Summary
“Oh You, Up There” establishes the core mystery and the major players in a pacey introduction.
This Capitani season 1, episode 1 recap for the episode titled “Oh You, Up There” contains spoilers. You can check out our spoiler-free review by clicking these words.
Capitani episode 1, “Oh You, Up There”, has a few things it needs to establish, and manages to do so with admirable pace and efficiency. Most of its objectives are, understandably, introductions. We’re to meet the titular Capitani, sent from the city to investigate a body discovered in the woods up north, and indeed the victim, Jenny, one-half of twin sisters whose opposite number, Tanja, turns out to still be missing.
But there’s also some scene-setting to do. Capitani’s first introduction to the local police, for instance, is a shambles, with Joe Mores proving himself rather dopey, and the limited, inexperienced force having bungled the crime scene, not even erecting a perimeter. But one of them, Elsa Ley, proves capable enough for Capitani to promote her to his temporary partner, especially after she chases down a potential witness in military fatigues and a balaclava. He’s able to escape, but she does manage to snatch one of the buttons from his jacket.
“Oh You, Up There” announces itself as July 7th, or Day 1, teeing up a chronological investigation as its format. Jenny’s death looks like a suicide or an accident; she was found at the foot of a local landmark known as “Stoner’s Hill” with a bag full of pills. But there’s obviously much more to be uncovered than that. Her devoutly religious mother, Nadine, is shacked up with a meek schoolteacher named Rob but fathered them with Mick, a successful local with an intimidating air about him and several business and political interests (more on this later) that might prove relevant.
But Capitani episode 1 is also quick to establish that a nearby ad-hoc military base has some relevance, especially when we learn that Elsa is in a relationship with Steve, one of their number. After a phone call between the two of them about the discovery of Jenny’s body, he tells his fellow squaddies he has some news, and it isn’t good. The fact that it isn’t more of a concern for Elsa that the man she pursued and wrestled with was wearing fatigues is a question that this opening episode, unfortunately, doesn’t answer.
Capitani’s investigating turns up a few things. Things weren’t great between Nadine and Rob. Jenny and Tanja were allowed to basically roam free and do whatever they wanted, which doesn’t go unremarked upon by Capitani, even if it does by everyone else. A local man, Usch, who’s clearly mentally ill in some way, is beloved amongst the village but especially by Mick, who has known him all his life. His rantings suggest he knows something of relevance, but precisely what remains to be seen.
As a search party heads into the woods to search for Tanja, Capitani season 1, episode 1 builds to its first of many cliffhangers, as we see that Rob has hung himself. Why? Did he have something to hide?
