Tubula Rasa – As the episode opens in Cape Town, Andrew McKenzie (Langley Kirkwood) pours himself a drink and sets down at the piano when the doorbell rings. The home surveillance system loses signal. A shot rings out and a frantic Olivia McKenzie (Caely-Jo Levy) screams, “Andrew.” A trail of blood leads from the entrance to a woman who appears to still be alive.

While undergoing a sonogram, Edie Hansen (Natalie Dormer) tells Doctor Jill Pelser (Antoinette Louw) that she is working on corruption and crime stories. Pelser admits to giving up newspapers to avoid such stories. Edie tries to assure herself that she is not pregnant but Pelser says she is a few months into her pregnancy. Edie asks for more lollipops. Later, she causes a traffic jam and is confronted by several angry drivers. After a brief verbal altercation, she receives a call from Constable Saunders about her sister, Olivia, and her brother, Andrew. En route to Bishopscourt, she has flashbacks of young Andrew (Jack Farham) urging young Edie (Ivangely Joubert) to jump out of a tree. When he hesitates to jump, he promises to catch her. Upon arrival at the McKenzie house, Edie passes the barrier to enter the crime scene where she meets resistance from Saunders. A commotion draws his attention elsewhere. She slips further into the house while Detective Forty Bell (Brendan Daniels) scolds Saunders and appoints Peri Zondo (Athenkosi Mfamela) manager of the crime scene.

Forty is not happy when he sees Edie. He declines to comment about the crime. She assures him that she is not there for the press when she sees a dead body and gets sick. Forty orders Zondo to keep Edie away from the crime scene because she is the “devil.” At Constantia Clinic, the staff pushes Olivia on a gurney through the hallway when someone announces there is no pulse. Back at the crime scene, Zondo informs Forty that Andrew was shot in the heart and the safe was open when the police arrived. He says Olivia suffered a blow to the head. Edie rushes upstairs to look for Daniel McKenzie (Daniel Schultz) and Jamie McKenzie (Morgan Santo). Finding their backpacks in their bedroom, she rushes back downstairs to alert Forty and Zondo. She is unsure of Jamie’s age and does not have their phone numbers. Forty questions her family ties to the McKensie family. Outside, Werner Weber (Warrick Grier) pays Panoptix Security Guard, Morgan Witbooi (Clayton Evertson) for information when he looks over to see Amy Cuddy (Joe Galloway) watching them. Amy quietly calls him a “creep.”

The medical staff at the Constantia Clinic work on Olivia. Back at the McKenzie house, Edie, Zondo, and Forty find a man who appears to be part of the forensic team eating in the kitchen. Zondo forces him outside while Edie locates Jamie and Daniel’s phone numbers. She dials one of the phone numbers. Outside, Morgan hears a phone ringing nearby. Morgan tells them that he found Andrew and Olivia when he arrived at his 7am shift. He claims no one activated the panic button before informing them of the phone ringing nearby. The crime scene team search for the phone. Edie tells Forty about her and Andrew’s old tree house. Looking around, he says there is no tree house before heading into the forest with Morgan and Zondo. She finds Daniel and Jamie hiding in a shed.

At the South African Police Station “SAPS” – Daniel refuses to talk until he sees Jamie. Edie tells Jamie and Daniel that she is their aunt. They assumed she was living overseas. Forty says Edie is a The Daily Mercury reporter. Edie vows to not report on the story unless they want her to before giving them a lollipop. Daniel explains what transpired yesterday. In a flashback, Daniel is working backstage on a play at 5pm. Jamie’s role, Daisy Buchanan is wealthy and confident. Olivia arrives to take them home before 6pm. Upon arrival at home, they rush up to their bedrooms. Andrew is not expected home until 8pm. They hear Olivia scream Andrew’s name and rush downstairs to find them lying on the floor before fleeing to their hiding place. Forty questions why they did not push the panic button. Jamie says they were in the house and may have been looking for them. She claims they followed Andrew’s escape plan. Forty suggests Andrew expected an attack. She reminds him that it is South Africa. Daniel tells him that he saw a Black man from their hiding place.

Forty asks Edie why Olivia called her yesterday. She says it has been years since they last spoke. He questions their family dynamic. Assuring him that it is irrelevant to the case, she refuses to talk about it. He tells her that there is no evidence of a burglary and security did not report anyone coming or going. She reminds him that Daniel and Jamie are victims. He assures her that she would question their story if she was not their aunt. She insists on him questioning the maid but he refuses before reminding her of the Du Toit case. She tells everyone in the room that Forty was with the Hawks when he botched the Du Toit case. He blames her for his being demoted and admits to being wrong about Du Toits being killed during a break-in. She continues to insult him until he vows to put Daniel and Jamie away forever if they are found to be linked to Andrew’s murder.

