At the beginning of the episode, Emma Hedges (Molly Windsor) searches for information about the new investigation into Marie Monroe’s death. Daniel (Martin Compston) goes to SIFA in hopes of getting in touch with Emma but she isn’t there. Instead, he speaks with Janine (Andrea Hart) and Sarah (Laura Fraser). When Daniel leaves, Janine and Sarah admit they liked Daniel. Emma watches Neil (Michael Nardone) speak to the media about Marie’s case. He says the case is progressing. He is hopeful that they’ll be in a position to bring the culprit to justice. Moments later, Sarah tells Louise (Anna Leong Brophy) police are ready to conduct a raid connected to the drugs.

Daniel goes to his mother’s place and they scour through paperwork regarding the Secrets nightclub. His mom admits she is curious about where Philip (Vincent Regan) was on the night in question. She suspects Philip would’ve been with another woman. The find paperwork regarding Tempo Tyres and bollard post materials. Tempo Tyres is what Secrets used to be. Daniel returns to his office with the evidence and realizes the wrong materials were used for the Secrets job. Kathy (Jennifer Spence) shows Neil through the dig site. Pia has found a false floor so they believe the grave will be underneath it. Next, Daniel confronts his father about the Secrets evidence.

Philip tells his son that he does not want to go against him. Daniel doesn’t seem intimated by his father. Louise and Sarah search the drug lab. They wish Emma was there to see it. Kathy and Pia begin pulling bones from the dirt. Then, Kathy stumbles upon a footprint in the dirt. A cast is taken of the print. Then, they discover the hyoid bone. Emma gets a call from Skype who explains that her mother is in trouble and wants to speak with them. They meet Izzy (Laurie Brett) a few moments later. Izzy tells them that Marie knew Philip. Izzy was sleeping with Philip. Izzy says she got on heroin and lost Skye for a little while.

Everyone stopped hanging out with Izzy so she never told anyone that Phil knew who killed Marie Monroe. She tells them that Phil told everyone to stop hanging out and destroy the phones when the police started snooping around about Marie. Emma goes to Drew (John Gordon Sinclair) to find out if he kept his phone. Drew denies knowing anything about it before pretending he doesn’t have it. Emma suspects it might be in his suitcase. She eventually attacks her father, searches the suitcase, and finds the phone. Drew takes the phone to Neil seconds later. Neil’s girlfriend is having a baby and he wants to be there.

Drew is not sure what type of relationship Phil and Marie had. He kept the phone because he doesn’t like being told what to do. He also thought Phil was visiting his wife. Emma spots Phil and begins following him. She goes into the restaurant and confronts him about killing her mother but Phil denies everything. Daniel gets a visit from his attorney. He gives her the invoices for the materials they used at Secrets and the fake on his dad had made. Pia and Kathy put together Marie’s bones. Neil learns that a saw was used to cut the bones but a knife was used on the flesh. The hyoid bone was broken so she was likely strangled before she died.

Emma gets a call from Sarah who asks to meet. Sarah says she is getting her own lab thanks to the drug raid bust. She gives Emma credit for everything. Neil’s boss is not confident they have enough evidence against Phil. Then, Emma meets up with Daniel and they go for a walk. He wants to know what Emma thinks his father did but she is worried that she cannot trust him. Daniel learns about everyone hanging out together and Phil having an affair with Izzy. Phil told Izzy he was with Daniel’s mom but he wasn’t. Neil and Sarah chat about the lack of evidence. Neil receives a call from Daniel about the work on Secrets when it was a tire place.

The invoice was from two days after Marie’s death. Daniel agrees to put this down in a statement for him. The sign outside of the Secrets nightclub is dug up and boots are found underneath. A blood spot is found on the boot. Phil is arrested by Neil and Trina seconds later before being taken back to an interview room. Phil denies everything and says nothing but we see otherwise in flashbacks. They also play a voicemail message of Marie asking to meet someone. Phil is shown all of the evidence and asked about the pink dress. After that, Emma gets a call from Neil. Daniel is with her and they learn about Phil being charged for the murder.

Emma comforts Daniel while Neil thanks the women for the excellent forensic evidence. Neil speaks with Sarah alone. Then, we see a flashback of a young Emma with her mother. The funeral takes place. Daniel doesn’t attend since he is not sure how the others would feel. However, he does show up in the distance. They hug and kiss as the episode ends.

 

Traces Finale

Okay, Traces is finally over and I am thrilled about that. I know some people really enjoyed the show but it wasn’t for me. I am not bashing anyone for their opinions but I am not sure how anyone would think the show was perfect. The finale was a major disappointment. First and foremost, I am not sure how the footprint would be preserved for so long. At the least, I am not sure it would be in such good condition when found. That was far fetched.

I am glad everything wrapped up but it did so quickly and conveniently. The drug raid was mostly pointless. I guess the Secrets case got solved when Phil went down? Did they drop the charges against Daniel for cooperating with police? Finally, singling out Phil as the murderer was the most convenient way for the writers to end the show. We only met Phil in episode 3 or something like that so he wasn’t a major character from the beginning.

Taking him down instead of Izzy, Drew, or Jimmy was much easier. There were really no risks and I think most people were willing to accept Phil as the killer. It would’ve been more daring if they’d pointed the blame at someone else. I am also surprised the boots lasted that long. If the murder was so many years ago, I am not sure the boots would’ve been in great condition either. I couldn’t recommend the show. Traces placed way too much emphasis on relationships and sex too.

Almost everyone in the show was in some type of relationship or semi-sex scene at some point along the way. I am not sure why some of the characters were even here. Pia and Trina spoke maybe 6 times during the whole series. They felt like placeholders at times.

The finale scores a 5 out of 10. Previous recaps of Traces are available on Reel Mockery.