The Sound of Silence (Season 1, Episode 7)
Premise: A young woman fired from a hit radio show is found strangled in a suitcase, and the detectives uncover the star host’s abuse of women and the staff who kept it quiet.
- Air date
- Season/Episode
- Season 1, Episode 7
- Starring
- DS Henry Graff (Aden Young), DS Frankie Bateman (Kathleen Munroe), Insp. Vivienne Holness (Karen Robinson), DCA Theo Forrester (K.C. Collins), Mark Yohannes (Araya Mengesha), Dr. Lucy Da Silva (Nicola Correia-Damude)
- Guest stars
- Tim Rozon as Roman Rush, Sergio Di Zio as Martin Thibodeau, Chelsea Muirhead as Rachel Flowers, Sydney Ozerov-Meyer as Clara Snow, Atticus Mitchell as Paolo Marcotti
- Director
- Winnifred Jong
- Writers
- Tassie Cameron & Noelle Carbone
Summary
The Case
“The Sound of Silence” opens as satellite broadcaster Sierra nears a deal for CJYT host Roman Rush, and HR head Janet Lawrence insists his team has no complaints on file. On air, Rush gives folk singer Clara Snow a career-making spot on air. The next day a bus driver bound for Montreal finds a woman’s body in a brand-new suitcase. Rachel Flowers, 31, was strangled by someone facing her; the autopsy also finds two-week-old marks suggesting she had been bound and gagged, and powder in her nose but no cocaine in her system.
Her roommate and onetime lover, Benji Kingston, says she lost her CJYT job months ago and spiralled; pawning her gear gives him an alibi. Producer Martin Thibodeau says he fired her for stealing equipment, and Rush denies seeing her outside work. Mark Yohannes then recovers a hidden video from her tablet in which Rush hurts and restrains her as she says no. Rush admits sleeping with her twice, calls the rough sex her idea, and wants a lawyer before saying where he was. Clara supplies the answer: Rush spent that night with her, and Rachel had seen secret footage of the two of them.
Forrester will not build a case on footage Rachel apparently captured with a camera she hid herself. Clara then says she did not agree to what Rush did to her, that Rachel’s HR complaint went nowhere, and that Rachel was preparing an exposé. She also recalls Martin walking in while Rachel’s voicemail about going public played on speaker.
The Interrogation
With Clara’s help, the detectives tell Rush and Martin, in front of eager young staffer Paolo Marcotti, that she plans to press charges. When Paolo goes after Clara, waiting officers stop him; he is arrested for her attempted murder and for killing Rachel, whom he lured out with a text. Paolo, a devoted fan Rush hired with no experience, invokes his right to silence.
Martin’s partner mentions the luxury luggage he ordered online as a gift for Rush. Claiming Paolo has confessed, the detectives tell Rush that Rachel tricked him so she could plant a camera, and tie the suitcase to Martin. Martin is confronted with letting Rachel borrow the equipment before calling security on her, and his offer to trade evidence against Rush is refused. Hearing Rush blame him over a speaker, Martin explodes, admitting he cleaned up Rush’s “messes” with millions at stake and accusing him of assaulting women at the studio.
The ending
Spoiler: The detectives credit Rachel and Clara with catching all three men; the charges facing Rush and Martin are not spelled out on screen.
Suspects’ fates: Roman Rush, arrested; Martin Thibodeau, arrested; Paolo Marcotti, arrested.
Why it stands out
- Co-writer Tassie Cameron is also credited with developing the Canadian series.
- New Order’s “Blue Monday” plays on the hidden video recovered from Rachel’s tablet.
- Maika Harper is credited as Detective Shina May, a role she plays again in “Three Points.”