Based on the novel of the same name, Netflix's The Stranger has become an instant hit on the popular streaming service. Being set in England, the show has so many different twists and turns that it's impossible to predict what is coming next, which makes it such a joy to watch.
However, as with any mystery/thriller show, there are always questions that the audience has after watching it. At the end of the day, a show of this nature is always going to welcome certain questions, and The Stranger certainly does just that.
A few of the questions come from plot holes created during the show, with certain moments being disregarded or forgotten about, but others are because people want to know more information.
Updated on April 22nd, 2020 by Matthew Wilkinson: As the show has continued to be binged by an increasing amount of people, more small flaws have been picked up, with certain moments that simply do not make any sense.
While the show is very detailed, it certainly isn't perfect by any stretch. There are plenty of moments that leave audiences puzzled and wanting to know more, so we've added a few more things that make no sense about The Stranger.
Where Does The Stranger Go?
While Chris was dealing with a bullet wound in the hospital towards the end of the show, you would think that the police would have kept a very close eye on her in order to arrest her. Even though she had nothing to do with Corrine's death, she did blackmail, countless people, for money, including Griffin's best friend.
However, as we learn at the end, Chris managed to escape the hospital and is keeping a close eye on her family from afar. But the next time we see where she was, Chris has disappeared. While this was likely done in order to tease a second season of the show, it did leave a big question over where she went.
Why Does Johanna Go Back To Phillip?
At the end of The Stranger, in the final scenes, Johanna Griffin is seen at the soccer match talking with Adam Price about the upcoming court date for Katz. At her side is Phillip, her husband who she is all but set on divorcing at the start of the show.
Of course, the major question here is simple. Why she goes back to him? Obviously she's had a rough few months and lost her best friend, but Johanna had made it pretty clear she had no interest in him and that the relationship wasn't working out.
DNA Test
Another element about the show that doesn't make sense is why Adam Price doesn't end up going through with a DNA test to check if his sons are actually his. Chris suggests he does that due to Corrine faking her pregnancy, and he even goes as far as to buy a kit to actually do it.
However, in the end he trusts her argument that she wouldn't lie about that. It's pretty clear that she was telling the truth in that regard, but why doesn't he still check it anyway? Chris had only given him sound information, so not going along with this part seems a little strange.
Why Not Demand Money?
The Stranger, Chris, used her skills to track people's information and secrets to blackmail people into giving her thousands of pounds to make her living. However, there are a few occasions where she opts not to demand cash, and simply just reveals the secret.
This makes sense when it comes to Adam because she was doing this out of love as he is her brother. However, when she informs a stranger on her hen party that it was actually her partner who leaked revenge porn on her, not her ex, she never demands any cash, which doesn't make any sense. Why would she offer this information for nothing?
Who's Looking After The Children?
The main focus of The Stranger is on the Price family. With Corrine missing for the entire series, she's not there to be the mother of the kids, which means Adam is firmly in charge. However, for large portions of the show, he isn't at home either.
He's spending time going from the police station to doing stakeouts to being involved in hunts to find different people. This leaves the big question of who is looking after the kids? While they're not babies and they can look after themselves, for this length of time, it is certainly a surprise nobody is actually looking after them.
How Does Tripp Know To Stash The Phone?
During one episode of the show, the Price boys work out that they can track Corrine's mobile phone through an app she had downloaded. Corrine used it to check on the boy's whereabouts, and she had the same for them to build trust, so they followed its location.
Obviously, due to the fact, Corrine was dead, Tripp had her mobile. But how would he know that the phone needed to be hidden away? Surely he couldn't have unlocked it without a password, and if he did know it had a tracker, why would he not just smash it to pieces?
The Alpaca
There are a lot of questions to ask when it comes to the alpaca that features in the show. During the rave that the children have, Mike Tripp, ends up sneaking away as he deals with the symptoms of taking drugs, he ends up stealing an Alpaca from a farm.
