‘The Sister’ Episode 1 Spoilers: Why did Nathan marry Holly Fox after killing her sister Elise at a party?
Spoilers for ‘The Sister’ Episode 1
How far would you go to keep a secret? One rainy evening, Nathan Redman (Russell Tovey) is surprised by an unwelcome face from the past. The first episode of ‘The Sister’ begins in 2013 when he empties a bottle of pills onto a table. As he scans through the news, a face catches his attention, it was that of a missing girl named Elise Fox (Simone Ashley).
Holly Fox (Amrita Acharia) pleads with viewers to contact her if they know anything about her missing sister. “If anyone knows what happened to Elise, please contact me. There must be somebody who can help and come forward.” Seven years later, a disheveled man named Bob (Bertie Carvel) knocks at his door. Nathan is shocked to see him, standing outside in the rain and is taken aback when Bob tells him they’re digging up the woods. Soon after, we see Holly enter Nathan's house and it is revealed that she is now his wife. When Bob looks at the pictures in their house, he asks him privately, “Nathan what have you done?”
Right after that scene, the one question buzzing through minds is: Why did he marry Holly, the sister of the same girl he allegedly killed in the woods years ago?
How did Nathan meet Holly?
The episode jumps back in time as Nathan stalks Holly. He manages to find her phone number and gives her a call with an excuse to see an apartment. When she asks her how he knew her name, Nathan lies and tells her, “My friend recommended you. He said you were honest.”
Next, we see another snippet from their past in 2013. The two go out on a date and that's when Holly tells him of her pain. As the awkwardness intensified, Holly started to tell him, “I don’t actually know how to say this… it’s a bit weird… three years ago I lost my little sister,” adding, “The police searched for her. They knew who did it. But there wasn't enough evidence. And there was no body.”
Nathan cannot look into her eyes. The shame is evident in that scene and you end up sympathizing with both the characters. Holly then tells him how she was excited about the date. “I had to tell mom that I was going out. She asked me who were you and where we met. She asked me how much I paid for the dress. And then we were both quiet.” Apologizing, she adds, “I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry.” Nathan sits there and looks back at her from the window
Why did he marry Elise's sister?
It's clear Nathan was attracted to Holly but why did he pursue her, knowing she was Elise sister? In another flashback, we see how Nathan and Elise meet to see the house and sparks fly. In fact, Bob asks him, “So is that a sex thing? Why did you marry her Nathan?” At that moment, Nathan sternly warns Bob, “Don't mention her. No, I am serious.” In that scene, it is clear that Nathan truly loves Holly. However, he did make a horrendous mistake in going after the girl who is traumatized by the loss of her sister despite knowing he was involved in her having gone missing.
Bob then warns Nathan that if they dig her up, “It would be a terrible thing to happen to her. For her sister to be discovered.” Moreover, it's quite a horror when Nathan listens to the CD titled ‘Destroy After Use. Play It Loud’ that Bob gives him. After a long time, Nathan hears a woman’s shrill voice saying ‘Nathan, I’m not dead’.
Does that mean Elise is still alive or is she a ghost? Will Elise haunt Nathan all his life? What will happen when Holly finds out? Was it guilt that led Nathan to marry Holly and did he want to set things right? These questions will hover through your mind throughout the series.
‘The Sister’ premieres on Hulu with all four one-hour episodes on Friday, January 22, 2021.