'Balthazar' Episode 3: Trouble ensues in Bach's marriage as chief inspector and Raphaël work together to solve a wicked crime
Acorn TV's 'Balthazar' with its portrayal of mind-blogging cases, extensive investigations surrounding some of the most heinous crimes and the relationship between the ever-flirtatious forensic expert and a poker-faced chief inspector has established itself as a well-made crime-thriller series.
While the first two episodes threw light on Raphaël's specialized knowledge in crime-solving and Bach's dedication towards her role as a cop, the third episode lures us to watch it for completely different reasons.
In episode 3 Raphaël and Bach come together to unravel yet another murder in Paris, involving the suspicious death of a 23-year-old girl named Julie Chevalier, who had gone missing three days ago while hitchhiking in the woods.
Despite his expertise, Raphaël is unable to comprehend Julie's death as her body has been frozen for long hours, eliminating the chances of finding any evidence.
The rest of the episode chronicles around the possible involvement of Victor Cartier in Julie's murder, who was previously charged for assaulting his wife Deborah Cartier and their two children.
As Raphaël and Bach dwell deep in the investigation, they come to realize it was one of Deborah and Victor's children who accidentally took Julie's life, by mixing cyanide in her food unaware of its peril. Julie made a stop at the cave upon recognizing the missing family from the news, only to offer a helping hand.
It didn't take Raphaël long to unravel the murder mystery once he stumbles upon a hair strand that was found on the corpse during the autopsy, which eventually helps him trace Deborah and her children who were trying to flee Paris.
In the end, it is also revealed that Victor wasn't missing. He was murdered by his wife and dumped in a ditch in the woods.
The episode also focuses on the personal lives of Raphaël and Bach, which makes for an interesting plot. Raphaël takes the liberty to drop by Bach's residence during ungodly hours in the pretext of their investigation.
This doesn’t go well with the chief inspector's husband, who is irked by the duo's work ethics and growing proximity.
And how could we not talk about Raphaël and Bach's feelings for each other? Will they build a relationship outside of their profession? Read the rest of our episodic reviews of 'Balthazar' to know more!