‘Sharp Objects’ Season 1, Episode 1 ‘Vanish’ Recap: Homecoming

Sharp Objects premieres with an hour-long episode. The main character, a journalist, makes an unexpected return to work on a story. While dealing with childhood trauma, the protagonist makes a bit of progress. However, the town of Wind Gap seems to have never changed, and neither have its residents.

In the season premiere of Sharp Objects, Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), a reporter who works for the St. Louis Chronicle, takes on a missing person case involving two girls, one of them found dead and a possible victim of a murder.  The story reunites Camille with her mother, Adora Crellin (Patricia Clarkson), her stepfather, Alan Crellin (Henry Czerny), and her half-sister, Amma Crellin (Eliza Scanlen). While Camille deals with her traumatic past by using alcohol, she joins Detective Richard Willis (Chris Messina) in following leads that could bring them to the second missing girl.

Camille Preaker

Anne Marie Fox/HBO

Camille Preaker is a frustrated journalist. While the nature of her reasons to be down at rock bottom of her career are unknown, she prefers not to work on cases that bring her too close to home. Unfortunately, the story that the editor-in-chief wants her to follow a story that takes her straight back to her hometown, Wind Gap. As she journeys into the city, she has flashbacks of her childhood memories. The trip to memory lane brings Camille face to face with the tragic loss of her younger sister, Marian Preaker (Lulu Wilson).

Anne Marie Fox/HBO

Camille discovers that the local police does not wish to make the story blow up, so she uses other ways. In her search for information, she meets Detective Willis. At first, Detective Willis seems to get in her way. However, their working relationship becomes complicated when Camille becomes an eyewitness. Camille’s digging brings her straight to the lifeless body of the second girl who went missing.

The Crellins

Adora Crellin is Camille’s overbearing mother. She has not moved on from the loss of her daughter. In fact, Adora keeps Marian’s room maintained the way it was before Marian’s death. Also, she disapproves of Camille’s story so much that she does not wish to hear anything about it. Even Amma, who never met Marian, knows so much about her because of Adora’s consistent storytelling.

Alan Crellin is Camille’s stepfather. He is polite and accommodating to Camille, unlike her mother. Perhaps Alan is a loving husband to Adora. When Camille arrived at their house during the night, Alan and Adora were having a late night conversation. During breakfast, Alan tries to calm Adora when Camille finally meets Amma.

Amma Crellin is Camille’s stepsister. Their first encounter was not in their house. In fact, it was at the memorial park in the middle of town. Amma behaves strangely when she first meets Camille. Her behavior was too friendly for someone who has just got acquainted with their half-sister. Adora’s constant paranoia may have something to do with this.

Wind Gap

Wind Gap is a remote town. The local police’s traditional methods keep trouble away, so Camille’s arrival disrupts this. Although Camille is from there, their approach does not change. The town’s residents seem to have never changed, either. Word travels fast about Camille’s arrival as well as her exploits; something that does not go well with Camille.

The townsfolk makes another gruesome discovery. The second missing girl is found dead in an alley by the locals. With Camille stuck in the middle of it all, there is no telling how long she will have to stay in the town.

Sharp Objects continues next Sunday, July 15th, with “Dirt” at 9/8c on HBO.