My Life Is Murder—Season 1, Episode 5 (Feet of Clay)

This episode explores PR, social media and image.

The episode kicks off with Alexa stepping in front of bus for an unknown reason and then goes back a few days. Alexa is trying to do yoga in the park and is horrified to see Kieran watching her in amusement. Kieran gives her the case of the week—Christina Cortez, 22 years old, assistant at a PR company, hit by a drunk driver a year ago. Although the drunk driver, Joanne Argus, swears Christina was pushed in front of her car before she ran over her, and Christina also received an anonymous Snapchat message minutes before her death that was traced back to her work.

Alexa goes to the murder site where she finds a tribute to Christina and her mother laying flowers there. Alexa talks to Mrs. Cortez and points out that Christina had mud on her shoes and wasn’t holding her keys in her hand as a weapon when she was outside, indicating she was meeting someone she knew.

Alexa goes to Christina’s work to talk to her boss, Morgana Finch. She first talks to Zoe, who started working for Morgana after she left school and was at reception when Christina started working there, and now she works directly for Morgana. Alexa then chats to Morgana who is a little dismissive and clearly rattled by Alexa’s questions. Zoe than takes Alexa to Christina’s work locker and gives her, her possessions. According to Zoe, Christina and Morgana didn’t get along and Christina’s emotions were up-and-down.

Alexa explores a theory that Christina was having an affair with Morgana’s now ex-husband, Jackson Netto, as their marriage broke down shortly after Christina died. After Alexa goes to see him to ask questions, she goes to see Morgana and discovers that Jackson called her and told her about Alexa. Morgana “asks nicely” for Alexa to leave things alone.

Later Madison calls Alexa, telling her that she managed to hack into Morgana’s and Christina’s calendars and found that they shared a pattern of appointments over a two month period with an unnamed client. Alexa releases that Morgana was undergoing IVF treatments and Christina was donating her eggs to her. Alexa then thinks that Christina may have changed her mind, she also finds that Jackson’s car, which is the same as Joanne’s, had been repaired shortly after Christina died.

Alexa then goes to see Joanne Argus, who is now making and serving food to the less fortunate. Alexa asks her questions about that night and her statement, however she says she doesn’t remember.  Madison then finds that Christina was reimbursed for a medical appointment and Alexa finds a religious charm baring the patron of cancer patients on it, and realises Christina found out she had cancer before she died.

The episode then takes us back to the moment where Alexa stands in front of the bus, she moves out of the way and looks at her watch. She asks Madison to look into the bus routes of that area, and Madison reveals that the bus was late that night as there was traffic congestion due to a footy game. Alexa then goes to see Morgana at the fertility clinic and apologises to her. Morgana breaks down due to all the hormones she’s taking and Alexa tells her that she knows she didn’t kill her, and didn’t mean to set the chain of events into motion but she’s going to help and needs her phone.

Alexa uses Morgana’s phone to impersonate her and send a message to Zoe. Zoe meets with her and Alexa explains to the viewers that Zoe lured Christina into the street with the Snapchat message and they fought. Zoe was jealous of Christina and wanted her job and planned to push her in front of the bus, however as the bus was late, she had to improvise and pushed her in front of Joanne’s car. Alexa also brings up that Christina’s shoes were caked with the mud they were standing on, which would mean Zoe’s would be too. Zoe leaves and rushes back to her work locker to get her shoes but can’t find them. Alexa meets her back there to tell her the police already have her shoes. Alexa also tells her it was a waste as Christina had quit and had she waited a few more days, the job would have been hers anyway.

Meanwhile throughout the episode, Alexa’s stray cat has been hiding under the couch for reasons that don’t end up being specified, which made a great running gag. The episode ends with Alexa anonymously donating bread to Joanne’s food drive and the cat coming out of hiding when it smells Alexa’s and Kieran’s fish and chips dinner.

Overall this was a solid episode with a compelling case of the week and a good running gag. In terms of whom the murderer turned out to be, I felt Zoe was an obvious candidate, but not the most obvious.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “In the future all people are going to want are 15 minutes of privacy.” (Alexa to Madison)
• “He’s in hiding, he’s offended by my offer of Home Brand tuna. He’s protesting.” (Alexa to Madison on the cat hiding under the couch)
• “Bless you.” “Get a dog!” (Alexa-Madison when Madison sneezes due to her cat allergy)
• “Journo are you?” “More like a professional sticky beak.” (Jackson-Alexa)