One does not simply watch Hemlock Grove without being drawn in by the enigmatic Roman Godfrey. He is spoiled rotten by his mother, and has a whole plethora of issues from not having been raised properly. He engages in self-destructive behaviour, ranging from drinking, smoking, sexual promiscuity, and cutting. But it's not so simple as to dismiss him as a narcissist with a silver spoon in his mouth. When he's not smirking, strutting, or sex-ing, there is an incredibly dark sadness about him. However, he also exhibits an incredible capacity to bestow love and tenderness to the few people whom he cherishes, in particular, his sister Shelley. But Roman Godfrey is just one of several complex, dynamic characters on this show.

Hemlock Grove and the characters in it are clouded in mystery. This mysterious quality continues to draw people in as the show goes on and even after the season finale, there are still several questions left unanswered. Admittedly, this isn't such a bad thing since the show has a second season expected to be released some time this year. The show is of a supernatural/horror genre but it is the compelling story and the manner in which various characters' dysfunctions and flaws are explored that makes the show worth watching over and over again. Hemlock Grove is woven together with shots that may be likened to abstract art that viewers may look upon for a significant amount of time, while hoping to unlock the mystery of what the artist was striving to convey. On top of the strong performances from the lead actors, some surprisingly hilarious one-liners, and solid special effects, Hemlock Grove is aesthetically beautiful.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

The episode begins with a flashback of Christina venting about teenage drama to Peter. He tells her that she will get through her growing pains just like other girls have before her and that she will live a life much bigger than this. *roll opening credits*

Letha is unable to get through the locked doors and Roman is still fighting Christina. She jumps on him and he accidentally throws his axe off to the side. Just when it looks like Roman will be wolf-chow, wolf-Peter jumps in. They snarl at each other and fight viciously while Roman and Letha stand back and watch. Wolf-Christina wins the fight and snaps wolf-Peter's neck. She has her sight set on Letha but then Shelley shows up and snaps wolf-Christina's neck with ease. All is quiet until the sheriff shoots Shelley from an upper balcony. She runs off and both Roman and the sheriff chase after her but Roman compels the sheriff not to hurt her so he stays behind.

The sheriff heads inside and looks at the dead, now human and naked form of Christina, who has also returned to her original brunette state, the wolf near death, and a distraught Letha. He picks up Christina's body and carries her out. Letha approaches wolf-Peter, who is whining in pain, and she curls up behind him, crying. Outside, Roman discovers Shelley's wig and screams out her name, unable to find her. The next morning, Peter has returned to his human state and surprisingly, he seems okay. Roman returns home and fills Olivia in on what has transpired. She hugs him in an effort to console him as he cries.

At Destiny's place, Peter rests up. Letha speaks with Lynda about how she doesn't understand everything that has happened, from Peter's transformation to a wolf, his death, and then his waking up and being okay. Lynda tells her that love is the strongest magic in the world, even stronger than life. Norman hears the news on the car radio that Shelley is believed to be the murderer but he is certain this cannot be true. When Letha gets in the car, he explains that the town is treating Shelley as a scapegoat and Letha must not tell anyone that she was there. Meanwhile, Olivia is coaching Roman on what story to stick to and that it's best for the town so that they may move on from these events. However, they agree that they will protect Shelley if and when she returns because Godfreys protect their own.

Norman and his family attend Christina's funeral to keep up appearances. He sends Letha home after a respectable amount of time and Norman speaks with the sheriff. He is still agitated though he seems to have found some satisfaction by shooting who he believes to be the killer. But too much has happened, and the sheriff has quit his job, having lost faith in his ability to protect people.

Norman signs over his share to Lod with Olivia by his side. Surprisingly, the Lod representative is the same bishop we've seen speaking with Clementine throughout the series. Following the deal, the bishop and Dr. Pryce toast. Norman and Olivia get lovey-dovey in the limousine and are still planning to give their relationship a proper go once Norman leaves Marie.

Roman and Peter visit Destiny and Roman consults her regarding Shelley. She tells him to have faith. He says that Shelley needs him but Destiny questions him on who really needs who. A mysterious wind flips the pages of the book through which Peter is looking and he gets a call from Letha that she is going into labour. He is delighted enough to make you think it's his baby. Peter relays the news to Roman, who joins in the excitement. Right as they are about to leave, Destiny grabs Roman's hand, seemingly in some sort of trance and says, "To be still in the turning world is the warrior's greatest feat."

In the Godfrey Institute waiting room, Roman pulls out a pair of cigars for him and Peter. He then confesses that he's been using his compelling abilities on himself. We see him speaking to his reflection and telling himself to see her. Roman remembers Destiny's words spoken to him in private and how Roman is going to have to face the hardest choice of his life. Roman asks Peter how it was that he was not afraid in the chapel, but Peter replies that he had never been more afraid in this life and that he couldn't have done it if Roman hadn't been there.

Letha is having a difficult go of it in the throes of childbirth. A nurse gets Dr. Pryce and summons him. He enters the room and looks horrified by what he sees. Peter gets up, seeming to sense that something ins wrong and Roman looks at him, confused. Norman goes into the birth room and sees Letha's dead body with blood all over the floor, her legs still spread open.

Roman hears the announcement over the speakers that the patient is deceased and he becomes emotionally distraught. Norman carries Letha's body to Dr. Pryce and insists that he bring her back but Dr. Pryce says he cannot. Dr. Pryce has a guard carry Letha's body away and tells Norman he might have better luck with the baby but Norman snaps back, "Fuck the baby." Dr. Pryce apologises and says that he isn't God.

Lynda comforts Peter in the trailer. She tells him that Nicolae had a vision when she was pregnant with Peter that he would live a long life and how she was saddened by this, knowing that it would mean a life filled with sadness. But she reminds him that pain is necessary to appreciate the good times. He goes into the mirror and begins cutting his hair off. At the Godfrey Institute, Dr. Pryce cries before growing angry and punching through his glass desk.

Olivia comes to see Roman as he sits up in Shelley's old room. She asks him what he needs and he replies, "Peter." She drives him to the trailer, where he finds that Peter and Lynda are gone. Olivia narrates a story that plays out before our eyes. We learn that as a young girl, hundreds of years prior, she ran away with a gypsy boy but he abandoned her and stole what few possessions she had with her. She also had a tail as a young girl that she cut off. Her father and a search party found her the next day and she bore a child nine months later that she sent away to be a slave, as it had "slave blood" in it. Overlayed with this story, we see Roman cry in the trailer while Olivia smirks knowingly.

Norman leaves Marie and packs up his belongings. He has dinner with Olivia and Roman and it would seem that he's also staying with them now. Olivia sends Norman to bed and he obeys without resistance. Might she have compelled him minus the nosebleed? Olivia visits Roman as he sits in the empty pool and wishes him a happy birthday before asking him to join her in the attic. He asks why and she says she has something to show him.

In Shelley's old room is a cradle covered with black drapery surrounded by a circle of candles. He doesn't understand what's happening and she tells him to remember. Memories begin to play through Roman's head. First, Olivia speaks about all the others that came before Roman but none bore the mark. We even see her snap his sister Juliet's neck. Then Roman is born with that strange skin over his face. Olivia takes that skin and eats it. Olivia then mentions the truth of Roman's birthright. We see Letha's speech about the angel and the dream she had of it but this time, we see that Roman was the one who raped Letha and impregnated her.

Olivia pricks the baby with a needle and tells Roman that he knows what he must do. Roman is emotional and upset as he falls down to the floor. Olivia tells him that he cannot control the hunger as she licks the baby's blood from the needle. Roman continue to say no, goes to his reflection and begins chanting, "You must make your heart steel." He calms and approaches the crib with his razor blade and tells himself he is a warrior. He then tells his mother, "You won't win," and slices both of his inner arms  from wrist to elbow.

He falls to the ground and begins to die from blood loss. The blood moves along the floor and up the walls, painting an unknown pattern. Olivia is calm and cradles Roman as she sings him a song. Flashback to young Olivia being found by her father. She was dead from blood loss after she cut off her own tail but wakes and her father welcomes her back. She smiles and bares her fangs. Olivia speaks in a voiceover, "To rise, a victim of your own hand. It is the way of our kind." Roman rises from the dead, his wounds healed into scars. He walks back over to the crib and Olivia follows behind him, saying that she always wins. She tells Roman that he is not a warrior, but a dragon. She tells him to do it. Roman pauses and then attacks Olivia, biting into her neck. He feeds from her and though she screams at first, she then begins to moan erotically. Did you forget that that's your son?

When Roman stops feeding, Olivia is still lying on the floor and she says that she is so proud of him. He then kisses her and rips out her tongue with his teeth. He spits it off to the side and says, "You talk too much. He then goes to look at the blood on the walls and raises his arms. From the viewer's point of view, they look like wings.

We then see Roman walk down the stairs, the blood is cleaned off, and he's looking dapper in an undoubtedly expensive suit. We hear Olivia's voice say, "The crown, like everything has it's price. I only hope you're ready for it."

Clementine's brother meets with the bishop, who tells him that he has a job for him regarding those that killed Clementine. He hands him a folder containing information on Hemlock Grove and Roman Godrey.

Sheriff Sworn is seen making explosives while listening to police scanners.

