Ep 1. We Must All Care

The Red Line is an emotional and thought-provoking drama that explores race, family, and community in Chicago. Season 1 Episode 1, titled "We Must All Care," opens with a tragic event that sets the tone for the entire series.

The episode begins with African-American doctor Harrison Brennan (Corey Reynolds) heading to work at a hospital. Along the way, he stops at a convenience store to buy orange juice. While inside, a white police officer named Paul Evans (Noah Wyle) enters the store. When a young, black man named Tia (Vincent Laresca) enters the store in a rush, Paul draws his weapon and fatally shoots him.

This tragic event sends shockwaves through the community. Tia's sister, Jira (Aliyah Royale), is devastated by her brother's death and struggles to come to terms with the fact that he has been taken away from her. Meanwhile, Paul's wife, Elizabeth (Emayatzy Corinealdi), is also reeling from the shooting and finds herself questioning her husband's actions.

As the episode progresses, we see how the shooting affects not only Jira and Elizabeth but also their loved ones. Harrison is personally impacted by the event and decides to help Jira in any way he can. His husband, Daniel (Noel Fisher), is also shaken by the shooting and worried about Harrison's involvement with Jira.

The Red Line season 1 episode 1 deftly explores the aftermath of the shooting from multiple perspectives. We see how Jira and Elizabeth are both struggling to cope with what has happened and how Harrison and Daniel are dealing with their own feelings about the shooting.

The episode also highlights the racial tensions that exist in Chicago and how these tensions are exacerbated by incidents like this one. We see how Jira and her family are outraged by the shooting and feel that Tia's death is yet another instance of police brutality against black people. On the other hand, Paul and his colleagues at the police department feel that they are being unfairly demonized and that incidents like this one make it harder for them to do their jobs.

Ultimately, The Red Line season 1 episode 1 is a powerful and timely examination of the issues facing America today. The shooting is a catalyst for exploring questions of race and community, and the show does an excellent job of examining these issues with nuance and sensitivity. It's a gripping episode that leaves the viewer eager to see what happens next.