First thing’s first: If you haven’t watched season 1 of “Secrets and Lies” starring Ryan Phillippe as murder suspect Ben Crawford, I highly suggest you hit up your iTunes or Google Play store to download and binge watch the uber suspenseful 10 episodes.
(ABC/Mitch Haaseth)
DETECTIVE CORNELL IS ON THE CASE — AGAIN
But lucky for you, season 1 isn’t REQUIRED homework to understand and enjoy season 2, because “Secrets and Lies” happens to be one of these hip new anthology series where some or all of the cast remains the same season to season, but the storyline completely changes. In the case of “Secrets and Lies,” only Detective Andrea Cornell, played by Academy Award-nominee Juliette Lewis, reprises her role in the second season.
She’s the same detective we came to distrust and, on occasions, hate in season 1. Her method of asking pointed questions with the slightest tilt of a head and staring down her prime suspect irks us to the core. Yet she still seems to retain an ounce of our respect whenever she reveals the slightest bit of her personal life, or in the short moments where she sheds suspicion on another character in the victim’s life.
Her dark demeanor hasn’t changed a bit from season 1, and thank goodness for that, since we no longer have the handsome and shirtless Mr. Phillippe to gaze upon in season 2. I, for one, am glad the show producers/writers decided to keep at least 1 cast member from the first season.
GOODBYE RYAN AND HELLLLOOOOO MICHAEL
Did I sound upset to lose season 1’s Ryan Phillippe? Well, sure I am! But if losing Ryan means we gain the charming Michael Ealy, I am sad no longer. Season 2 stars Ealy as Eric Warner, a fairly young businessman who’s celebrating at a company party after inheriting it from his father, played by “Lost’s” Terry O’Quinn, when his wife, Kate Warner, played by beauty Jordana Brewster, falls (or is pushed off…or jumps?) from the rooftop and dies.
Of course the husband did it! Or DID he? Well, at least we know Detective Cornell will be all over it (and him)!
THE CURTAIN OPENS
The season premiere begins with an explosive start as Eric Warner is rushing down several flights of stairs and exits the stairwell to the outside only to find his dead wife splattered on the pavement.
Not too long after, we flashback to earlier that evening when Eric officially learns she’s pregnant, though we can tell dear Kate is hiding another secret from him. He’s just too blind with giddiness to see it. I think most of the audience can tell at this point, Kate isn’t too sure the baby is his. So who’s our mystery home-wrecker, and dare I say FUTURE MURDER SUSPECT?? Or am I just cynical?
THE LIKELY SUSPECTS
THE HUSBAND – Eric Warner obviously has motive if I’m right about Kate’s affair. Plus, what else might she be hiding that is yet to be revealed, and perhaps Eric has already discovered? And who is this Steven Porter victim we learn of, and how was Eric involved in his death?
THE FATHER-IN-LAW – Though we don’t see any clear motive for John Warner to want his daughter-in-law offed in the first episode, it wouldn’t be the first time a broadcast network casts a beloved TV actor to portray their sinister killer. Plus, we’re questioning what happened to his own marriage as his wife is estranged, but treated as if she’s dead. I’m sure we’ll learn more about that later.
THE SISTER-IN-LAW & HER SIGNIFICANT OTHER – Amanda Warner (Mekia Cox), Eric’s convenient legal protector, is quick to defend her brother and hold it together, despite having been best friends with Kate for years. Time will tell if jealousy played any role between the two? And then there’s Amanda’s husband/boyfriend/fiancé (who knows since she still has her maiden name?) who has definitely raised my eyebrow. Scroll down further for my take on him.
THE BROTHER-IN-LAW & HIS WIFE – Patrick Warner (Charlie Barnett) and Melanie Warner (AnnaLynne McCord) are throwaway characters in my opinion, but who knows, maybe their slim personalities will grow more meaty throughout the season. For now we can tell the show wants us to suspect them, but I see no reason as to why I would other than their close proximity to Eric and Kate.
THE HUSBAND’S BEST FRIEND & COWORKER – Neil Oliver (Eric Winter), Eric’s best friend and confidante, gives us a glimpse into his dark side when we first see him brush off Kate at the company party prior to her demise. Fast forward to his private chat with Eric on the rooftop where we learn he wasn’t “exactly a fan” of Kate and he shoots down the claim, I think we’re all thinking the same thing….is Neil our home-wrecker and Kate’s secret baby daddy??
