Ellis Series 1 Episode 1 Recap

Hanmore – As this episode of Ellis begins, we see the Peak District National Park. A man finds a vehicle partially submerged in water and a body inside. One day earlier, Rowan Edwards (Daire Scully) swims in a competition. After the competition, Maggie Bradley (Freya Hannah-Mills) and others hang out and drink. Aaron Kelly (Conor Sanchez) tells Carrie Booth (Tallulah Evans) to get Maggie down from the bench before she hurts herself. Maggie ends up falling and hurting herself. The victims were last seen on Sunday at 2:30. Rowan is deceased and Maggie is missing. DS Chet Harper (Andrew Gower) meets DCI Ellis (Sharon D. Clarke) at the police station. Ellis refuses to shake his hand. They go to the incident room. Chet says they’ve brought in the stepfather, Stephen Mason (Michael Wildman). Mason is questioned by DCI Jim Belmont (Chris Reilly) and DC Kate Trent (Charlotte McCurry).

He is asked whether he was arguing with Linda after Maggie and Rowan left. Stephen denies storming out of the house and says he stays in a caravan at the East Moor Caravan Park. DCI Belmont claims he never went there since they checked the footage. He suggests Stephen was jealous of Rowan. Ellis yells for the key before she storms into the interview room just as Mason goes after Belmont. After Mason leaves, Belmont says they have things in hand. Ellis is going to take his office. Belmont and Ellis argue in his office. Belmont tells Chet to keep an eye on Ellis. In the car, Ellis says Rowan was struck from behind. There were fragments of rust in the wounds. There is nothing pointing to anyone. Ellis doesn’t think Mason has anything to do with it. They go to the crime scene where the car is still surprisingly submerged in water, but Chet says there is no damage to the car.

There are only tracks from the Audi and two partial footprints likely caused by willies. The mud in the footprints doesn’t match the soil around there. Chet says it’s on Rowan’s jeans too. Ellis says there are no prints or DNA below the waterline. Someone likely pushed the car into the water. They talk about the party after Rowan broke the record. Their phones pinged outside Hanmore before going dead. Ellis and Chet go through the timeline. Once the car got stuck, the killer likely walked the road. Ellis doesn’t think Maggie was in the car. They discuss whether Maggie was killed, but Ellis insists she’s not dead. She wants to speak to the victim’s parents. Once they arrive, Chet gets a message from Belmont asking what she’s up to. Once Belmont is shown images found on Belmont’s phone, he asks Kate to get Harper back there. Chet and Ellis speak to Eric Mercer (Tom McKay) who is Rowan’s uncle. Michael Edwards (Wayne Foskett) believes he knows who was responsible.

He says Mason is the sort to beat a kid to death. Ellis tells Louise Edwards (Catherine Walker) that she wants to know about Rowan. Michael gets upset, smashes a glass, and says Rowan was just a kid until that man killed him. In private, Louise claims men don’t cope as well as women do. Ellis is shown a picture of Rowan’s friends including Rowan’s cousin Amy. Louise says her brother took care of Rowan and everyone while she was in office. Maggie isn’t in the photo because she wasn’t a swimmer and wasn’t at Meredale. Louise asks why Stephen Mason killed Rowan. Ellis points out that she never said he did. Outside, Chet tells Ellis about Eric who is called Peter Pan and the green man. He was the keeper of the gates when Louise was an MP. At the station, Ellis learns what was just pulled from Mason’s phone. He is interviewed by Ellis and Belmont. Mason claims Linda took the photos after seeing some program about teenage models. He says Linda used his phone because it’s got a better camera.

Ellis blames Mason for being stuck in this room instead of searching the hills for Maggie. She questions why he’s lying about spending the night at a caravan park. Mason is adamant he was at the caravan. Ellis asks Kate Trent to get a list of crimes in and around Hanmore on the night of the incident. Next, Chet and Ellis find Linda Bradley (Kaye Wragg) handing out missing flyers for Maggie. Ellis points out Charles “Carlos” Braine (Brian Markey) who is not on their radar according to Chet. Ellis wants him on their radar. She speaks to Linda about Stephen Mason who is helping out at the station. Linda learns that the Watsons are not coming out tomorrow. She blames Ellis and the police for making half the volunteers leave. Ellis thinks they should go inside for tea. Linda confirms she took the photos of Maggie using Mason’s phone. She talks about throwing Mason out if she thought he was harming her kid. Linda says their argument wasn’t about Rowan.

