‘When the Streetlights Go On’ 1×02 Review: ‘Closed Casket’

In When The Streetlights Go On‘s pilot episode, we were introduced to the shocking tragedy that will define the characters in this series. Chrissy Monroe, beloved by all, was killed, along with her teacher Mr. Carpenter, by a masked assailant.

Now that we’ve seen the tragedy unfold, it’s time to see the first repercussions of the shocking murder. And you figure, a pretty girl like Chrissy, her murder is going to stun the town.

Our narrator Charlie, sporting a Cubs hat, is taking notes for the varsity basketball team for the school paper. Following practice, Charlie bikes home through the woods, just like he does every night. But this night is not like other nights. And it’s the first night of many where things will never be the same in Colfax, Illinois.

Charlie happens upon the infamous crime scene, where he finds the dead bodies of Chrissy and Mr. Carpenter. It’s unlike anything he’s ever seen, so he bolts and goes to tell the police. But not before we glimpse a footprint at the scene, which can be an important clue as to who murdered them.

Charlie is questioned by the police, but he doesn’t have anything of substance. Besides, it’s not Charlie that’s the suspect. It’s Chrissy’s on-again-off-again boyfriend Brad, who you figure has plenty of motive. This is a guy that was intimately involved with Chrissy, and if he found out about her affair with Mr. Carpenter, it would’ve given him every motive in the world to kill them both in a jealous rage.

But that seems too obvious. And obvious is just not the route these shows typically go. Whoever is behind this, it goes deeper than on the surface. Not to say Brad is completely innocent, but I don’t think he pulled the trigger.

Interestingly enough, we learn that the Monroes were like the Kennedys of Colfax. Basically, they had money, they had power, and they had enemies. Plenty of people that would want to hurt them. And what better way to hurt someone than killing their daughter?

Two episodes in, and my mind is already swirling with theories as to who’s responsible for Chrissy and Carpenter’s murders. The boyfriend isn’t it. He’s the red herring. No, the person we’re looking for must be someone that’s been wronged by the Monroes — or Chrissy herself. That, or someone that’s been wronged by Carrington. Now, that would surely be a twist.

At Chrissy’s wake, we shift our focus to her sister Becky, who is the black sheep of the family. She’s been overshadowed by Chrissy’s All-American persona and beauty, and Becky has quietly sat in the shadows. But something tells me that’s about to change.

If you know me, you know that I can’t resist a good ship. And just two mini episodes in, I think I’ve found my ship in Charlie and Becky. Hell, the two didn’t even speak together, just locked eyes, but I felt it. Then the backstory that they were each other’s first kiss — coupled with the bond they’ve formed, while never speaking of it. Oh, I’m all-in.

This tragedy is going to bring them closer together, and it’ll possibly tear them apart. After all, remember Charlie’s warning in the pilot. By the end of the summer, both Monroe sisters were dead.

Brad is busy getting drunk following his interrogation by police and his newfound discovery that Chrissy was intimate with their teacher. He offers to walk Becky home, as Colfax is not considered safe anymore. And that’s got to be one big repercussion for the entire town. You know those small towns that seem quaint and safe? When you could just go exploring and come back just in time for dinner? That innocence is gone, and it can’t be replaced. Colfax will forever be haunted by the murder of Chrissy Monroe, and the innocence of the town and everyone in it is gone.

Brad confides in Becky that she’s the only one he feels comfortable talking with. After all, the police don’t trust him, so who else would? With Chrissy gone, Brad feels a little less lost around Becky. But I don’t exactly trust him here. He could be fishing for information, or worse, trying to selfishly make himself feel better.

Becky told Brad that she wasn’t aware of Chrissy’s affair with Carpenter, but as we saw that was a total lie. As Becky was going back inside for the first time without her sister, she was hit with a wave of feelings. Thinking about everything she wished she could tell her sister that she never did. And she never would get the chance to do so.

We glimpsed a flashback where Becky, suspicious that Carpenter was doing more than just helping Chrissy study, asked Chrissy if she was dating Carpenter. While it wasn’t exactly like that, the context was clear. She was hooking up with him. And that’s a secret that you figure is eating Becky alive. If only she’d told her parents or fought Chrissy not to date him, maybe she’d still be alive.

This episode did a lot in establishing the relationship between Chrissy and Becky, which was a lot closer than the pilot indicated. But then again, what did you expect? They’re teenage girls that couldn’t be more different. But that doesn’t mean they don’t love and care about each other. And learning that those feelings did exist, it only makes this more heartbreaking.

The search has only begun to heat up in the case of Chrissy’s killer. And the mystery of “who done it” — and my new ship — will continue to keep me coming back for more.

You can catch new episodes of When The Streetlights Go On daily on Quibi.