Conviction - Mother's Little Burden - Review: #Hayeskeepsitreal
27 Oct 2016
Conviction DC ReviewsConviction 104
Written by Samantha Corbin-Miller
Directed by Paul Holahan
When I saw the trailer for this episode I felt the storyline could be a real turning point for the show, Hayes secret for her hiring is revealed causing more than a headache for Wallace. The case of the week is also heartfelt, did a mother beaten on a regular basis by her Autistic son, kill him. This episode delivered more of a solid story than previous episodes and had the wow factor I had been hoping for.
Teri Polo is fantastic guest starring as the Mother and Hayley Atwell really gets to grips with Hayes multi-leveled character.
It starts with the news revealing not only Hayes was hired to head the CIU rather than going to jail for drug possession but highlights some of her greatest hits. We have known she had a scandalous past in her stick it to her parent’s attitude. Going out the apartment building she is accosted by the press but can’t keep her mouth shut when her brother has instructed her to behave.
Of course, at the CIU people are wondering if Hayes still has a job but while she has she is going to do it and wants a case. Wallace has been doing some dancing but managed to keep her in her position but she needs to do damage control, looks like she must do a TV interview to show her remorse. Her brother is going to prepare her as we all know Hayes isn’t known for her subtlety.
In the CIU she wants another case, Tess has one, a Mother sent to prison for murdering her autistic son. The Mother Penny Price (Teri Polo) wrote an online video blog about her experience called Mother’s Little Burden and did in fact state she wanted to kill him. You even see him hitting her. The evidence was she had poisoned him with a bottle of soy sauce. The mother claims he may have gotten it by accident. Frankie notices the toxicology of an expert doctor was omitted by the defense from the trail which he and Tess investigate.
Hayes and Sam talk to the Mother in prison who stands by her story and blames herself for not being careful enough that her son got hold of the bottle of sauce. Sam and Hayes are still at each other this episode and Hayes brings up him crossing the line previously. By now it is obvious they don’t like each other.
The toxicology Doctor found that the son hadn’t had enough time to ingest the soy sauce but the real cause of death was an insulin injection. The husband who is a pharmacist becomes a suspect, and when his alibi doesn’t check out we learn he had affair but still enough time to get back to the house. A walk through by Frankie clearly shows he couldn’t have done it without being seen.
Hayes has her hands full with the case and with her brother trying his best to prep her for the interview. We also see Hayes warming to Tess and by the end, Tess reveals her tale to Hayes.
Under her brother’s instruction Hayes is doing her best to show remorse dressing the part and even wearing her mother’s pearls but she snaps them as you can tell she is becoming agitated in the interview and tells it like it is. Yes, she was kept out of jail due to her privileged background but she is using it now to help the less fortunate get a fair hearing. Her brother hangs his head and Hayes things she has blown her job.
Back at the case things seem to be taking an interesting turn when a warrant is issued for the former carer worker of the boy’s phone records.
The carer worker looks a good suspect from his text they know his sister who is diabetic, was taken ill the following day after the boy died due to lack of insulin. Maxine and Hayes learn his sister lost her injection kit that day and learn she was very friendly with the daughter, she used to come to their house to get away from home. She was frightened of her brother and what he did to her mom. She even used to help her friend inject herself.
Hayes goes to the prison where the daughter is visiting her mother, Hayes reveals her daughter killed the son. Penny blames herself and states she will take full blame and swear she killed her son in court if needed to protect her daughter. Hayes walks away leaving the two hugging knowing Penny will stay in prison.
She updates Wallace and hands in her resignation but the public is behind Hayes for her honest answers however Wallace is now under scrutiny. Feeling dejected she heads back to the apartment she shares with her brother only to find he has kicked her out.
The scenes were emotional, hard hitting and heartbreaking. A daughter pushed too far to protect her mother.
Hayes for all her good intentions this episode once again must face the consequences of her actions.
The team instead of bickering worked together and found out the truth even though no one walked free in the end.
I would like to see more episodes like this from Conviction in the future.
So, what were your thoughts on this week’s episode?
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