NOT SO FAST
Let’s not get all wound up by the above list though. If there’s anything to be learned from season 1, it’s that “Secrets and Lies” loves to cast suspicion on anyone and everyone, and we won’t truly know our murderer’s intentions until the season finale. Full disclosure, I guessed the season 1 killer in the first 5 minutes of its premiere, not because the storyline lent itself to acknowledging their reasons for committing murder, but because of just 1 line of dialogue that was spoken.
So, that said, let me take a stab at guessing who our murderer REALLY may be, outside of the show’s likely suspects.
SUSPECT #1 – An unknown white male in a black T-shirt that is spotted in the crowd that forms around Kate’s lifeless body. We learn nothing about him by the end of episode 1, but my guess would be he could be Kate’s mystery lover, or a disgruntled employee of Eric’s, or even a bartender/server at the company party?
SUSPECT #2 – Eric’s best friend/office mate. Yeah, I know, I already stated above I don’t think he is our guy, mostly because he’s getting too much camera time and we’re gonna learn too much about him.
SUSPECT #3 – Amanda’s significant other. OK, I know he’s listed above, but here’s my breakdown of why he is suspicious. When he shows up at Kate’s wake, Amanda and he start arguing. We don’t know what about, though Eric leads us to think he may have been partying in Vegas. Was he? Wasn’t he? THEN when Detective Cornell shows up, it seems like interesting timing that he suddenly has the need to rush off, wishes Eric well on his way out, and never makes eye contact with Cornell. Is he avoiding her? Is it also out of the realm of possibilities to ask whether he may have had an affair with Kate too? Though that would lead me back to looking at Amanda as the killer…
SUSPECT #4 – Eric’s secretary. SHOCKER, I know. But let’s think about this. She’s probably the last person anyone would ever suspect, so naturally, I suspect her. She already has the coffin and funeral plans drawn up for Eric THE NEXT MORNING — like WTH?? That’s pretty sick in my opinion. And because she’s his awesome assistant, she has full access to his life and probably Kate’s as well. Full access = SO. MANY. SECRETS. The one problem with this theory is that Kate’s office drawer looked like it was broken into, and Amanda specifically said all of the secretaries should have had a key to the drawer, so this makes me think twice.
SUSPECT #5 – The creepy lady at the wake wearing the purple scarf. Ummmm, I don’t even know what to think of her. I hope we see more of her later on to explain why her appearance was necessary. Was she just a reporter looking for a new angle on her story? Is she actually related to Kate and just pretending like she doesn’t know her parents are supposedly dead?
LOOMING QUESTIONS
I also really shouldn’t write off Terry O’Quinn, since, like I said, he’s a known actor and can easily pull off the killer vibe.
But most importantly let’s start asking those questions that are driving us mad after watching the premiere:
QUESTION 1: Where is Eric’s mom, if she’s not actually dead?
QUESTION 2: What is the relationship between Eric’s mom and dad?
QUESTION 3: What is Kate’s backstory if her parents are reportedly dead and she already gave birth to a baby in the past that she hadn’t told Eric about? (And who is that baby’s father?)
QUESTION 4: Why wouldn’t Amanda already know that secret of Kate’s? How would that have been kept hidden from her?
QUESTION 5: Why were the firm’s phones not actually ringing in the office the day after Kate’s death? It’s not as if the partners/investors would have heard the news already, and business doesn’t just stop anyway. I know, this was just a production hiccup, but it really bothered me that the office was so quiet despite all the employees still coming into work.
QUESTION 6: What is the significance of the bush that was wheeled out of the office off of the rooftop as evidence? Will we ever see how the evidence from the roof comes into play?
QUESTION 7: Who is Steven Porter to Eric? This is most certainly a red herring, but of course, we now need to know.
THE FUN DOESN’T STOP THERE
“Secrets and Lies” fans, listen up! If you’re the type of viewer, like me, that wants to try and solve the WHODUNIT before the end of the season, you’ve got to check out the companion web series “Cornell Confidential” on the ABC app or at ABC.go.com.
After each week’s new “Secrets and Lies” episode premieres, a new episode of “Cornell Confidential” launches. The web series usually reveals a new clue in Cornell’s investigation. Check it out to watch the evidence pile up!
