It is the penultimate episode before the season finale of Burden of Truth and first off apologies for not recapping the previous 7 episodes as life got in the way. Basically, I moved and didn’t have cable for a couple of weeks and then was busy unpacking and working evenings that this show and this blog fell by the wayside.

But I am back and

Previously on Burden of Truth

After initially winning the case in the Pilot, Joanna decided to stay in Millwood as the girls symptoms didn’t seem to be result of the HPV vaccine but was a result of Matheson Steel dumping barrels of toxic waste in the girls’ athletic field. Joanna joins forces with Billy as they try and build a case against Matheson Steel. Joanna and Billy make the decision to have Molly, Billy’s niece as the main complainant in the case. To make matters worse, Matheson Steel has hired Joanna’s firm CTS, which causes Joanna to quit the firm. Alan, Joanna’s boyfriend (who eventually becomes an ex) is dispatched to lead the case. Initially brought in as a medical expert for Joanna and Billy, Calvin Williams (Orphan Black’s Kevin Hanchard), does not agree that girls symptoms are a result of benzene poisoning but the girls are actually suffering from conversion syndrome. When it looks like Joanna and Billy’s case if falling apart, they manage to prove that Dr. Williams has something to gain by saying it is conversion syndrome. Helping break the case open is a whistleblower who informs Joanna that she can find Matheson toxic waste elsewhere like in the pond outside a dairy farm and tons were found in a field that has no owner.

Joanna scores a major victory against her old firm by getting all the new evidence certified but is dealt another blow when her father, David, takes over as lead counsel and gets her thrown off the case for conflict of interest.

Elsewhere, Joanna uncovers family secrets such as learning that her dad had an affair with the sister of the woman who punched Joanna in episode 1. The sister got pregnant and David forced her to get an abortion. We also learn that Luna, who has come to work with Billy and Joanna is Joanna’s half-sister from an affair with Gerrilyn Spence.

Luna is also in a very sweet and supportive relationship with Molly and in a previous episode the two throw an alternative prom at the local bar when they were unable to attend their own.

One of the girls, Taylor Matheson, is the daughter of Ben Matheson, the owner of the steel mill and has also shown the same symptoms (the twitching, etc…) as Molly and the other girls. To make matters worse, Taylor has also been diagnosed with leukemia.

In other town news, Officer Owen Beckbie and Diane Evans, the school’s guidance counselor, has struck up a romance. But Owen’s job has put in danger as he is investigating corruption in the police department and he gets attacked while on a midnight stroll.

And I think that is pretty much what happened in the previous 7 episodes.

Now onto the penultimate episode of season 1

Owen and Diane

Owen is in the hospital recovering after his attack. Owen has sustained a head injury but doesn’t really remember what happened. Diane pays him a visit with get well soon cards from her daughters. Fellow Officer Sam Mercer, who Owen suspects as being a corrupt cop under the payroll of Ben Matheson, pays Owen a visit and claims that he was the one that found him and brought him to the hospital. Mercer tells Owen the whole department is investigating his incident and are determined to find the culprit.

However, Diane is suspicious of Mercer and tries to find out more from him about Owen’s attack. Mercer seems to see right through Diane and asks about how her daughters are doing but in a way that seems threatening.

Back at the hospital, Diane is going back and forth visiting Owen and also Taylor, who going through chemo. Diane meets up with Ben and shares her concerns about Owen’s case and how she thinks a fellow cop did it.

Later on, Diane shares her suspicions with Owen about Mercer being on the take with Ben Matheson. At the same time, Owen suggests he meets Diane’s daughters when gets out of the hospital. Diane is only hesitant because she knows Owen wants to stay in Millwood and she might have to move to Winnipeg. Diane’e ex is moving there and she wants her girls to be near their father.

Molly Ross versus Matheson Steel

Billy and Luna are buried under a mountain of files from Matheson Steel as part of the discovery process. The two are combing through the redacted files hoping to find something that can win them the case.

Meanwhile, Joanna has managed to argue her way back on the case. David throws an olive branch out to Joanna to have some breakfast so they can talk things over. However, their breakfast is cut short with the arrival of Gerrilyn that causes David to leave the diner.

Joanna and Gerrilyn talk about her relationship with her father. It seems David threatened Gerrilyn for custody of Luna unless she cut ties with him, Joanna gets some advise from Gerrilyn to go see her mother as she may help bring David down and win her case. However, Joanna has not seen her mother in 15 years as it seemed like she abandoned the family when they were moving from Winnipeg to Toronto. David and Joanna went off to Toronto while the mom stayed in Winnipeg. Joanna tells Billy what she is up to has her mother was still together with her dad when a deal was brokered between him and PNL, the parent company of Matheson Steel.

Billy suggests Joanna take Luna for moral support. Once the two get to Winnipeg, Joanna is all business with her mom just asking about the case. But it soon turns emotional as Joanna’s mom reveals she had to leave her behind because David threatened her with deportation. Now reconciled, Joanna’s mom offers up a love letter between the now mayor of Millwood, Alison Sheppherd, and David. Not quite sure how this will help the case but we will found out soon enough in the season finale.

Meanwhile, Alan and David are formulating their strategy. Alan is appalled that David wants to use a prior concussion and Molly’s sexuality against her. David is taking this tactic to get under the skin of Billy who will get so protective of his niece that he will want to settle. Alan quits CTS and goes over to Billy’s camp and lets him know of David’s strategy.

Alan helps prep Molly and the other girls on the type of questioning they will face. However, when the time comes, David has no questions for Molly and in fact it was used as a distraction for the real reason. David has filed a motion against the case to dismiss unless Billy and associates can find evidence that the parent company PNL is to blame.

Joanna returns from Winnipeg and finds all this out and shows Billy the letter hoping it can win their case.