Dr. Pryce looks at Olivia's corpse in a body bag and says somewhat cheerfully, "Well, I suppose we could find room."

A bald Peter and Lynda are in a car, driving off to somewhere new. Peter briefly thinks he sees Shelley walking down the road but when they pass by, he sees her as the beautiful version that Roman saw in his dream state. He smiles to himself.

Inside the mysterious metal box that got Roman put into a coma by Dr. Pryce, we see a humanoid creature in a womb/cocoon-looking thing with wires and tubes hooked up to it. As the camera zooms in closer, the humanoid opens its eyes and takes a breath.

In a post-credits scene, we see Christina's gravestone and the sound of underground banging and thumping is heard along with Christina's scream.

There's more questions than answers with this season finale. Hopefully all of these will be answered in Season 2!

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Clementine is a bit disoriented when she wakes in the locked cage. Her wrists have been ziptied and she spots the blood on the ceiling. She retrieves an empty beer bottle from beneath the cage, smashes it, and uses a jagged piece to cut her restraints. She then gets to work on picking the lock.

The newest dead body is identified as Jennifer Fredericks, the girl from the country club whom Shelley has an appreciation for. Norman is upset, knowing this news will devastate Shelley. Norman tells the sheriff that this means Christina is still out there but the sheriff is determined to catch Peter and put him down.

Clementine is visited by Olivia who seems unconcerned by her attempts to pick the lock. Olivia tells her a story while reclined and smoking a cigarette while Clementine continues to pick the lock. She finally gets it done and opens the cage and the scene moves away from that room but Clementine's screams are heard.

Letha prepares some tea and spots Christina standing in the yard. She lets her inside after telling her that Norman isn't home. She offers Christina a cup and as Letha prepares it, Christina whispers "Stupid fucking bitch" under her breath. Letha asks her why she left the hospital and Christina says it wasn't safe. She tells Letha that she had to warn her that it's after her, too.

Roman arrives at the church with the bacon grease and the axe his mother gave him. Roman asks how Peter how he will find the creature and Peter tells Roman that the creature will find him. Letha calls Roman and tells him that she really needs his help with something important. Peter insists on coming along.

Back at the mill, Dr. Pryce is examining a fresh bloody mess while Olivia is back in her chair having another cigarette with blood down the front of her dress. The cage is empty though a pair of legs can be seen from behind it. Dr. Pryce is angry that Olivia has made a mess but she is not bothered by it one bit. He tells her she was reckless and Olivia chides him for liking this particular girl. He asks her why she is the only one not questioning him on his experiments and she replies that she doesn't give a flying fuck. The only thing Olivia cares about is that Dr. Pryce do what Olivia wants and whatever else he does is of little consequence to her. Olivia leaves and Dr. Pryce goes back over to Clementine's body. Olivia has torn the flesh from her torso so that all you see is the muscle underneath. Also, her neck is broken but she has yet to die. Dr. Pryce is sympathetic to her and asks if she wishes to pray, before he puts her out of her misery.

Peter and Roman arrive at Letha's house and Letha suggests they bring Christina along. Roman is against the idea, but Peter says that it's fine and after all the rude things she has hurled at him, Peter is still nothing but kind to the traumatised Christina. Once they're all in the car, Letha again assures Christina that she won't let anyone hurt her. Christina apologises to Peter for telling everyone he was a werewolf. He accepts her apology and they both admit that they're scared. Peter makes Roman pull over and inside, he picks out an extension cord. When Roman attempts to purchase it, the cashier is the man from the bar that almost hit Roman before Olivia showed up. Peter attempts to charm the cashier but it doesn't help. Roman genuinely apologises to the cashier and offers to let him hit him. Go ahead and take a moment to bask in the character growth.

Norman visits Shelley in her room and speaks with her. He apologises for lying to her and for the complications between himself and her mother. He tells her that she shines on people, revealing either the good or bad people have within themselves, and will always be surrounded by people who don't deserve her. He then delivers the bad news about Jenny and she becomes distraught, running out.

Roman, Peter, Letha, and Christina arrive at the abandoned church. Peter again tells Christina she is safe and begins to remove his jewellery. She then tells Peter that she kissed him once and that it was her first. We see that it was while he was asleep on the hammock. She continues rambling about the twins losing their virginity and how she wanted more of a meaningful experience that would help her as a writer. But then she mentions that she researched how to turn and Peter immediately has a shocked and horrified reaction. We see flashbacks of Christina researching werewolves and finding Peter's paw-print in the woods, filling it with water, and drinking from it. She says she wanted to be as free as Peter and then the harvest moon came. Roman is determined to get Letha out of there but she refuses to leave, though he is able to keep her back. Peter guides Christina to a corner and uses the extension cord to create a noose, slipping it around her neck. He begins questioning Christina about her turning on a night that wasn't a full moon, and she says that she turned because she decided to. As the questions continue, Christina becomes less human, and more wolf in the way that she speaks and speaks fondly about the thought of killing Letha. Even more disturbing than that is when she tells Peter that he can kill her as long as he doesn't hate her. Get yourself together, child.

As she begins to slip into her transformation, we flash back to the murders and how her jealousy and confusion over her blossoming sexuality combined with her werewolf madness to bring her to murder them. Roman has been holding a struggling Letha back this entire time and tells her to stop and that Christina is the one they've been looking for. Christina's wolf self has begun referring to Christina as a separate being from herself and things are escalating. Finally, she begins to transform and the wolf eats her skin after she has shed it. For the time being, she is still restrained by the extension cord around her neck. Peter pulls out the bacon grease and smears some on his face. He gives Roman and Letha one last look before walking towards Christina. He gets down on his knees and the cord snaps. Christina leaps forward and eats his face off, while Letha shrieks incessantly the entire time.

Peter gets up and the sight is not pretty. It's bloody and his jaw is dangling before he collapses to the ground. Roman tells Letha to run and she tries but the doors are chained shut. Roman picks up his axe and readies himself to fight Christina.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Norman visits Christina and finds that her hair has turned completely white and she is largely unresponsive. He visits the sheriff and finds that he has now begun to believe that Peter is indeed the murderer. Some men go to the Rumaneck trailer and throw objects at it while Lynda is inside.

Dr. Pryce meets with Olivia and she has blood on her dress.

Peter wakes in Roman's coma bed and Roman is distraught, saying he should have been stronger for Peter. He feels guilty for leaving him but that he came back. After that, he had received a call from his mother to go home and look after Peter but when he did, she was not there. He tells Peter about the sheriff's daughters and to rest up. Roman goes to the trailer and finds it spray painted and vandalised. He goes inside, and eventually Lynda emerges from a hiding spot in the floor. He tells her that Peter is fine and she begins to clean up. Roman calls Peter and tells him about the trailer and Peter comments that he is starving. After the call, Peter goes downstairs and finds a piece of raw meat in the freezer. He pops it into a pan enough to thaw it out, but not to cook it, and begins chomping on it. Just then, Letha comes in and they embrace. They hear a police car pull up and the young couple runs off through the house but are eventually cornered by armed officers. They arrest Peter and brutalise him. Shelley comes in and the men yell at her to leave. Roman comes in and reassures her before compelling one officer to put the gun in his own mouth. He orders the other man to uncuff Peter and then compels them both to leave.

Olivia pays Norman a visit and they discuss the town's recent happenings. Norman also expresses remorse over being unable to comfort the sheriff despite his being a doctor. He also tells Olivia that he plans to leave his wife and marry her instead. He insists that he means it this time but Olivia doesn't appear to believe him. After Olivia leaves, Norman receives a call from Letha, who tells him Roman is awake. Norman meets the trio at an abandoned church and is glad to see that Peter is okay. He tells him to hide out there and is clearly worried about the young trio. He confronts Roman outside for keeping him in the dark and Roman tells him about the vargulf. Norman appears to believe them somewhat and asks Roman if his mother knows he's okay and Roman replies that she doesn't give a shit. They head to the hospital, and Christina watches them from the window. Peter grabs some blankets from a cabinet for Peter and turns to find Christina creepily staring at him. She tells him she [Letha] isn't safe and that the monster wants her and her baby too. She vanishes when Roman turns his back.

Letha tries to coax Peter into letting her stay but he refuses. Peter notices that Letha is still wearing the snake ring he gave to her and talk for a bit before Norman and Roman return with food and blankets. Roman heads home to check on Shelley and Letha leaves with her father. Peter is left with no one but his cat. Norman cries on the ride home and Letha apologises for the stress of the day. He insists he's fine.

Shelley tells Roman that the staff left because they were afraid of Peter. Roman assures her he will always be there for her. She asks if he dreamed of her and he says that he did. He tells her she is more beautiful than the world deserves and it's yet another heart-warming moment between the siblings. Together, they begin to clean up the mess Peter left.

At the hospital, the sheriff comes to visit Christina and finds her missing and her window open. We then see another dead body on some rocks with the head missing. Roman visits Peter to tell him the news and though they are relieved that it wasn't Letha, they are alarmed by the fact that it was done on a night that wasn't a full moon.

Peter sends Roman to Destiny for information and finds that Lynda is already there. She tells him the laws of magic can be broken but not without difficulty. She tells Roman this isn't his fight so he asks how Peter can find it. She tells him that he can but nothing is for free. She says that Peter is the only one who can figure out how to turn when it's not a full moon. Destiny gathers some things to help Peter find the answer and gives them to Roman to deliver to him.

