Warning: Contains spoilers!
As the mystery deepens in Reyka, theories are tossed back and forth and the action is ramped up. Here are our top five moments from episode 2.
Pinning it on the hitmen
This was not an awesome moment as much as an OMG moment! Hector is feeling the pressure from the powers that be to catch a killer, which has him pushing Reyka to push the theory that the cane field killings are being carried out by hitmen even though the evidence is telling her otherwise.
With Hector holding Bloom’s threats over her head, Reyka reluctantly includes the hitmen theory when she meets with HQ. The extreme close-ups of Reyka’s face hone in on her reluctance and hesitation as she grapples between buckling to Hector’s demands and giving her honest opinion, which will just get her thrown off the case. There’s no denying Reyka’s stuck between a rock and a hard place and Kim Engelbrecht portrays this conflict with finesse.
Sticking it to the man
Reyka’s relationship with her daughter may be fraught, but she’s there when it matters. Summoned by the school principal who reproaches Thuli for her friendship with Jessica, which he deems too “intimate”, and unduly commenting on her “untidy” hair, Reyka defends her daughter. Having had to buckle to authority at work, it’s great to watch her take control in her personal life. Since it’s usually at work where Reyka has control and not at home, it’s also interesting to watch the situations reversed. No matter what happens, Reyka will always find a way to stay tough. It’s all made even better by the fact that Reyka wears her hair down in unwitting defiance of the principal’s ignorant remarks.
Tanner being Oom Cowboy
We’re definitely developing a soft spot for Gerald Steyn’s awkward but tough, cool yet hot-headed character, Nick Tanner. Like Shrek’s metaphorical onion he unfolds his layers in this episode, revealing a gooey teddy bear inside when he offers to keep an eye on Thuli and a tough, no-nonsense exterior during the raid on Manhattan.
A blossoming romance?
Will they? Won’t they? Without ever being saccharine or sentimental the potential of Reyka and Tanner getting together is definitely being dangled and we’re here for it! It endears us even more to Tanner and gives us hope that Reyka could find some happiness in her future.
The Manhattan raid
Having posited the theory that hitmen may be behind the killings, the team is forced into action. And this is really where the show’s action is ramped up too, as a raid on Manhattan leads to chases, gunfights, and Sam taking a hit. But the whole operation isn’t futile, as Reyka uncovers a hidden cache of weapons. As exciting and well-played as the action was, what really had us hooked was that tense drive to Manhattan with a palpable silence conveying the team's fear and determination.
Watch the next episode of Reyka on Sunday 8 August at 20:00 on M-Net channel 101.
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