It opens up the question of how did he manage to take an alpaca and have it happily walk around the city with him without any problems. However, an even bigger question here is, how did he manage to decapitate it? It takes some serious strength to take off the head of an alpaca, so how does this young man manage it?
Does Mike Get Caught?
Following on with the alpaca situation, we never actually get to the bottom of that. It just seems to be a random side story that was thrown in and forgotten about, because while we see him interviewed by the police about the animal, we never see any charges.
His father dies at the end of the show, which no doubt played an impact on him, but surely the police would have followed this situation up? Would there not be any cameras in the city center, and surely there would be DNA? Who knows, it is never mentioned.
Why Does Martin Hide The Body In The Walls?
Martin Killane doesn't want to sell his house because his wife's body is inside the walls. However, it isn't really explained why he does that. Sure, it ensures the body is hidden, but if he started doing major DIY to knock down and build a wall just after his wife goes missing, wouldn't somebody hear it?
Also, considering he works for the police, surely he would be aware that one day someone would find that. It's hard to believe just wrapping the body ensures it wouldn't smell as it rotted away. Plus, when it was clear that the buildings were going to be knocked down, why didn't Martin just try to move the body to stay in the clear?
Looking At Martin's Possessions
Speaking of Martin Killane, the reason that the Prices are able to work out the connection to The Stranger is by going through his possessions after he has been arrested. For some reason, all of his possessions are in the ownership of Edward Price. As explained, it is because it is his company that is knocking down the buildings.
However, after being arrested for potential murder when his wife's body is found inside his walls, surely the possessions would be kept by the police? Wouldn't they want to check it for clues, in case he had been involved in other murders?
How Do They Frame Katz?
At the end of The Stranger, it is clear that Griffin and Adam have framed Katz for the murder of both Tripp and Corrine. Griffin stashes the gun and cleans it of Adam's DNA in order to frame him, and while it is clear that he killed Heidi, it isn't really explained how they linked this all together.
What would be his real motivation behind killing them both, and why would they be randomly in the forest? Who found their bodies, and how was it all put together? This is something that could have been explained, but instead, the show skipped a few months to the date he was going to court over his crimes.
How Did Olivia Get Ella's Nudes?
There are many questions about the nude photo situation with Ella, and it doesn't even play a huge part in the show. This is the reason that Mike ends up being spiked which sets up the Alpaca storyline, another one which isn't properly wrapped up on the show.
At her age, the first real question concerns why Ella has nude photos. However, the main question is: how does Olivia get hold of them? Does she hack into Ella's phone, does she steal it and then take the photos? It doesn't really make sense.
Why Does Olivia's Mom Poison Her?
Olivia ties a lot of the plot together as she is the daughter of Katz, who is responsible for some of The Stranger's most shocking moments. However, the question there is about this situation is why she chooses to poison her daughter on a regular basis.
There is a throwaway comment about her having, Munchausen Syndrome, simply because Katz has googled some symptoms. However, it is never truly explained why she does it and doesn't just go out to get herself checked out or talk to anyone.
How Does Nobody Suspect Poison?
Speaking of Olivia and her illness, it is made clear throughout the show that she is a "very sick girl." The show makes It clear that she goes to the hospital regularly, so how does absolutely nobody even think that it could be poison that is keeping her consistently ill?
Also, how has nobody ever spotted all the poison that is hanging out in the garage? It makes no sense whatsoever that Katz, or Olivia for that matter, would never see it. The poison isn't exactly well hidden, yet for some reason nobody notices it.
What Happens To The Money?
A big talking point throughout the show and a huge clue for the main plot is that the football team has had money stolen from it. While Corrine is heavily blamed due to her being the club treasurer, it turns out that the money is actually stolen by Tripp as he tries to pay for the life he can't really afford.
However, with Tripp and Corrine both being dead at the end of the show, we never find out what actually happens to the money. The cash is still missing, and while Adam knows, he can't confess that as people might think he killed Tripp (which he did.) Therefore, the situation involving money is never really addressed.