Peter begins forming a ritual while Roman sits on a chair cuddling Peter's cat looking like a magical regal being. Eventually he has to snap his cat's neck as part of the ritual and Roman is horrified even before Peter has done it. He excuses himself to step outside for some air while Peter cuts the cat open, removing one of its organs. Peter stumbles outside, past a smoking Roman, and has a flashback of talking to Nicolae, who tells him a story about an upir they encountered when he was a boy. The upir had compelled an old gypsy woman to tear Nicolae's throat out, though he survived the attack. In present day, he says that running is what gypsies do, before cursing Nicolae. He returns to Roman and begins smoking before telling him he needs bacon grease. He tells Roman that the price for breaking the rules will be his human face.

Roman makes a significant amount of bacon and collects the grease into a jar. Olivia comes in and snarks about the smell and when Roman says he and Peter will be killing the vargulf that night, she replies that she already knows. She asks him for a moment before he leaves and leads him out to a mirror with a wolf painted on it with its heart drawn on as well. She has him open a trunk beneath it and he finds the axe from his coma dream. She tells him he's always been different and better and makes him stare at the wolf. The heart begins to throb and Roman becomes agitated till he smashes the wolf drawing right in the chest with the axe. She tells him not to lose the axe, and they smile at each other before she heads back upstairs.

We see a cage with a blood trail leading up to it. Inside, there is a bag and it is opened up from the inside. Clementine pops her head out and she is tied up, much like Peter was when she had him captured. She is now in the control room that Roman had previously found with blood spattered all around.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Roman wakes from his coma and Peter informs him he's been out for two weeks and that tonight is the full moon. Roman appears to have forgotten that Dr. Pryce is the one responsible for his coma as well as his entire visit to the Godfrey Institute right beforehand. They pick up Roman's car.

Clementine speaks to her brother via phone and they agree to meet the next day.

Peter questions Roman on why he is getting involved and Roman responds that he is his friend and that it's simple as that. Peter drives Roman to school and he peers into Shelley's class and she is delighted when she spots him. He beckons her to meet him and she pretends to go the bathroom before greeting him out in the hall. He tells her that he hasn't told Olivia yet and he has something to do first. Roman heads back out to his car where he and Peter hear on the radio that a curfew for all minors has been put into place.

Olivia goes upstairs and finds Roman's body missing. She is irritated when she sees the full moon outside, realising where Roman has run off to.

Clementine warns the sheriff to trust the feeling in his gut and that this creature is nowhere close to being done. He is annoyed by the secrets he believes she's keeping but does not get any real answers from her. She tells him she is leaving and wishes him well on the patrol that evening.

Norman checks in on Christina. She has requested for her meds to be lowered and believes they are blocking something on her road to finding her way back. He offers to take her home to be with her parents but she says that regardless, "it" will get her if it wants her. Outside in the hallway, Norman meets with the sheriff, who says that extra guards have been posted at the hospital. They chat briefly and the sheriff says that his girls are at home on lockdown.

Shelley comes home and Olivia questions her on Roman's whereabouts. She denies knowing anything and Olivia seems to believe her. Roman asks Peter if he loves Letha, and Peter says that he does. Roman seems to have finally made peace with their being a couple and put aside some of the creepy jealously he has exhibited throughout the series. Peter tells Roman that he must pursue the vargulf alone and to not follow him. He eventually ignores this request and goes after Peter who is shot with a tranq-gun by Clementine. She warns him to stay back and to not look her in the eye. Eventually, he has no choice but to leave.

The sheriff returns home and checks in on his girls, who were exchanging catty gossip. They have a nice family bonding moment over the memory of their dead mother/wife.

Olivia shows up where Clementine is holding Peter captive. Clementine warns her to stay back but Olivia is not afraid of a little gun. She continues approaching, talking down to Clementine and chiding her for trespassing. Clementine fires her gun.

The twins are playing girly pop music and playing dress-up in their room. The sheriff hears a bang and goes outside with his rifle to investigate. Inside, the girls are viciously attacked by the vargulf.

At the end of the episode, two young boys find Clementine's truck abandoned by the side of the road and the contents pertaining to her investigation, including numerous photographs, strewn across the ground. When they approach the truck, they find blood and run off frightened when the horn goes off. We also see Clementine's brother waiting at the designated meeting spot alone. Clementine has not shown up.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Olivia looks after Roman, trying to keep a brave face despite the fact that no one is there to see her. Peter and Letha are still enjoying their time (sex) together, and afterwards, Letha asks Peter to tell her a story about being a Gypsy. Peter tells her a story about a time Nicolae caught a fairy. It ends with her being dead and when speaking about living in a jar, he says, "No one can fucking live like that." *roll opening credits*

Clementine tells herself to clear her head before getting a call from Michael, angrily pulling her phone apart before flashing back to her time in the cell. She drinks to cope with the painful memories. She flashes back to the memory of her initiation into the Order of the Dragon and mutters that it has to be Peter, staring at a photo of him.

Christina is still having nightmares. She is visited by the twins who bring her some DVDs and try to cheer her up. One of the twins, Liz, becomes emotional, telling Christina that she's her best friend. Later, they try to get their father to let her come home, but he tells them that it's best for her to stay in the hospital.

Norman goes down on Olivia in his office. He tells her that she is beautiful but she responds by saying she has to get home. He is upset at first, but she is able to improve his mood. At home, Norman catches his wife, Marie, angrily cleaning and she tells him that their daughter is fucking Peter. She had snooped through Letha's phone, which Norman disapproves of but Marie tells him that he needs to be her father and not her friend. Norman speaks with Letha and she tells him she is in love with Peter and that people treat him as a piece of paper to put all their fears on. Ashely speaks with Letha at class, expressing remorse over Roman's coma. Letha then asks Peter to come to dinner to meet her parents, and he looks absolutely terrified.

Clementine visits Destiny, who questions her as to why someone like her would visit her. Clementine feels she has lost her way and is insecure about her relationship with God. Destiny asks to see her hands and at first, Clementine is less than cooperative. Fed up, Destiny pulls Clementine up and looks at her hands. She becomes emotional when she reads Clementine. Clementine implores her to tell her what she saw, and Destiny responds by taking her top off, asking Clementine to let her restore her.  They have sex.

Olivia visits a garage and insists that the mechanic restore Roman's car. She meets Marie, who shows up to have her car checked due to a rattling sound. They ask after each other's family and it's all politeness and well-wishing. Later, Peter has dinner with Letha and her parents. Things are a tad awkward but Letha is determined to make things work. It become even more awkward when Peter asks about how Norman and Marie met and Norman insults Marie's father, who did not approve of Norman. She mutters, "Godfreys always get what they want," and storms out. Norman pulls out the whiskey, sharing a glass with Peter, and they toast to Roman.

Post-sex, Destiny tells Clementine he's (Peter) not who she's looking for.  Clementine tells her she doesn't know that but Destiny insists it's all from "right here," placing her hands on Clementine's guy. Clementine drops a few hundred dollars on Destiny's table and walks out.

Lynda visits the Godfreys to see Olivia and walks in announced, despite the maid's protests. She heads upstairs and gives Olivia some vials, also offering her condolences to her regarding Roman's comatose state. Olivia is now high, but Lynda tells her a story about Peter's birth, in which the doctor had to snap Peter's collarbone because his shoulders were too wide to get out. The doctor said it was up to Peter as to whether he would take a breath and live, or not and die. She comments that it's not easy raising a child alone but then questions what a man would offer anyway.

Peter is taunted by some boys and eventually loses his temper, hitting one of them before they all jump him. Letha screams at them to leave him alone and intervenes. Olivia picks the two of them up and he sits in the front seat with blood on his face. Olivia offers him a handkerchief and he looks surprised before she tells him that it's not one of her nice ones. She brings Peter home and Lynda invites Letha and Olivia in while she tends to Peter. She gives Peter a joint before sending him and Letha to the back while she sits down next to Olivia. They share a joint and in a surprisingly thoughtful gesture, she offers to have Peter stay at Godfrey manor.

Peter, Letha, and Shelley play a board game. Peter goes in the fridge to get something frozen to ice his face and Olivia offers up a different remedy instead. When Peter asks why she offered to help him, she says that Roman needs all the friends he can get. That night, Peter sneaks out of bed as the full moon approaches, Shelley catches him, and he assures her he'll be careful. He visits Clementine who lets him in but places her gun on the bed as a warning. He tells her he knows that she's there to make sure no more girls die and asks for her help. She comments that the full moon is tonight and he says he has a bad feeling about it. He tells her to make sure nothing bad happens to Letha and she appears to believe the sincerity of his plea. She promises him that no more girls will die.

Norman relays a message to Christina that Tyler (the date whose face she clawed) that he isn't upset with her. Christina comments that the institution is quite pretty as they walk outside. Christina talks about Francis, stating that he watched Peter eat the murdered girls.

