Mid-East Blues - First Impressions (Pilot)

A Lebanese-Canadian Homicide Detective struggles to deal with the gang murders in his Arab community while he wrestles with his guilt over his brother’s alleged suicide and possible involvement in terrorism.

Edmonton is the murder capital of Canada thanks to gangs and those murders keep RICHIE KARIM busy. He is the only Arab Homicide Detective in the city and many of them involve people from his community. Richie’s well respected and a much decorated cop. But Anti-Gangs Unit (AGU) head JERRY PATRICK, senses Richie’s bias towards Arabs and rides him with a merciless humour about it. Patrick tells Richie the only reason he has time for Richie is he used to be the best cop he’d met.

When Richie’s parents were killed in a bombing abroad he turned to drinking. To make matters worse he now feels he’s broken his promise to protect the brother he just buried. Richie blames his brother’s alleged suicide on his charismatic, corrupt cousin MONA, or MO. Mo is a rising star City Counsellor and a Police Commission member. No-one in the Arab community will help Richie because of fear or blind loyalty. As Richie pushes for answers, his community closes ranks and his professional reputation goes down the drain.

Richie’s on thin ice with his fiercest ally CHIEF ADI STEINBERG. She hired Richie and promoted him to homicide but she’s under constant pressure from Mo and the Police Commission. Luckily, Richie can always rely on IAN, from Tech Unit, and LAYAL, the first female Muslim hired on the force and Richie’s ex. Layal’s a police counsellor and also helps troubled Arab youth which has her liaising with the AGU and leaders like Mo. Richie’s fearful that Layal will be blinded by Mo’s “generosity.” But the tension between Layal and Richie is full of respect and a fun that everyone else mistakes for flirting. Layal guarantees she’d never go back. Richie’s too stuck on his mission for anything else.

Layal’s suspicious about Richie’s new partner, DAWN GRIFFITH. She transferred from Toronto and couldn’t know less about the gang scene and Arab community. Richie and Dawn both have chips on their shoulders. Richie’s got the local clout. Dawn’s even-tempered and whip smart. Richie’s all instinct. Together in a long season arc they get close enough to make Layal jealous, find gang connections to Richie’s brother’s death and a link to a terrorist ring headed by Mo. Mo’s plotting local violence that will target many that Richie cares about and she’s sent Layal’s older sister abroad for training. Layal’s sister will return and try to enact a suicide bombing. Richie has to kill her to save the intended victims and that causes a rift with Layal. Richie learns Dawn is connected to Mo, while Chief Steinberg discovers Dawn is an undercover op.

Week to week as Richie and Dawn deal with the murders crossing their desk, they pursue Richie’s larger obsession. Richie, Dawn, Layal, Chief Steinberg, Patrick, and Ian are all going to have to figure out where they stand between badge, the communities they rep and those they care for in what Richie calls a bad case of the MID-EAST BLUES.