Scrublands – Episode 2 Recap & Review

Episode 2

Episode 2 of Scrublands kicks off with a horrific scene as we witness a couple, Jill and Damian, being chased and gunned down by an unknown assailant. These are the same teenagers whose missing posters have been up on the police station’s bulletin board since last year. Despite extensive searches, their bodies haven’t been found yet. Martin arrives at Mandy’s café, asking for directions to Harley Reagan’s house.

Martin is curious because Byron mentioned Harley to Robbie before he died. Martin drives to Harley Reagan’s estate, the largest house in Riversend. Inside, Martin shares his thoughts on Byron Swift. He recalls the day Byron shot the five victims with remarkable precision, suggesting he had special training with a long-distance rifle. Before he died, Byron mentioned Harley’s name, but when Martin asks why, Harley refuses to comment. 

Since Harley is keen on keeping what he knows to himself, Martin heads back to town. On his way back to town, while looking for a signal, Martin discovers two decomposed bodies, likely Jill and Damian. He asks the cops if Byron is responsible, but they stay silent. During his statement, Martin suggests talking to Harley Reagan since the bodies were found on his land, but the cops evade giving a clear answer.

Mandy invites Martin for a drink at the pub and opens up about her life, sharing her decision to study Australian Literature and her return to town to care for her mother battling cancer. Martin reciprocates by revealing a dark chapter from his past. He was once investigating a corruption case with Lucas, an activist, but it fell apart when Lucas was murdered by mercenaries hired by a mining company. 

The case was closed after the company paid off the police, shaking Martin’s faith in the law and leading him to take a break from writing, which significantly impacted his career. During their conversation, Martin also learns that Harley is Mandy’s father, and she severed ties with him because he mistreated her mother. 

Martin learns that the bodies found are indeed Damian and Jill, who went missing around New Year’s Eve last year. At the police station, he meets Jane Gibson, who claims to be a researcher for the Bureau of Meteorology but seems to be hiding something. He also speaks with Sergeant Monika, who suggests unofficially that Byron may have been involved in a larger paedophile ring.

This confuses Martin as to how one man can be seen as both evil and a saint by different people. Some viewed him as a paedophile, while others saw him as a saint who generously supported the community and local schools without asking for anything in return. The next morning, Sgt. Monica pays Martin a visit and scolds him for the article, which has caused a stir thanks to Beth Ramachandran.

The article portrays Byron as a serial killer and criticizes the Bellington Police for mishandling the investigation. Monica shares with Martin that on the day of the church shooting, Byron made two calls, one to Mandy and the other to someone else. When she tried to access the call details of the second call, she was blocked because the information was classified.

Monica was warned that attempting to breach this security could lead to a five-year jail sentence. When Maggie brought this up with her superiors, she was told to close the case and not pursue what they deemed as useless questions. They didn’t want her to chase leads that would only waste time and police resources.

Mandy is also upset with Martin’s article labelling Byron as a serial killer. She’s certain that Byron couldn’t have killed Jill and Damian because he was with her in Melbourne when the kids went missing. Mandy also reveals that her son, William, is Byron’s son.

The two had planned to elope, but tragedy intervened. Mandy decides to go to the police and provide an alibi for Byron. Martin attempts to dissuade her, but it doesn’t work. After Mandy leaves, Martin finds a duffle bag hidden behind a cupboard in Mandy’s containing money, a fake passport, a gun, and a photograph of Byron in military uniform. 

The Episode Review

Finally, the mystery behind Byron Swift’s seemingly impeccable shooting skills is unravelled. Martin discovers a double bag with a photo showing Byron in his army uniform, indicating that Byron had special training that made his aim so precise. As obvious,  Martin will use his contacts at Network to investigate Byron’s past, where the answers to his questions may lie.

Additionally, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Jamie knows who is behind Jill and Damian’s deaths, as he was present at the time. The big question now is whether Jamie will gather the courage to come forward with this information to the police or will stay silent.