Clementine drunkenly talks to herself and to God in her room, stating that she'll do this one last thing for him and then they're through. Peter returns to Godfrey manor and makes Letha promise to stay inside on the night of the full moon. He says he's going to "kill it" and Letha is upset by him putting himself in danger. She says she wants to come with him but he angrily breaks a lamp, calling her a bitch and telling her to do as he says. A car honks and Letha says it is her father. She leaves and Peter stays still, emotional and agitated.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Roman exits Ashley's house and vomits out front before getting into his car, muttering angrily about Peter and snorting some cocaine. He pulls over the car and steps out, appearing to regain some composure. Upon spotting the Godfrey Institute in the distance, he sets off towards it on foot. *roll opening music*

Upon arriving there, he compels his way past security and swipes a key card to get in. He goes exploring and eventually sets off towards the "Restricted Access" area, attempting to get in using a blowtorch. Dr. Pryce catches him but eventually agrees to take him back there when Roman demands to know what Ouroboros is, even drawing the symbol on the door and asking why he is dreaming about it. Roman sees a large box with a light coming out of it at roughly eye-level and Dr. Pryce says that this is Ouroboros. Roman looks inside and is stunned, not noticing Dr. Pryce sneaking up behind him until it's too late. Roman finds himself lifted up by his throat and injected with something that causes him to pass out.

Peter is in an improved mood and his mother and he subtly comment on the fact that this is due to his removing Roman from his life. She finds lipstick on a cup and is weary when Peter says that it is from Letha Godfrey.

Roman wakes in an empty pool and there's all kinds of flashes. He demands to be let out, but we then see that Roman is in a coma. Olivia visits him at the Pryce Institute and Dr. Pryce claims that he merely gave him a sedative when he was in an agitated state, and that the coma must have been a result from a psychotic break. Olivia doesn't seem suspicious of Dr. Pryce but does insist upon taking Roman back home, despite Dr. Pryce's objections.

Clementine examines Roman's car and when the sheriff shows up, he states that her Fish and Wildlife badge will only take her so far. He also tells her that her visit to the Godfrey manor did not go unnoticed and that if the matter doesn't match her (fake) badge, she needs to stay out of police business.

Back at Godfrey manor, Shelley carries Roman upstairs to her room in the attic, where he is to stay. Olivia has him positioned in the line of a window so the first thing he feels upon waking up will be the sun's warmth. Olivia is eerily calm as she leaves, and Shelley types a message to Roman on her phone, imploring him to come back to her.

Roman hears her message in his dream state and communicates with a "normal" version of Shelley - one that is of normal stature and classically pretty physical features. He tells her Pryce drugged him and she replies that that isn't the reason he's there. When he asks why he's there, she hands him his phone and asks him to ask his razor the next time he cuts himself. He presses play on the phone and a video plays of Roman asleep in class while the teacher explains what a Catabasis is. A Catabasis is a Greek ritual in which a person descends into the underworld to perform an important task or defeat a dangerous enemy. Shelley then advises him to look inside himself and destroy the Dragon before its fire burns him alive.

Clementine is lurking around the Rumancek trailer, though Peter and Lynda are not present. The bishop shows up and she pulls out her gun until she realises who it it. He jests about her talents with the gun, she asks what he's doing there, and he voices concerns he had after their last call, during which she was drinking.

Letha teases her father with an impersonation of him but the happy family moment is short-lived when Norman receives a call from Olivia. He says he'll be right over and then tells his wife and daughter that Roman is in a coma.

Back in Roman's Catabasis, we see him speaking with dream-Shelley, who tells him that this version of herself is how Roman makes her see herself. She goes on to say that she wishes she could teach him how to see himself.

Norman, Olivia, and Letha stand around Roman and Olivia tells them that this was caused by a drug overdose. Norman and Olivia go downstairs to speak in private and discuss Roman's condition and what led up to it. She is still convinced that the drugs caused it but upon hearing of Dr. Pryce's involvement, Norman all but outright claims that Dr. Pryce caused it. Norman kisses Olivia's hand and takes her into his arms and Shelley observes the interaction from upstairs.

Clementine and the bishop discuss the case and he scolds her for stepping on the toes of the local law enforcement. She fills him in on quite a bit of personal information on both the Godfreys and the Rumanceks - clearly she's been spying on them. The bishop becomes exasperated on her telling him about so many different "animals," stating that she was only sent there to hunt one. To this, she replies that she has found a whole herd. He insists that she just focus on Peter Rumancek, whom we see walking alone on the road.

Back in Roman's Catabasis, he first walks through a tunnel and finds himself outside. He meets Clementine, with blood painted on her face. She tells him he's weak, draws a snake eating it's tail on his shirt with blood, has him kneel, and shoves a silver spoon in his mouth. She asks him if he thinks the Dragon gives a shit about his nobility and states that he shall eat him alive. Roman hurries off and comes across Norman in front of Godfrey manor, cutting up a brain. They sit and discuss the Dragon and consult Norman's Swiss colleague via laptop. They discuss Roman's Catabasis and Roman sits feeling confused and eventually JR shows up, too. He looks just as he did on the day he died, minus the bullet to the brain. JR and Roman walk together and JR tells him how Olivia had no interest in his older sister, Juliet. When Roman was born, she was obsessed with him and we see a vision of her shrieking at a nurse to let her hold him and we see baby Roman with some sort of skin over his head. Roman is still mad at JR, who also tells him that Norman is his real father.

Roman finds his way through school hallways and into a classroom. He sees a video begin of Letha dancing. He's interrupted by Letha's mother screaming at him that he paid his money and she lashes a snake tongue at him from her mouth. He jumps up, runs out, runs into the first victim with her entrails hanging out, has a vision of Francis saying, "It was you! I don't wanna see that!" and then runs downstairs. Things segway into the dream previously had by Peter with the birds and Roman's bloody shirt. It continues on with Peter describing fear as smelling the the hottest, wettest pussy on earth.

Peter sits with his mum outside their trailer and she hands him a beer. She says she never wanted him mixed up with the Godfreys and he says that he thought his shared dreams with Roman meant something.

Clementine visits the Godfrey manor and she goes out back with Olivia to question her about her discoveries at the mill. Olivia snaps and calls her a cunt, and expresses anger since she is being a pest while Roman is in a coma. She tells her to get on with what she has to say or to go back to Ohio. Clementine is surprised that Olivia knows of her origins but Olivia will not answer why she knows this information about her origins. Clementine says she'll pray for Roman, Olivia snaps that she shall do no such thing, and Clementine asks if she is afraid he'll be saved.

Roman is becoming frantic in his Catabasis and making his way through the manor, feeling as if he's in a maze. Wielding an ax, he chases after a wolf that is chasing Shelley and attempts to slash it before it turns to smoke. Shelley also disappears but he is then met by a naked Ashley. She tells him he's ugly and that he can find a monster by looking in the "coke mirror." She grabs his erection through his pants and when he looks back up to her, she is now his mother - yikes.

Peter visits the Godfreys and Olivia meets him at the door. He offers a statue of Ganesh for Roman, and surprisingly, Olivia is willing to let him in, though Peter politely declines the offer. She tells him that if Roman had met someone like him sooner, he might not be in this current state. Peter meets Letha and they go sit on a hill of the Godfrey manor, not knowing that Clementine is photographing them from afar.

Norman visits Olivia and they begin to make out right next to a comatose Roman. Dr. Pryce talks into his tape recorder, speaking about alchemists creating life and the sedation of Roman. Shelley narrates a letter about how she wishes she had a voice and how she is trying to be strong. She also removes her wig and continues on to vent her upset towards Roman for leaving her.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Flash back 18 years to Juliette's funeral. For those who might have forgotten, this was Olivia's baby before Roman was born. JR speaks with Norman and expresses his disbelief at hoe easily Olivia interacts with the guests. She doesn't seem distraught about the loss in the slightest. Norman tries to reassure him that everyone grieves differently but JR remains certain that there is something not right about Olivia. He asks Norman to treat Olivia and Norman begrudgingly agrees to do so. Olivia has her first treatment with Norman and displays an obsession with her appearance and people's perceptions of her. They discuss her attitude towards motherhood and she even briefly mentions her father, who was apparently very no-nonsense. Roll opening credits.

Back in the present, Olivia has picked Roman up from the station. She stops the car at the train tracks and threatens to cut him off if he doesn't get himself in line. Her eyes begin to flutter and the light above them begins to flicker. Roman is concerned, asking if she is alright, and she eventually returns to normal. Roman says that he "hears them, too," and they drive off.

Peter has returned home and is furious over Roman leaving him hanging. Lynda asks what happened and he tells her that he had to walk five miles home and tells her she was right and that he shouldn't have trusted an Upyr. She hugs him.

Clementine is searching Castle Godfrey and the cops discover her. They tell her she is trespassing before they discover the lower-half of Lisa's remains. After the crime scene has been roped off, she spots one of Olivia's shoe prints. The sheriff is unhappy with her presence and repeatedly questions the legitimacy of her presence and claimed occupation before she receives a phone call, ending their conversation.

