What is all this Ben is dead crap? - Secrets and Lies (2015) Discussion

[–] funfancy 9 years ago

On the on-line Cornell Confidential it is strongly implied.

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[–] Tigshadorakie 9 years ago

Just watched it. That is crazy. I thought there was going to be a season 2 and the story was going to continue. I thought they could have kept it going.

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[–] zzsnoozincat 9 years ago

I thought there was going to be a season 2 as well. It was crazy to put that final 5 minutes online.

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[–] CigarDaddyNy 9 years ago

There is going to be a season 2: the story will be about Cornell (Juliet Lewis) and will probably involve a totally different case, OR her daughter. Should be interesting.

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[–] LoBo_77018 9 years ago

Ryan Phillipe said in a TV Guide interview that he wouldn't do a Season 2. He said if the show was popular it would come back with the detective and a new case.

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[–] xXAssassinXx 9 years ago

Yeah, a lot of people didn't bother going online to watch the extra 5 minutes that really wrapped up the story. Pretty dumb that they left all of that out of the broadcast episode.

Nothing you have to say is anywhere near as useful or important as you think it is.

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[–] Annalioncourt 9 years ago

what and that so unfair to the rest of the world. I can't go in to abc and watch the cornell confidential beacuse i don't live in u.s :/ i thought it was going to have a second season..

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[–] 9 years ago

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[–] peterpulanski 9 years ago

WRONG. He's dead. He's gone. Natalie wants to clear her dad's name. That line cleared it up for me. Dead. She would say "I want to get him out of prison" not "I want to clear my dad's name".

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[–] hnt_dnl 9 years ago

The convo between Dave and Natalie was vague and could imply that he was still alive, but when Cornell came in, the way she talked made it seemed like Ben was dead. But I'm OK with it staying up in the air in case there's a second season, because I'd like to see Ben be ALIVE and vindicated.

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[–] acole-948-240900 9 years ago

and Dave says Ben would have been proud of Natalie. And if he hadn't gone to prison, he might still be with us. Its pretty safe to say he is dead.

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[–] straw_hat_boy_luffy 9 years ago

There's a rule in soapland that without a body, they are not dead. They were purposely vague on whether or not he was dead. Who knows, maybe his family THINKS he's dead but Cornell faked his death to make his conviction easier to overturn? I think they left it ambiguous to keep their options open.

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Writing is my favorite hobby. Writing something that many can enjoy is my favorite dream.

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[–] starline 9 years ago

It was strange wording when Cornell said Ben is 'gone'... as if he was dead. But he's only been in jail for 14 months. What would he have died of? So maybe 'gone' just meant 'away'. Gone out of their everyday lives.

As far as a 2nd season... and I may be wrong... but I thought I read... (if there is a 2nd season)... it would have a totally different storyline. The same way True Detective and America Horror Story have totally different storylines.

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[–] Dragonfly15 9 years ago

I watched the 5-minute CC ending, and it very much seems as though Ben is dead. Everyone is referring to him in the past tense, and Cornell saying he's "gone". If he were just in jail, then Natalie would just want to get him freed, not clear his name. When you clear someone's name, it means that they may no longer be alive.

Ryan Phillippe has already confirmed that he would not be returning for a season 2, if there is one. That sort of says to me that his character, Ben Crawford is deceased. He may have either been killed in prison or he killed himself in prison. Very shocking twist to the ending, and I'm surprised that Cornell just found Christy and Abby randomly like that! Abby is still playing like she's the "innocent good girl who made a horrible mistake".

This CC ending, vs. the on-air ending could be completely different endings.

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[–] Fusion72 9 years ago

I just think the actor is unwilling to return. His character could still be alive.

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[–] roomwithaview 9 years ago

What makes you think Cornell found Abby & Christy "randomly"? It's probably safe to assume Natalie knew where they were .. I doubt her mother would've cut off all ties with Nat.

"Economy or style? Style!"

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[–] Chevy4279 9 years ago

Reality check! A convicted child killer/ molestor is the "lowest of the low" in prison and they can predict their remaining life in days/ weeks, NOT months/ years! A simple distraction of the guards and Ben gets shivved. I think that is why the justice system doesn't try for the legal death penalty - all they have to is get him inside prison and let "nature takes it's course"? Cheap, quick and righteous - unless you happen to be innocent!

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[–] musicblind 9 years ago

Reality Check, only 11 in over 3,000 were killed in prison last year.

"Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." -- C.S.Lewis

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[–] gswan 9 years ago

Reality Check, only 11 in over 3,000 were killed in prison last year.