At the McKenzie house, Edie manipulates Zondo into believing she is authorized to search the maid’s quarters. At SAPS, Forty offers Jamie protection from Daniel. Back at the maid’s quarters, Edie stuffs a photo of Pearl in her bag when Zondo approaches and asks her to leave. She asks what is the Zimbabwean maid’s name. He says Pearl Gappah (Chi Mhende). Pointing at the empty clothes racks, Edie suggests Pearl is on the run. At SAPS, Daniel insists on seeing Jamie. Forty warns that the home surveillance footage will provide exclusive insight into what happened. Daniel insists on seeing Olivia and Jamie.

At The Daily Mercury, Mazneen Allie (Khadija Heeger) is surprised to learn Forty is working in the Violent Crime Unit at SAPS. She is excited to think there will be a part two of the Du Toit case. She says the “worst cop in the world” is back to investigate the death of a wealthy property developer. Edie tells her that she and Andrew are siblings. Mazneen questions why they have different surnames. Unwilling to share her family history, Edie asks for some time off. Mazneen says Edgar Ray (Kiroshan Naidoo) can do the story.

Edie is at the bus station when she sees Edgar. He suggests Pearl is still there. She grabs her stomach. At the McKenzie house, Zondo informs Forty that the home surveillance footage is missing. Frustrated, Forty stresses the importance of the footage for the case. Zondo says forensics said the cameras were off at the time of the crime. Insisting Daniel is the killer, Forty questions if Jamie was in on it.

At the bus station, Edgar leaves to go home when Edie spots Pearl aboard a Swartz bus. When the driver refuses to stop, she runs out in front of the bus. At SAPS, Station Commander (Thembi Mtshali Jones) demands to know why Jamie and Daniel are still there after 12 hours. Forty assures her that Daniel is the killer but he needs evidence to charge him when Edie and Pearl arrive. Edie reminds him that he thought it was unnecessary to talk to Pearl who was trying to flee the country. A short time later, Daniel refuses to go home with Edie. Jamie suggests they stay with Werner. At the Weber house, Werner and Nonzi Weber (Katlego Lebogang) say they are welcome to stay with them. Robert Weber (Brandon Jones) follows them to their rooms.

Edie is feeding the cat when Mario (Armand Aucamp) approaches. She asks if he has seen anyone around because someone may have been in her flat. He offers to look around but she refuses. Connie (Shannyn Fourie) tells Edie that they are not supposed to feed stray animals. Edie denies feeding the cat.

Jamie and Daniel do not eat supper. Werner questions why Daniel and Robert no longer play together. Nonzi asks Nancy (Melanie Tafila) to bring more mashed potatoes. As Jamie and Daniel prepare to go to their room, Werner tells them how baboon packs banish their old when they can no longer fight. He says even your sons betray you. Upset, Jamie leaves the table. When Daniel catches up with her, she breaks down sobbing.

Edie researches abortion on the Internet. At SAPS, Forty questions Pearl. Back at the Weber house, Daniel promises Jamie that they will be safe there. Robert asks if Olivia will live but Daniel sends him away. Jamie questions who could kill Andrew. He promises to stay with her when she falls asleep. A man is walking in the forest when he hears someone yelling.

The next morning, Edie arrives at the Weber house as Jamie and Daniel are being escorted to a police cruiser. Daniel asks why they are being arrested. Forty tells Edie that Pearl claimed Daniel and Jamie bought her a one-way ticket to Zimbabwe because Daniel killed Olivia and Andrew. Edie searches the forest for the gun but instead finds several knives, binoculars, a doll, and other items. Looking through the binoculars, she sees directly into the McKenzie house where Werner and Nonzi are staring at the trail of blood. Edie watches as they get intimate when she hears something nearby. The episode ends.

 

True Lies Synopsis

A The Daily Mercury reporter, Edie finds herself caught up in a murder story close to home. After her brother, Andrew is murdered inside his home, her 18-year-old nephew, Daniel becomes the main suspect in the case. To make matters worse, Bell Forty who has the reputation of an incompetent cop is the lead investigator. Forty insists Daniel is the murderer and Edie sets out to prove him wrong.

 

True Lies Review

The concept of the plot is interesting but the execution is disappointing. It appears as if the screenwriter is playing down the seriousness of the crime. It was at these times, I questioned if I was watching a “crime thriller” or crime comedy. I eventually came to the conclusion that it is a crime drama with a comedic undertone. So far, the thriller bit is missing.

The portrayal of the news reporter as vultures dying to get their grubby little talons on crime scene evidence is sadly accurate. The incompetent police service with its blinders on is far overdone.

The cinematography is good. The soundtrack is hit-and-miss as well as the acting. The pilot episode deserves a 5.5 out of 10.

 

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