Shelley returns to the general store and Jenny has set aside the earring Shelley had previously shown fondness for. Shelley is determined to have them and Jenny commends her taking the bus and claiming of her independence. At dinner that night, Olivia asks her children how their day was and Shelley gleefully types that she took the bus. Roman is amazed, stating that he doesn't even know how to do that, while Olivia is horrified both by her taking the bus and the fact that she didn't get permission first. Clearly, Olivia is overly fond of holding a tight leash. Roman tells Olivia to give her a break but it is then that Olivia spots Shelley's earrings, the ones she explicitly told her not to get. She begins to put Shelley down per usual, but Roman has finally had enough. He tells Olivia he knows that she is lying about their estate and that he will inherit everything when he turns 18 as sole beneficiary. He tells her that all she had to do was leave Shelley alone. Olivia kisses both her children on the head and bids them goodnight. Roman goes over to Shelley and puts her earrings back on her. Given how self-destructive Roman can be, it's incredible to see how loving he is towards his sister. He tucks her in to bed and is intrigued by a painting Shelley has done. On the canvas is a light at the top and beneath it, a snake eating its own tail. This reminds him of his shared dream with Peter.

Norman receives a phone call in the middle of the night. His wife asks if it's Olivia and he says no. He takes his keys and heads out, after which Letha sneaks into his office to snoop. She comes across JR's suicide letter, hidden in plain sight under a photo of him within the frame. Within the letter, JR warns Norman that Olivia will destroy Norman and all that is good about him.

Olivia glides into Roman's room and curls up next to him in bed. You know, completely normal mother and son stuff... or not. She proceeds to wrap her hand around his neck. If he wasn't awake before, he most certainly is now. She tells him that he's stronger than she'd ever hoped.

Norman visits Francis' room, where he is being examined by police and orderlies. He is dead, with a needle sticking out of his skull. Norman tells the Sheriff that he had been considering releasing him. Everyone assumes that Francis committed suicide.

Peter receives a rude drawing in his locker, and when Roman passes by, he gestures to communicate that Peter should join him for a smoke so they can talk. Peter follows him out and as they begin smoking, Roman begins by saying that he has a lead; something is going on in the White Tower. Peter is still fed up and tells him that their relationship is done. The argument escalates until Roman tells Peter not to fuck Letha or he will kill him.

Olivia visits Lynda in the trailer when she is making hamburgers. Lynda invites her in and Olivia is being surprisingly polite; she must be up to something. Olivia states that she knew Lynda's cousin Vince and explains that they had an arrangement. Olivia has some sort of condition and Vince would provide her with a substance that would help with it. Olivia is fidgeting a great deal and Lynda knows exactly what she is talking about. She tells her it'll cost 5,000 dollars per bottle, which is considerably more than what Vince had charged. Olivia's fidgeting escalates to the point that she can't help but eat one of the balls of raw meat, which we can assume is part of this mysterious condition of hers. Lynda appears to know more about Olivia's condition than we as the viewers do. Lynda warns her that she shouldn't overdo it - in regards to the raw meat. Following this, Lynda visits Destiny and they celebrate the big payday. Destiny warns her to be careful with the Godfreys and Lynda insists it's just business. They discuss Roman and the Vargulf, about which Lynda says that nature will take its course.

Letha sits next to Peter on the bus and shows him the suicide note. They discuss the content and she also informs him of Francis' apparent suicide. Letha brings up Roman's weirdness that day and asks about Saturday's night when Roman got arrested. She tells Peter he doesn't need to leave things out because she's a girl. They go back to Peter's trailer where they are alone. They talk about angels and Letha quickly turns up the heat. She outright asks Peter if he wants to fuck her and he groans, mumbling about Roman. She asks if he finds her being pregnant off-putting, and he states that he actually finds it sexy.

Roman is drinking and heads to the bathroom. After snorting some coke, he stares himself down in the mirror. He takes a razor blade and cuts his cheek before tracing the blood from the wound onto his lips. He pouts like a Victoria's secret model, says "Shut up and kiss me," and makes a kissing sound. He is interrupted by the sound of the doorbell and it's Clementine come to question him. Shelley pops in, Roman explains that Clementine is there to talk about the Vargulf, and reassures her its fine. Shelley leaves, and Clementine questions Roman about what he said, among other things. He tells her he's kind of fucked up right now. She questions him about his relationship with Peter and about their visiting the site of the first murder. He plays it cool, and she asks if they dug up Lisa's body. He admits to it, saying it was "some Gypsy thing." She asks about the word "Vargulf," and his defence is that he doesn't want her bothering her sister or thinking that she is the Vargul. Clementine wants to know what he thinks the word means and he describes it a sickness, or hunger with no appetite. She then insists of knowing how he learned the word and he says he learned it from Peter. She then asks about White Tower and Ourobors. He tells her he can find out what it means and expresses his willingness to help. She tells him that he can't and states that God doesn't want him to be happy but wants him to be strong. Olivia walks in and Clementine introduces herself. Olivia feigns helpfulness and before leaving, Clementine comments of Olivia's shoes, knowing that it was her footstep she found at the crime.

Roman then gets a call from Norman enquiring about Letha's whereabouts. Romans states that he has an idea of where she might be and sets off to look for her. Norman recalls a time that he was curled up with Olivia on his office floor and how things felt right with her. Norman is prepared to leave his wife and returns home intent on doing so until she informs him that she is pregnant - with Letha.

Letha's attempts to seduce Peter prove successful and he finally makes his move. They begin making out just in time for Roman to show up and spot them through the window. He's getting rained on and broods with that insane bone structure of his. He drives off in a rage and ends up in front of Ashley's house. There's a quick flashback to remind viewers that he snubbed her at the dance but she doesn't appear to be holding a grudge. She insists he come inside, appearing concerned that he's soaking wet in the heavy rain.

In her room, several candles are lit as the power has gone out due to the storm. Roman steps into her bedroom now wearing her pink silk robe and what is it with Skarsgård men ending up in ladies' robes? She jokes that he has the legs for it before gently guiding him to sit down, wrapping him in a blanket. She really does appear to be a nice girl. She asks him what's wrong and he begins to cry. She tells him he should talk about it and he states that he is an ugly person. "I have an ugliness that's impossible to love." She tells him that that's not true and tries to make him understand that he is beautiful. She is affectionate with him and things slowly build until they end up on her bed making out. It would appear that they're about to have sex as they begin to undress. Roman's expression grows vacant yet again and he uses the tie from the robe to bind her to the bed. He notes his reflection in the mirror above her bed and the music begins to grow ominous. She doesn't seem worried about this kinky turn, thinking it only part of their hookup. He goes down on her for a bit but something isn't right after he gets up and looks at his reflection in the mirror. This is when Ashely knows something is wrong and asks to be untied. He flips her over and begins to rape her, looking momentarily distraught. He tells her to tell him he's ugly and she obliges him again and again.

Back at Peter's trailer, he and Letha are curled up in post-coital bliss.

Return to Ashley's and Roman has now re-dressed. He compels Ashley to forget that he was ever there and to dream about something nice. He unties her as she falls asleep and leaves.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Olivia pays a visit to an abandoned steel mill called Castle Godfrey. She takes a look around before throwing up the contents of her stomach. She then calls the Sheriff to report that people have been trespassing on the mill and asks that extra patrols be dispatched to keep an eye out on it.

Peter and Roman stake out Lisa Wiloughby's (the second victim) house. Roman grows impatient and decides to go in through the front door. Lisa's father answers the door and Peter uses his mysterious power of persuasion to compel him to let the two of them in and also has him go to sleep, causing Roman to have another nosebleed. They go upstairs to Lisa's room and begin rummaging through her things. Roman pockets a pair of her panties before he and Peter are caught by Lisa's sister. She doesn't seem all that bothered by their snooping nor does she seem to be upset by her sister's death. She correctly guesses that they were the ones to dig up her sister's body and shows them the invitation which they were searching for. They see that it is for a rave that took place at Castle Godfrey and they exit the house. They chat while eating on the hood of Roman's car and Peter receives a text from Letha, which he lies about to Roman, saying it is from Linda.

The twins and Christina are out shopping in preparation for a date she has that night. They are at the store that Jenny works in and she kindly gives Christina some words of wisdom. She encourages Christina to be her own person, instead of another copy of the twins, and that she is beautiful as she is. The twins are catty and displeased.

Olivia and Shelley visit a library and a group of children being read to are frightened by Shelley's intimidating appearance. She is hurt by their reaction and Olivia reminds her that "the cruelty of children is easily ignored." Olivia picks up a book on Romany studies and looks through it but doesn't seem to find what she's looking for.

Letha and Peter meet in an ice cream parlour and she says that she did a bit of digging for Peter and they being discussing Olivia. She tells him that she used to be Norman's patient and that she had some sort of problems before the "first" baby was born. Apparently, they had a child named Juliet before Roman and she died as an infant. Peter tries to learn more about this but Letha carries on and tells Peter that JR ended up going mental and highly suspicious of Olivia. He committed suicide and accused Olivia of things in his suicide note but she doesn't know what of. Peter asks where Olivia came from and Letha retorts that that's a question better suited for Roman. The two of them are spotted by Christina and the twins, who snidely gossip about the pairing. Christina gets upset and runs off to meet her grandmother.

Back at the library, Olivia looks over Shelley's selection of books. Christina and her grandmother arrive and Shelley smiles and waves at Christina, who returns the smile before Olivia's cold gaze makes her and her grandmother hurry off. Olivia hones in on a child's bouncing leg and their light-up shoe before passing out and being caught by Shelley before she can slam into the ground.

