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Melbourne police and firefighters are up against a cunning, dangerous criminal who's been lighting fires for more than a year now. A new lead has convinced police that the man they're after may be a firefighter himself, working at the South East Station. There's only one problem. To catch the fire starter, they'll need somebody on the inside. Morgan Cartwright is the new recruit at South East Station, and the first female in the Queensland Fire Service, following in the footsteps of her father and brother. She refuses to turn against her fellow firefighters, but the seeds of suspicion have been planted. And no matter what she does, Morgan will be wondering which of her colleagues is a potentially deadly pyromaniac

The Curse

Episode 1.01
Tuesday, February 14, 1995 (8:30)
Written by Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Peter Fisk

Fresh out of training, Morgan Cartwright — the first female firefighter in the Queensland Fire Service — enters the workplace at the same station where her father and brother served before her. Unfortunately, her brother's reputation as "the curse" has left a black mark on her family name which gives her new commanding officer all the more reason to oppose her. Meanwhile, a year-long rampage by a pyromaniac, that has seen nearly two dozen buildings destroyed, heats up again when the Arson Squad's investigating detective refocuses her sights on the firefighters at the South East station.©tzuk

With: John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Daniel Roberts as Ted Cartwright, Rebecca Riggs as Jane Connor, Melissa Bullock as Young Morgan, Christopher Testrow as Stevie Ray, Stephen Gever as Tommy, Jacinta Greer as Janis, Jessica Griffin as Hendrix, Terry Annesley as Bill Cartwright, David McArtney as Drunk

Note: episode summaries are spoiler-free with respect to the identity of the pyromaniac but this is revealed in the image galleries for the last two episodes

United We Stand

Episode 1.02
Tuesday, February 14, 1995
Written by Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Megan Simpson

Morgan is approached by Detective Jean Diamond, the head of the Arson Squad, to observe the members of her platoon — one of whom is suspected of being the arsonist. Giraffe lashes out at a reporter that is hounding him about the Fire Service's decision to close a hostel for violating fire regulations. Morgan calls the platoon's bluff by getting a genuine "badge of honour." Spit continues to put the pressure on Morgan.©tzuk

With: Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Henri, Simone Dumbleton as Helen, Melissa Bullock as Young Morgan, Gabrielle Fitzpatrick as Susan, Terry Annesley as Bill Cartwright

Doppelganger

Episode 1.03
Written by Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Gary Conway

With the thought planted in her head that one of her platoon-mates may be the pyromaniac, Morgan freezes on the job. Dolores organises a party to celebrate Grievous' 23rd birthday — an anniversary that has him feeling old and one year closer to death — while at the same time worrying about a possible infection from his new tattoo. Morgan reluctantly agrees to observe her platoon for Det Sgt Jean Diamond.©tzuk

With: Kate Bradford as Brandy, Brian Tierney as Bruiser 1, Brad McMurray as Bruiser 2, Greg Tottman as Bruiser 3, Effie Detsimas as Nana, Katrina Dominiak as Model, Daniel Daly as Security Guard

The Rip Off

Episode 1.04
Written by Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Peter Fisk

When Dolores' former boss finds himself on the wrong end of one of Repo's "deals," he demands restitution. He intends to burn down one of his warehouses and asks Repo to delay the station's response. Morgan confides in her brother about the possibility that someone in her platoon may be the arsonist and begins to scrutinize her workmates' lives. Nick moves back home following his wife's suicide attempt.©tzuk

With: Daniel Roberts as Ted Cartwright, Robert Coleby as Larry Dempsey, Peter Marshall as Smacker, Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Det. Henri Aldridge, Wayne Cull as Det. Vlad Hadzic, Rebecca Riggs as Jane Connor, Hazel Phillips as Belle

The Bushfire

Episode 1.05
Written by Deborah Cox
Directed by Megan Simpson-Huberman

Morgan begins to suspect that Banjo may be the pyromaniac. Det Sgt Jean Diamond nabs a man responsible for setting a bush fire but is no closer to finding the Warehouse Burner. Banjo goes AWOL to fight a bushfire in an effort to exorcise some demons from his past. Two young women turn the tables on Grievous.©tzuk

With: Anne Tenney as Anne, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, Wayne Cull as Detective Vlad Hadzic, Peter Lamb as Kovak, Veronica Neave as Beatrice, Helen O'Leary as Jacinta; John Orscik as Charles (uncredited)

Hellfire

Episode 1.06
Written by Deborah Cox and Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Peter Fisk

After having been left by his wife, Spence comes to work drunk and endangers his life by entering a fire scene. After battling the latest massive warehouse fire lit by the pyromaniac, Nick lashes out at Det Sgt Diamond for her lack of progress in finding the pyromaniac. Diamond loses her temper and responds by revealing that Nick and his platoon-mates at the South East station are at the top of the Arson Squad's list of suspects. Loyalties are put to the test when Spence is brought up on charges for drinking on the job.©tzuk

With: John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Diane Smith as Kate, Peter McCauley as Commissioner, Andrew McKaige as Det. Henri Aldridge

Crazy Horse

Episode 1.07
Written by Deborah Cox
Directed by Geoffrey Bennett

Following a surprise inspection of their offices by the members of the South East Station, the Arson Squad steps up the pressure by invading the station and questioning the platoon members and their families as part of their investigation. Detective Sgt. Jean Diamond is assisted with her "informal interviews" of the platoon members by psychologist David Crown. Tensions rise at the station when a major fire is called nearby and the firies are unable to meet the call of duty.©tzuk

