In the show, the returned are always represented as 'other' compared to the living, this can be seen through various camera techniques or just straight up discrimination against them. The character Sandrine can be seen blaming the returned for everything thats gone wrong, after she loses her family, this character is used to represent the right wing reacting media, here she is represented as close minded and looking to construct enemies from the returned. But its not just the small characters who treat them as other, Adele's own attitudes towards Simon change throughout the show as she learns about him. Her feelings eventually become stale, we can see this from her language changing with her referring to the returned as 'they', this dehumanises them and puts them all into one mass, we can see characters dehumanising the returned throughout the show. One example would be in the last episode of series one, It's only Julie, Lena, Claire and Jerome that put up a fight when they try to give the returned to the horde. The fact that the other characters did nothing can be seen as not seeing the returned as human, maybe as a way to cope.
We can also view the returned as an allegory for the European refugee crisis, There are clear inks of this throughout the show. The displacement of people, rejected from society, being stateless and homeless are just some of the ways to describe both the returned and refugees. A visual link that can be seen is the dam, the dam can be seen as a visual metaphor for crossing water. An example of the otherness in the show can be seen with Camille, those close to her want to protect her from society who rejects her and is fearful of her. Although the reading of the returned as an allegory for the european refugee crisis is clear, It can also be seen as problematic from the writers, as many of the returned commit violent acts which could be seen as reinforcing negative stereotypes of refugees, with characters like Serge who is a malevolent, destructive force within the 'others'.
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