DISCLAIMER: This recap of Dead Boy Detectives Season 1 Episode 7, “The Case of the Very Long Stairway,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
The penultimate episode, “The Case of the Very Long Stairway,” is a rapid-fire thrill ride from beginning to end that squeezes crucial character beats. Edwin finally tells Charles how he feels. That’s huge! I hope they date down the line, even if Charles is unsure of things now. Crystal triumphs over David the Demon, which is an impactful meditation on overcoming abuse. Jenny becomes involved in the magical madness, but whether she actually accepts all the supernatural stuff remains to be seen. It’s a fun outing, even though so much happens that sometimes it’s difficult to absorb anything.
The Case of the Very Long Stairway
We open with Esther (Jenn Lyon) clawing her way out of the ground in the Tall Tree Forest. Being trapped in another realm couldn’t keep this witch away from her enemies. She visits the Cat King (Lukas Gage), who holds the bracelet he once used to ensure Edwin Payne never left Port Townsend. Esther beats the snot out of him for ratting out Monty and forcing her to kill her beloved crow companion-turned-human. We see a new feline emerge from the bloody remains of the Cat King, transforming into the CK we once knew.
Cat King curses Esther for killing him because that was his third life. He only has six more now. This is a fun play on the “cats have nine lives” thing. CK orders Esther to leave Edwin alone. However, that’s impossible for her, especially after learning from CK that Edwin survived Hell. That means she can ramp up the torture element of her revenge plan tenfold. Side note: interestingly, the Cat King seems to care for Edwin. Love is in the air…
Going to Hell
Meanwhile, Charles (Jayden Revri), Night Nurse (Ruth Connell), Crystal (Kassius Nelson) and Niko (Yuyu Kitamura) reel in the aftermath of Edwin being pulled into Hell by that spider thing. They persuade Night Nurse to open a door to Hell so they can retrieve Edwin. Crystal tries to go with Charles, but the latter ensures she stays put. The living who go to Hell don’t return in the same state.
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Angry that Charles won’t let her go with him to Hell, Crystal decides to set her plan into motion. Jenny (Briana Cuoco) discovers Crystal is going to see her “demon stalker ex.” She joins Crystal, not realizing the latter refers to a legitimate demon.
At the same time, Charles strikes a deal with Night Nurse, stating that they’ll accompany her to the Afterlife Lost & Found Department once he saves Edwin. NN seems incredulous. Why should she trust an errant ghost? Niko encourages her to look inside Charles’s mind to confirm he’s telling the truth. We see Night Nurse skirt past Charles’s memories of getting bullied to when he first met Edwin. Edwin (George Rexstrew) encounters a freezing but alive Charles in a darkened attic. Charles is wrapped in a blanket, dying of hypothermia and internal bleeding. Of course, Charles doesn’t know he’s dying.
The Blue Light
Edwin reveals he’s a ghost and shows off all the cool things spirits can do. They chat for a while. Then, Charles peacefully passes away while Edwin reads a book to him. Now a ghost, Charles looks at his human body. He admits that being a ghost feels different than how he’d imagined. Edwin informs him about the blue light that’ll inevitably appear, signifying Death’s arrival. Charles claims he wants to stay with Edwin. He’s not ready to leave Earth yet. Charles stays despite Edwin’s protests that he had just escaped Hell and isn’t good with people. Aw.
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We see Night Nurse watching this display with tears rolling down her cheeks. After pulling away from the memory, she says she can’t believe Charles would sacrifice a potentially tranquil afterlife for Edwin. That said, she believes him and opens a door to Hell. Charles asks Niko to keep an eye on Night Nurse. No funny business!
Next, armed with Edwin’s notebook containing an intricate map of Hell, Charles runs into Maxine (Lindsey Gort) on a very long stairway. Maxine tearfully asks him where she is. She tries to reach for him, but he pulls away, continuing on his journey to save the love of his life.
The Doll House
Then, he winds up in what looks like a hotel lobby. He rings the bell at the front desk despite Edwin’s warning not to in the notebook. He makes his way through a restaurant representing Gluttony to The Doll House. We see poor Edwin running barefoot through The Doll House as a creature chases him. Doll laughter fills the air. It’s my worst nightmare.
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Edwin finds temporary safety in a library, where his old boarding school mate/tormentor, Simon (Gabriel Drake), sits on the ground. He mindlessly tears pages out of a book, blood caking his hands. Simon recognizes Edwin. Edwin informs him that he’s been stuck in Hell for over a century. Simon insists that he must complete this assignment for the headmaster.
Edwin notices his reflection in the mirror across from him. He can see himself. Is he now human? He climbs through the mirror to a brightly lit room full of mirrors. He meets Despair (Donna Preston). It’s another Sandman crossover! She has a ring on her finger with a tiny hook. She watches Simon through a mirror. His punishment is to get paper cuts for all eternity. That truly is torture.
Despair and Simon
Despair tells Edwin that he doesn’t belong here and to go back to his killer. He can boast some more. Edwin tries to defend Simon, claiming the latter didn’t know what the ritual would entail. However, before he can finish his sentence, Despair flings him back through the mirror and into the library.
