The second season Murder in the First returned to TNT on June 8, and half-way through the season, we’re edge of our seats. And it’s not only because if the intense police drama, but because we’re on the lookout for the two lesbian characters who don’t get nearly enough airtime as we would like (hint hint TNT)!
What’s kind of a bummer, though, is it seems Jessica Clark‘s lesbian character was axed when original showrunner left at the end of March, so we’re one lesbian less than before.
The show, which is set in San Francisco, is a police dramas following homicide detectives Terry English (Taye Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson, aka Clare Arnold from Beverly Hills, 90210!) as they investigate the same seemingly unrelated cases throughout the duration of the entire season.
Season 2 begins with two teenage students on their school bus who suddenly stage a mass shooting of their classmates and the bus driver, all while Detective English and Detective Mulligan happen to be close enough to witness the tragedy. While the detectives attempt to apprehend the shooters, one shooter gets shot and captured while the other one gets away and is on the loose in the city. After days of searching, the detectives find the shooter holding a hostage in a light house in an attempt to re-enact a video game he has become obsessed with. In order to save the hostage and keep the shooter from killing Detective Mulligan, the police shoot and kill the murderer.
While one shooter is dead, the other, Dustin (Mateus Ward), lays wounded in a hospital bed where he meets one of his new defense attorneys: Jamie Nelson (Laila Robins), who has been known for helping some of the city’s craziest murderers avoid the death penalty.
Jamie also happens to be one of the show’s lesbian characters. As Jamie takes on the new case, her partner Holly (Ingrid Rogers) is less than thrilled, because she knows that although Jamie loves Holly, she loves her job even more.
In previous cases that Jamie has handled, she was distant and often worked long hours which kept her away from Holly, causing a strain on their relationship. Holly has voiced her opinion about her taking on this case and Jamie insists things would be different with this one, but Holly seems less than convinced.
Jamie and her legal partner, Aaron (Adam Kulbersh), start to question Dustin’s motives and his family history including any violence or physical trauma he endured as a young boy. Dustin insists on pleading guilty against the advice of his attorneys so he can get the death penalty because he wants to die, which seems odd to Jamie and Aaron. As they begin to question Dustin’s parents, it is clear to Jamie that they are hiding something from them, which makes Jamie skeptical.
While Jamie is attending Dustin’s hearing, Holly packs up Jamie’s belongings and ships them to the hotel room Jamie is staying at during the duration of the trial. Clearly she is not OK with Jamie’s decision to take the case. When Jamie arrives back at her room, Aaron questions why there are so many boxes of paperwork, as Jamie replies sadly, “No, these are my things.” At the end of this past Monday’s episode, we are left wondering what Dustin’s parents are lying about, and the fate of Jamie and Holly’s relationship
Let us know if you watch Murder in the First, or if you’ll tune in for the second half of the season with us to see what happens with Jamie and Holly.
Murder in the First airs Monday nights on TNT.
Follow Erin Faith Wilson on Twitter: @erinfaithwilson
