Ep 1. The Watchtower

The Witnesses is a gripping French crime thriller series that delves into the world of serial killers and the psychological toll they inflict on their victims, as well as on the people tasked with hunting them down. Season 1 kicks off with an intense first episode entitled The Watchtower.

The episode opens with a group of teenage girls spending a carefree summer day in a rural town in northern France. As they wander around the countryside, they stumble upon an abandoned tower and decide to investigate. Their adventure takes a dark turn when they discover a gruesome sight – a dead body lying in a pool of blood at the base of the tower.

The police are called in to investigate the murder, and the team lead by Captain Sandra Winckler (Marie Dompnier) quickly realizes that they are dealing with a serial killer. The manner in which the victim was killed and the presence of a taunting message at the scene indicates that this is not an isolated incident.

As the investigation progresses, the episode introduces us to the cast of characters who will be key players in The Witnesses. There is Sandra's partner, Detective Justin (Jan Hammenecker), who harbors a secret that could jeopardize the investigation. There is also her boss, Commander Caroline Roche (Audrey Fleurot), a tough and shrewd cop who is determined to catch the killer at any cost.

The prime suspect in the case is a convicted rapist named Kovak (Thierry Lhermitte), who was recently released from prison. Sandra and her team scour his past for any clues that could link him to the murders, but they find nothing concrete. Meanwhile, the killer continues to taunt them with cryptic messages and gruesome displays of his victims' bodies.

As the episode progresses, The Witnesses delves into the personal lives of its characters, revealing hidden desires and secrets that could affect the outcome of the case. Sandra, in particular, is haunted by her past, which threatens to consume her as she becomes increasingly invested in the investigation. The tension builds to a nail-biting climax as the killer's true identity is finally revealed.

Overall, The Watchtower is a tense and thrilling opening chapter to The Witnesses, setting the stage for a gripping exploration of the dark side of human nature. With strong performances and a tightly plotted storyline, this episode is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.