The whole town gathers to mourn their loss, leading to some raw emotions and revelations. When a curious Ryn decides to come and observe, tensions rise.

After the all-out action of last week’s episode, the show wisely decides to take a breather, and gives us a quieter – but no less packed – instalment.

It’s actually a very clever use of the narrative opportunity presented by Sean’s death. The funeral involves the entire town – from Ben’s parents to the lowliest fisherman – attending to pay their respects, and gives us the opportunity to find out more about various characters and in some cases for them to surprise us.

There’s also a massive amount of tension here, not least for Ben and Maddie. Ben saw a merman murder Sean, and it’s obviously forced him to re-evaluate what he though he knew about their kind. He no longer knows what to make of Ryn, and Maddie – who wasn’t there – has a more objective take. The show has played with the idea of tension between the couple over their new mermaid friend before, and does so again here. What’s interesting is that, although it’s teased a pseudo-romantic element several times, it actually avoids committing to it, which means that it doesn’t turn into another cliched mermaid story. Both Ben and Maddie are attached to Ryn, but there’s never been any suggestion that she will actually come between them in a romantic way, purely that each of them connects with her in a different way.

Of course, being a funeral, emotions run high, and there are several big scenes that emphasise this. Again, the show errs on the side of restraint, opting for realistic simmering smattered with the odd verbal exchange rather than theatrical wailing, weeping and fisticuffs. In a small town with such a varied population and with all parts of society represented, it’s inevitable that things are tense. It’s to the writers’ credit that they also feel grounded, especially considering the story we are telling here.

And once again Ryn is the star of proceedings, as she wonders just as much as Ben whether she is more animal than human. Eline Powell deserves huge credit for playing the part as well as she does, especially with what I imagine must be enormously uncomfortable (but highly effective) contact lenses in place, lending to that ethereal look. As a viewer, eight episodes in, I’m still not all that sure exactly what Ryn is myself, and there’s always that air of unpredictability to the character that gives some of the show’s best moments.

There’s a lot in here – revelations come thick and fast that alter once again how we view many of the supporting cast, and as the credits roll, I’m left once again wondering whether there might not be another series in this wonderfully surprising show.

Verdict: The perfect follow up to last time out’s action and adventure, this is a beautifully realised episode dealing with some complex subject matter in a believable way. I continue to be impressed. 9/10

Greg D. Smith