Warning! SPOILERS for Expats episode 3 ahead.
Expats episode 3 expanded on the consequences of Gus’s disappearance for those at the Manors of the Peak and beyond, showing the ways their reaction to it severed relationships and changed lives. If Expats episodes 1 and 2 set the scene for the characters affected before and after Gus’s disappearance, providing a snapshot of the limbo it left Margaret and Mercy especially, but also Hilary, Expats episode 3 focused more on the three women’s separate lives. The episode offered an insight into how they tried to move on from the ordeal, with some succeeding and others finding it more difficult.
From David’s accidental reveal of his whereabouts to Hilary via message, to Detective Chang’s big update at the episode’s ending, Expats episode 3 included plenty of unexpected revelations to the characters and audiences alike. Margaret’s unraveling at trying to find Gus or investigate possible clues and Mercy’s similarly difficult situation that made her feel somewhat detached from those close to her were also at the center of the episode. However, Expats episode 3 broadened the focus on everyone affected by Gus’s disappearance, showing the very different ways it changed Margaret’s family and Hilary’s family alike, given how it impacted David.
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9 Gus’s Disappearance Was The Final Blow For Hilary & David’s Marriage
Hilary being unsure of David for a split second doomed them
Expats episode 2 highlighted the many ways in which Hilary and David’s marriage wasn’t working even before Gus’s disappearance, with Hilary not wanting children and not sharing it with David. However, David’s presence near where Gus disappeared led to him being questioned, and Hilary’s pause when asked about his character made David realize she needed to think about it, not answering immediately that she didn’t believe him capable of kidnapping a child. Expats episodes 1 and 2 already showed Hilary’s tendency to assume the worst when David was involved, and what Gus disappearing revealed was too big to be ignored.
8 Expats Episode 3 Shows How Puri & Sam Must Navigate David & Hilary’s Conflict
They are caught in the crossfire by working for the household, not just Hilary or David
Puri and Sam were caught in the middle of David and Hilary’s conflict, with the two continuing to work for both of them, but doing so without letting one or the other know. Puri’s sneaking out to do David’s laundry or picking up the clothes Hilary had thrown out of the house showed the difficult situation Hilary and David put her in, having her keep their secrets and making her job all the more difficult. This way, Expats episode 3 continued to show the carelessness with which the expats treated the help, already highlighted by Margaret’s previous problems with Essie.
7 Margaret’s Reaction To Christopher’s Gus Photo Shows A Problematic Pattern
She is willing to consider anyone related to Gus in any way suspicious
Margaret’s speed at viewing any Expats episode 3 character potentially a suspect in Gus’s disappearance wasn’t highlighted before, but her extreme reaction after learning about the photo Christopher kept of Gus with his dog proved her willingness to go to any length to find Gus, no matter who she hurt in the process. Her feelings were understandable, but her actions became more and more controversial, to the point that she broke into his home to investigate Christopher herself. Her refusal to listen to her loved ones brought Margaret down a path where she sees only her pain and nobody else’s.
6 Charly & Mercy’s Meeting Marks Something Fully Positive In Mercy’s Life
Mercy clearly enjoyed talking to Charly before feeling out of place at the bar
Charly’s effortlessness in striking a connection with Mercy brought out the happiest parts of her, something seen rarely in Mercy since Gus’s disappearance. However, Mercy’s reaction at the bar, surrounded by Charly’s friends, prompted her to run away from it all, instead retreating to what had become her usual life in between impersonal catering jobs, spending time with David, and considering her culpability in what happened. Bonding with Charly could show Mercy that life can go on even after the tragedy she had a part in if only she were willing to get to know her.
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5 Margaret’s Indefensible Words To Hilary Lost Her The Last Ally She Had
Hilary gave her the benefit of the doubt, but it will unlikely happen again
Despite the awkward position they were in at Expats’ beginning, Hilary proved a friend and an ally to Margaret, being there to help her after Clarke’s party, willing to open up to her, and even ready to bring her to the market where Gus disappeared. However, Margaret seemed to have forgotten that when she accused her of being unable to feel her pain because she wasn’t a mother. Margaret’s uncaring behavior towards anyone who contradicted her, be they Hilary or Clarke, showed she didn’t see the good they did for her, instead seeing only how they stood in her way.
4 Mercy’s Interactions In Expats Episode 3 Highlight Her Evident Loneliness
Calling her mother & running away from the bar showed Mercy detached from what’s around her
From escaping from the bar and Charly’s friends to spending more time with David, Mercy seemed more and more detached from those around her, closed in her thoughts and her guilt for losing Gus. Mercy seemingly tried to punish herself in Expats episode 3, running away from something good and uncomplicated towards David, who didn’t seem to provide comfort and also still connected her to Gus in some way. Finally, in yet another Expats book change, Mercy calling her mother showed her worse after the call than before, almost as if she looked for the call to be her punishment.
3 Clarke Seeking Solace With The Church Shows How His & Margaret’s Approaches Differ
He tries to make sense of the tragedy & go on while Margaret is stuck
Clarke’s talk with the pastor highlighted his attempt to try and make sense of what happened so that he could be there for Daisy, Philip, and Margaret, who were also going through the same experience. Clarke’s approach didn’t cause more suffering to those close to him, and it even led him to adopt a dog to make the moment less difficult for Daisy and Philip. By trying to make sense of the tragedy but also looking out for his family, Clarke relied on his loved ones, unlike Margaret who seemingly alienated anyone who tried to help and support her.
2 Margaret’s Inability To Go On With Her Life Affects All Her Relationships
It seemingly destroyed her friendship with Hilary & scared Daisy & Philip
Contrarily, Margaret’s approach to anything Gus-related was not to find a way to move on, instead grasping at anything that might be a clue to find him. Unlike Clarke, who tried to do what was best for him and his family, Margaret was stuck, unable to come to terms with the tragedy or even accept it. Despite Hilary and Clarke being generally understanding of her extreme reactions, Margaret could never see their perspectives, judging them unreasonable and even viewing them as her enemies when they didn’t immediately do as she wished, effectively alienating and hurting those closest to her.
1 Margaret & Clarke’s Trip To Shenzhen Might Give Them Closure In The Worst Way
Expats episode 4 will have to reveal if the body the authorities found was Gus’s
Detective Chang’s news didn’t immediately catch Margaret’s attention for how certain she was that Christopher might have been involved in Gus’s disappearance, but the realization seemingly dawned on her once she and Clarke were in the car to Shenzhen. Were they to identify the body as Gus’s in Expats episode 4, they would be devastated, but they would at least not continue to live with the possibility they might find him, which gave them hope but also left Margaret stuck in a limbo and prompted her most extreme reactions.
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Given how Margaret and Mercy especially seem unable to move on because they don’t know where Gus ended up and how he could disappear, knowing for sure what happened to him might give them closure. If Expats episode 4 were to confirm that to be his fate, one of the biggest hurdles Margaret faced with coming to terms with the ordeal would be eliminated, and while devastating, it could also finally let her put an end to her desperate search.