Norman is speaking with Francis in his office. Norman wants to release Francis, who seems to think it's a bad idea. He states, "Today I've seen the dragon," and continues on with cryptic ramblings about things he has seen. He claims that Norman cannot understand that which is wrong with the world. When Francis mentions a "needle" in his ramblings, Norman asks him if he is referring to some sort of drug use and Francis is angered by the accusation. The conversation continues and is difficult to follow, before Norman receives an urgent phone call and leaves shortly thereafter. He picks up Olivia and brings her and Shelley home. He appears to be genuinely concerned for Olivia's well-being and enquires about her being ill and whether she has been taking her pills. She snaps at him but then they're back to their little dance. She is playing games, both trying to coax him into staying and telling him he can leave at any point. But once Roman interrupts them, Olivia must wait till another day to continue. She tells Roman to drop Norman off wherever he needs to go. Upstairs, Shelley listens to music and throws a fit, tearing up books in the process. We might infer that she has reached a breaking point with her mother's controlling ways.

Roman drives Norman home and they discuss Olivia's well-being before Norman asks Roman if he has any idea who could have impregnated Letha. Roman assures him that if he did, that person would be at the bottom of a river by now and that if he knew who it was, he would tell Norman. Roman promises to look after Letha. After dropping Norman off, Roman drives to Peter's only to find that Letha is just dropping him off as well. Peter claims that they just ran into each other but Roman seems suspicious just the same.

Christina is on her date and they seem to be having a fun time. They enjoy banter and discuss the film they just saw.

Norman pours himself a drink in his office. He flashes back to a conversation he had with Dr. Pryce and then looks up "H. Varga" and finds an article entitled, "River Body Identified." He looks through it and finds that the body had a note on it that said, "today I have seen the Dragon," the same words that Francis has been repeating.

Christina's date steps out of the car to get her a cherry coke and she becomes paranoid whilst sitting alone. Her date returns and she tries to settle her nerves.

Roman and Peter pull up to Castle Godfrey and head inside to look for clues. Roman tells Peter that many workers died in the mill when it was open.

Christina and her date discuss the mill and she tells him that she went inside once. She describes it as being "big, empty, and gross." She talks about a Bessemer inside that had violently killed a man and how she saw it while inside. Her date compliments her bravery and predicts that she will be a great writer. She is flattered and they begin playing the mirror game.

Olivia visits Norman in his office and he asks what Pryce is up to. He says that Letha has expressed interest in receiving treatment at the Godfrey Institute and he is firmly against the idea. Olivia says that it is none of her business. Norman is drunk and accuses her of lying and she seductively removes her gloves. The tension is palpable between the two of them and he begins to undress her. They begin to hook up on his dress. Christina's date asks if "it is okay," and they begin to make out. The scene cuts back to Norman and Olivia having sex. Back in the car, Christina hallucinates Lisa's face on her date's and she become hysterical, scratching at his face while he screams at her to stop.

Norman and Olivia enjoy their post-coital bliss and share some laughs.

Roman and Peter are still looking for clues and discover the lower half of Lisa's remains. They hear police sirens and Roman promises to take care of it while Peter begins to panic. Roman picks this moment to question Peter about "running into" Letha and Peter is exasperated by his timing. Roman retorts that he doesn't like secrets. After Peter says, "please," Roman walks out and begins to talk to the officers. He tries to plays the "my name is on this institute" card but the police men are less than impressed. They cuff him and arrest him on behalf of Olivia Godfrey for trespassing. Inside, Peter is panicking. Olivia receives the call that Roman has been arrested and she is furious. Peter attempts to drive off in Roman's car but the keys are not there. He is angry about being left hanging and begins to walk away from the mill before changing his mind and turning around to head back inside the mill. He finds a room with blood splatter and claw marks. He looks unnerved by the brutality that the Vargulf seems to kill with.

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

An advert for the Godfrey institute plays. We flash back to a rainy night on which two men, including Roman's father, remove a child-sized coffin from the trunk of a car. A man says that Shelley deserves a chance. They pass the coffin over to Dr. Pryce in front of the Godfrey institute. Roll opening credits.

Shelley has lunch with Peter and asks him what he and Roman are up to. Her skepticism stems from Roman's history of not having friends. She wants Peter to look out for Roman and make sure he doesn't get up to anything stupid. She also shares some information about how Roman's parents met and he gives her a ring in the shape of a snake eating its tail. Clementine visits the Godfrey institute and meets Dr. Pryce, who is preparing for the institute's 20th anniversary party happening the following day. He also informs her that he will be recording their conversation. She tries to play it cool but he tells her he knows that she has researched him and the institute. They discuss one his papers on how a corpse could be reanimated; could Shelley be a modern-day Frankenstein? She gets straight to the point and asks if any of his animal test subjects has escaped the Institute. After a flash of someone running through the roods, Dr. Pryce declares that none have. He also states that he believes the murderer to be a pathological sexual predator. He also shows her his "hysterical strength," a condition resulting from a malfunction in his adrenal glands. He warns her to tread lightly when dealing with the Godfreys. Following the conversation, Clementine is clearly unsettled by her time with Dr. Pryce. He is undeniably creepy and spending so much time in his presence has led her to have a drink. Right then, the bishop calls and asks if she is drinking again. She is shocked and looks around and asks what he would say if she said she wasn't. He responds that he'd have reason to believe she wasn't being truthful and that she has always been his favourite.

We flash back to a time when Clementine was jailed with a pregnant woman, who claims INS picked her up two days prior for no reason. The woman says that God does not want them to be happy, but wants them to be strong. She also has a medallion in her possession that present-day Clementine holds and chants a prayer with. Present-day Clementine puts the bottle back and looks over a photo of Peter.

At school, Peter tries to be kind to Christina but she blows him off, saying he won't away with it. When she has a moment alone, she become emotional before finding a white strand of hair among her locks.

At the Godfrey residence, the police question Roman about a shovel that was found at the open grave along with two sets of footprints. The shovel belongs to the Godfrey's gardener who has been in the hospital for two weeks. Roman feigns ignorance but Olivia knows that he and "that gypsy scum" are really responsible. She scolds him after the officer leaves. When he tries to explain himself, she slaps him repeatedly and he is reminded of his place. She reminds him of the gala and leaves him. Following this, Roman is seen driving Peter in his car. Peter asks about Letha, and Roman is still clearly agitated from the fight with his mother.

Returning to the Clementine flashback, we see Clementine trying to make weapons and the pregnant woman trying to make conversation. They bond and make plans to escape together.

Peter and Roman visit Destiny. Among other things, they've brought her the stolen intestines. Destiny retrieves a caterpillar and places him in the jar of bloody intestines and says that it must sit overnight. She then sends them out to pick up some tequila. Roman seems irked that Destiny both can't be bought easily, yet she is willing to sell so many things, including her body. Peter reminds him that womyn will do what they want, and they have a chuckle over it.

Norman questions Francis about Oroboros. He has difficulty understanding Francis, who then tells him to "ask that beady-eyed little fucker Pryce."

Peter returns to Destiny's alone as Roman has gone off to the gala. She removes the now swollen but still alive caterpillar from the now bubbling, foaming jar and swallows it with a shot of tequila. She has Peter tie her to a chair and her pupils dilate before her head is thrown back. Her voice becomes demonic and her eyes go black. At first, she begins speaking as the dead girl. Apparently, she came to Hemlock Grove because of an invitation and speaks of the events of the night of her death. She speaks of her car dinging from leaving the door open and about a large "dog" that she just wanted to pet. She speaks of yellow eyes and then Destiny vomits the contents of her stomach and we see the caterpillar still alive and returned to its original state crawling on top of it. Destiny spits and says that she needs to brush her teeth.

Dr. Pryce speaks into a recorder about his meeting with Clementine. Norman visits him and demands to know about Orobors, and Pryce claims it is a project with pit vipers. Norman asks what a homeless man would have to do with this project Pryce asks if he is referring to Francis Pullman. The conversations turns to Shelley and Norman states how she should have just been left dead and threatens harm to Pryce if he had any involvement in Shelley's pregnancy.

Back at Destiny's, she warns Peter to be careful with Roman. She also reminds him that Nicolai was afraid of the Upir and to never forget what Roman is. He asks her about angels, and she states that they are messengers that help them better understand God. She asks why he is asking and when he mentions a girl at his school, she asks what it is with him and crazy girls.

Pryce pays a visit to Shelley, who greets him with a massive hug and Olivia becomes frantic when she thinks she is out of eye drops. Eventually, she finds a bottle with one last drop and she indulges in her addiction. Pryce speaks to Shelley about her relationship with Norman and tells her there is no shame in having secrets.

Return to flash-back Clementine, who is still preparing for escape and speaking with the pregnant woman. Mid-conversation, the woman notices the moon and begins to change into a werewolf. Clementine kills her before she can complete the transformation and is released from the cell. She is welcomed to the Order of the Dragon and takes the girl's medallion.

