Ep 1. Episode 1

Halifax: Retribution is an Australian television series that revolves around the story of Jane Halifax, a forensic psychiatrist who is engaged by the police to help solve complex criminal cases. The first episode of season one starts off with Jane being asked to consult on a case involving a serial killer.

The episode begins with a man named Ben with a hint of a bitter relationship with his ex-wife. Meanwhile, the police investigating his family claim his daughter Anna was abducted during the weekend. The police have no leads on the case, and they bring in Jane Halifax to assist with the investigation. Jane examines Anna's last call logs and messages as part of her investigation, and they lead her to a location with a long-abandoned self-storage unit.

Ben believes that he is being stalked by the person who took his daughter and recalls that the person who took his daughter told him that he had been watching him and his family. Halifax works with the investigators to come up with an idea of the kidnapper or the person who has taken Anna and weigh options between her ex-husband and the kidnapper's faceless figure, who left a note at the storage unit. Halifax remembers Alice, a woman who murdered her own daughter due to her beliefs and past events associated with it that left her in a state of psychosis.

She goes to visit Alice in the prison hoping that she can help her identify the kidnapper's motive by showing her psych evaluations. Halifax attributes the victim's disappearance to the syndrome, which is prevalent when the syndrome causes someone to abduct their own child. Halifax also urges Alice to think about other people suffering from the syndrome and their children who might be taking them away from a safe environment. This causes Alice to undergo an emotional breakdown, which is further intensified by Jane.

When Halifax returns to the precinct, she has a moment of clarity and comes up with a better theory. She thinks that Anna has been taken by the kidnapper because of the association between Anna's father and a patient's mother who committed suicide under his care, causing resentment in the patient. Halifax and the team uncover clues about the mothers of the children who have been kidnapped but reach a dead-end when the mother of a kidnapped child turns out to be innocent.

Halifax, through a quick evaluation of the mother, discovers that she is unaware of the culprit's identity, but there are still more doors to open. When Jane continues her work on Anna's whereabouts, a shocking revelation comes to light through Anna's ex-boyfriend. This leads Jane Halifax, bringing her closer to the culprit, who suspects the ex-boyfriend on enacting revenge.

Episode one of Halifax: Retribution season one is a rollercoaster of emotions as it slowly develops a plot with twists and turns to create an intriguing story. The show offers a brilliant storyline, mystery, suspense, and drama, as it always keeps you engaged in the case to solve the mysteries. With breathtaking performances by Rebecca Gibney as Jane Halifax, Halifax Retribution is a show that deserves a spot in your watchlist if you're a fan of crime dramas.