face and taps Charles with her iron cane. Her remark, “Oh, my ghost skin,” made me giggle. I also think she and Jenny would be fast friends. Jenny wonders why Esther is buying tallow (animal fat). The witch reveals that it’s for her skin regimen. Sure, Jan.
Outside the library, Edwin and Niko run into Monty (Joshua Colley), who pretends to be interested in Edwin. Monty reveals he can see Edwin because he was in a short coma following a car accident. Niko eagerly chats him up, hoping to play matchmaker for the two. Monty gets on the subject of astrology. He offers to read Niko and Edwin’s birth charts soon. Edwin reluctantly accepts the offer. Esther wants Monty to get close to Edwin…
Love Is Love
After Monty departs, Niko asks Edwin if he knows that two boys can fall in love with each other. Edwin avoids responding, claiming they should return to Crystal and Charles. Niko asks if she can sit out this case since she almost died the week before. Edwin allows it. Side note: I’m hoping the Edwin/Charles ship sets sail.
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Later, Night Nurse (Ruth Connell) gives the appropriate paperwork to the notary in the Afterlife Lost & Found Department. Unfortunately, the notary denies her request to travel to Earth to collect Charles and Edwin. The notary claims the paperwork about NN’s desired location isn’t specific enough. NN vows to go over the notary’s head to her supervisor.
Then, our intrepid trio stands outside the Devlin house, which is scheduled for demolition soon since its one heir is dead. The talking cat and his pal sit outside a window, observing from afar in service of the Cat King. Edwin must uphold his end by naming all the cats in town.
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Once inside, Edwin, Charles and Crystal hear the song “Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Yes play as the husband proceeds to kill his wife and daughters with an axe. Before that, he claims he heard about “Hudson” and how his family cannot leave. It’s gruesome. However, the scene replays. And replays. And replays. Edwin pulls Charles and Crystal aside to inform them that the Devlins are stuck in a loop. They’ve been reliving this traumatic moment for three decades.
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Now, the only way to break the loop and allow those involved to move on to the afterlife is to identify what triggered the loop. Then, they destroy said trigger. Charles mentions the Hudson remark, and Crystal states that the wife purportedly had an affair. Meanwhile, Niko eats noodles while watching TV. Litty (Caitlin Reilly) and Kingham (Max Jenkins), the dandelion sprites, make fun of her from their jar. Why didn’t the ghost detectives and the human psychic invite Niko to solve the murder case? Niko replies that she had asked to sit this one out.
Charles’s Pain
Then, our trio searches the Devlin house for the loop trigger. Crystal finds Charles reading the diary of one of the daughters. We learn how terrified she was of her father, walking on eggshells around him for fear of inadvertently provoking his anger (Oof. I get that.). Charles discloses that his father was more than just “not nice” — he was abusive. He treated Charles like sh*t.
Now, Charles checks in on his parents to ensure his dad isn’t doing the same to his mom. This case is personal for our seemingly happy-go-lucky ghost. Charles and Crystal reunite with Edwin, who reveals that “Hudson” isn’t a man but a university in Milwaukee. The man’s daughter, Hope, got accepted. So, the trigger wasn’t a love letter but an acceptance letter.
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After the man shoots himself, restarting the loop, Crystal rips up the acceptance letter to break said loop. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work. Elsewhere, the dandelion sprites’ bullying spurs Niko to venture out into the storm to help her friends. At the Devlin house, our trio brainstorms their next move. Charles snaps at Edwin for scolding Crystal. Then, he decides to try things his way. He whips out his cricket bat and strikes the husband before the latter can kill his family.
The man whirls around and shoves Charles, sending him flying across the floor. So, Charles is now part of the loop. Edwin and Crystal scramble to free Charles and the Devlins from the loop. Crystal addresses Charles’s unresolved trauma and grief over his father’s abuse. He’s been carrying this weight for over three decades. Edwin brushes it off, claiming Charles would’ve shared this with him.
A Secret Room
Next, the duo heads upstairs to investigate the source of the music after Crystal mentions hearing a clicking noise underneath it. They find the sound system in the husband’s room, but behind it is a secret room containing multiple TVs. Jenny mentioned that the man worked in an electronics shop. He had cameras installed in his house so he could spy on his family. Creep.
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Edwin and Crystal watch the loop play out on the TV screens. Crystal ejects the VHS tape from the built-in VCR. She grabs a hammer, wondering if destroying the tape would break the loop. Edwin stops her, stating that whatever misstep they take could harm Charles. If they don’t act quickly, the demolition crew will not only destroy the house but “erase” the ghosts, condemning them to nothingness forever.
Suddenly, a Misery Wraith emerges from the shadows. Edwin mentions that these creatures are everywhere in Hell. He urges Crystal to remain silent and think happy thoughts because it feeds on pain. However, at that moment, David the Demon (David Iacono) pulls Crystal away. He plays a montage of their relationship and the things she did. He’s still singing the same old song — that he’ll seize control of her body one way or another.
Bye-Bye, Misery Wraith
After she chats with David, Crystal returns to the present. Edwin continues tinkering away on the VHS tape. He inserts it into the VCR and hits record, which seems to shut off the TVs. He pulls Crystal out of the secret room before the Misery Wraith gets to them both.
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Thankfully, Edwin’s tinkering breaks the loop, freeing Charles and the Devlins. Charles, Edwin and Crystal flee the house before Death arrives. She takes the wife and daughters to the afterlife and then sends the man to Hell.
Later, our trio wanders home after closing the case. Charles insists he’s “aces.” Everything’s gravy, y’all. They run into Niko, who’s too late to the case-solving party. However, it’s the thought that counts. When the quartet returns to the butcher shop, Monty waits for them. He hands Edwin his birth chart. Charles introduces himself to Monty, but he’s more interested in Edwin. Monty gives Edwin an astrology book to read, which the latter accepts. Esther watches proudly from afar.
Lost and Found
Elsewhere, Night Nurse meets the Devlin daughters after they arrive in the Afterlife Lost & Found Department. Night Nurse asks them about the two ghost boys who broke them out of the loop. She wants to know about those heroes (insert evil laugh here).
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Dead Boy Detectives Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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