Summary
Where’s Wanda? builds on the premiere in a very good second episode that continues to balance its various elements while fleshing out the characters and mystery.
Every episode of Where’s Wanda? is named after a family. The premiere focused on the Klatts, which is understandable since they’re at the very center of the mystery. But even though Episode 2 is named after the Hessels, they’re only one part of a gradually widening tapestry that seemingly encompasses the entirety of Sundersheim.
The first episode was good, but this is close to great television, once again striking that ideal balance between silly humor and genuine emotional sentiment. Nobody is getting short-changed by the narrative, except arguably the police officers, with Ole getting a lot more attention here. With six episodes remaining and no real clue as to what happened to Wanda or why, this is going to be a mystery that people really sink their teeth into.
Back to the Beginning
The second episode of Where’s Wanda? begins with a brief revisit of Day 0, for two reasons. One is to introduce the titular Hessels, or at least one of them, and the other is to plant a clue for later.
The Hessels are introduced with a load of tranquilizers, talking about how they might need them “in case she makes trouble”, and they spot Wanda while she’s out and about, which is clearly an implication that they’re the kidnappers. Of course, it’s too early for that to be true, but we’ll investigate these two more later.
Wanda’s narration about Missing White Woman Syndrome, the phenomenon of disproportionate media attention and public sympathy when pretty white girls like Wanda go missing, leads us to focus on one of society’s most perennially overlooked subcategories — nerds. Ole fits the bill here, and more to the point the cold open reveals that he’s gay, and basically in love with one of the local football team’s players, Alex. But also of note here is Ole meeting a similarly-aged alternative-looking girl who asks him where she can get a decent flat white. She drives a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, which, again, we’ll return to later.
A Near Miss
Where’s Wanda? Episode 2 picks up from the premiere on Day 70, with Dedo and Carlotta conducting their investigation into the houses in the immediate radius of the Second Chance donation bin. The first effort is a disaster, naturally. The home belongs to an MMA enthusiast teacher, Dedo can’t pick the lock, Carlotta runs into her brother, Rudiger, while waiting outside in the car, and Rauch and Schellenberg are patrolling the neighborhood.
The near-miss leaves Dedo with a bloody nose but no actionable information, and it also means that they have to confess to Ole what they’re up to. After Carlotta’s snake bite and now this, there’s no use trying to pull the wool over his eyes. Ole’s main takeaway is that they’re approaching the entire situation like Boomers, which is a fair point. They need to take a more advanced digital surveillance approach.
Another Suspect
Where’s Wanda? | Image via Apple TV+
Meanwhile, the police are investigating an old VW Beetle seen in the area, and a black van seen driving erratically. Even though you can clearly see the girl Ole was talking to in the cold open get into that car, it’s not the kind of thing you’d notice at the time and I, for one, didn’t realize who the car belonged to until Rauch finally managed to trace the plate.
This girl, whoever she is, becomes the prime suspect in the case, though we don’t yet know anything about her or what she wants. This is interesting since Dedo and Carlotta are adamant about the killer being local and Wanda still being in the area. If the prime suspect is an out-of-towner, what are the implications of that?
Technological Upgrade
Following Ole’s advice, Dedo and Carlotta try to upgrade their operation but are a bit limited by cost and legality so are stuck with a bright yellow directional microphone for the time being.
The good news is that the microphone works. Their testing involves Dedo trying to communicate with Carlotta from inside their own house, and in the process, he goes into Wanda’s room and has a really nice emotional moment that is a shining example of how good this show is turning out to be at balancing jokes with genuine sentiment.
With the working microphone, Dedo and Carlotta hear some suspicious happenings inside the house that we learn belongs to Mr. Hassel and his much younger partner. Hearing them discuss someone being locked up and refusing to eat, they assume the worst and enlist Ole to acquire some more sophisticated surveillance equipment. For that, he turns to Alex, who frequents the dark web.
Thanks to a ridiculous infiltration scheme, the Klatts finally learn that Mr. Hessel and his young lady friend are keeping his wife locked up in the house. It’s not the development they were hoping for, but it’s one they can’t ignore, so they put in an anonymous tip to the police.
What else are the people of Sundersheim hiding? It looks like we’re going to find out on the hunt for Wanda, who doesn’t seem to be in any of the houses but off in the woods somewhere. Hopefully, Rauch pursuing the Beetle lead will bring us closer to her actual location in the coming episodes.
