The Hunting Party Season 2 Episode 9 Recap: Does Hassani Suspect Shane?

Given how psychological thrillers often depict toxic co-dependency through complex maternal connection, it’s rare to see the gender roles reversed in the ninth episode of the ongoing season of “The Hunting Party”. Focusing on a deranged killer’s desperate attempt to reconnect with her late father, the episode doesn’t delve deep enough to explore the filial bond like “Psycho” or similar narratives do, but an impeccable performance by Piper Perabo makes up for an engaging watch. Also, Bex has to opt for questionable methods to nail this case, which opens up an ethical discussion about her actions.

Spoilers Ahead

The Case of Collette Akins

The latest episode of “The Hunting Party” revolves around Collette Akins, the daughter of the Akin Family Mortuary owner, Nathan Akins. Collette’s mother passed away during her birth, and the grief of losing her prompted Collette’s elder sister, Liza, to act vindictively towards her, as she used to torture Colette by keeping her captive inside coffins. Collette’s only emotional outlet was her father, Nathan, who loved him dearly, and she depended on him for her security and mental well-being. Liza turned out to be a popular kid, while Collette’s traumatic childhood experiences turned her into a withdrawn individual who remained invested in family business. After Nathan passed away in 2015, Collette started hearing her father’s voice as she was suffering from auditory psychosis caused by prolonged exposure to formaldehyde (mortuary business). Following an argument with Liza before their father’s memorial, Collette murdered her. In the following years, Collette took ten more victims who matched Liza’s behavioral profile and buried them in their family mortuary, until she was apprehended by the authorities and brought to the Pit. Collette claimed that she followed the directions given by her father to kill Liza and has been listening to the vile directives ever since, which are nothing but a conjuration of her broken psyche coupled with auditory psychosis. At present, after escaping from the Pit, Collette has killed Henry Bradley, the director of Bradley Mortuary, which was built on the site of the disbanded Akins Mortuary. After getting alerted about Collette’s return, Bex brings her team to Bradley Mortuary and learns Collette has stolen a coffin and a hearse, planning something sinister while searching for her next victim. 

Bex, Shane, and Hassani look into Collete’s therapy sessions during her time in the Pit and learn that the crooked Dr. Fairfax had surgically removed the part of her brain that was responsible for her auditory psychosis – thus silencing her father’s voices in her head. As Collette became distraught after losing the only connection she had to her father, the Pit administrators opted for yet another heinous solution to make her speak to learn about the locations where she had buried her victims. They sampled Nathan’s voice and, using a statement generator program, manipulated Collette to reveal the locations. Collette found peace knowing her father is still with her. However, once the Pit was destroyed, Collette found herself all alone again, and in her distressed mental state, she was letting her inner darkness out once again. That being said, the investigators still haven’t figured out her altered MO. 

Things take a strange turn when a certain Marty Fletcher, who graduated from the same high school as Liza, is abducted from his house by Collette. Marty’s wife, Sue, is pretty shaken up, and Shane comforts her by assuring her they will bring her husband back. Not long after, the investigator learns the body of Collette’s second victim, Nelson Stuart, has been found. There is no apparent commonality between Marty and Nelson, until the team finds out both of them have talent in singing and frequent a karaoke bar.  Following Bex’s instructions, Morales digs up Collette’s therapy video, which shows the Pit administration using lullabies in Nathan’s voice to comfort a troubled Collette, and at this point, things start getting a bit clearer. Bex theorizes that Collette, who also used to visit the same bar, found suitable replacements for her father’s voice and tried to make them sing for her. Nelson refused to play along with her, hence Collette killed him after holding him captive for a week. The team needs to find Marty by locating Collette through the karaoke bar connection before it gets too late, and until then, for his own sake, Marty needs to comply with Collette’s commands. 

How Did Bex Convince Collette to Give Up Marty’s Location?

Bex’s suspicion proves to be true as the bartender in the karaoke bar reveals that Collette indeed comes there often. However, as Collette arrives, he ends up alarming her of the presence of the investigators, prompting a tense situation as Collette takes a woman hostage to escape from Bex and her team. Like clockwork, Bex manages to stall Collette long enough for Shane to sneak up on her and restrain her. However, they find it impossible to pry out intel regarding Marty’s whereabouts – even when Bex offers Collette to give her father’s voice back, she appears unwilling to cooperate. Given that it is essential for them to rescue Marty before he dies of dehydration, Bex has no choice but to take a cruel approach. She samples Liza’s voice and holds Collette captive inside a coffin to recreate the traumatic experience she suffered in her childhood. This finally breaks Collette, and she gives up Marty’s location, allowing the investigators to rescue him in time. Bex believes her actions crossed a line, but Hassani assures her that she needed to do so to protect a life and that they are on the right side. Despite the fact that Bex didn’t have much of an option, it is not the first time that she has ventured into morally gray areas while navigating through a case. 

Does Hassani Suspect Shane?

Coming to the Lazarus plot, the beginning of the episode highlights that Bex and Hassani are not at all amused upon seeing Shane acting somewhat jubilant after his dinner with his mother, Colonel Lazarus. Just as Lazarus wanted, an emotional connection has been formed between Shane and her, and just with a one-time meeting, it is strong enough for Shane to vouch for her reformation and pass an out-of-pocket comment about Odell, which dismays Bex. During the investigation, at the karaoke bar, Hassani can’t help but ask Bex whether Shane is slowly drifting to the other side, seeing Collette’s desperate attempt to find her lost filial bond; he assumes Shane has the potential to give in to his desperation. Bex reveals that she completely trusts Shane, and puts the same trust in Hassani as well, even though she knows he is keeping secrets from his friends about his family. Bex reveals that she knows Hassani’s wife has passed away, and Hassani, who clearly has not been able to get over the tragedy, admits to losing her two years ago. 

As the episode nears its conclusion, Shane tries to lighten the mood of his comrades by showing off his singing talents and asks Bex to join him. Hassani is distracted by a call, as one of his contacts informs him that Shane was flagged at security clearance in the Pit seven years ago, and Lazarus herself cleared him. This implies that, contrary to Shane’s belief, Lazarus knew about his true identity for a long time and kept it a secret until Shane came close to knowing it. Hassani knows Shane’s desperation to find a filial connection has turned him blind to Lazarus’ machination. It remains to be seen whether Hassani continues to trust him enough about the ongoing investigation on the colonel or starts his own secret deep diving. 

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