Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 12 Review: Dear Santiago
Meaghan Frey
at
.
Somebody start a slow clap because Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 12 just pulled off a legitimate bomb shell.
In the age of social media, pulling off real surprises on TV shows is no easy feat, but Grand Hotel pulled it off like an old pro. If that didn't earn them a second season renewal I don't know what will.
What secret left this reviewer with her jaw on the floor? Check out our review to find out.
Jason is Santiago's son.
Let's just get that out of the way because it is impossible to think about anything else until that is addressed.
Sometimes reveals feel like they come out of left field and that they are done for shock value only, but sometimes a reveal blindsides you and elevates the story to another level: This was one of those times.
The reveal that Jason is Santiago's child is a game-changer that is going to be felt throughout every inch of the Riviera Grand.
Now the question remains: does Jason know?
Jason's advice to Ingrid on how to handle a bad day that we saw turned around on him by Ingrid in a rare likable moment for her, feels like foreshadowing to his awareness.
Related: Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 11 Review: Art of Darkness
Given that Sky had found Beatriz's suicide note it is likely that she could have spilled the beans. Was this a mistake that cost Sky her life?
If Jason found out that Santiago is his father, and he knew that Sky was going to come forward about what she knew, would he have gone to extremes to protect that secret?
Whoever killed Sky has to be somebody that Gigi would be willing to protect or would be a threat to her.
The fact that Gigi kept the secret regarding Jason's parentage and it's role in Beatriz's death for so long, and the fear of what Santiago would do if he found out the truth, might have been enough for Gigi to be willing to keep Jason's secret if he killed Sky.
This is especially true now that she knows that Gigi and Carolina are worried about their place in the Mendoza family.
If Santiago were to learn now that Jason is his son, Gigi and Carolina would be pushed further down the totem pole, or fully off of it.
Related: Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 10 Review: Suite Little Lies
For a moment it was almost possible to think that Gigi was portrayed in too harsh of light throughout Grand Hotel Season 1. The second that she put that note in her pocket, though, everything changed.
Gigi is self-serving. To think that she hid Beatriz's suicide note for any reasons other than selfish ones would be a mistake.
Nothing may have happened between Santiago and Gigi when Beatriz was alive, but it seemed clear at that moment that Gigi had plans for that to change. Santiago finding out Jason is his son would have ruined those plans.
It needs to be acknowledged that Gigi was an exceptional friend to Beatriz, but plotting to go after your best friend's husband before her body is even cold is a pretty low move.
While watching this episode, it was easy to believe that Beatriz's jealousy and paranoia regarding Gigi and Santiago was going to be the catalyst for her eventual suicide, but the real reason was so much more heartbreaking.
Beatriz's mental illness warping reality to the point where she felt that she was doing Santiago a favor by taking her own life is a tragic twist.
She admitted the truth to me. Jason is your son. I tried living with it, but I just can't get past it. I don't want to keep you from your son. I will always love you and our beautiful children, but it's better this way. You can all be a family together.
Beatriz
Eva Longoria was a revelation as Beatriz throughout this episode. Her portrayl of the extreme highs and lows of Bipolar Disorder was raw and breathtaking.
Related: Grand Hotel Season 1 Episode 9 Review: Groom Service
Although we haven't had much time with Beatriz during Grand Hotel Season 1, she was able to draw viewers in and take them right on the journey she was going through.
Whether it be her anguish or her bursts of positive energy, each emotion she was feeling was palpable.
Beatriz: Are you saying I'm crazy?
Santiago: No, no one thinks that. Look we came here for help, so let's listen.
Going on the journey to learn the truth about Beatriz with Javi and Alicia upped the emotional stakes of the episode.
It is very easy to see where Santiago was coming from keeping the truth about what happened to Beatriz from Alicia and Javi. He was trying to save them the pain of knowing that their mother took her own life. But, was that his decision to make for them?
Javi and Alicia may have been young, but they were not children. They deserved to know the truth about their mom, whether it be good or bad.
Especially given the fact that researchers believe there is a genetic component to Bipolar Disorder. They deserved to know that there is a chance that they could have the same mental illness so that they can be on the lookout for the signs and get the necessary help.
If learning the truth did nothing else, it at least allowed Alicia to gain some perspective on Danny's situation. What Danny did was wrong, but not knowing the truth about what happened to your loved one is enough to drive anyone to extremes.
If Jason is the one who is responsible for Sky's death, I'm not sure Mrs. P will be able to handle it, especially given everything happening with Malcolm.
The blows kept coming one after the other with Malcolm throughout the episode. Just when we thought we were getting a reprieve from the sadness when Mrs. P decided to go away with Malcolm, everything comes crashing down again.
I'll be damned if that Tower of Terror-Esque elevator was not a metaphor for Malcolm as a whole in this episode.
With Teresa gone, Mateo is on a serious power trip, but it is an oh so sexy one. Mateo is the type of character you want to hate but you can't because the worse they are, the more intriguing they are.
It will be interesting to see who wins the power struggle between him and Santiago.
How do you feel going into the season finale of Grand Hotel next week? Who do you think is responsible for Sky's disappearance? Comment your theories below and make sure to watch Grand Hotel online at TV Fanatic if you aren't caught up!
Meaghan Frey was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in September 2020.