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Simon apologizes profusely for killing Edwin. He insists he thought the ritual was harmless. He didn’t know they’d actually summon a demon. Edwin forgives him. Simon admits he had feelings for Edwin when they were in school. During their conversation, Edwin tries to persuade Simon to join him as he attempts to escape (again). Simon refuses. He knows this is his perpetual punishment.
After Edwin leaves the room, a blue light washes over Simon. Death has arrived to take him to the afterlife. He only needed to show remorse and get paper cuts for 100 years. I like this—it reminds me of The Good Place. Even in death, we can find redemption.
Confronting David the Demon
Meanwhile, Niko asks Night Nurse questions about her father. She wants to know where he went. Night Nurse reminds Niko that she places child ghosts in their respective assignments. She doesn’t deal with adults. Elsewhere, Crystal and Jenny arrive at the abandoned roller skating rink where David the Demon (David Iacono) resides. He realizes she has her powers again. Crystal asks him to open a portal to Hell for her so she can save her friends.
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David decides he’d rather be annoying, though. He temporarily possesses Jenny. Crystal pulls David into her mind to confront him as Jenny stands off to the side, singing to herself. Then, she paralyzes him before she procures her memories from him. We see her pull a small sack from his face containing said memories. Crystal tells David she doesn’t need to kill him.
Next, Crystal takes David to the ancestors in her mind, reuniting with Iris (Miranda Edwards) and the glowing pink tree. Iris and the other women help Crystal bury David in the dirt. Iris cautions that Crystal must tread lightly. David can’t be buried there forever; otherwise, the tree will die.
What Happened?
Then, she returns to the roller rink. Jenny wonders what happened. Instead of explaining that a demon possessed Jenny, Crystal insists they go home. The boy David possessed wakes up, asking where he is in a British accent.
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Later, Esther shows Mick (Michael Beach) the sketches of the torture device she plans to build. He refuses to let her buy those parts. He likes Charles, Edwin and Crystal. Esther sighs, claiming she’ll have to source those objects one by one. She threatens to turn Mick into fish food if he doesn’t help her, whipping out a blade. I hope Mick survives!
Meanwhile, Niko finds a loophole while reading Night Nurse’s handbook. She asks NN if they can revive her father. Night Nurse replies that Niko wouldn’t want him back “like that.” He would essentially be a zombie.
Reunited
In Hell, terrifying creatures contort down a hallway in The Doll House. Charles spots Edwin at the end of said hallway. However, the spider creature made of doll parts seemingly swallows him, speeding down another corridor. Charles follows it to find another Edwin. Charles asks why he isn’t covered in blood. Edwin reveals that that was a different him. So, the spider creature pursues him, cuts him into pieces, gnaws on him and kills him. Then, he’s revived like the Cat King, so the deadly game can begin again.
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Edwin thanks Charles for coming to save him. He adds that the spider creature will give chase once he starts running. Charles is willing to take that chance. So, the boys leave The Doll House. They run through the Gluttony restaurant as people shove food in their mouths to the point where they vomit. Gross. Then, they stumble upon what looks like a torture blood orgy. I have questions.
An Ardent Confession
Next, the duo arrives in the hotel lobby, where folks are frozen. Edwin tells Charles that they can’t save them. They make it to the very long stairway. Maxine hasn’t moved much. Before they return to Earth, Edwin finally tells Charles that he loves loves him. He’s in love with Charles. Oh, my heart. I’m glad he said it.
Charles reminds Edwin that he’s his best mate and the most important person in the world to him. Edwin’s also the only person he’d go to Hell for. While Charles can’t say he loves Edwin back in that way, they have forever to figure things out. Hey, that’s not a concrete “no.” I hope they become a couple down the line. This scene was handled quite well.
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Then, we see Night Nurse standing at the top of the very long stairway. Our boys run through the door before the spider doll creature tears Edwin into pieces. Niko embraces them. She runs to find Crystal, who’s sitting in the bathroom with an overstimulated Jenny. She has a washcloth over her eyes. Crystal tells Jenny she’ll return, but it’s time to reunite with her boys.
Niko’s Loophole
Next, Night Nurse tells Edwin and Charles to bid farewell to Earth. Crystal learns about Charles’s deal with Night Nurse. Niko saves the day with another loophole. Night Nurse must fill out paperwork before she rips two ghosts from a second plane (Earth). They were just in Hell, which counts as a plane. Sighing, NN orders the boys to stay put while she completes the requisite paperwork. Who doesn’t love bureaucratic red tape?
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Afterward, Edwin apologizes if his confession made things awkward. Charles reassures him that all is well. He believes they should get the hell (sorry) out of dodge before Night Nurse returns. Crystal hangs out with the duo on the roof. She pulls a couple of purple balls from her sack of memories. She assumes she’s supposed to eat them.
Elsewhere, Esther assembles her torture device for our dead boy detectives. Now back in the Afterlife Lost & Found Department, Night Nurse begins the grueling process of tackling documentation. Jenny sleeps in Niko’s bed as Niko shakes the cursed Magic 8 Ball from Dagfinn. It still says, “Outlook not so good.” Crystal swallows one of her memory balls. Her eyes turn white as memories rush back to her.
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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.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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