By-the-book Becca leads a new Ritual Abuse Unit at the National Crime Agency along with her hotheaded partner James. 

A child abduction case leads them to an underground cult, and to complicate matters, James’ estranged twin brother is a member.

SYNOPSIS:

"We know [ritual abuse of children is] an under-reported crime; we know this is a hidden crime."

Detective Superintendent Terry Sharpe, head of Scotland Yard's child abuse investigation Unit

SYNOPSIS

Genre: Crime Drama

Format: One-hour episodic

Comparisons: 'Happy Valley,' 'Broadchurch.'

Coverage: Recommend (top 3%)

Creator: Nitsa "Amanda" Oz

Underground cults challenge their members to break ALL outside rules and taboos but NONE of the sect's own policies. My name is Amanda Nitsa Oz, and I grew up in such a group.

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A twelve-year-old is kidnapped by a cult named 'The Absolved. The kidnapping is assisted by a seemingly ordinary teenage girl who cannot recall her actions.

This crime becomes the first investigation for a new Ritual Abuse Unit, regional to Bristol. The unit was created because The Crown Prosecution Service tends to ignore the ritualised aspects of cases and, therefore, unwittingly aid in covering up the full extent of the problem.

The National Crime Agency division is led by Becca, a frustrated prosecutor from Wales. She is determined to seek justice. Her partner is James, whose background in cyber-crime in Leeds does little to prepare him for what they will gradually uncover.

James's involvement is complicated when he finds he has an identical twin, Marc, who has been a prey of that cult since a week after his birth. Marc constantly acts under the direction of the group, who have used torture, hypnosis, and drugs to create multiple personalities within him, most of which they programmed to be under their control.

James and Becca discover the kidnapping is part of a much broader organized crime web. Their goal is to destroy the whole operation, but their overriding priority is the race to save the kidnapped boy.

The Absolved draw upon government and military connections to hinder convictions and discredit the investigators. Matters escalate when the cult sets up James to be accused of crimes perpetrated by his brother. At the same time, James wrestles to help Marc escape the cult. Marc could prove a key witness, but to do so, he must reconcile his multiple personalities and overcome the programming that prevents him from speaking out.

Becca and James will struggle against a web of deceptions and scheming and endure knowledge of disturbing rituals. Their personal lives and sanity will be threatened before they can bring The Absolved to justice.

RITUAL (UK)