‘Quicksand’ Episode 1 Recap: “Maja”

By Jonathon Wilson
Published: April 5, 2019
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Quicksand Episode 1 Recap Maja
3.5

Summary

Quicksand Episode 1, “Maja”, sets the scene and introduces us to the plot and characters, starting to lay some track for what will inevitably become more important as the series moves along.

This Quicksand Episode 1 Recap for the episode titled “Maja” contains spoilers. You can check out our full, spoiler-free season review by clicking these words.


We open with the sounds of a school shooting; the camera pans over the after effects. Blood, bullets and bodies. Someone’s phone rings off camera and we hear heavy breathing. The camera finally rests on the face of a blood-stained survivor before we see the title card.

Police and paramedics take our survivor to safety and give her medical treatment. In the ambulance, we learn that this girl may be the sole survivor. She is processed, and her clothes gathered for evidence. Her parents rush in and we learn the survivor’s name is Maja. When the police inspector tries to shoo them away she drops a bombshell. Maja is going to be arrested for murder, attempted murder, and accessory to murder.

Maja is taken to the police station where she is processed and given prison-issue clothes to wear. Her lawyer explains to Maja that she is accused of several very serious crimes, she will be questioned and is likely to be remanded into custody. He starts to ask her questions, starting with her boyfriend, Sebastian (something tells me Sebastian is going to be important!).

We have a flashback sequence that takes us back to the previous Summer where Maja’s romance with the creepy looking Sebastian began during a holiday in France. The flashback sequence is brightly lit in stark contrast with the rest of the drama; we know it’s love when they listen to the same song with an ear bud each…

Maja and her family are on an idyllic family holiday, she has a close and loving relationship with her younger sister, they go swimming together… and wait a minute, guess who’s by the pool? That’s right, creepy Sebastian. The two lovers take off on the back of a moped until they arrive at Sebastian’s giant yacht. He’s LOADED! Maja has got it bad…

Back to the grimly lit prison cell. The lawyer gives Maja some sage advice – only answer the questions you are asked, don’t make it easy for them. The stern looking police detective starts the interrogation. We learn she got to school just before 9 am, she was driven there by Sebastian. What happened next? Nothing. Okay then, let’s talk about creepy Sebastian.

Back to France, Sebastian’s implausibly wealthy and handsome father is regaling Maja’s family with charming anecdotes on his yacht. Surely no-one is this perfect? It is agreed that Maja will spend a few days with Sebastian and Handsome Dad. Handsome Dad, it turns out, is also a bit creepy and slightly pervy.

Sebastian and Maja walk along the beach hand in hand in the moonlight. Sebastian reveals that his former beauty queen mother simply left them one day; what did Handsome Dad do to get rid of her? Maybe he had her killed…? Time for a quick snog on the beach.

Maja and Handsome Dad have a slightly awkward breakfast together, is he coming on to her? He is certainly very comfortable dispensing life advice. Did you know that Sebastian’s brother Lucas is at Harvard? No? Weird. Handsome Dad casually mentions that he’s about to take off and leave Maja and Sebastian alone on the giant yacht: ‘Hey, why don’t you have my bed? The servants will look after you’

Back to prison. Time for the remand hearing. It is not looking good for Maja. The hearing will be held behind closed doors. We learn during the hearing that her fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. She will be tried as an adult since she just turned 18. She will be held in custody and will spend 23 hours a day in solitary confinement with no visitors, newspapers, the internet, and just one hour of outside exercise per day.

The last thing we see is Maja and Sebastian walking down a school corridor before they turn into a classroom. The camera holds on the closed door and we hear gunshots.

A strong first episode sets up enough intriguing threads that you want to return for the next one. There is plenty more to unravel here.


You can read our recap of episode 2 of Quicksand by clicking these words.

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