Readers Guide for Parents Weekend

Libby’s roommate says that Stella and Libby had a big fight and Stella broke Libby’s phone.

Sarah Keller, who happens to be in town visiting her husband’s ailing father, is asked by local authorities to look into the missing students. She learns that, shortly before he disappeared, Blane showed up to his frat house and borrowed a fellow frat brother’s van, the Shaggy van (as the guy’s nickname is Shaggy and his van is decorated like the Mystery Machine.)

Dr. David Maldonado, Stella’s father, “goes for a run” at midnight (okay David….) He ends up in the hospital, claiming that a man with a knife chased him and he fell. (This reminded me of all the discussion over the Jay Leno falling incident. Anyone else?)

But we learn that actually, David is being stalked by the son of a woman he had an affair with.

Alice, Felix’s mom, had an abusive husband and stole a file from the Dean’s office with “lies” about Felix. (Okay Alice…).

Cody Carpenter, another student, sent his mom a photo of himself on Golden Gate bridge, suggesting he wanted to jump.

The kids have been abducted and are in a van. Mark sustained a gunshot wound.

Keller is being assisted by eager beaver campus Police intern Annie, who gathers some intel: Felix was stalking Stella and Libby liked Felix. 

Keller is perplexed that all the kids’ phones ping in one location: Rancho San Antonio, a nearby park.

Sarah Finds Some Evidence

Sarah Keller receives some CCTV footage. The Shaggy van is seen with Blane driving and Mark in the passenger seat. But the van leaves the park driven by someone in a Smurf mask.

Keller gathers all the parents to watch CCTV footage of the masked kidnapper. Amy claims to recognize him: Bruce Lockwood, a police officer who stalked her. 

Annie points out that all the kids are on a secret campus predator list on a site called Rizz, along with a professor named Turlington.

Keller questions Turlington, who claims Natasha Belov posted the list. Natasha had accused him of sexually harassing her but Turlington claims that Natasha was angry about a bad grade.

The students were posting prank videos, including one where one of them pretends to be dead.

Bruce Lockwood, Amy’s alleged stalker, shows up and Ken goes after him, launching him over a railing. 

Keller learns Natasha’s phone was near the phones of the five missing kids when they disappeared.

Who Were Your Suspects?

While there is a lot of misdirection to the different parents, I kept wondering why someone connected to just one parent would abduct five students. I was convinced the kidnapped was connected to Natasha.

Parents Weekend: The Ending Explained

This part made sense to me: Natasha’s parents are the ones who abducted the kids, claiming they chased Natasha into the cave to die.

Keller suspects them as well and she and Chief McCray head to the sea cave, where the Belovs are holding the five students. An unknown gunman shoots McCray.

It’s Ivan Belov, who says has proof that the five students were responsible for his daughter’s death. Belov is about to shoot Keller when Felix confesses. This is where I get confused!

• Natasha had previously been pulling pranks with her friends by pretending to be dead, and posting them online.
• One night onto beach with her friends, she mixed vodka with drugs and passed out.
• Felix panicked. He now admits he took her down to the beach to cover for his friends.
• Belov accuses Felix of stalking Natasha, which he denies
• The police arrive but Mr. Belov has taken Felix.

Keller speaks to Iza Belov and realizes that Professor Turlington was the one harassing Natasha. She decides Belov must have taken Felix there. (Okay, this part I do not understand. How did Ivan Belov all of a sudden decide to go after Turlington when he blamed the kids? Did Felix tell him something?)

Keller races to Turlington’s house, where she finds an injured Felix and Belov holding a gun to Turlington’s head.

Keller realizes that Natasha called Turlington for help from the beach the night she died. He drowned an already impaired Natasha to keep her quiet. (He thought she’d posted online threats against him on Rizz.) Then Turlington hid her body in the cave. 

Keller tells Belov to drop his gun, and when he shoots Turlington instead, she shoots him.