BWW Recap: Suspects Emerge on GRACEPOINT

Detectives Carver and Miller: shattering alibis since 2014. Okay, so maybe they're not shattering that many alibis (I mean, they only pinpoint their first two suspects this week!), but things are breaking at their hands: the Solano family members being victims, numbers one through three. Every new piece of information that the detectives divulge (or withhold, depending on whether we're talking about Ellie or Carver) creates a new fragment in what once was a happy family. But were the Solanos really ever truly happy, even before Danny died? This week's GRACEPOINT explores all of that and more as the mystery of who murdered Danny Solano deepens.

Things are starting to get interesting, which also means that things are probably (unless it's just me...) starting to get a bit tangled and complicated. Let's break things down and see if we can make sense of it all.

Lars Pierson

According to his neighbors, Lars has been missing from his home for a long time, and his phone number was the one the CSI crew found in Danny's pocket at the end of last week's episode. He seems like a good choice for a suspect (or "person of interest" to use fancy detective terminology), and so Carver instructs his fellow officers to canvass the town, asking anybody but the press if they've ever seen or have ever met Lars. Initially, everybody comes up short. It seems as though this outsider has done a pretty good job of hiding if he's ever been in Gracepoint. Just when it seems like the detectives hit a dead end as far as Lars is concerned, though, an angry Beth tells Ellie that she has, in fact, seen this man before, when he came into the visitor's center a few weeks ago asking about local campgrounds and hunting permits. That alone wouldn't have been enough to make him a suspicious character, though. Beth says that while he was there, he noticed a picture of Chloe and Danny on Beth's desk and commented on her beautiful family. What's more, Jack Reinhold identifies Lars as the man he saw with a backpack and a bandana speaking with Danny on the cliffs the day he died. Still not sold? What will you say when the police chief informs Carver that there are reports from neighbors that Lars renewed an anti-psychotic medicine a few weeks ago? That's what I thought.

Dean Iverson

Sure, Lars looks like the perfect candidate for Creep of the Year, but there's still not enough evidence to link him directly to Danny's murder, so the detectives have to keep looking. That's why they turn to Dean. Dean Iverson is Chloe Solano's boyfriend, who Chloe claims bought the cocaine the detectives found under her floorboards. While the majority of the force patrols the town and inquire about Lars, Carver and Ellie head to the docks to confront Dean. Naturally, he runs as soon as he sees them, and he doesn't stop until they both have their guns pointed at him. When the detectives question him, Dean explains that he got the cocaine from a co-worker named Mickey Felton. They check out his house and question him as well. He admits to selling Dean the cocaine, and also reveals that Danny was with Dean when they came by to pick up the drugs. And Dean, apparently, didn't seem to happy with our friend. Dean eventually tells detectives the truth: he was doing Danny a favor by taking him out for a ride to Mickey's. Dean spotted Danny on the side of a highway, and Danny pleaded that Dean give him a ride. The reason Dean was angry? When Dean stopped at a gas station to refill his tank, Danny went into the convenience store and stole a crossword puzzle book. Fair enough. Once again, the detectives don't have enough to hold him, and they let him go - but not without asking for a fingerprint and DNA sample. Not surprisingly, Dean refuses.

The Solano Family

Tensions run at an all time high in the Solano house. Now like I said before, things weren't great for the Solanos even before Danny died. Chloe's relationship with Dean was already kept under wraps, and Mark and Gemma's affair was already in full swing. Beth is beginning to think that what Raymond told her about Danny's message was true, but Rev. Paul Coates isn't too happy with that (and neither is Mark). Speaking of Mark and Paul, they cannot stand each other. We're not sure why yet, but there most be some history there.

Later, after Dean is released from jail, Mark sees Chloe and Dean kissing on the street corner. He keeps this secret from his wife (and his daughter, for that matter) until Detectives Carver and Miller come to their house later to show them surveillance footage of Danny. Ellie is completely against this move. Hasn't this family been through enough? Carver, on the other hand, is aggravated by the Solanos' need to be updated constantly. Carver figures that if they want to know every little thing that's happening, it's the police's responsibility to show it to them. Beth snaps when Mark reveals that he knew about Dean. She's frustrated that she did not tell one person about their relationship. Chloe tells her father that she's aware of his relationship with Gemma, and that he has no room to judge her because of that. Eventually, Mark apologizes for not telling Ellie about Chloe's boyfriend, but is it too late? Has the Solano family been split down the middle?

Detective Ellie Miller

Ellie certainly hopes not. The Solano family has been her friend for years, and Ellie seems to have gotten quite good at relieving tension. In fact, that's exactly what she tries to do with Carver. In the beginning of the episode, though, she continually calls him "sir." Her respect for him is anything but genuine. It's the most forced emotion you could probably wrangle out of her. Ellie tries to smooth things over, though, by inviting Carver to dinner. If you didn't laugh at the (deliberate) awkwardness of this scene, something is wrong with you and you should have it checked out. In the end, Carver agrees, and neither one of them is sure of exactly what just happened.

Detective Emmett Carver

Carver could use some lightening up. He's not doing too well. Whatever that medical condition is, it's coming back - and strong. He nearly passes out on the dock when him and Ellie chase Dean. Carver may have problems with his heart - both literally and figuratively - but at the end of the episode, when he calls Juliette and gets her voicemail, he seems genuinely disappointed. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the picture of the young girl we saw in his wallet last week is Juliette. Feel free to yell at me if I'm wrong. (But I don't think I am.)

But what about everyone else in Gracepoint? Are they suspects or citizens? For the most part, we're just not sure yet. There's Susan, who seems to be a pro at dodging police questions, and who demands that Vince come over for dinner so that they can work things out. Also, as shocking as it may sound, I actually almost feel bad for Susan when Vince doesn't show for dinner. Sure, we watched her caress a chicken and then snap its neck, but she went through all that trouble to cook and light candles, and she was clearly hurt when he didn't show. I know, I'm a sucker, but I can't help it.

Then there's Paul, who seems to have some kind of past with Beth that he's very eager to protect and maintain. And there's Owen, poor Owen, whose mother is falling back into her old patterns with overspending (or maybe something a tiny bit more extreme). He falls for Renee so easily when she comes to his door with a bottle of wine. Last but most definitely not least, we have Ellie's son, Tom. He seems to be very interested in Vince's work, and later, when his parents are in the kitchen, he sneaks a peak at Ellie's briefcase and memorizes Lars' phone number. He Googles it and finds an address. All I can say is, don't do it, Tom!!!

We close on the image of a boat burning in the middle of the ocean. What an appropriate way to sum up Gracepoint as a town: everybody in the town has secrets that they'll do anything to protect, even if it means damaging something - or someone - in the process.

Can't wait to see what happens? Watch the preview for next week's episode and leave your suspects in the comments below! Or, come and #SuspectEveryone with me on Twitter @CourtHenley!

Photos: FOX

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