She didn’t think Rowan would hurt Maggie, but Mason thinks the worst. Linda insists Mason wouldn’t risk losing them because they’re all he has. Chet tells Ellis that a farmer called about a trespasser in Cranbriar on the night in question. A taxi was broken into on Church Street. Chet tries to get Ellis to talk about her daughter. Ellis wants Chet to tell her about Carlos tomorrow. Once Ellis walks away, she sends a message to Grace saying she’s thinking about her. She receives a call from ACC Alison Leighton (Allison Harding) who wants to check on her. Alison tells her that the case requires delicate handling because of the media interest. Ellis notices a girl speaking to Carlos from her window. She tells Leighton that she believes Maggie is alive. Ellis still hasn’t received a response from Grace. She gets CCTV footage of the vehicle break-in. Chet calls to ask if she wants to grab a drink. Ellis says she’s working before hanging up on him.

She sees Rain on the CCTV video. Next, Rain and Linda are questioned. Rain says she goes out when the streets are quiet. She’s asked what is in the shopping back. Rain insists there was nothing out of the ordinary. Chet ends up taking her phone so they can track her location. In the car, Chet tells Ellis about Carlos who is a dealer. Chet calls to say he’d like to bring in a person of interest. Chet and Ellis speak to Peter Kelly (Barry O’Connor) at the swimming club. He talks highly of Rowan who was the captain. Peter yells at Aaron to sort out the arm recovery. He insists it’s a question of grit. Aaron eyeballs Peter as he walks by. Peter last saw Rowan at the meet. When Ellis mentions the celebration, Peter says he’s dealing with Aaron. Ellis speaks to Rowan’s friends. Carrie insists that night was a blur. Maggie was out of it more than anyone else though. Carrie insists they’re gutted for Maggie, but Rowan is the one who is dead. Aaron says Rowan wasn’t any of theirs.

After Maggie left, Amy dropped Carrie off at home because she doesn’t drink. Aaron says he made everyone leave and was out by 3:30. He walked alone and never saw them again. At the police station, Trent, Ellis, and Chet watch videos from the kids’ phones. They find out that Amy was with Rowan and Maggie but returned. Ellis says that was 20 minutes Amy didn’t mention in her statement. Next, Amy claims she was helping Rowan put Maggie in the back seat. Amy says Carrie acted like she wasn’t bothered, but she still liked Rowan. Aaron and Maggie had a row. Amy went back to the party because she promised Carrie a ride home. Eric claims he heard Amy come in around 3:30. Chet asks if Rowan said anything. Amy says she was only with him for a few minutes. After the interview, Ellis asks Trent to pull up a complete timeline of Rowan’s week before he was killed.

Ellis and Harper discover Carrie and Carlos in a verbal argument. Carrie pleads with him not to say anything. Edward rushes over to break them up and asks Carlos to come to the police station. Seeing Carlos take off running, Ellis throws her car into reverse and blocks him. She emerges from the car and opens the back door. He gets inside without speaking. Harper points at Carrie entering Meredale School. Harper points at Carrie entering Meredale. Ellis assures him that they know where Carrie is at.  At the police station, Carlos says Maggie and Rowan were regulars at the pub where he works. He agrees to a search of his home. Ellis envisions him swinging something before ending the interrogation.

93 Hours After Maggie’s Disappearance, Kate tells Ellis that Carlos’ alibi has been confirmed. His girlfriend was home when he arrived in a taxi. Belmont confronts Ellis about telling Louise and Michael that Mason shouldn’t be in custody. A high peat content was found in the soil sample. It is believed to have come from Lower Moor which is 100 square miles. He insists the police department doesn’t have the manpower for such a search and recommends rounding up volunteers. She attributes the people no longer cooperating with the police to his arrest of Stephen in front of the search party. She insists there is no evidence to keep him in custody. Ellis watches video footage of the party and researches how to get out of a vehicle submerged in water. There is a 30-second survival time. She contacts Brian to ask him to look over the pathology report because it doesn’t seem right. Harper shows Ellis Rain Bradley’s route on a map. Upon arrival at St Alma Church, Ellis and Harper discover a makeshift bed.

