The inaugural episode of "Don't Come Home," titled "Varee," sets the stage for a chilling tale of a mother and daughter's encounter with the supernatural in their ancestral home. The episode begins with a heart-stopping scene as young Min wakes up in the dead of night to a horrifying spectacle: objects levitating around her room, a bed floating in mid-air, and a ghostly figure with red eyes lurking in the corner. The terror is palpable as Min calls out for her mother, Varee, who is on the other side of the door, pleading for Min to open it.
The narrative then backtracks to the events leading up to this chilling moment. Varee, with Min in tow, embarks on a journey to her family's old home. The tension is evident as Varee navigates her way through a petrol bunk and a convenience store, her anxiety palpable with every step. This unease is further amplified by a series of phone calls from an individual named Yutthachai, which Varee initially ignores before ultimately disposing of her phone in a desperate act while driving through the night.
As Varee continues her drive, she nods off at the wheel, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic accident. The next morning, she is awakened by police officers, but her fear does not subside even in their presence. She presses on, eventually reaching the ancestral home that will become the central setting for the series' spine-tingling events.
Upon arrival, Varee is cautious to the point of paranoia, carrying her purse with her at all times due to the gun it contains. A sudden knock on the door leaves Min alone in the house, with Varee instructing her not to open the drapes in the bedroom window. Uncle Natee, who brings food and supplies, notices the drapes open upon his departure, foreshadowing the eerie events to come.
As the day progresses, Varee and Min are forced to deal with a power outage, leading them to the generator room. The old generator fails after a brief moment of operation, plunging the house into darkness once more. The isolation of their home, nestled among rubber plantations with Natee's house being the closest, means Min has no one to play with, leading Varee to engage in a game of hide and seek to entertain her daughter.
The game takes a sinister turn when Varee loses track of Min and encounters a child of similar age wearing a mask, adding to the growing mystery. Min's discovery of paper dolls provides a temporary distraction, but the sense of unease is never far away.
The episode reaches a climax as Min, feeling a chill, spots the ghostly apparition in the shadows. Her wanderings lead her to the beach, where Varee, after inquiring about local children with Natee, realizes the impossibility of Min having playmates due to their secluded location. When Varee finds Min, she scolds her, leading to an argument where Min expresses her desire to leave the house, claiming to have seen a ghost.
Varee's past is revealed through her recollections of an abusive husband and the gun she used against him, providing a glimpse into her own trauma. As she drinks and dozes off, Min's screams jolt her awake. In the chaos that follows, the room is plunged into a state of disarray with objects levitating, and Min disappears, leaving Varee to grapple with the terrifying reality that their home is far from a safe haven.
"Varee" is a gripping start to "Don't Come Home," effectively establishing the show's atmosphere of dread and mystery. The episode masterfully weaves together the personal demons of the characters with the supernatural occurrences that plague their new home. With a strong opening act, "Don't Come Home" promises to be a series that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, eager to unravel the secrets hidden within the walls of the ancestral house and the minds of its inhabitants.