The show begins with Kate Lawson (Kate Mulvany) having a flashback of Claire Spears (Coco Jack Gilles) and her friend, Amita James (Aretha-Mae Collins) making a dance video in her studio. During breaks, they have shots of alcohol. Kate enters the room to work on her photography. While Amita goes for a cellphone charger, Claire joins Kate in front of a wall filled with Kate’s photos.

Georgina Merrick (Brook Satchwell) is sleeping in the bathtub when Jamie Merrick (Hamish Michael) unlocks the door. After they apologize to each other, he initiates sex. She tells him the children need help getting ready for school. He asks what’s her plan for picking up the children from school. When she explains her arrangement, he suggests Gabby (Rhondda Findleton) is interested in her sexually. She assures him it isn’t true before asking him to do the afterschool pick-up.

Flip Menelaus (Ben Mingay) grabs a beer and a bottle of pills immediately upon entering his office. Alexi Menelaus (Damien Strouthos) warns him of what will happen if the officials find out their company is paying cash to an illegal worker, Luiz Alves (Will Santana). Flip assures him it will never happen. Alexi demands he stop hiring illegals. Flip reminds him of their father showing them how it works. Alexi orders him to do whatever he needs to make the Luiz go away.

Allen asks Garry Thorne (Brendan Cowell) if he’s been avoiding him. Garry informs him of his being chosen for jury duty. Allen says he knows an investor who is willing to pay 7K for inside information regarding the way the jurors are leaning. Garry asks if he can have some time to contemplate it. After agreeing to wait, Allen warns him not to push it.

Lucy Bloom QC (Marta Dusseldorp), Jenny Raison (Amy Kersey), and Detective Sam Chedid (Louisa Mignone) discuss the trial. Sam asks what way Judge Muir (James Lugton) is leaning. Bloom tells her it is still early in the trial. Jenny suggests he isn’t overly impressed by Kate. They look out the window to see Steve Dokic (Shane Connor) staring back at them. Bloom says Kate appeared to be flustered while looking at Dokic during Brett Colby’s opening statement. Jenny questions why Dokic is a juror. Bloom recommends getting rid of him or risking a disruption.

Sam is on the witness stand. Bloom asks her how the police discovered Claire was missing. Sam says the police received notification on September 16, 2019, from Diane Spears (Jenni Baird) that her 14-year-old daughter was last seen at Kate’s home. Bloom asks how the police responded to the missing person’s report. Sam tells jurors that Detective Shane Chapman and several officers were dispatched to Castlecrag to investigate the report. Bloom asks if the police responded to all missing person’s cases in the same manner. Sam describes Claire as “young” and potentially “vulnerable.” Bloom asks her to define the word “vulnerable” in Claire’s case. Sam explains how Claire was missing for two days before being reported missing.

In a flashback, a detective sends a group of officers to scale the neighborhood. Kate tells Constable Hakim (Chanika Desilva) that she arrived home Friday night at 10pm to find Claire’s door closed. Detective Chapman (Elliot Weston) asks if Claire’s bed appeared to have been slept in. Kate assures him that Claire wouldn’t leave while it was still dark outside. He asks if there would be a reason Claire would leave. Kate walks outside to find Diane serving refreshments. Chapman questions Diane about Claire’s cellphone being charged. When Diane admits she isn’t sure, Kate provides a timeline of the calls she made to Claire’s cellphone. Chapman points out that she made a lot of calls while believing Claire was still in her room. A cop (Mark Duncan) informs Chapman a neighboring home is equipped with a CCTV camera.

Back to the courtroom – CCTV footage from a neighboring home played for jurors. Sam says Claire and Kate emerged from the home at 9:03pm and got into Kate’s vehicle. The vehicle leaves and returns 50 minutes later with Kate, not Claire. Bloom asks if there was any further activity noted on the CCTV footage. Colby asks the prosecution to provide further details. Sam explains how the camera only shows the front of Kate’s home. Sam adds Claire’s bank account shows no activity for two days.

The prosecution plays Claire’s cellphone video in which she strangles herself. Jenny passes Bloom a message that reads, “Plan is playing off” with a smiley face.

