The Vanishing Triangle – Season 1 Episode 1 Recap & Review

Episode 1

Episode 1 of The Vanishing Triangle begins with the abduction of a young girl, Amy. She misses her last bus home and can only inform her sister, Suzanne, that she is hitchhiking a ride home. However, she does not turn up at the house the next day. We then move our attention to the protagonist of the series, investigative journalist Lisa Wallace. She works as a reporter for the Dublin Evening Mail with a special focus on women-centric issues. 

One such issue props up as she pays her respect at her mother’s grave. Cathy, a homeless woman, calls Lisa for help as a threatening man stands outside her refuge home. Unfortunately, the government has decided to close such homes and Lisa vows to take it up in the paper. Bill, her editor, does not see merit in continuing the story, even as Lisa pleads with him. Instead, when Lisa mentions how this story is personal for her because of Janice’s murder (her mother), Bill allows her to write a confessional piece.

It is a bold step that puts her in the focus. After the piece is published on the front page, she receives a mysterious post the next day. It is revealed that one of the photos is of Lisa, taken by the killer that night. And the other is presumably Amy’s, something that they do not know yet. The post also has a card that might mean a renewed interest in Lisa by the killer.

Detective David Burkley is assigned to investigate. He questions Lisa about the letter and the photos as she narrates what happened that night. Lisa had no idea what was going on when she was woken suddenly in the middle of the night. The killer took that photo, locked her in a cupboard, and proceeded to kill Janice. She reveals she was in the same room when it happened, bringing tears to her eyes as she recollects the terrifying details. Lisa suspects that the killer is back given the wording of the card.

But Burkley is hesitant to reopen the case. Suze informs their mother, Frances, of Amy’s disappearance. When the Garda is of no help, one of the female guards suggests that they contact local TV. Involving the media will put pressure on the police to act with urgency. Lisa’s prescription for Nitrazepam is exhausted and she needs a refill. She has trouble with anxiety attacks and insomnia. But the doctor suggests that until she takes it regularly, the medicine won’t have any effect. Her condition clearly is not compatible with her stressful work.

Lisa visits her father, Chris, in jail. He is a former gang leader who was convicted of murder for “settling a debt.” The father-daughter duo aren’t close so he is surprised by her visit. She shows him the photo and the card, which prompts Chris to rule out Janice’s murder by a rival gang. In fact, Rab Kelly, their leader, came to visit Chris and explained that they had no involvement whatsoever in the murder.

Chris is convinced that it is the work of a psychopath and that the police only used the gang as an excuse not to investigate. Burkley takes the plea to reopen the case to his superior, Chief Gill. Even though there is a slight possibility of some good coming off it, Gill rejects his request. Lisa sees Frances and Suze on the telly and instantly leaves for the network station. She catches them just in time. She shows them the other photo from the post. Suze does not rule out the possibility it could be Amy as she painted her nails black and even had a habit of biting them.

Lisa contacts Burkley, who informs her about Gill’s decision. Lisa is distraught but determined not to give up. She writes a news piece about Amy and takes it to Bill and Barbara, her editors. They correctly point out that Lisa jumps to too many conclusions…an accusation that she readily accepts. But she understands that without any external force, the police will not be compelled to act. Her request is not accepted. The next morning, Chris tells Lisa about how Janice experienced strange manoeuvres from the possible killer back then.

Prank calls, heavy breathing on the phone, things being moved around the house – something like the Zodiac killer. Lisa enquires Suze about them and she confirms the pattern. Amy even had a lipstick missing a few weeks ago, indicating the killer might have taken it. Lisa spots a small piece of wood near the window. She immediately phones Burkely and confirms that the police found a similar homemade wooden wedge near Janice’s window which made it seem like the window was locked when it wasn’t. 

This might be a big breakthrough and lead to the reopening of the case. Burkely asks Lisa to hold off on writing about it, something that Barbara does not agree with. She goes ahead with it, much to the ire of Lisa. We also see an old man briefly at the end of the episode who shakes as he reads the newspaper with the clipping.

The Episode Review

The Irish series starts off on a strong note. There is no dilly-dallying around as we get straight into business. The context of female disappearances and apathetic responses from law enforcement is powerfully brought alive through journalism. Lisa’s character is fictional but perhaps the most sensible narrative tool to create a nuanced and balanced storytelling effort.

I found episode 1 to be juggling the demands of its story quite well. There is attention to the details of the real-life case as well as space for exposition through personalized character lines. While the evidence of social commentary is negligible, we saw sparks that can be developed later. On to the second episode!