‘Secrets and Lies’ 1.1 Episode Recap and Review: The Trail

Who doesn’t love a classic case of ‘Who done it’? ABC’s new crime-series Secrets and Lies has enough twists and turns to satisfy even the biggest of thrill seekers.

This series has definitely delivered enough mystery and turmoil to keep viewers guessing and returning each week as we come a step closer in solving the murder of a local town boy. Many of the characters’ secrets have already been revealed but I’m sure there are more to come.

During episode one titled, The Trail, the main character, Ben Crawford, played by ’90s heartthrob Ryan Phillippe, comes across the dead body of his five-year-old neighbor, Tom Murphy. Ben discovers Tom’s body while going for a jog in the woods after a night out with friends. Ben is immediately considered a suspect (unbeknownst to him) by the top homicide detective in the Charlotte Mecklenburg County police department. Detective Andrea Cornell, portrayed by Oscar nominated actress Juliette Lewis, has a conviction rate that supersedes her colleagues and a knack for weeding out the truth.

As word reaches the media that Ben found Tom’s lifeless body, local news stations make no qualms about dragging his name through the dirt with allegations of murder even though he is not an official suspect in the case. Detective Cornell continues to bombard Ben with questions regarding the morning he found Tom. The media are even more ruthless and begin to stake out the Crawford’s home. While at the police station Cornell requests a DNA sample from Ben he denies the request at the recommendation of Christy’s divorce attorney. After Bens encounter with Cornell he and his childhood friend, Dave take a boat ride where Ben divulges that his wife Christy wants a divorce (hence the lawyer).

Detective Cornell’s persistence continues after business hours. She visits the Crawford’s residence as they are finishing dinner to interrogate Ben again. Cornell shows Ben pictures of an array of flashlights. She needs to know if he owns any of the brands that she has shown him. Almost immediately Christy points to a flashlight that she purchased for him years before. Ben proceeds to show Cornell that the flashlight is safely in the tool kit in his truck….only it’s not there (dun dun dun!)

Early the next morning Ben takes Cornell on the route that he ran the morning he found Tom. While there Cornell continues to badger Ben about taking a DNA test. Ben is angered and leaves the wooded area only to return home to find police officers searching his home.

Towards the end of episode one Ben decides to adhere to the DNA test only after he and his daughter, Abbey, are attacked by reporters which caused her to cry.

Ben awakes the next morning to find the words “CHILD KILLER” scrawled across the family’s white fence in red paint. His day continues to go downhill as later that day, a loyal client pays Ben before he’s finished working with him and his remaining clients decline to work with him in the future. Ben starts to realize that his involvement in the murder case is beginning to affect his life. As if his day couldn’t get any worse, Cornell discloses the fact that Tom is Ben’s biological son.

Secrets and Lies airs Sunday at 9/8c on ABC.

Photo Credit: ABC