Present-day Clementine sits outside the Godfrey institute where the 20th anniversary gala is taking place. She sees Norman and his wife arrive, followed by Dr. Pryce, and finally Roman and Letha. Inside, Olivia greets Roman. A man named Dale is angry about JR not being there and has nothing but negative things to say about Olivia and Roman. Letha finds herself feeling off and Roman gives her a neck rub while advising her to have her baby at the institute. She appears to agree with him before throwing up. Pryce attempts to examine her but Norman tells him off. Her mother tells her that she needs to start behaving as a pregnant girl and start resting. She drives her home but Norman stays at the gala. Roman begins downing bourbon.

In the restroom, Norman hears Dale ranting about Olivia and Roman and Norman tells him to go home and sleep it off. Turns out Roman was in one of the stalls snorting cocaine and overheard the conversation. Olivia gives a speech while Roman begins snorting and sharing cocaine with a girl he begins to hook up with. Dale begins making a scene during Olivia's speech and Norman lands a punch before security escorts him out. The girl Roman is with begins performing fellatio on him and he tremendously cuts his chest, bleeding on the girl, and freaking out the girl. He tells the girl to tell Theo that the institute will be in good hands. Looks like the girl was Dale's wife and this is was Roman's way of getting some seriously twisted payback!

The entire first season of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

Peter steps out of his trailer and finds Letha lying on the hammock. They talk nonsense and Peter even drops a rather slimy line in about "the wettest place on Earth" before apparently putting the moves on her. She immediately wakes up on the bus, surrounded by her fellow students, including Peter. He smiles lightly (perhaps he "smelled" her?) *roll opening credits*

Christina is staying with Alexa and Alyssa and is talking in her sleep. They consider waking her from her nightmare before she finally shoots up, screaming. The mad rambling man speaks with Clementine about his having witnessed the first murder. She tries to get him to offer up any forensic evidence that might help them out and he reveals that the animal went for her "lady parts" first. As it turns out, he was right about that particular factoid.

Shelley recalls a visit to a store in which Jenny from the club (no pun intended) is now working at. Turns out Mama Godfrey got her fired after learning she hooked up with Roman. Shelley is disheartened by Jenny's initial coldness but her mood improves after Shelley warms to her and even suggests a beautiful pair of chandelier earrings which Shelley doesn't end up getting out of fear of angering her mother.

Clementine and the sheriff examine some tracks in the woods and droppings containing human hair. Olivia gets high again on those mysterious eye drops of hers. Later, she spots Lynda shoplifting whilst out shopping and makes a sly dig at her regarding it. At school, Roman introduces Letha to Peter and Peter seems slighted by her not shaking his hand, not realising that her dazed attraction to him is the reason for her refusal. The three of them discuss the man in the woods on the car ride home. In private, Peter and Roman make plans to meet up that night to investigate. Lynda tells Peter about running into Olivia and how she suspects that Olivia sought her out and is too proud to ask for what she really wants (more eyedrops).

Olivia brings Shelley to the Godfrey Institute for a checkup and discusses Letha's pregnancy with Dr. Pryce. Clementine and the Sheriff have drinks and Clementine tells him that the body of the second victim needs to be exhumed in order to compare the DNA/hair samples. Christina is hysterical in a treatment centre and has to be sedated. We flashback to her discussing her discovery of the body with the twins and about her kissing the corpse when thinking it was a prank.

Roman and Peter dig up the grave of the body Clementine wants to exhume. Peter tells Roman that people like him (werewolves) must have their head cut off after death or "things happen." Roman says the only dead body he's seen is that of his father post-suicide. Peter cuts open the body and removes her intestines, placing them in a jar. Just then, the Sheriff and Clementine arrive and the boys escape before the open grave and bloodied corpse is discovered. The Sheriff falls in and ends up with corpse juice all down his front. Clementine tears a piece of the girl's hair/scalp out and tells the Sheriff to call it in. When the sheriff returns home, he speaks with Christina and is somewhat unnerved by how much older she seems than her actual age.

Peter flashes back to when he cut off the head of Nikolai's corpse. Clementine calls the sheriff and informs him that the hair found in the droppings were human male while examining photos of Peter.

Season 1 of Hemlock Grove is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE

The rambling man from the previous episode speaks with Dr. Norman and speaks mysteriously about seeing things he doesn't wish to see. Meanwhile, Christina discovers a body in the woods - well, half a body. The lower half is missing and has seemingly been torn off. She seems to think it's fake and that there are people hiding that are playing a prank on her. She kisses the body and screams when she sees the maggots feeding on it and realises that it is indeed a real body. *cue the opening credits*

Peter returns home to find that Roman has stayed the night on the sofa. He tells Roman he mustn't tell anyone about his condition and Roman agrees to do so. Peter quickly falls asleep and Roman heads off to school. Peter dreams about being with Roman while birds fall from the sky and blood seeps from Roman's chest in the shape of a snake eating it's own tail. Dream-Roman tells him that they're "in this together."

A woman named Clementine prepares for her day while a woman she appears to have hooked up with is still in her bed. It is implied that Clementine is not out of the closet, or has some sort of issue with her sexuality. She goes to a church, where a priest informs her about the attacks in Hemlock Grove and sends her off to deal with it. When she arrives, she poses as being an agent of "Wildlife Services."

At Hemlock High, Shelley is being bullied by two boys who are acting as if she is responsible for the attacks. Roman comes over and comforts them before compelling one of the boys to kiss the other as a means of humiliation. He does as he is told, the crowd disperses, and Roman has yet another nosebleed. Roman questions Peter as to whether or not he could have been unintentionally responsible for the attack while transformed but Peter insists that it wasn't him. Peter tells him that it is a "vargulf," a werewolf that has gone insane, and that he smelled it and its anger the previous night. Roman wants to go after it but Peter doesn't want any part of it.

Clementine is at the crime scene and deduces that it is a large animal strong enough to drag the body a great distance. She also notes that the only logical reason for the animal to be left there was for it to be discovered, like a trophy. This animal is apparently capable of empathy.

Roman heads to a bar and being drinking with the aide of a fake ID, though there's no doubt that the bartender knows who and how old he actually is. Peter visits his cousin, Destiny, who scams a couple out of some money with a "sacred whore" routine. She gives him information on the "vargul" and says that the way to "help" one is to put a bullet between its eyes (or any method of killing it) before the next full moon (when it will undoubtedly kill again). Peter also tells her about Roman and his being an upyr. She is against the idea of his being friends with such a creature but is sympathetic when she realises he Peter has never had a real friend before.

Back at the bar, a man is prepared to get into a fight with Roman over the fact that his family/father caused his brother to lose his home. Roman eggs him on and the man is ready to swing at him until Olivia arrives to take a rather drunken Roman home. She tells him a strange story on the ride home and calls him an "Emperor" and yet again, we're reminded of how unsurprising it is that Roman has a boatload of issues.

Clementine questions Christina regarding her discovery of the body. She then pays a visit to Peter, who is packing his belongings into his mother's car. They were preparing to run but it becomes evident that he is under suspicion. She even asks him if he is a werewolf and her questions are shockingly insistent, considering the fact that the sheriff is present (and does not know about supernatural creatures). After she leaves, Peter and his mother realise that for the time being, they cannot leave Hemlock Grove.

Roman washes his sister's feet in a lovely, tender moment. Roman is typically at this best when interacting with Shelley. Peter pays a visit to Roman, and Olivia tries to send him off when she answers the door (but not before getting in a few not-so-subtle jabs). Roman and Peter discuss Clementine and the vargul. Peter lets Roman know that his uncle Nicolai was a killer and that he is in danger of getting locked up if Clementine gets wind of the murder in his family's past. They have no choice but to go after the vargul and Peter plans to kill it out of necessity. First on the agenda, they must dig up Lisa's (the first victim) body from her grave.

READ MORE

Roman and Peter discuss the fact that neither of them is the murderer and that their being there at the same place at the same time was purely coincidence. Roman confesses that he knew the victim by being at the same parties and whatnot, and also knew Peter's uncle (the one whose house Peter and his mother live in). Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of a squad car containing two police officers. When they try to bring the two of them in, Roman tells them one off with intense eye contact and it mysteriously causes him to lead the other officer away. Immediately after, he has a nosebleed. Peter asks him how he managed to "do that" and Roman coyly replies, "Do what?" *cue opening credits*

Letha lies in bed and a bright light wakes her. A mysterious figure stands in the distance and raises its arms to reveal a pair of massive white wings. Shelley writes an e-mail to her uncle sharing a story of how she stood up to her mother while at a country club. Shelley wanted to order a salad, but her mother kept insisting that she have her usual (a meat dish). During this encounter, Roman flirts with Jenny, their server. She also states that there is an increase in violence in the town towards various animals as a retaliation against the apparent animal attack. After reading the e-mail, Norman receives news from his wife that Letha is pregnant.

At school, Roman doodles in his notebook before noticing one of his female classmates has a tampon sticking out of her purse. When she raises her hand to excuse herself to the restroom, he immediately does the same. Cut to the two of them in a bathroom stall, where it is implied that he is performing cunnilingus on her, which is punctuated by his placing a bloody handprint on the bathroom floor. Outside the girls' restroom, Peter overhears the girl's cries of ecstasy and Letha catches him listening in.