Thanks. I am afraid the frequently repeated assertion, here, that all child-killers are, in turn, covertly killed by their fellow prisoners, with the tacit approval of the guard force, sounded to me like blood-thirsty wishful thinking.

Do you remember where you came across that stat? So, was that 11 out of a total of 3,000 incarcerated child-killers? Or was it 11 of 3,000 murders of prisoners by other prisoners were murders of child-killers?

I suspect pedophiles are at greater risk, than child-killers. I suspect they are at a disproportionate risk of beatings however.

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[–] Luvmykitty 9 years ago

Many of their words implied he was dead, particularly when Cornell said "He LOVED his family" (past tense). Another person said Ryan Phillipe was only doing one season - that's why I think it's implied but left vague - they might try to convince him with some big $. If he is dead, I bet it was fellow convicts that don't like kid killers.

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[–] straw_hat_boy_luffy 9 years ago

That's definitely the implication. BUT, they could've just as easily spelled that out with another sentence of dialogue. They're keeping their options open.

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Writing is my favorite hobby. Writing something that many can enjoy is my favorite dream.

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[–] illimattic 9 years ago

I did not get the impression at all from the CC that Ben died........and I don't believe someone killed him in prison. Suicide is most likely but I don't have enough proof that he died.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.

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[–] maya-912-366050 9 years ago

Why is suicide more likely then him being killed???? He was a known child killer. People who hurt children are considered scum of the earth by even murderers. Even criminals have families, and the thought a scumbag like they would assume Ben is, would prey on a child like their own, leads to pedophiles being badly beaten and often killed.

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[–] illimattic 9 years ago

I know the statistics but that doesn't mean that all child-killers get killed in prison.  Furthermore, he can easily convince the others that he did not kill his own son - and they would believe him. Suicide is more likely because it would be in his character since he did take the rap, so why not just off himself? He already made the decision to ruin his life. But I don't even believe he died. No concrete proof from the CC ending.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.

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[–] Markyajv 9 years ago

THIS is exactly what is wrong with US remakes of good shows. Instead of the "Ken" filler episode, and the Melissa Gilbert son, try and pull the viewer into another direction only to never bring them back into the show. that was so unnecessary, they could have added in all that on line crap and tied up the show. But no. We as viewers not only have to watch a *beep* remake but we then have to go online to watch webisodes to answer questions??? I hate it.

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[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

filler episode

The main flaw of this show: clues pointing nowhere. A well made crime drama allows the detective to find hints in dead ends so he can backtrack his steps to the point he went wrong. But dead ends which are pointless and basically just stall the main plot are just a waste of time and especially inexcusable when the show isn't even capable to finish its main plot within its running time.

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[–] jrj624 9 years ago

I agree that the CC is pretty vague ... leaving you to draw your own conclusions ... but I keep thinking back to how Natalie was so shocked that her parents would even consider not going directly to the police and telling them the truth, that I think, if her father had ended up being killed in prison for taking the fall for Abbey, that she would have come forward on her own to tell the truth and not just sit back and wait for Detective Cornell to come into the diner that day. I think she would have blamed her mother and Abbey for her father's death, if he had been killed, and she would not have just sat back quietly. Just my opinion.

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[–] starline 9 years ago

Someone commented on another thread... that since Natalie just turned 18... that's why Cornell came looking for her. They said that now that Natalie's 18 she can testify without having a parents permission. I don't know if that's how it really works... but it sounds believable.

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[–] jjemod 9 years ago

I finally got a chance to take a look at Cornell Confidential. Yeah,I think ole Ben's a goner. I wonder if he stuck his nose into somebody's business in jail, as he did all over his neighborhood and town, and bought it. I'm sure they'll fill us in when this story resumes. But where it's going I don't know. Is this show's focus going to now be all about Christy's denial of her homicidal daughter?

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[–] Tigshadorakie 9 years ago

Not sure what to make of things at this point. I mean, I am not sure how they would have stretched the story out any longer anyway. I just wish they would have given it more of a happier ending. Pretty sure this story is completely over and a new one will start.

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[–] starryiz 9 years ago

First of all - it's TV! If they want to kill him in prison because he was a known child killer - they can without a lot of questionability. The character they have created though is less likely to kill himself as he knows it would destroy his girls.

Them not SPELLING out what actually happened to him does leave the option for them to convince him to come back for a second season....which has been reported as confirmed. That said, without Ryan Phillipe I doubt the show will do as well and probably wouldn't get a 3rd. Them trying to create a whole new story with 1/2 of the Crawford/Cornell duo would likely be where the shows jumps the shark.

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