ITV crime thriller Marcella continues to mystify, gruesomely delight and have viewers feel like their hearts are about to burst through their chests at any moment in equal measure.
But among the seemingly unconnected storyline threads, suggestions of witchcraft and confusing blackout moments which leaves viewers as dizzy and disoriented as Marcella, fans are beginning to think they can work out what is coming.
And while many remain at a loss to understand why the mother of the kidnapped child still haven’t reported him missing, last night’s audience did not hold out too much hope for the gorily enterprising young lad – who smashed his glasses to make a cut on his arm, with his own blood helping slide off the handcuffs restraining him to a wall – after he seemed to give his captor the slip.
Read more: Marcella viewers turned off by gruesome murder of pet by a child
But as he made a run for it down a country road, no passing cars stopped despite the boy’s tears and pleas for them to help.
Eventually one car did stop. And, thanks to an eerie shot through the back window of the boy running towards the car as if from the point of view of a driver looking over their shoulder, viewers reckoned salvation was not on offer and the fleeing boy’s dreadful fate had been sealed as he got into the car.
Many were convinced that his captor was driving the car. (Come on, surely even without his glasses he could work out who he was looking at and wouldn’t willingly get back into that car?!)
Oh my god I need that wee boy to be okay but he’s definitely just got back into the killers car and my heart can’t take it #Marcella
— Louise 🌙 (@lcjmiller) March 5, 2018
My anxiety can’t cope with #Marcella tonight 😦😦😦 RUN LIL BOY, RUUUN 🤢🙉🙈
— Bethany🦄✨🌈👑 (@BethCorkindale) March 5, 2018
The little boy has blatantantly got in the baddies car again, he can’t see cos he doesn’t have his glasses 😩😢#Marcella
— Azra (@Azzyw00) March 5, 2018
i have never been more stressed out than when watching the little boy try and escape the house of the witchcraft-obsessed sociopath who shackles children up #Marcella
— tallulah (@tallulahmay_) March 5, 2018
Among the deluge of tweets positing theories, this one – which would explain a lack of timeliness in the reporting of his being missing – brought a few different strands together in an interesting way.
Perhaps the little boy is the man in the wheelchair, and we’re watching flashbacks showing us how he was disabled? #Marcella
— Lynne Davies #FBPE (@lynnesandgate) March 5, 2018
The identity of the kidnapped child’s lift was not the only storyline puzzler viewers think they may have partially solved. Marcella’s mouse-crushing son Edward has also emerged as the fan’s choice for being responsible for the death of his sister Juliet – and Marcella’s own precarious mental state.
This theory was bolstered by the scene where Marcella was, with the help of a therapist, revisiting difficult moments that may trigger her amnesia and blackouts – but a distressed Marcella was unwilling or emotionally unready to face those memories.
So, did Edward kill Juliet? Did Marcella see him? Is this the cause of the blackouts/amnesia? 😱 @annafriel #Marcella
— Lizzie J. (@LizJone20495345) March 5, 2018
EDWARD KILLED THE BABY AND MARCELLA IS PROTECTING EDWARD HENCE WHY EDWARD KILLED A MOUSE #marcella
— Demita (@demitaadele) March 5, 2018
#Marcella 😱 Edward killed Juliette. Tonight’s episode was like Saw for kids! 👓💉🔪😣
— Alys Haf (@AlysHaf) March 5, 2018
Jesus Christ.. edge of your seat & shouting at the tele kind of viewing then! 😰
I’m convinced that Edward killed Juliette & Marcella saw & blocked it out, stem of all these black outs & Edwards weirdness… #Marcella 🕵🏼♀️— A I M É E (@aimee_teare) March 5, 2018
Despite all of these horrific events, one of the episode’s first scenes provoked the fiercest of last night’s audience reactions.
Ex husband Jason’s harsh pragmatism and manipulation of Marcella while seeking full custody of his children hit a new low as he told her about his new job in Singapore.
Insisting she sign the custody papers within two weeks, Jason threatened to let everyone know about her condition if she didn’t. And as he did so, he lobbed in a few brutal comments, too.
“Sign and you’ll keep your job,” he threatened, before adding: “You’ve always been a better detective than a mother, anyway.”
Jason continued: “The kids stay with me and Becky because they don’t want to be with you.
“You’ve not been a proper mother to them for years.
“And they probably don’t want to admit it, but I think they actually hate you.”
He sent Marcella into a confused state with his vile remarks… and when she recovered after seemingly losing consciousness a few moments later in a different room, Jason was now bleeding from the mouth, with blood on his sleeve.
The implication was the unpredictable Marcella had assaulted him without being aware of it.
Viewers were immediately sceptical.
So did she punch her ex husband or did he do that to himself to get sole custody and give himself a reason to prove as to why she isn’t a fit mother 🤔🤔 #marcella
— han 💫 (@hannahlouisep__) March 5, 2018
please tell me this is the episide she kicks the ex husband’s arse @annafriel !!!!!! P.S. my husband has a theory that he’s drugging her… #Marcella #drivingmenuts
— Anna Matthews (@Maddiemum) March 5, 2018
I really hope Marcella’s horrible smug ex husband gets what’s coming to him. The worst kind of guy 😅 #Marcella
— Ellie Rose (@ellierosebuckby) March 5, 2018
Whatever is happening – and hopefully it will all be explained at some point – there’s no doubt viewers are completely hooked.
SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS!! What was the man in the wheelchair spelling out? Who got the little boy? What happened to Juliet? Did Jason punch himself? Is marcellas police bf corrupt? I CANT WAIT ANOTHER WEEK #Marcella
— Amy Potts (@aimeejpotts) March 5, 2018
Read more: Anna Friel addresses viewers’ big question about that Marcella coat!
Marcella continues next Monday on ITV at 9pm.
What are your Marcella theories? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix!