Do You Know Who I Am? – As the second episode of Bodies begins, Shahara Hasan (Amaka Okafor), Barber (Michael Jibson), and others talk about 15-year-old Elias Mannix. Shahara says Mannix was placed into the system when he was four. He ended up in the same care home as Syed Tahir who followed him everywhere. Three years ago, Mannix got adopted by Andrew and Elaine Morley. He is an ex-cop while she is a Reiki healer. Shahara explains that the CCTV footage was taken ten minutes before the Longharvest Lane body was found. She had Syed in front of her so all he had to do was talk but he couldn’t. They raid the property while looking for Elias Mannix. In the bedroom, Shahara finds pictures of herself.

Andrew (Mark Lewis Jones) and Elaine Morley (Kate Ashfield) are questioned about Elias’s whereabouts. Andrew admits they don’t know where he is. Shahara shows them the pictures she just found. They don’t know why he’d do that and they don’t remember seeing Syed. Shahara says Syed was their main suspect in a murder before he killed himself. Andrew and Elaine are shown the CCTV footage of Syed and Elias with the gun Syed used to kill himself. Andrew confirms he was a sergeant and served for 20 years. Andrew explains that they didn’t want to be another institution for Elias. He asks them not to make their mind up on them too quickly before saying they’ll do everything they can to help find him. Iris Maplewood (Shira Haas) watches a hologram of the Prime Minister talking about a United Britain.

Later, Iris learns that her neighbor, Lorna Dunnet, is at her door. Iris doesn’t want to talk to her. Lorna (Philippa Dunne) puts her cat inside, rushes in, and urges Iris to tell her about her bad day. Lorna notices blood on Iris who doesn’t say anything. Instead, Iris goes to her room to change. In a flashback, she remembers seeing Elias Mannix. When she returns to Lorna, she is asked whose blood it was. Iris tells her it is classified. Iris thinks she saved the guy’s life. Later, they watch a report about the 2023 bombing. Members of the Executive gathered in front of the London memorial with many of the survivors. Lorna asks Iris if she lost someone. Iris reveals her dad died in the blast and it took their mom eventually. The news report says the group was joined by the founder of The Executive and their commander in chief (Stephen Graham). Alfred Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) learns that the Chief Inspector is ready for him.

Chief Inspector Paxman (Nicholas Farrell) asks if there was a murder weapon discovered near the body. Alfred says no. Paxman questions whether Alfred feels he has exhausted all possible avenues of legitimate inquiry. Alfred looks at Ladbroke (Andrew Whipp) before saying he does. As they leave Paxman’s office, Ladbroke tells Alfred he did the right thing. At home, Polly Hillinghead (Synnove Karlsen) rushes from the piano to tell Alfred something. She explains that Reverend Spencer has asked her to play at the Harvest Festival. Charlotte Hillinghead (Amy Manson) says the success is already going to her head. In private, Charlotte asks Alfred if they’ve closed the case that quickly. Alfred confirms it. He remembers what Ladbroke told him about leaving it because no good will come of it.

Charles Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) surprises Cozens. He asks how a lowlife rapist managed to get his hand on top-notch cigars. Lee Cozens (Zachary Hart) tells him he has friends in high places. Charles explains that a body was found in the boot of a Wolseley after last night’s raid. He shoots Cozens and kills him. Then, it looks like he changes the knob in a vehicle outside. Later, he receives a call from a woman. Charles says he planted fingerprints in the Wolseley so the case should be closed by sunset tomorrow. He’d like to take her out for a drink so he can put a face to the voice. Ishmael (Nitin Ganatra) tells Shahara that he is heading to bed. He told Jawad to wake her up tomorrow instead of him. Shahara looks at photos and writes down the plate number for a campervan.

She calls Rick Williams (Anton Cross) to ask him to run some places for her. After Rick gets the plate number, he asks if she got the Elias video from Barber yet. Shahara says it just came in so she watches it after the call. In the video, Elias says he had this dream again last. He had to kill a little boy. Elias says he couldn’t see the little boy’s face and he was holding him in his lap. He shot him in the head. He wanted that to be it but it wasn’t. Elias just wanted to let the boy know that he was loved. At the office, Rick shows Shahara a video of the Morleys’ campervan coming out of the Blackwall Tunnel and stopping for petrol on July 6 six hours after Hasan found the body. A video of the front of the caravan shows Mannix in the vehicle. They lose the vehicle at the station. Shahara wants to bring them in because she doesn’t think Elaine Morley will last long under pressure.

When Barber tries to question Andrew, Morley pulls out a business card for his solicitor. Shahara tries to get Elaine to tell the truth. Elaine gives Shahara a business card as well. Inspector Anderson (Clare Perkins) greets Iris and the others at the police station. Anderson asks Eagan how they’re doing on the cybercrime gang. Eagen tells them that they’ve been targeting Millennials. Iris asks if there is any word on the murder attempt yesterday. Anderson says that is a matter for The Executive. Anderson pulls her to the side before Iris apologizes for overstepping again. Anderson instructs her not to ask questions about a case that is way above her pay grade. Locals are shown near the memorial for the victims of July 14, 2023. Iris visits Alby (Edwin Thomas). Once Iris goes inside, she says hello to Marina.

