Eyewitness - Bless the Beast and the Children - Advance Preview

At one point during the second episode of “Eyewitness,” Helen advises Philip that “sometimes you think you can know someone, but you really don’t.” And that’s definitely good advice as “Bless the Beast and the Children” has the show’s characters continuing to grapple with hidden agendas and passions and going to great lengths to keep their secrets.

The episode begins where last week’s ended, with Philip panicking when he sees the killer from the cabin getting on his bus. It’s not a big spoiler that Philip isn’t killed two minutes into week two. He runs right to Lukas with this bombshell, but it’s only later that Philip realizes that swapping his telltale jacket with his classmate has put a target on that kid’s back instead. Meanwhile, Helen continues her investigation and a new piece of evidence has her looking for Bella (Katie Douglas, “Defiance”), the daughter of a dangerous drug kingpin. But to get her FBI frenemy Kamilah (Tattiawna Jones, “Flashpoint”) to play ball, Helen must consider a legal and moral compromise.

Despite the bigger world building, my favorite scene was actually a smaller one where Gabe invites Philip into a ritual of his and Helen’s. Julianne Nicholson plays Helen’s subsequent reactions – her involuntary annoyance that her private time with Gabe has been invaded, her doubts about her parenting abilities compared to her husband’s, and her deductive gut instinct that Philip’s hiding something – really well. Additionally, I continue to like the build of the Philip/Lukas relationship, that they both would probably rather be keeping each other at arms’ length, but only have each other to talk to about the craziness they’re caught up in. There’s also an interesting reveal about the killer that really opens up the show.

But while I’m coming around on Kamilah (her spikey rapport with Helen has potential, plus I dig their abandoned car wash meetup spot), I continue to be bored with the subplot involving her sister Sita (Amanda Brugel, “Orphan Black”). That stuff kinda feels like it belongs on a completely different show.

Don’t blink or you’ll miss “Bless the Beast and the Children,” which airs this Sunday on USA Network. And be sure to share your speculation on what’s coming on “Eyewitness” in the comments section.