Fool Me Once Season 1 Episode 8 Recap

The episode opens with Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan) telling Shane Tessier (Emmett J Scanlan) that Joe Burkett (Richard Armitage) killed Claire Walker (Natalie Anderson) because she knew what he had done. She confesses to killing him.

4 Months Earlier – Claire is murdered and her home vandalized. The masked assailant walks outside and removes his mask to reveal his true identity, Joe Burkett. At the funeral, Maya confronts Joe about how well he is handling Claire’s death. He assures her that people react different to these things.

Scenes jump from past to present – Maya shows her gun collection to Sami Kierce (Adeel Akhtar). Later, she puts on gloves before removing a gun from a safe. She asks Joe why he wanted his fingerprint on the gun safe. He says it was accessible if ever he needed it. During shooting practice, Maya collects a spent shell from the gun and later gives it to Shane to test against the bullet that killed Claire Walker (Natalie Anderson). Maya sets up a meeting with Joe at a local park at 9pm. She replaced the gun in the safe with a non-working one before meeting him. At the park, she accuses him of murdering Claire. He denies the accusation. She vows to make his life hell until she can expose him as a killer. He briefly turns, turns back, and repeatedly pulls the trigger of the nonworking gun. When he assures her that she will not prove he did it, she shoots him twice to make it look like a robbery before killing him with one final shot. She coves herself with his blood to give the impression that she was holding him while he died.

She puts the police onto motorcyclists, Rambo (Connor Porter) and PJ Dawson (Lawrence Hodgson Mullings) to keep them from looking at her. Seeing a purse hanging on one of the bikes, she lies to the police about them trying to take her purse. Kierce pins Rambo up against the bathroom wall, asking who paid him to kill Joe. Rambo denies killing him. Maya replaces the gun in the safe. Shane puts Luka Godek (Frederick Szkoda) and Izabella Godek (Natalia Kostrzewa) out on a remote road and drives away.

Marty McGreggor (Dino Fetscher) receives a call from Kierce saying Rambo saw Maya kill Joe. Marty reminds him of his suspension. Kierce pleads for an ANPR on Joe’s vehicle that Maya is driving. The ANPR shows the vehicle on Cerrington Road at 12:40pm. Marty demands Kierce stay on the phone with him until they arrive at the destination but he ends the call. Katherine Donigan (Natalie Amber) updates Marty on Maya’s location at the Teeny Tiny Nursery on Pleasance Drive. Marty calls Kierce who then changes direction and drives erratically through traffic. Upon arrival, he finds Eddie Walker (Marcus Garvey) in the driver’s seat and Lily Burkett (Thea Taylor Morgan) in the back. Checking his car tracker, Eddie says Maya is at her house. Recalling Joe driving her vehicle, Maya believes he put Tommy Dark in the boot. She places an envelope in Lily’s jewelry box before walking outside where Kierce apprehends her.

Neil Burkett (James Northcote) speaks during a dinner about the impact of Burkett Pharmaceutical. Maya approaches the house. Elsewhere, Kierce tells Corey Rudzinski (Laurie Kynaston) that he knows the truth about Burkett Pharmaceutical. Back at the Burkett estate, Judith Burkett (Joanna Lumley), Neil, and Caroline Burkett (Hattie Morahan) tell their guests goodbye. They return to the house to find Maya sitting in a chair. Maya accuses her of paying Izabella and Luka to create the nanny cam video of Joe. Disassembling her gun, she places it on the table. She says Caroline lied about them bribing Kierce. Caroline denies knowing it was a lie. Maya claims Joe killed Claire. Neil refuses to believe it. Judith claims Claire was trying to bring down their company. Maya tells her that Claire found out that Burkett Pharmaceutical was manipulating its trials. Caroline becomes distraught. Judith assures her that Claire refused to give Joe stolen documents.

Maya says Joe murdered Claire, Theo Mora, Tommy Dark, and Andrew Burkett. Judith tells her Andrew took his own life. Maya claims Joe murdered Claire because she knew he killed Andrew. Judith calls her claims lies. Maya confesses to murdering Claire’s killer, Joe. Judith warns that the three of them witnessed her confession. Maya warns that the Burkett lies will be exposed if she goes down. Judith suggests they all point the finger at Joe. Neil takes Maya’s gun. Maya rejects the offer. Neil shoots Maya. She says it’s over. He shoots her several more times. Carolina becomes hysterical. Judith realizes they are being live streamed. Corey assures Kierce that Maya knew it was the only way to stop the Burketts.

18 Years Later – Kierce and Eddie catch up. Eddie tells him that Abby Walker (Danya Griver) has two children. He says adult Lily (Molly Kier Barton) is just like Maya. In a flashback, Kierce tells Maya about his severe side effects to Burkett medicine. He agrees to help her expose them. Back to the present, Lily is holding her infant daughter. He holds the baby. She tells him that she is Maya. The episode ends.

 

Fool Me Once Review

The first half of the episode added little to nothing to the story. The second half was decent but nothing to write home about. Maya gives her life to take down the Burketts. To add a sweet spin to the story, Lily names her newborn daughter Maya.

Viewers are left in the dark about some aspects of the story. There is no mention of whether Kierce returns to the police force. Shane stalking Maya was forgotten as he is with Lily in the hospital 18 years later. Corey is free after hacking a government computer system.

It felt Caroline was caught in the middle and shouldn’t have went down with Judith and Neil. I question how they thought it was odd for the same gun to be utilized in two separate murders. The murder weapon in Claire’s case is never located because it is locked up in Joe and Maya’s safe.

The finale felt rushed and blundered. The first six episodes were slow progressing with much to do about nothing. To fit in all the agendas, subplots, and the “big” plot twist, the finale must be rushed to death. Harlan Coben’s shows lack balance. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, with one major difference, the main plot.

The finale deserves a 5 out of 10. Get more Fool Me Once recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Learn how our onsite advertising can help build your brand, reach out to our staff by clicking the link. Join our newly established forum to discuss sports, scams, true crimes, and new releases.