Ep 5. Friend of the Devil, Part 1

DCI Banks is a British crime drama series based on the novels by Peter Robinson. In season 1 episode 5, titled "Friend of the Devil, Part 1," DCI Alan Banks (played by Stephen Tompkinson) investigates the disappearance of a young girl named Rachel Hewitt.

Rachel's mother, Veronica (played by Emma Stansfield), reports her missing after she fails to return home from a friend's house. Banks and his team begin their investigation by interviewing Rachel's friends and family, but they soon discover that Rachel was keeping secrets from her parents.

Meanwhile, Banks is dealing with his own personal issues. His estranged wife Sandra (played by Lorraine Burroughs) has returned to England after living in Australia for several years, and Banks struggles with feelings of guilt and regret over the breakdown of their marriage.

As the investigation into Rachel's disappearance continues, Banks and his team uncover a web of lies and deceit that leads them to some unexpected places. They discover that Rachel was involved with a group of teenagers who are into drugs and partying, and that she may have been coerced into trafficking drugs.

At the same time, Banks is trying to work through his issues with Sandra and figure out where their relationship stands. He confides in his colleague, DI Annie Cabbot (played by Andrea Lowe), and the two of them share some touching moments.

The first part of "Friend of the Devil" is a gripping episode that sets up the rest of the story arc and introduces some compelling new characters. The tension builds as Banks and his team race against time to find Rachel before it's too late, while also dealing with their own personal demons. Fans of the series will definitely not want to miss this exciting episode.