Marina makes Alby tell Iris that she is an aunt now. Iris asks if there is anything that isn’t hot. Alby suggests it is better than working for the man. Iris wants him to run some DNA and find out who it belongs to. As he tries to find out, Alby says red flags are rare these days so the guy must’ve been in something big. At home, Polly plays the piano for Alfred. Henry Ashe (George Parker) comes over to pick up some evidence for the Longharvest Murder. Henry explains that Charlotte invited him in while Alfred finishes his breakfast. Alfred says he has no business in their house since he is a journalist. When they’re alone, they begin arguing about Henry being there. Henry reveals that his studio has been ransacked by police. Since his photos were destroyed, Alfred has the only remaining copy of the murder suspect.

Henry wants it back. He urges Alfred to show some guts because the murderer wins without the photo. After Alfred says only ashes remain, Henry says they have nothing else to discuss. Rick does his best to get Andrew Morley to talk. Shahara tells Elaine she wondered why she’d want to adopt a kid like Elias. She goes on to tell her about Elias’s recurring nightmare. Elaine eventually blurts out for Shahara to stop. Then, she says the Crabapple Campsite. She asks Shahara to bring him in safe. In private, Barber tells Shahara to continue questioning Elaine while they pick up Elias. Iris tells Alby that they were born with this condition but they don’t have to live with it. Alby gets upset after Iris claims they can fix him.

Alby yells that he isn’t okay with giving up his freedom just so he can walk. Then, he learns that the DNA matches Gabriel Defoe (Tom Mothersdale). He tells Iris before asking her to get out. Alby says she is the loneliest person he has ever seen despite the propaganda on the billboards. Once Iris gets into her car, she learns that she has been summoned. Charles Whiteman hangs out with friends at a pub as they remember Farrell. Chief Inspector Calloway (Derek Riddell) is there as well. In private, Calloway tells Charles that Farrell thought he was lower than a snake’s belly. Farrell intended to follow Charles on the night of his death. Calloway says his prints on the gear stick leading to his suicide are too convenient for his liking. Charles argues that Farrell was just antiemetic. As for Cozens, the city is a safer place without him.

Calloway learns there is a kid at the station who is a witness. It has something to do with the body in the boot. Charles gets a call asking if the child can identify him. He says yes after looking at Esther. The newspaper alleges that the police covered up the murder. Alfred gets a copy. Henry gets his message and meets with him moments later. Alfred asks if he wants to roast the police and further his agenda or whether he wants justice for the Longharvest murder. Henry believes there are witnesses who will trust him more than the police. Alfred suggests investigating the murder together discreetly. Henry can publish their progress in the newspaper to try to force the police to reopen the case. Alfred shows him that he has the photo of the suspect. The man has a cane so that might imply a limp.

Iris is taken to Commander Mannix who says the man survived thanks to her. He asks why she joined them at KYAL. Iris says she believes in his word before admitting that she wanted to walk. Mannix asks why she disobeyed orders and started investigating on her own. Iris wanted to know who he is. Mannix explains that the man is Garbiel Defore who is the professor of Quantum Gravity Theory at Greenwich Park University. Mannix believed he was involved in a new terror network known as Chapel Perilous. They want him dead so he needs someone he can trust. Iris admits she’d be honored. Mannix gives her a gun and tells her to act accordingly if she finds herself in danger. Barber and Rick reach the campsite while Elaine learns where they are.

Elaine tells Shahara that it is her time with Elias now. She wants him to know that he is loved. When Shahara asks why she’d say that, Elaine begins laughing. She admits she even started to doubt what they were doing. The manager confronts Barber and Rick. Elaine was worried she was going mad until Shahara walked into their house like they said she would. She wants to thank her for what she is about to do for Elias and her deepest condolences for Jawad’s sacrifice. When Elaine realizes it hasn’t happened yet, she worries she has said too much. It looks like she bites her tongue off and spits it onto the table. Barber calls Shahara to tell her Elias wasn’t there, the manager hasn’t seen him, and Elaine hired the pitch. She believes Andrew knew they would work it out. She urges him to get Rick out of there.

Shahara calls Rick to tell him to get out of the campervan. Rick messes with the record player and gets blown up. Iris goes to Greenwich Park University so she can speak to the head of faculty. She tells Professor Hamish McCabe (Richard Tate) about Defoe being shot. Defore arrives and he is fine despite having some stitches. Iris pulls a gun on him and tells him to put his hands up. She says she is going to bring him in for his own murder.

 

Bodies Review

The second episode of Bodies doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence that the series is going to be a worthwhile investment over eight episodes. Bodies is bloated in every sense of the word with a bloated cast, bloated episode length, and boated episode count. The series is really a mess with so much jumping back and forth and characters being added constantly. It doesn’t help matters that none of those characters are remotely likable. Who are we supposed to be cheering for here?

Some of the performances are less than excellent and that adds to the overall cheesiness of the series which is amplified by the superhero move-like sound effects. Truthfully, it is hard to care about anything Bodies has to offer through two episodes. The only satisfaction came when the credits finally started rolling down the screen and I felt a sense of relief that the suffering was over. Despite trying to be something different, Bodies is filled with clichés to the point that you can see what is coming next.

It would be impossible to recommend this with a straight face unless it somehow rights the ship in the next few episodes, but that is unlikely considering it has gone further downhill after just two. There is no way to justify spending seven hours with this lifeless body. The episode scores a 4 out of 10. Recaps of Bodies are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here. Discuss Bodies and other shows at the Reel Mockery Forum.