Ep 1. Casualties

After a long-awaited second season, the hit thriller Absentia is back with its first episode titled "Casualties." The new season picks up right where the last one left off, following FBI agent Emily Byrne, who was found after being declared dead for six years. With her past still haunting her, Emily tries to make sense of her life and the trauma she faced as she is pulled back into the world of crime when a deadly terrorist attack rocks Boston.

The episode starts off with Emily in a state of confusion as she tries to come to terms with the fact that six years have passed since she last remembers anything. Her husband Nick, played by Patrick Heusinger, has moved on and started a new life with his new wife Alice, portrayed by Cara Theobold, and their young son Flynn. Emily is trying to figure out if the child she sees is indeed her son and if she still has a place in his life. She also faces challenges with her work as an FBI agent since it's been six years since she last worked a case.

Uncovering how much her past still affects her, Emily tries to convince her boss, Special Agent Julianne Gunnarsen, portrayed by Natasha Little, to let her help investigate the bombing. Her boss is hesitant, suspecting that Emily's past will haunt her too much and may compromise the case. As Julianne is given the challenging task of working with Emily, viewers see that she also faces internal conflict between her loyalty to Emily as her colleague and her commitment to finding justice for the victims of the bombing.

As in the first season, the show does not shy away from intense action sequences. During the investigation, Julianne, Emily, and other agents must navigate through a nerve-wracking crime scene at a hotel where they believe the bombers may have stayed. There, they come face to face with the terror of the bombing and must work against the clock to collect evidence before it's too late.

While focusing primarily on the investigation, the episode still fills in viewers on the lives of the characters from the first season. With Nick now married to Alice, Emily must come to terms with the fact that he has moved on without her. Her brother Jack, played by Neil Jackson, is still dealing with his own trauma from Emily's absence and the loss of his brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Emily's mother, portrayed by Paul Freeman, and his girlfriend, played by Angel Bonanni, still grapple with Emily's sudden reappearance and the emotional consequences of her past actions.

As the episode comes to a close, Emily, Julianne, and the team piece together vital evidence that leads them to a possible suspect. However, this revelation may put Emily's life in danger, and it's unclear how she will handle the threat. Fans can look forward to the next episode as it promises to dig deeper into Emily's life and the investigation, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats.

Overall, "Casualties" offers a seamless transition from the first season, with an adrenaline-fueled and heart-wrenching episode that keeps viewers engaged throughout. With the same gripping storyline and unexpected twists, Absentia season two promises to be just as thrilling as the last.