How 'The Watcher' Has Already Set up a Season 2
Although based on a real-life story, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's The Watcher manages to conjure a world of its own, full of interesting characters and possible suspects. Throughout the course of Season 1, The Watcher explores the possibility of multiple individuals being the Watcher. From the retired English professor Roger Kaplan (Michael Nouri) to the former occupant of the house, Andrew (Seth Gabel), all remain possible suspects, based on circumstantial evidence. Importantly, Season 1 of The Watcher ends with Dean (Bobby Cannavale) and Nora (Naomi Watts) moving out of Boulevard 657, but the move doesn't ensure that the new occupants will not be haunted by the letters of the Watcher. Along with the identity of the Watcher, the showmakers have also left some other unanswered questions open for speculation. With Netflix renewingThe Watcher for Season 2, there are many angles to explore in what could be another thrilling season.
Season 1 of The Watcher leaves multiple loose ends, setting up a great possibility for a reinvestigation into the identity of the Watcher. Additionally, the way things ended with the first season made it evident that the creators have already laid the groundwork for another season. Although the central characters, Dean and Nora, fail to figure out who the Watcher is from a growing list of suspects, it becomes clear the impact the Watcher has had on the couple, as well as the many others involved with the house at Boulevard 657, is beyond the scope of what's explored in the first season. Clearly, there are answers to be found, and the canvas is set by Murphy and Brennan in the first season itself.
The Watcher's Identity Remains the Biggest Mystery
Despite Dean's many efforts, he was not able to zero in on the identity of the individual behind the mysterious letters. The legend of the Watcher has encompassed the history of the house at Boulevard 657 for decades already by the time the Brannocks moved into it. Theodora's (Noma Dumezweni) investigation had already found clues dating back to 1995 when Jonathan Gaff used to live in the house with his family. Although Dean wasn’t successful in his investigation, the way things ended with him being absolutely obsessed with the house, it cannot be said that he's done with digging into the past of the house. However, the task for Dean will only become harder in Season 2 with the death of the brilliant Theodora, who’s no longer around to help him.
Before hitting a roadblock, Dean's investigation had come down to Roger Kaplan, the retired English professor who's credited with creating the "Ode to a House" assignment. It's also to be noted that the Watcher's earliest trace can be connected with Roger Kaplan as he was accused by the owner of the house at 55 Oak Terrace who claimed to receive the first letter from the Watcher. However, the direct link of Roger with the birth of the myth of the Watcher seems too big a distraction, given Roger's otherwise limited role in the scheme of things. Talking of Roger, the third original member of the Preservation Society, William Webster aka Bill, who's also identified by Roger, still remains a subject of mystery as his identity remains unclear. Bill was also caught by Dean and Nora accessing their house through the prohibition-era tunnels beneath Boulevard 657. Bill remains the least explored character of the lot with very little known about his past. Not to be forgotten that he pretended to John Graff, the former owner of the house, in front of Dean when the renovation at the house was going on. It remains to be seen if he's only a concerned preservationist like Pearl (Mia Farrow) and Jasper Winslow (Terry Kinney).
Among the suspects, Pearl and Jasper remain the most inconspicuous. They only come out as concerned neighbors who want to preserve the heritage of the houses in the neighborhood. However, Jasper might have a bigger role in Season 2 as what led to the sudden change in his behavior — an event that dates back to the supposed disappearance of John Graff in 1995 as per Theodora — remains a mystery. Among the neighbors, Maureen (Margo Martindale) is someone who has cleared her name for the major part, since she has only been trying to protect her son, according to her confession to Nora. But somehow Maureen remains connected with the most interesting part of the story if one goes by Andrew Pierce's version of the events he went through during his stay at the house. As per Andrew's testimony, Maureen is part of a secret blood-drinking cult, an element also hinted at by John Graff's story as he's believed to have drunk his family's blood before his disappearance. Although it's unclear whether John Graff really existed, or was the character created as a means to terrorize the occupants of the house through his story.
Season 2 Of The Watcher Might See Dean Taking A Dark Turn
By the end of Season 1, Dean has been turned from a bothered owner of the house to an obsessed former owner who cannot seem to make peace with what he endured during his stay at Boulevard 657. It becomes clear by the end that he's had a change of heart. After being a victim of the stalking, he himself starts violating many boundaries when he starts writing as the Watcher to his neighbors in order to seek revenge. In what could be a dark turn of events, it’s very possible that in Season 2, Dean becomes the source of terror for the occupants of the house on Boulevard 657. The possibility of Dean becoming the Watcher — someone he so passionately chased — is real and somewhat terrorizing.
Interestingly, Nora's reaction to moving out of the house was the opposite of her husband's. By the time the Brannocks moved out of the house, not only did Nora handle the situation calmly, thanks to the success she was enjoying professionally, but also her demeanor had turned to a more confident one as she even possibly played a role in scaring away her friend Karen (Jennifer Coolidge) in the last episode. Also, the fact that she's stalking her own partner as he continues to remain on the hunt for the Watcher just adds to the possibility that Nora might know something about the bigger picture that Dean doesn't. Compared with Dean, Nora definitely came out more satisfied with the whole turn of events. It's only possible that unbeknownst to Dean, she might have gained something from the situation. Also, the chances are that Nora's friend Karen, who remained a constant companion to Nora through most of the season, will return to avenge the loss she had to endure after selling the house. It's possible that the Watcher Karen came across was a possible creation by Nora who just wanted to get back at her dear friend for plotting against her.
Theodora's Investigation Might Prove Pivotal In Season 2
The former jazz singer Theodora Birch, whose services Dean avails to find the Watcher, drives much of the investigation in Season 1 of The Watcher. However, when she dies by the end, it becomes obvious that her investigation has failed. Yet before breathing her last, Theodora leaves Dean with an interesting story in what seems to be an attempt to give closure to the couple — a kind gesture by a dying woman. However, as a person with the most insights into the past of the house at Boulevard 657, Theodora may be seen in Season 2 in flashback sequences where she could be delving deeper into her investigation. It's possible that Theodora might have discovered evidence that forced her hand to take the whole blame.
In another possibility, the clues that Theodora might have left before dying could steer the investigation by Dean or whoever takes the mantle in the next season. While it would have been way better to see Theodora as an active character in Season 2 to add to the investigative thriller aspect of The Watcher, she could still be a critical asset for the story in Season 2.
From the events of Season 1, The Watcher can be adjudged to not be one of those Netflix productions that are being forced into a second season out of its popular reception. Instead, the first season of The Watcher takes ample time in setting up the suburb of Westfield and filling it with an interesting bunch of characters who, individually and collectively, are capable of evoking interest. While Season 1 serves as more of a slow setup for the myth of the Watcher to be established, The Watcher can really hit the paddle with a more fast-paced Season 2 that capitalized on the great world-building and characterization of the first season.
ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kwamxjLCYrZuYmr9uv8SaqqimXWd6tLHTZqypZw%3D%3D