A frantic Maggie can be seen running barefoot toward windmills and across the road when a vehicle mows her down. A man emerges from the vehicle to find her unconscious on the ground. Later, a forensic team is at the church. Kate informs them that Maggie has been found. At the hospital, a distraught Linda is at Maggie’s bedside. Maggie’s wrists are bruised. Ellis tells Maggie that she disappeared five days ago. Maggie claims Rowan took her home. Linda says he didn’t take her home and asks where he took her. The EKG machine beeps and Maggie goes quiet. In the lobby, Rain comforts Linda. Ellis tells Kate that Maggie has no idea that Rowan is dead. Kate says drugs were found in Maggie’s system. At the accident scene, Ellis tells Harper that Rowan and Amy communicated via text messages on the week of Maggie’s disappearance and his death. Rowan’s bank records show a 43-pound transaction at Felmark Service Station last Wednesday. A call from Belmont pops up on Harper’s phone. She suggests Belmont is looking for dirt. He says there is nothing to tell him. At the police station, Amy claims Carrie put Special K (ketamine) in Maggie’s drink at the pool party. Eric tells Ellis and Harper that Carrie confessed to Amy three days later. Amy assures them that if Rowan found out what Carrie had done, he would have been furious. Later, Ellis confronts Carrie about Amy’s claim. Carrie denies the allegation and suggests it was Amy who said it. She tells Ellis that Amy feared Maggie would come between her and Rowan. Carrie admits to spiking Maggie’s drink on a whim. Ellis accuses her of buying drugs from Carlos. Carrie says Carlos’ drugs are stored in The Stonedale Inn’s cellar. Elsewhere, Harper questions Aaron about Carrie spiking Maggie’s drink. Aaron denies any knowledge of it. Rowan was his best friend but Amy was Rowan’s. He admits to not liking Maggie. Kelly intervenes and demands Aaron have a solicitor in future interrogations.

Belmont insists Carrie be charged. Ellis argues that Carrie doesn’t have a car and never killed Rowan. Harper informs them that Carlos’ girlfriend said he never came home last night. Belmont orders them to bring Rain in. Ellis points out that there is nothing linking Maggie to St Alma’s. Maggie’s DNA was found on Rowan’s hoodie hidden behind a radiator at St Alma’s. Later, Ellis asks Rain who they met at St Alma’s. Rain suggests Aaron killed Rowan. Aaron is later brought into the police station for questioning. He confesses to being sexually involved with Rain for the past few months. He complains about how Peter liked Rowan better than him and if he found out about his and Rain’s relationship, it would make matters worse. Ellis asks him about Rowan’s hoodie found at St Alma’s. He claims to have found it at the school before the search. Harper says Maggie was wearing it when she disappeared. Aaron admits to taking Maggie to St Alma’s. He wanted to keep Rowan’s hoodie for himself. He says Rain is the only person he can tell everything. Belmont informs them that the mud on Mason’s trainers matches that of Rowan’s. Harper says Mason was there when Rowan died and his stepdaughter, Maggie was taken hostage and drugged. She points out that the mud could have come from anywhere along the Lower Moor and nitrate fertilizer and diesel were also found on his clothes. She recalls a report of a trespasser at a farm. Mason tells them that Linda would kick him out if she knew he was back to his old ways.

Rowan’s car was caught on an ANPR camera on February 14, in the northwest. A female can be seen in the passenger’s seat. Belmont tells Harper that Ellis dropped her last case and disappeared, leaving her team in a fix. At the hospital, Maggie recalls Rowan saying he had something to take care of. He never answered his texts and refused to talk about it. She questions why Rowan hasn’t visited her. Linda informs her of Rowan’s death. During a phone conversation, Harper is about to warn Ellis of Belmont looking into her past when the line goes dead. Ellis’ phone charging cable is damaged. The next morning, Harper tells Ellis that Rowan’s 43-pound transaction was at the Clifftop inside the petrol station. Rowan purchased parking on Parr Street. Kate shows her a photo of the Women’s Health Centre. At the hospital, Ellis asks Maggie if she was in the car with Rowan. Maggie denies having sex with Rowan.

