The Bay episode 1: All the burning questions we have
Contains major spoilers for The Bay episode 1.
Tonight (20 March) saw the first episode of The Bay, a new six-part crime drama which centres on two missing teenage siblings, their devastated family and a police Family Liaison Officer who’s hiding a big secret of her own, air on ITV.
The series, starring Morven Christie as FLO Lisa Armstrong, is gripping and full of twists and we have some MAJOR questions after episode one, from why Lisa’s lying to Sean’s involvement.
Where is Holly?
After we saw Holly and Dylan attending the local youth club at the start of the episode, the siblings were reported missing, to the despair of their family and the wider community. Sadly, the police later discovered Dylan’s body meaning the search for him is over but hope remains that Holly will be found safe. Was Dylan’s death caused by someone who also harmed his sister? Or is Holly alive somewhere? At the minute, we don’t have a clue but we’re eager to find out.
Why is Lisa withholding the truth about her and Sean?
Family Liaison Officer Lisa didn’t tell her boss DI Manning that the night the teenagers went missing, she slept with their step-dad Sean – a married man, although she didn’t know that at the time. When Lisa realised who Sean was after the disappearances, she didn’t ‘fess up to anyone. But why?
Speaking at a press screening, Morven Christie who plays Lisa told press including Goodhousekeeping.com/uk:
“She’s embarrassed. It’s that very human thing where if you don’t immediately come clean, it’s too late, then it’s more too late. By the time she’s been in the room with the family as far as she’s concerned she wants to do this case. She wants to help this mother and find these children so there’s that. Then there’s the fact that when Manning asks her if she’s alright, Med is standing there, her trainee, she’s just not ready to [tell the truth.] When you’ve not told [the truth] for a second there’s a lifetime of covering up that thing that you should have come clean about.”
True, but then Lisa actively lied and withheld evidence from the investigation by wiping the CCTV showing her encounter with Sean at the pub. If she’s willing to do that, what else could she be deceiving everyone about?
Where was Sean for the unaccounted 50 minutes?
The police can account for Sean’s whereabouts on the night Holly and Dylan went missing, aside from an hour. We know that Sean was with Lisa for some of that time, however she claims it was only for ten minutes. So the big question is, where was he for the other 50? Could that information be the key to finding out what happened to Dylan and Holly?
Is Holly and Dylan’s dad as innocent as he seems?
We learned that Sean isn’t Holly and Dylan’s biological father but had raised them with mum Jess since they were young. Upon seeing their disappearances in the press, the siblings’ real dad spoke with investigators and seemed incredibly concerned and seemingly innocent. But could there be more to it than meets the eye? Is he actually hiding some more sinister involvement? Time will tell.
What does Abbie have to do with all of this?
Throughout the episode we saw Lisa’s daughter Abbie acting suspiciously, from texting her friend Sam and eyeing him nervously throughout a school assembly to getting in a fight and being suspended. It’s clear that with Lisa so tied up with work, she has pretty much zero idea what her kids are up to, and we’re not so sure Abbie has nothing to hide.
What about Rob?
Lisa’s son Rob also displayed some suspicious behaviour. We saw him in his bedroom, speaking on internet chat rooms using a false name.
Daniel Ryan who plays DI Tony Manning in The Bay, told press:
“It’s so much more than a police procedural show. It really does deal with families with kids and the dangers of what they may be getting up to when you’re not there. If you’re someone who is off working hard at their job, possibly harder than you are at being a mum, [the show explores] the potentials of when you neglect your kid and what’s going on in their bedrooms. There’s more stuff going on in The Bay than we see in the first episode.”
Interesting. Expect to see lots more from Rob and Abbie as the weeks go on.
Who’s to blame for Dylan’s death and Holly’s disappearance?
The million-dollar question. Are we looking at a multiple murder case? Or has Holly been abducted? Is just one person responsible or is there more than one criminal?
We really don’t know, but expect to suspect many different people at varying times as the series goes on
Morven Christie said:
“It’s very real in terms of how it portrays people so at different stages you like people and then you don’t. They all do things and say things that make you say ‘what is the matter with them?’ but that’s what people do.”
The Bay continues next Wednesday at 9pm on ITV.
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