DISCLAIMER: This recap of Death and Other Details Season 1 Episode 3, “Troublesome,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril. 

The case is on in episode three of Death and Other Details. “Troublesome” certainly brings about its share of troubles, including the arrival of the no-nonsense Interpol agent, Hilde Eriksen. Linda Emond is perfect in this role, and after having watched her play someone entirely different in this past season of Only Murders in the Building, I’m convinced we need to see her in more things. 

“Troublesome” isn’t quite as action-packed and propulsive as its predecessors, but we get more questions to mull over and intriguing narrative threads on which to pull. Additionally, that cliffhanger and the Jules reveal are fun, if not derivative. Admittedly, this show isn’t super innovative regarding its genre.

That said, it pays homage to various murder mysteries that came before it, and that’s part of its charm. I also love the attention to detail and the performances. The Easter eggs in its opening credits sequence offer a visual feast for the eyes. As for this outing, I’m very intrigued by the Super PAC who wanted Alexandra to give Danny five-star treatment. That could have something to do with Viktor Sams. 

Let’s get “Troublesome.” 

RELATED: Check out our recap of Death and Other Details Season 1 Episode 2, “Sordid”

An Underestimation 

We open with narration from Rufus (Mandy Patinkin), who paints a picture of a man frequently underestimated in his final days. Danny/Keith (Michael Gladis) tries to warm up to Llewellyn (Jere Burns) while boarding the SS Varuna. Of course, as a detective, Danny would’ve hit the jackpot if he got the Collier family lawyer to dish on all the dirty stuff. However, Llewellyn keeps his lips sealed and brushes past Danny with his various toilets. 

Next, Rufus and Interpol Agent Hilde Eriksen (Emond) stand before Danny’s corpse. Hilde discovers that Rufus was close friends with the deceased. She also picks up on Rufus’ penchant for drinking and how he has abstained from it since Danny’s murder. Hilde believes that since the murderer didn’t bring a weapon into Danny’s quarters, they must have grabbed whatever they could once inside. Perhaps there was a struggle.

Rufus remarks that Danny has no wounds to suggest a struggle; however, Hilde thinks it could’ve been non-physical. A verbal altercation that escalated. Then, Hilde declares she’d like to visit the crime scene. 

RELATED: Catch up on the Arconia antics with our Only Murders in the Building recaps

Stressing Over a Deal 

Meanwhile, Imogene (Violett Beane) hangs with Anna (Lauren Patten) in the latter’s new quarters. Anna is stressed out because the Chuns are stepping away from the deal, and Llewellyn is MIA. Leila (Pardis Saremi) arrives, stating her plans to chill poolside that day. Anna wishes she could join her wife, but duty calls. It’s not easy for the next CEO of Collier Mills. Anna meets with Celia (Lisa Lu) to persuade the Chun matriarch to reconsider their investment. 

Imogene Scott wears a white button-down sleeveless top while sitting in a wicker chair on a ship and looking pensive in Death and Other Details Season 1 Episode 3, "Troublesome."

DEATH AND OTHER DETAILS Season 1 Episode 3, “Troublesome.” Photo credit: James Dittiger/Hulu.

Celia will potentially return to the table if she hears from all the Colliers. Anna insists she represents her family’s interests. Celia ignores this, claiming she’ll give them 24 hours. Elsewhere, Teddy (Angela Zhou) sits with her family, including Winnie (Annie Q. Riegel) and Simon (Leslie Kwan), in the dining room.

She reminds her crew to comply with Rufus and Hilde’s investigation. Annie and Simon wonder if Teddy believes they’re guilty of murdering Danny. Teddy urges them to disclose what they know so she can protect them. The others voice their concerns. Nobody cares about the well-being of the crew. 

RELATED: Only Murders in the Building: 5 Questions We Need Answered in Season 4

Time to Dock 

Later, Jules (Hugo Diego Garcia) wonders why Sunil (Rahul Kohli) hasn’t decided to dock the ship. Sunil insists he’s accommodating the investigation as best as he can. Sunil wonders why Jules wants to dock so badly. What’s he hiding? Side note: Rahul is giving Chris Evans in Knives Out with that sweater. It’s a good look for him. 

Meanwhile, Rufus and Hilde visit Danny’s room. Rufus reveals that Danny’s journal is missing from the crime scene, so the murderer stole it. The murder was conducted with whatever weapon the killer could find. Hilde discovers Danny’s watch with its smashed face. She surmises that someone stepped on it with their heel. We know that’s precisely what Imogene did. Hilde notices the clock face is permanently set at 2:16 AM, within the seven minutes missing from the security footage. Uh-oh. She’s getting mighty close to implicating Imogene. 

The Next Steps 

Next, Imogene and Rufus meet to discuss updates in the investigation. Rufus warns Imogene about Hilde’s laser focus on discovering the missing footage. Time is of the essence. Imogene buckles down, realizing they must uncover the murderer before Hilde sets her sights on her. Afterward, Imogene reunites with Anna, who’s still trying to call Llewellyn. Then, Anna calls Teddy, asking her to bring the Collier files to her suite.

RELATED: The Besties Are Back: Best Quotes From Only Murders in the Building‘s ‘Thirty’

Imogene overhears a conversation between Teddy and Winnie, where the former tells the latter not to undermine her authority in front of the crew. Imogene follows Teddy to Sunil’s office. Once Teddy departs, Imogene sneaks into said office and tries to open Sunil’s safe.

Meanwhile, Alexandra (Tamberla Perry) chats with Father Toby (Danny Johnson) about the ongoing investigation. We learn that Alexandra’s Super PAC asked her to request a beverage cart to be sent to Danny’s room. She doesn’t know who gave her the request. Since Father Toby knows everyone in the political sphere, she urges him to uncover their identity. Alexandra coughs. She was also coughing in the first two episodes. What’s that about? 

Who’s Who? 

Toby insists Alexandra should have a boundary between her and this Super PAC. Alexandra wonders if it was Lawrence Collier. He would do well to remember that she’s the governor. Toby counters that she would do well to remember who put her there. Oof. Admittedly, this is a sick burn. 

RELATED: Read our deliciously Gothic recaps for The Fall of the House of Usher

Unfortunately, Sunil and Teddy catch Imogene in the act before she can open the safe. Sunil asks Teddy to leave them. Imogene reveals she’s digging through the Collier books at Rufus’ behest. However, for her, it’s personal. She suspects the Colliers were blackmailed by her mother’s killer, Viktor Sams. Plus, Danny might have found something in the Collier files that led to his murder. She asks Sunil if he’d look over them with her. 

Then, Anna visits Tripp (Jack Cutmore-Scott), who’s not in a good place. As he puts it, there are peaks and valleys to his recovery. Anna requests Tripp’s presence for a family meeting. She doesn’t tell him it’s to negotiate with the Chuns. 

Anna Collier sits across from Celia Chun in a lavish room aboard a cruise liner while engaged in conversation in Death and Other Details Season 1 Episode 3, "Troublesome."

DEATH AND OTHER DETAILS Season 1 Episode 3, “Troublesome.” Photo credit: James Dittiger/Hulu.

Questioning Jules 

Later, Rufus and Hilde question Jules in the security room. They ask where he was the night of Danny’s murder. They inform Teddy that Jules never clocked in for his shift, which ran during that time. Jules lies, avoiding disclosing his tryst with Imogene. Instead, he claims he was sick — he took a pill and went to sleep. Hilde looks at Jules suspiciously. Something doesn’t add up. 

RELATED: The Fall of the House of Usher: All the References to Edgar Allan Poe’s Works

Meanwhile, Anna reunites with Eleanor (Karoline) on the deck, who’s getting a B12 injection. Eleanor knows about the impending meeting. Both women divulge truths: Anna reveals she waited for Eleanor and was a mess after they broke up. Eleanor claims she doesn’t feel that Leila is right for Anna. Anna remarks on Eleanor’s crappy timing. 