With: Anne Tenney as Anne, John Heywood as Det. Segt. Ron Chandler, Sean Scully as David Crown, Andrew McKaige as Det. Henri Aldridge, Wayne Cull as Det. Vlad Hadzic, Norman Steiner as Al

Galileo and Da Vinci

Episode 1.08
Written by Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Megan Simpson-Huberman

The Arson Squad places the platoon members under police surveillance. While Spit is away attending a training course in hopes of earning a promotion to District Supervisor, a desperate Repo talks Grievous into performing a strip tease at the station for "thirty hungry sheilas from Toowoomba." When they get caught, Grievous ends up before a tribunal. The Boss catches Morgan spying on the platoon and she is forced to reveal to him that she has been assisting the Arson Squad with their investigation.©tzuk

With: Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, Wayne Cull as Detective Vlad Hadzic, Peter McCauley as Commissioner, Paul Cantoni as George

Evening Star

Episode 1.09
Written by Tony Cavanaugh, Deborah Cox
Directed by Catherine Millar

When Spit calmly defuses a bomb planted by the pyromaniac in an abandoned prison, it leads the platoon to suspect him as the arsonist. Desperate for results, Jean Diamond calls upon the opinions of a psychic to help in her investigation. Her insights, coupled with Ted Cartwright's drunken fire-bombing of Spit's car, lead Morgan's brother into becoming the Arson Squad's newest suspect. Grievous has trouble with the car he bought from one of Repo's "associates" but a broken car is the least of his problems. Psychologist David Crown interviews Jean Diamond to assess her ability to do her job. Morgan and the Boss become romantically involved.©tzuk

With: Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, Sean Scully as David Crown, John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Daniel Roberts as Ted Cartwright, Wayne Cull as Vlad, Sally McKenzie as Fai Alicis, John Batchelor as Barney

Sanctums

Episode 1.10
Written by Everett De Roche
Directed by Peter Fisk

Banjo's hopes of keeping his upcoming marriage a secret quickly evaporates when Dinosaur tells the rest of the platoon. Anne's desire for Banjo to keep his private life seperate from his work life doesn't sit well with the platoon who don't appreciate not being invited to his wedding. Banjo's fastidious nature gets the better of Anne causing her to walk out on him on their wedding night, while a carelessly disposed cigarette nearly burns down her apartment — and Banjo along with it. The Arson Squad steps up its surveillance of Morgan's brother. A reclusive woman accuses Repo of sexual harassment when he tries to sell her an alarm system.©tzuk

With: Anne Tenney as Anne, Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Daniel Roberts as Ted Cartwright

Glory Days

Episode 1.11
Written by Everett De Roche
Directed by Donald Crombie

The Arson Squad's constant surveillance of Ted begins to take an emotional toll on him toll and Morgan asks Diamond to back off. Repo organises a charity football match, with a reluctant Giraffe as the celebrity guest, but the event ends abruptly when Giraffe punches out an agressive young opponent. It is the final excuse Spit needs to remove him from the platoon. The Arson Squad shift their focus to Spit in their investigation when they discover his alibi for one of the fires is based on a lie. Looking into his dark past reveals even more reason to suspect him. Nick clashes with Morgan's activist friends at a dinner party.©tzuk

With: John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, Daniel Roberts as Ted Cartwright, Christine Youhanna as Helen Simpson, Lisa Hickey as Mitch, Anthony Hayes as Slasher, Nell Feeney-Connor as Pheobe, Eugene Gilfedder as Spencer

The Father Of Paradox

Episode 1.12
Written by Everett De Roche
Directed by Peter Fisk

Rumours get back to the platoon that Spit is being questioned by the Arson Squad but armed with nothing more than circumstantial evidence, the Arson Squad is unable to make a case against him. Realising that Morgan has worked out his identity and has been in contact with the Arson Squad, the pyromaniac sets a trap for her but inadvertently snares another member of the platoon. As a result, his identity is finally revealed to all. Caught unprepared, the Arson Squad makes the risky decision to release him.©tzuk

With: Anne Tenney as Anne, Norman Steiner as Al, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Caroline Kennison as Police Prosecutor

Note: the image gallery for this episode contains major spoilers

Shadows

Episode 1.13
Written by Everett De Roche, Tony Cavanaugh
Directed by Peter Fisk

With the pyromaniac's identity out in the open, Diamond cautions the platoon against undertaking any vigilantism but to leave his apprehension to the Arson Squad. Morgan is forced to admit to the platoon that she has been passing about information on them to the Arson Squad. The remaining platoon members assemble to hunt down the pyromaniac — with each having their own plans for what to do when they find him. Meanwhile, the pyromaniac meets with Morgan to explain himself before luring her into another trap, this time to kill them both.©tzuk

With: Anne Tenney as Anne, Andrew McKaige as Detective Henri Aldridge, John Heywood as Detective Sergeant Ron Chandler, Jacinta Greer as Janis Kennedy, Jessica Griffin as Hendrix Kennedy, Christine Youhanna as Helen Simpson

Note: the image gallery for this episode contains major spoilers