Netflix’s ‘Bodies’ features a star-crossed LGBTQ+ romance set in 1890, however, it unfortunately ends on a heartbreaking note…
According to the streaming platform, the series’ official synopsis reads:
“Four detectives. Four timelines. One body. To save Britain’s future, they’ll need to solve the murder that altered the course of history first.”
One of the four detectives is a closeted gay detective named DI Hillinghead, who is portrayed by Kyle Soller. Meanwhile, George Parker is playing the role of his love interest Henry Ashe, who is a photographer.
SPOILER incoming…
Hillinghead and Ashe work together on the murder case during the first timeline in the series, which is England in 1890. At the time, homosexuality was illegal, therefore, forcing Ashe to hide a lot of things about himself and his life.
Them
edmond hillinghead & henry ashe #Bodies pic.twitter.com/jFisMg5D77
— loustat defender (@hausoflioncourt) October 21, 2023
Thereafter finding out about Ashe’s sexuality, Hillinghead has an affair with him despite having a wife and daughter. He eventually feels guilty about having an affair, and decides to arrest Ashe for “gross indecency and unnatural acts behind closed doors.”
Related: ‘Bodies’ Stars Actor Kyle Soller As a Closeted Gay Detective
Hillinghead helps Ashe to get out though, and despite their undeniable love for each other, the detective keeps lying to himself and other people due to society’s prejudice against homosexuality, as well as the fact that he is a family man.
In the end, Hillinghead is left with no choice but to confess that he was the one who committed the murder because of Elias’ (Gabriel Howell) cult’s order to frame Ashe for the murder. He obviously didn’t want to do that, that’s why he decided to sacrifice his own freedom instead.
Before Hillinghead was arrested, he finally admits the truth to his family. He also reminds Elias that he has good in him. A young version of Elias then refuses to be evil, resulting to the loop being shut. Basically, all of the characters in the different timelines get a happy ending except for our queer couple…
Hillinghead’s era gets a reset, showing him reunited with his family. He also chances upon Ashe, and the two of them share a glance, which seems to be void of the romance that they once shared.
‘Bodies’ Season 1 ultimately concluded with Hillinghead hiding who he truly is, which is unfair for both him and his family, as his wife Amy and daughter Polly didn’t like how he grew up depressed on the inside.
Meanwhile, Ashe, who is described by CBR as “pure and selfless”, wanted to be free from his “cage”, and never to be put back in it again. He didn’t care if he is discriminated for being gay, as long as he’s out. Sadly, Ashe ended up being put back in his “cage” after their era’s reset.
Overall, it is a heartbreaking ending for Ashe and Hillinghead, as well as an unfair one for the latter’s family… Not to mention, Elias even told Hillinghead his wish to shape a world where queer people could live happily. We unfortunately didn’t get to see that in the Season 1 finale.
Here’s to manifesting for Season 2 where we can hopefully see a better conclusion for Ashe, Hillinghead and his family. However, Netflix has not yet released an announcement regarding the renewal of ‘Bodies’ as of this writing.
In the meantime, ‘Bodies’ Season 1 is available for streaming on Netflix.
Why can’t the gay couple get a happy ending, ugh 🙁 I guess back then it would have been very hard to have a happy life if you were gay and caught. But still. Sad.
During the 1890s homosexuality was illegal in England, even if sexual acts were done in private with no witnesses. The death penalty for acts of sodomy was earlier repealed in 1861. It was then replaced with a minimum of 10 years imprisonment.