Murder In The First: How to Investigate Like A Pro

Police cars everywhere, scene of the crime operatives are questioning everyone inside the building where you are supposed to be capping off a stressful night. The chef of the restaurant lies at the kitchen, drenched in his own blood. And suddenly, you’re part of the investigation process. What would you do?

What should have been a peaceful dinner is now turned into a crime scene, thanks to Warner TV and Breakout Manila. As we went into pairs, my partner, Ryan and I went downstairs to investigate and ask questions from the people closest to the Head Chef. A mysterious looking businessman hates the chef, one suspicious business partner says he doesn’t care about the crime. The manager was almost shaking in fear, and the owner of the restaurant was outside, puffing his cigarette without a care in the world. So who could’ve done it? 

If I ever had the gall to smoke, I think I’d be friends with David, the restaurant owner and friends with the chef. But then, there’s this secretary who seems to be hiding, without a care in the world (just her affair with David) I’m not comfortable asking people questions, so I just looked for evidences that we can use. A coat, a note, a phone and mostly anything that looks suspicious. 

In the end, I came to the conclusion that it was David who killed the chef because he knew too much about his affair. Turns out, it was David after all, but not about a love angle, but a business affair. Or maybe I just watch too many dramatic telenovelas. 

So why are we placed in a crime scene? Warner TV marks its Philippine debut of a homicide investigation series, Murder in the First, here in the Philippines. Shown every Thursdays at 9:50 PM, this new drama created by Steve Bochco and Eric Lodal takes two seemingly unrelated crimes that pit Silicon Valley wunderkind Erich Blunt (Tom Felton, Harry Potter films) in the middle of the crime scene. 

Murder in the First also stars Taye Diggs (Private Practice) and Kathleen Robertson (Boss) as partner investigators in the San Francisco Police Department homicide unit who are assigned to take on the case. It also stars Mimi Kirkland (Safe Haven), Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon a Time), Lombardo Boyar (The Bernie Mac Show), Ian Anthony Dale (Hawaii Five-0), Bess Rous (What Just Happened), Nicole Ari Parker (Revolution), Currie Graham (Raising the Bar), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), James Cromwell (Babe, L.A. Confidential) and Steven Weber (Dallas, Wings). 

The story is set in San Francisco, where two homicide detectives Terry English (Diggs) and Hildy Mulligan (Robertson) investigate two murders. It also happens that a common denominator involves Blunt (Tom Felton) in the crime. 

Supporting Blunt in his endeavors are Bill Wilkerson (Weber), his long-time friend, driver and pilot; and Ivana West (Rous), the company's brilliant Chief Technology Officer. Blunt's legal team includes David Hertzberg (Schiff), his gruff lawyer and trusted confidant, and Warren Daniels (Cromwell), a legendary criminal attorney brought in to assist when suspicion turns to Blunt. Facing them in the courtroom will be the remarkably brilliant District Attorney Sonia Perez (Parker) and pit-bull Chief Prosecutor Mario Siletti (Graham).

Murder in the First is executive-produced by Bochco (Justified, The Pacific) and Lodal and distributed internationally by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution. WarnerTV is available on SKY cable channel 77, Destiny Cable channel 80 and Cignal channel 66.