Ellis speaks to Amy who says her dad is not here. Ellis says she knows Amy and Rowan went to the coast. She admits it’s not easy choosing not to have a baby. Ellis asks her how long it was. Amy says it was just before her mom died. When Ellis walks out, Amy follows her. She yells for her not to go inside. Ellis finds a makeshift bed and Carlos passed out on the floor. Amy shuts the door on her. Chet is told there was a possible sighting of Carlos’ car heading towards Winnet’s Pass. Chet is going to sleep. Ellis tries to call Chet only to find out that her phone has 2% battery left. She searches through Carlos’ pockets. Her phone dies before she can message Chet. Amy speaks for her dad, Eric Mercer, not to do it again. Eric approaches Ellis who says she knows how close Amy and Rowan were. Eric admits he told Amy she wasn’t allowed to see Rowan again.

Rowan drove up there to attack him. Eric claims Amy protected him when it came down to it. He explains that Amy picked up a spade and hit him three times. Maggie had slept through it all. Eric put her in the barn and drove Rowan to the lake to protect Amy. He admits he got Carlos high on his own supply. Ellis believes Eric killed Rowan. She says Rowan knew what Eric had been doing to Amy for years. She also says Eric got Amy pregnant. Ellis claims Rowan held on for three more hours until Eric pushed his car into the lake. She tells Eric he’ll be inside for a long time. Chet receives a message from Ellis’ phone saying “Mercer”. Ellis and Eric begin fighting. She manages to escape just before running into Chet outside. Belmont takes the credit for the arrest. ACC Leighton tells Ellis the top brass know who to thank. They might call on her again for emergency-emergency services. Ellis doesn’t like the way she was brought in. Chet enters and says he’s found himself in the market for a new job.

 

Ellis Review

The first episode of Ellis was pretty typical with the same clichés thrown into every British detective drama. Ellis is brought in to investigate and she immediately faces resistance while also being reluctant to fit in. The hour and a half episode spins many webs that ultimately go nowhere when all is said and done.

Many of these webs could’ve been cut off to deliver a more concise, enjoyable episode. For instance, the whole thing with Stephen Mason went absolutely nowhere in the long run. A good 30 minutes or so were dedicated to Mason and his interviews, but none of that mattered in the least. That side of the story was dropped and went nowhere. His love for Linda must’ve kept him out of jail.

Anyone who has watched any British television in the last five years will have known that Mason couldn’t be the killer because of very obvious reasons. There’s no point in building up these things if they’re going to go nowhere. It also doesn’t help that none of the characters are that likable, especially DCI Ellis who made lots of things worse for herself.

The show also tried to be sophisticated and logical, but it had lots of stupid things throughout. For starters, Ellis was built up as the savior character. She just knew that Mason was going to attack Belmont so she screamed at Chet for the key and intervened at the perfect time. She also managed to stop Carlos by just backing up the vehicle while Chet looked like an idiot nearby.

If Carlos was a big-time drug dealer as the show portrays, Carlos wouldn’t have let that stop him. He could’ve been gone in seconds. The detectives left the car submerged in the water forever, yet Chet somehow knew the vehicle wasn’t damaged. How could that be the case? It also said that Rowan’s pants had the same mud on them. Again, his pants would’ve been mostly submerged so it’s questionable whether mud would still cling to his pants.

The trusty ANPR footage solves the case in the last 20 minutes of the episode as usual. Belmont said something about Ellis going AWOL in her last case. That’s the last piece of the cliché puzzle because the lead detective just has to have a dark backstory. And of course, her phone charging cord is damaged so a dead battery leaves her in turmoil. Thankfully, our powerhouse detective can easily outsmart and outpower any male opponent.

At an hour and a half, Ellis is a big ask for viewers who could easily watch a much better movie in the same amount of time. Does it really do enough to justify sitting through an entire episode? Probably not, but it might be decent background noise since half of the scenes will amount to nothing anyway. The episode scores a 4 out of 10.

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