In a flashback, Sam and Brett Colby (Sam Neill) and Chapman search Kate’s home. Diane demands they search for Claire, not search Kate’s home. Kate assures Diane that she is all right before being escorted out of the home.

Back to the present – Lily Powell (Bishanyia Vincent) tells the other jurors that she hopes they are required to watch Claire’s video again. The jurors discuss Kate’s guilt and how the trial is going. Farrad Jassim (Hazem Shammas) offers to share his homemade food with the jurors.

Vanessa Young (Catherine Van-Davies) checks on Georgina in the restroom.

Colby and Ezekiel Aku (Mandela Mathia) are having a discussion as Kate returns to her seat. Colby motions for Diane to not enters the courtroom. She turns and walks away.

The Court Sheriff (Lee Robinson) calls the jurors into the courtroom. Peter Brodsky (Daniel Mitchel) and Margaret Brown (Gennie Nevinson) grab some of Farrard’s food before returning to the courtroom.

The jury watches a video recorded during the police search of Kate’s home. Photos of Claire in various poses pop up on the screen. Sam explains the photos were found on Kate’s laptop. Red acrylic paint stains are found on Claire’s school uniform. Police discover negatives of ropes wrapped around someone’s wrists. Claire’s blood is discovered on a boxcutter. Colby informs the court that a forensics analyst is scheduled to testify next week.

The jury watches Kate’s reaction to Claire’s video. Kate tells Sam that Amita recorded the video. She claims to have walked in as the video was being recorded. Sam asks what Amita and Claire were doing. Kate describes it as “scarfing,” a form of erotic asphyxiation. Sam says similar risky behavior was found on Claire’s electronic devices and social media. Sarcastically laughing, Kate describes Claire’s alcohol use as just something kids do. Sam asks if she knew grooming is illegal. Kate denies grooming Claire. Sam asks if she took a picture of Claire during masturbation. Kate claims Claire is “exploring her own menstrual blood.” When Sam questions if she sees “beauty” in Claire masturbating, Kate suggests the question has little to do with her.

Sam tells the jury that Claire’s school uniform tie was discovered at Flat Rock Beach.

Sonia Spears (Silvia Colloca) speaks to Diane as they emerge from the courthouse. She assures Spears (Matt Nable) that Diane is grieving for Claire.

As the jurors have lunch, Farrad questions if it is a good idea to vote before all the evidence is in. Simon Cavanaugh (Nicholas Cassim) suggests it could help determine where they stand, even though some will change their minds later. When Vanessa encourages the jurors to get on with the voting, Simon asks if he teased her would he be a misogynist or racist.” After Mai (Gabrielle Chan) questions why the prosecution put so much emphasis on menstrual blood. Jarrod (Ngali Shaw) reminds her that they are eating. Mai sarcastically suggests women are supposed to forget about their monthly period. Lily becomes upset when Margaret and Simon tease her for suggesting astrology is linked to the crime. Corrie (Pallavi Sharda) reminds them that everyone is different.

Jarrod teases juror number 8 (Toby Blome) because he is wearing headphones. Garry asks Simon about his profession. Simon claims he does “investment banking.”

Colby tells the jury that Sam was a homicide detective about four months before Claire went missing. He asks how the police came into the possession of Claire’s erotic asphyxiation video. When he asks how the police got the phone, a video begins to play in the courtroom. The video shows Nathan illegally enters Kate’s house to retrieve the phone from underneath a refrigerator. He hands it over to Constable Hakim. He blames Diane for permitting Claire to stay with Kate who he refers to as a “witch.” Diane tells him that Claire isn’t gone, she just ran away. Chapman gets Nathan out of the house.

Colby asks Sam if Nathan has been questioned about his knowing where Claire’s phone was stored. She tells him that Nathan claimed Claire had a habit of hiding her cellphone underneath the refrigerator to keep him from confiscating it.

