As the episode opens, Maya Stern (Michelle Keegan) questions why Joe Burkett (Richard Armitage) would kill his brother, Andrew Burkett (Edward Harper Jones). Christopher Swain (Anthony Howell) says when Theo Mora started at Franklin Biddle Academy, he was a superb football player and a threat to Joe. She recalls Joe hating people who were better than him. In a flashback on Founder’s Cay, Christopher, Ian, Andrew, William, and young Joe Burkett (Samuel Glude Rees) took Theo to the old ruins. While the boys chant Theo’s name, Joe restrains him to a chair with a rope and sticks a funnel in his mouth. The boys pour vodka into the funnel forcing Theo to drink it until he began to have a seizure. The boys vow to keep what happened a secret. Back to the present, Christopher claims Andrew complained of having trouble eating and sleeping.

In a flashback aboard the Burkett yacht, young Andrew, Joe, Ian, Christopher, and William were drinking. Andrew says they need to confess. Joe assures him that everything will be all right. Andrew is on the deck alone when Andrew shoves him into the water. Back to the present, Christopher says with Joe dead, he feels safe enough to tell her.

Hideout in the woods, Sami Kierce (Adeel Akhtar) calls for Corey Rudzinski (Laurie Kynaston). He kicks in the door and begins to look around. Corey hits him on the head and flees through the woods. He trips on a downed tree allowing Kierce to apprehend him and read his Miranda rights.

Shane Tessier (Emmett J Scanlan) calls Maya to tell her that Kierce knows he tested one of the bullets that killed Claire Walker. He questions how the same gun was utilized to kill both Claire and Joe. She urges him to trust her. He demands to know everything. Later, Maya confesses to turning off radio communication to command. She says the command never gave them the go-ahead because they believed the vehicle was transporting a civilian. The soldiers plead with Maya to do something. Accepting the risks, she fired on the vehicle. She tells Shane about the flashbacks that plague her sleep.

Kierce and Marty McGreggor (Dino Fetscher) question Corey about Tommy Dark’s murder. Kierce claims Maya said he told her where Tommy’s storage unit was located. Corey asks why he is being accused of killing Tommy when his blood was found in Maya’s car. He assures them that nothing is posted on his website that isn’t backed up by facts. He tells them that the Burkett family had been bribing Tommy who was their former yacht captain. He admits to telling Maya that Burkett’s Lambur Pharma has been fixing their medical trials and making children sick worldwide.

Maya receives an alert that Luka Godek’s (Frederick Szkoda) car is on the move. Shane watches her pull out of the driveway. Elsewhere, Kierce escorts Corey to a jail cell. Corey warns that the Burketts will kill him if they find out he knows about their medical trial fixing racket. He calls their minimal side effect claim “bull**it”. He claims they are silencing patients who exhibited severe reactions. He says Claire was killed while investigating Lambur Pharma. Kierce recalls taking Lambur Pharma medicine before collapsing and crashing his vehicle. Corey says the side effects include suicidal ideation and hallucinations. Kierce rushes back to his desk to retrieve his Abixapine. He believes Nichole Butler (Jade Anouka) is in the room with him. He tells her  that his symptoms are actually side effects of a medicine. She assures him that he is not responsible for her murder and promises to always be with him mentally. She confesses to loving him before walking away. He realizes that she really isn’t there. Marty watches him from a short distance away.

At a rest area, Maya rips up her SIM card, removes her makeup, puts on a wig and cap, and installs a new SIM card in a burner phone. Later, she meets Eddie Walker (Marcus Garvey) in front of the school. They add Eddie to Lily Burkett’s (Thea Taylor Morgan) authorized pick-up list. Maya watches Lily draw and interact with a male student. She checks Luka’s location on Eddie’s phone before leaving.

Busy Burrito – Marty and Kierce are met by the manager (Jackie Knowles) who asks why they wanted PJ Dawson (Lawrence Hodgson Mullings) detained. PJ runs through the service corridors with Marty in tow. Kierce feels faint descending the stairs. Marty is trailing PJ but eventually loses him. Kierce finds him on the rooftop. PJ admits to having been in the park with Ramsbottom “Rambo” (Connor Porter) who told him that they had to go because a man was dead. He says they were speeding when he crashed his motorcycle and he called Coach Phil Dawson (Craige Els) for help. He denies murdering Joe. He tells Kierce that Rambo lives on the Marinduque estate. Standing on the roofline, Kierce gets faint. PJ climbs up to help him but loses his footing and falls off the roof. Later, medics put PJ in an ambulance. Marty regrets not reporting Kierce because he is not fit to work. Kierce agrees. Marty says if the awning did not break PJ’s fall, he would be dead.

Winherst Central Police Station – Pam Proctor (Charlotte Melia) suspends Kierce. Marty asks if he told Proctor about his condition. Kierce tells him about Corey’s research into Lambur Pharma. Marty questions if his condition would improve if he stopped the medicine. Kierce says it may be too late. Later, Kierce is outside Rambo’s apartment building. He follows Rambo and his girlfriend (Clara Ford) into a restaurant. Elsewhere, Maya holds Luka and Izabella Godek (Natalia Kostrzewa) at gunpoint forcing them out of their vehicle. Looking through their bag, she finds Joe’s green shirt. Luka is sure she will not shoot them. Maya hits him with her gun before threatening to shoot Izabella in the knee if she doesn’t talk. Izabella admits to deep-faking the nanny cam video utilizing her and Joe’s wedding video. Luka claims Judith Burkett (Joanna Lumley) gave them money because she believes Maya is keeping information from her about Joe’s death. Maya locks them in the truck when Shane approaches claiming Eddie contacted him.

Kierce apprehends Rambo in the bathroom and forces him to talk. Maya tells Shane that Judith bribed Luka and Izabella to set her up. Shane asks how the same gun utilized to kill Claire was also utilized in Joe’s murder. She claims to have killed Joe when the episode ends.

 

Fool Me Once Review

The episode is filled with predictable, cringeworthy, and unrealistic scenes. One example is the scene in which Kierce apprehends Corey in the woods. Kierce gets clunked on the head, he drops his flashback, and the hideout is dark but he manages to apprehend Corey. Another ridiculous scene is the chase at Busy Burrito. Marty is closely trailing PJ while Kierce is struggling to make it up one flight of steps. Marty loses PJ and Kierce traps him on the rooftop. Kierce feels lightheaded while standing on the roof ridge. Instead of sitting down, he wobbles and nearly falls. PJ tries to help him and falls off the roof. Maya’s disguise flop, don’t even get me started!

Who comes up with this stuff?

Six episodes of virtually nothing happening. A slow-progressing investigation with minimal revelations. The seventh episode feels rushed and sloppy. It is like playing catch-up. Maya’s confession doesn’t seem right. Probably a nothing-burger ploy to entice viewers to tune in for the finale.

The episode deserves a 4 out of 10. Get more Fool Me Once recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Ask about our onsite advertising by speaking to our staff here. Join our newly established forum to discuss new movie and TV show releases, scams, sports, and more.