Norman meets Olivia at a hotel bar and demands to know whether she played any role in Letha's pregnancy. She denies any involvement and after yet another one of their heated exchanges, they go upstairs and have sexual intercourse. Peter shows kindness to Shelley and Roman comes over and jokingly tells him off for flirting with his sister. Roman then offers Peter a ride home and they bond over stories of their past and fatherless childhoods. When they arrive at Peter's home, Roman notices a drawing of a snake eating its tail (as seen in Peter's dream in ep. 1), and confesses that he himself had a dream about it. He asks Peter if he can "feel it," referring to the feeling he sometimes gets that "something really important is about to happen." Peter thanks him for the ride and leaves without answering.

Christina is being pampered by her friends Alexa and Alyssa, the Sheriff's daughter, and they gossip incessantly. It's evident she's succumbing to peer pressure, wanting to become more sexually experienced so as to not be as much of an outsider. Roman and Letha attend the dance together, with Letha dressed as a flapper and Roman looking dashing in an expensive suit. In the woods, a man mumbles to himself before vomiting on the ground. At the dance, a girl name Ashley makes a pass at Roman, but he rejects her, leading to her insulting him. Christina and a boy named Tyler, whom Christina has a crush on exchange slightly awkward flirting. Roman and Letha leave right as a snake, apparently let loose by Roman, ruins the dance.

Olivia returns to the same hotel as earlier, and hooks up with the bartender in her car. It's all sexy fun until he mentions Norman, thinking that they are ex-husband and wife. She is surprisingly emotional and sends him away. It would seem that Olivia's feelings run deeper than she would ever admit, even to herself.

In his car, Roman offers Letha a drink which she refuses. He continues to pressure her but when she continually turns down a swig from his flask, he jokingly asks if she is pregnant. When he realises her condition, he slams down on the brakes and refuses to move until she gives up the name of the father. She tells him it was an angel and he makes an effort to understand her. They make up and head out on the road again. They stop when finding the mad mumbling man from earlier lying in the middles of the road. Roman calls the police and the man points to Roman saying, "It was you," before also rambling that he saw the cheerleader get killed. At Peter's house, he hears intruders outside. They run off when he comes out and Peter finds a costume werewolf head on a spike. Later, he flashbacks to his childhood during times spent with his gypsy uncle who tells him about upyrs.

At school, Roman approaches Peter and they chat briefly before Peter asks Roman, "Why do I get the feeling that half the reason you talk to me is because of how people look at you?" Roman chuckles, as it's clear he enjoys a bit of mischief.

At a grocery store, Peter's mother Lynda talks to Olivia about small stores and tells Olivia to call her. Though this might not make sense now, it will be re-visited later.

Back at school, Peter is reading in class when Roman tosses him a note that asks, "Can I watch?" (referring to his transformation into a werewolf). For some unknown reason, he decides to let him, despite strong protestation from his mother. When Roman comes over, he and Lynda chat for a bit. Peter becomes antsy and removes his various pieces of jewellery. They head outside, with Roman and Lynda standing at a safe distance from Peter as he stands naked and prepares to transform. Before long, we bear witness to one of the most gruesome werewolf transformations ever. His skin tears off, his teeth and eyes fall out, and once fully transformed, wolf-Peter ingests all of his human flesh before taking off into the woods. Roman closes the episode with the line, "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

READ MORE

We begin with what is perhaps my most favourite opening shot of any show I've seen. An intense-looking young man sits in an ice cream shop holding a waffle cone containing a single scoop of vanilla ice cream with an intense gaze hooded by his heavy brow. An attractive young woman catches his gaze from outside and he follows her out to his car where they begin having sex. Mid-thrust, he pulls out a blade, nicks his finger, and plays with the blood before spreading it on her arm. She calls out his name, "Roman," and he insists that she doesn't know his name. Post-coitus, he pays her to leave and forget his name whilst sucking on his wound. Later, Roman observes a different pretty young girl coaching little cheerleaders and waves to her from afar.

In school, a high school teacher lectures her students on particle physics. A female student approaches the teacher after class and it is implied that they are having an affair. They make plans to meet at 8 o'clock that night. That evening, the girl stops before a set of train tracks and texts the teacher while waiting for the train to pass. An unknown entity slams into her car and she runs terrified into the woods. She finds a small shed and hides inside. Sure enough, this unknown monster finds her and in the ensuing struggle, the teacher ("Banksy") is called via the girl's mobile and hears the girl's gruesome death. *Cue the opening credits.*

A mother and son with the last name of Rumaneck move in to a trailer in the woods. The boy observes a luxurious mansion in the distance. During move-in, the woman finds some vials and is thrilled by the discovery. As the boy leaves, a young girl observes him whilst remaining hidden. When the boy returns in a new coat and other new belongings, the mother celebrates his thievery; they are Gypsies. Later, the boy sleeps on a hammock and dreams of jellyfish flying through the sky and a snake devouring itself tail-first. He wakes to see the same girl from earlier and they strike up a conversation. He shares some snippets of his Gypsy heritage and she states that she is an aspiring writer. She enquires as to whether or not he is a werewolf based on the premise that his index and middle fingers are the same length. He states that he is with a tone dripping with cheek. To spare you any inconvenience for the rest of this summary, I will inform you that the Gypsy boy's name is Peter and the girl's name is Christina.

Roman wakes in his luxurious room (within the same luxurious house seen earlier by Peter) to find his mother telling him that he must get new clothes. He states that he would rather hang out with his cousin, Letha. She gets her way and he is met by a private shopper/tailor who beefs up his wardrobe with fancy new threads. As a reward for doing what she wanted (or perhaps to further spoil him), she informs him that she has rented out the entire amusement park for him and Letha. He is giddy and later, the two cousins play in the empty park. At times, they appear more like childhood loves than family. (Fear not, if you have yet to squirm in your seat, you will be by the time you finish with this series).

On Peter's first day, Roman eyes him from afar and Christina greets him coldly. He also observes an enormous girl with bandaged limbs, an occasionally glowing blue face, and some mysterious effect on the lights she is near. She is revealed to be Roman's sister. Later, Peter informs his mother that a kid (Roman) at his school is an upyr, though he seems to be unaware of what he is. She warns him to stay away from the Godfreys. At the Godfrey's home, a similar conversation takes place in which Roman tells his mother about Peter and that a girl (Christina) is spreading rumours that he is a werewolf. She reacts with disgust and calls them "filth." Later that night, Roman's sister Shelley goes upstairs and removes her wig, revealing to the audience the hidden half of her face on which she has an eye that is lower on her cheek and enormous in size.

There is a flashback of JR Godfrey, Roman's yet unseen father having a conversation with his brother, Dr. Norman Godfrey. He states that he has had Olivia, Roman's mother, investigated and that no one has been able to find any of her family. He is highly agitated and the suspicious he harbours for his wife and his unexplained disdain for his daughter Shelley are weighing heavily on him. When Norman attempts to reassure him, JR tells him that he knows that the two have been engaged in an affair. JR returns home and retrieves his gun before visiting both Shelley and Roman in each of their rooms. He apologises to a sleeping Roman (who wasn't actually sleeping) and goes downstairs where he gets in an eerily calm argument with Olivia in which she insults him heavily. He wants to know what she is and she tells him to pull the trigger if he wishes to find out. Finally, he commits suicide and Roman comes downstairs to find his father dead. Olivia reassures him, stating that he is so much stronger than his father was. Here we see the beginnings of Roman's mummy and daddy issues, among other things.

In present day, Roman lounges in the tub with a cigarette and some cocaine. He steps out when he hears a car arrive and sees Norman walking up. Norman visits Olivia with questions about a new proposal on increases in budgets for various departments for the Godfrey Institute. She flirts with him and he further insists that she not apply the same spoiling that she bestows upon Roman to his daughter, Letha. She points out that she doesn't control whom Roman spends time with and he retorts that no one was accusing her of having any control over her son. He leaves after this heated exchange.

A jogger discovers the body of the girl from the top of the episode and her intestines are on display outside of her abdomen. When police officers are at the crime scene, speculating what could have caused this vicious crime, they spot Peter walking by on his way to school. They question him and display their suspicion of and disdain for gypsy folk. At the Godfrey's, Roman comforts Shelley, who is upset by the news of the young girl's death. At Hemlock High, everyone seems to be distraught over the news and some are already suspicious of Peter.

Norman visits the Godfrey Institute with a police officer to visit a Dr. Pryce to get his expert opinion on the attack. He states that it appears to be done by an animal. Norman appears to harbour a great deal of animosity for Dr. Pryce.

Peter questions his mother as to whether an upyr could have committed the murder and she states that it is not typical of their style. Roman is questioned by his mother as to whether he knew the girl and he lies, stating that he didn't. After this exchange, Olivia drops a drop of liquid into her eye from a vial identical in appearance to those in the possession of Lynda, Peter's mother, earlier. Lynda calls out for her son but is unable to find him in their small home. Peter is out in the woods looking for answers on the creature responsible for the girl's demise. There is a vigil taking place for the deceased girl in which lanterns are being lit and sent adrift into the night, and as Peter looks up at them, he is reminded of his earlier dream of jellyfish flying through the sky. He is questioned by Roman on what it felt like, and when Peter asks him what he means, Roman replies with, "Killing that girl."

Season 1 of Hemlock Grove (a Netflix original series based on Brian McGreevy's novel) is available for viewing on Netflix.

READ MORE