The jury is shown a video of Nathan visiting Kate’s home. Nathan and Claire are in a physical altercation when Kate approaches before they both return to the house. Colby asks if she has ever heard of the term “selective editing.” Bloom laughs at his comment. He accuses her of withholding part of the altercation video before asking if she considered Nathan as the person who placed the phone underneath the refrigerator. She asks how that would be possible if Claire and Kate argued over the phone. He repeats the question. She admits there is a possibility. He asks if Nathan was body searched and considered a suspect. She claims the evidence never pointed to Nathan. Bloom objects when he asks if would it have been different if the lead detective was more experienced.

Colby asks if Nathan’s cellphone, home, and laptop were searched. She says, “No.” He asks if Claire’s tie could’ve been accidentally dropped into a storm drain. She assures him that the findings were based on the evidence.

Garry asks the other jurors what they think about Nathan putting Claire’s phone underneath the refrigerator. Georgina points out it wasn’t on the video footage. Farrad questions how Claire’s phone came into his possession. Simon assumes he was a strong disciplinarian. One of the jurors says there is something strange about Nathan. Corrie suggests it is still too early in the trial to be certain. Margaret thanks Farrad for bringing food. When he leaves, Peter and Margaret come clean about not eating theirs even though they accepted it.

Farrad tosses his food in a trash bin in the car garage.

Georgina contacts Caitlin to arrange an after-school pick-up for her children. Caitlin admits she can’t do it. Georgina rushes into the school to get her children, Alice Merrick (Victoria Bradman), Marcus Merrick (Alastair Bradman), and Oscar Merrick (Gilbert Bradman). She convinces the children to not tell James that they were picked up at the school. Georgina, James, and the children have supper.

Peter arrives at the cemetery to find trash sitting on Hannah Brodsky’s grave. He breaks down sobbing while cleaning it up.

During a construction inspection, Alexi discovers Luiz lying unconscious on the ground. Flip warns him that they might get busted if he notifies EMT. Irate, Alexi points out that the man fell from a 5-story platform. When he suggests dropping him off at the local hospital, Flip disagrees. They place the unconscious man on a public transport bench. Alexi appears to utilize a man’s phone at a local restaurant.

Jarrod attends class. Professional Lowanna Porter (Rhoda Roberts) asks him a question, which he can’t answer. She reminds them of the deadline for their essay.

Margaret is kept away by people in a nearby apartment.

A police car knocks Jarrod off his bike. He is injured when the police officer picks him up. The officer pours the content of his backpack onto the ground. Jarrod is arrested for stealing his own laptop. One of the officers tosses his bike into someone’s yard.

Sam watches the police officer bring Jarrod into the police station. She speaks with Dokic about an assault on 14-year-old Belinda Bain. She informs him that crimes before 1992 are admissible in court. He questions why she asked for a meeting. She orders him to stay away from the courtroom. He reminds her that the public can come and go as they please. She warns him that any media outlet can report on his interest in Claire’s case, not his 30-year-old assault case. He claims Belinda was deceased when he entered the room. She asks if he is accusing Kate of murdering Belinda.

In a flashback, young Kate Spears (Jade A Potts) and Belinda Bain (Charlotte Lucas) meet young Steve Dokic (Joshua Brennan). She asks the man why he is there. Back to the present, Kate sits on her bed when her cell goes dark as the episode comes to an end.

 

The Twelve Review

The trial is riveting, the jury not so much. The oversaturated cast and filler make airtime extremely limited for at least 95% of the cast. The actors who make up the bulk of the cast didn’t get any airtime.

The police brutality scene was irrelevant to the case. This agenda is doing more harm than good in all Western Countries.

The cinematography is just so-so. The shots, range, angles, and framing could utilize some improvement.

Sam Neill’s performance was outstanding. He is perfect for the role of Brett Colby.

Georgina’s story is intriguing but overplayed. We get it, now move on, so the other characters can have an opportunity to tell their stories.

Much of what is going on in the jury room is boring, irrelevant, and infantile. Not saying this doesn’t happen in jury rooms but, still unnecessary filler bogging down the show.

The menstrual blood photo is disgusting and unnecessary. Add insult to the injury, a female juror talks about it during lunch.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more The Twelve recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link to learn more.