Next, Imogene and Sunil look through the Collier Mills files. Sunil, a former banker, helps fill in the blanks for Imogene. He states that the Colliers are completely broke. They need the Chuns to keep the business afloat. Imogene signals for Rufus to join them in Sunil’s office. While there, they discover a bill of lading for two tons of Captionem Blue. Rufus explains this was an ultra-bright pigment invented so one can see highway signs at night. Clothing manufacturers loved its cheapness and the fact that it didn’t bleed. 

Captionem Blue 

However, it was discovered that Captionem Blue caused cancer, dementia and all manner of ailments. It was banned in 1989. Unfortunately, our trio can’t determine the date on the bill of lading. If the Colliers were dabbling in utilizing an illegal substance that causes cancer … that’s pretty bad. Anna calls Imogene and asks about the case. Rufus silently urges Imogene to lie. Imogene claims they haven’t found anything yet.

RELATED: The Best True Crime Shows on Netflix

After that, Imogene and Rufus argue in front of Sunil. Rufus believes Imogene has been so blinded by wanting to connect this case to her mother’s death that she’s missed a lot of clues. Imogene considers Rufus’ words. We see her examining all the power players that could’ve potentially killed Danny. 

Elsewhere, Anna heads to her mom’s room for a chat. She knocks on the bathroom door. Then, she opens it and finds Katherine (Jayne Atkinson) in the shower with Father Toby. Oh, I love a juicy affair plot. Katherine persuades Toby in the aftermath of their discovery that Anna can keep a secret. Toby wants Katherine to break things off with Lawrence, but Katherine insists there isn’t much between her and Lawrence. 

Leila 

Later, Imogene spots Leila in the dining room. She grabs a knife before departing. Hmm. We flashback four months ago at Anna and Leila’s lavish home in Seattle. Imogene is present. They chat about Leila and how she’s doing. She’s been paranoid since her accident. In the present, Imogene hides while watching Leila grab a rope and a roll of duct tape along with her knife. This has to be a nod to Clue. Leila vanishes before Imogene can see where she went. 

RELATED: Gift Guide for True Crime Lovers

Next, Anna chats with Lawrence (David Marshall Grant) about the upcoming meeting with the Chuns. She admits she made bad financial choices that put Collier Mills in a precarious position. However, she also spent a lot of time digging them out of the hole her father put them in. Anna confesses she’d sell her soul to make this deal go through. Lawrence remarks that his CEO has entered the building. Anna reminds him that it’s not official until he announces it. 

Then, Rufus and Hilde search Jules’ room after discovering he’s MIA for the requisite crew searches. Rufus finds the hole in Jules’ memory foam mattress where he concealed his passports and cash. They also find a book that belongs to Simon. Simon claims he lent it to Jules, but the latter never returned it. Hilde believes they should search Simon’s room. However, they’ve already done that. 

Troublesome

Later, Imogene looks for where Leila could’ve gone. She finds black liquid on the wall. She recalls Leila wearing a ballpoint pen in her hair, so that’s probably ink. Imogene removes one of her earrings and fits the point into a tiny hole, opening a wall section. Bingo! 

RELATED: Podcast Review: Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories

Elsewhere, Anna knocks on Eleanor’s door for the meeting. However, she’s the only one of the Colliers to appear. So much for the family backing her up. Hilde and Rufus return to Simon’s quarters, where they find a book that doesn’t belong to Simon. It contains various passports and stacks of cash. “Sh*t,” Teddy mutters. 

As it turns out, Jules has a rap sheet a mile long. That’s not even his real name. He’s a felon on the run. Imogene explores the underbelly of the SS Varuna, where Jules himself greets her. He covers her mouth, telling her she shouldn’t be here. 

RELATED: Catch up on the mystery and mayhem with our Death and Other Details recaps

Who really is Jules Toussaint? Where did Leila go? Are the Colliers involved in selling a deadly chemical as implied in “Troublesome”? Only time (and more episodes) will tell. 

Death and Other Details drops new episodes every Tuesday on Hulu. 

Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: MABEL MORA

Melody McCune
Follow me!
Latest posts by Melody McCune (see all)