The episode opens with John Rebus (Richard Rankin) smoking a cigarette on the fringes of a crash site. As he makes his way towards the excitement, he sees first responders trying to pull a blooded Chief Inspector George Blantyre (Sean Buchannan) from a crumpled vehicle. He eventually makes his way to the back of an ambulance where Ger Cafferty (Stuart Bowman) is sitting with a head wound. Inside, Cafferty immediately apologizes for the accident and claims to not have known that Rebus was in the vehicle. This only leads to Rebus striking him several times. Once Cafferty unconsciously falls to the ground, Rebus mounts him and attempts to smother him. He soon realizes that Gill Templer (Caroline Lee Johnson) has seen the entire thing go down. After she walks away without saying anything, the timeline skips ahead a year.
After a quick cordial word with Rhona (Amy Manson) and Lockie Moncrieffe (Nick Rhys), Rebus picks up his daughter, Sammy Rebus (Mia McKenzie), for a day out. After learning all about Sammy’s new school, he tells her that he has something different planned for the day. This is soon revealed as a reunion with his brother’s family which appears to be in a questionable part of town. Chrissie Rebus (Neshla Caplan) greets them with open arms and spends several seconds doting on how much Sammy looks like her mother. Once Rebus comments on the size of his nephews, Michael Rebus Junior (Aiden Connell) and Liam Rebus (Cailean Galloway), Sammy is whisked away to the kitchen for juice and more catching up. As soon as Michael Rebus (Brian Ferguson) shows up, it becomes non-stop teasing about Rebus letting another man raise Sammy. Michael eventually gets off on a tangent about the drug dealing in the neighborhood but ultimately comes back to the teasing. This ends badly for him when Rebus knocks him on his butt, smashing the living room table in the process. Sammy does respond well after witnessing the attack.
Sometime much later, Rebus is summoned to a crime scene by Gill. After learning about an inmate, Jimmy McJagger (Gilly Gilchrist), attacked while on weekend furlough by two supposed joggers, he learns that he’s being assigned lead on the case. Shortly after this, he also learns that he’s being assigned a partner, fresh out of detective school, Siobhan Clarke (Lucie Shorthouse). Siobhan introduces herself by telling him and Gill of witnesses claiming to have seen a vigilante intervene in the attack.
When Michael refuses to report the attack, Chrissie accuses him of not doing so because he is afraid of Rebus. Once Michael claims he isn’t afraid of anyone, she sarcastically jokes about him being afraid of the bailiffs because they have another bill they can’t afford. This only upsets him and her further mentioning of a food bank leads to his storming off.
Rebus and Siobhan return to the police station to review the security footage from the crime scene. It doesn’t take them long to confirm the witnesses’ story about the vigilante. Rebus also notes that the man fights as if he’s been professionally trained. Before deciding to question McJagger at the hospital, Rebus receives several texts from an unidentified caller, asking where he’s been. He doesn’t respond. On their way out, they run into a Professional Standards agent, Malcolm Fox (Thoren Ferguson), who offers Rebus nothing more than a mild acknowledgment.
While delivering packages, Michael’s day goes from bad to worse when he learns that his quota is being unrealistically increased. He claims there’s nowhere to hit the target without making deliveries tomorrow which is supposed to be his day off. His boss responds by harshly telling him that he’ll just have to work tomorrow. Michael and Siobhan’s visit to the hospital doesn’t go any better, as McJagger’s response to their every question is, ‘no comment.’
After their failure at the hospital, Michael and Siobhan get better acquainted over a cup of coffee. She learns that he spent time in Afghanistan while she has a degree in anthropology. Their already brief encounter ends when cut even shorter when Rebus claims he has somewhere to be and leaves.
Siobhan is later shown visiting with Malcolm while Rebus pays Maggie (Michelle Duncan) and George Blantyre a visit. George is revealed to now be in a wheelchair and a heavy drinker. Rebus surprises him by refusing his offer and quickly makes Siobhan the topic of their discussion. Rebus becomes even more awkwardly guarded when George begins teasing him about his divorce while also encouraging him to sleep with Siobhan. Rebus eventually gets around to the reason for the visit when he shows George the earlier text, claiming that it came from Cafferty. George’s response is how he knows it from Cafferty. Rebus says it came directly after learning about McJagger’s stabbing. The conversation continues with Rebus practically demanding to know why Cafferty tried to kill him the night of the car wreck. Although George doesn’t give him a direct answer, he breaks down in tears, claiming that he’s ruined everyone’s life, especially Maggie. Rebus appears to be stunned when George reveals his suspicions of Maggie sleeping around.
Once Siobhan apologizes to Malcolm for snubbing him earlier at the station, it’s revealed that they are a couple. He encourages her to keep their relationship quiet and then asks what Rebus said about him. She tells him that Rebus claimed Malcolm ruined people’s lives. This eventually leads to him sharing his investigation and suspicions of Rebus and George’s involvement with Cafferty. Despite all the rumors and car wreck, Malcolm could never prove anything.
Much later that evening, Rebus is revealed to be Maggie’s secret beau when she shows up at his apartment. After sleeping together, he tells her about George’s suspicions. Although he later claims that he can’t continue with the affair if George knows, he encourages her not to rush off. Once she’s gone, Rebus receives more texts which he ignores.
The next day, Michael tells Chrissie about the change in his schedule while Rebus attempts to mend fences with Sammy showing up early to walk her to school. Sammy’s mood appears to be lightening but when he jokes about fighting with siblings, she accidentally reveals that Rhona is pregnant.
Michael is right in the middle of finishing his deliveries when he receives another call from his boss with complaints about him being late. This eventually leads to him being fired. With what Rebus just learned about Rhona, his day doesn’t appear to be going much better. He soon finds himself in a bar, staring at a beer and a shot. After leaving Rhona a congratulatory voice message, he toys with the whiskey and beer but never drinks them. His attention is soon drawn to his phone when he receives a call from Cafferty that he answers this time.
Michal is at home cleaning when a disturbance outside draws his attention to the apartment of the suspected drug dealer. It’s not long after this that he finds himself robbing Jack (Seamus McLean Ross) and Kai (Craig McLean). One of them makes sure that he knows he’s robbing someone named Darryl Christie, although the discovery doesn’t appear to bother Michael or slow his efforts.
At nearly the same time, Rebus meets with Cafferty across town. There is some slight joking about but it doesn’t take Cafferty long to get right down to business. He claims to know who attacked McJagger, Darryl Christie. After Rebus discounts the evidence as trivial, Cafferty not only reminds him that he once tried to kill him but that he knows about his affair with Maggie. The episode ends with Cafferty practically demanding that he take care of Christie.
Rebus Review
I’m not a huge fan of critiquing a season premier because I feel one episode isn’t enough to make a fair assessment. I must also admit that I wasn’t aware this was a remake until I was well into the series, so I know nothing of the past series, movie, book, or whatever it was. To be honest, the show was slogging along until the last little bit. The reveal of Rebus sleeping with Maggie, the brother’s tie-in with Christie, and Rhona’s pregnancy probably saved the series for me. I’d give the episode a 5 out of 10.
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