Is Talitha guilty in Showtrial? 5 questions we have after episode 1

But while there's plenty of evidence stacked against her, there are several moments in this first episode which make us wonder whether she could really be capable of murder, as well as casting doubt on other members of the Showtrial cast.

We'll get more information in the second episode next weekend, but for now, here are the biggest questions we have after Showtrial's series premiere on BBC One.

Is Talitha guilty?

Of course, this is the big question that we expect will dominate discussion until the Showtrial series finale – whether spoilt university student Talitha Campbell is responsible for the murder of classmate Hannah Ellis.

When the character is introduced, it's clear that writer Ben Richards wants us to be suspicious towards her, giving her a rude and disrespectful attitude that makes her a rather unsympathetic figure.

Soon after, we learn that she had been sending threatening text messages to Hannah before her disappearance, one of which alludes to paying someone to harm her – it doesn't look good.

But just when this seems to be an open-and-shut case, cracks in Talitha's facade start to appear.

We see video footage that suggests she and Hannah were genuinely good friends (see next question for more on that), while her demeanour changes radically when she is alone in her cell, letting out her vulnerable side as she sings herself a tearful lullaby.

Those could well be tears of remorse if Talitha is revealed to be guilty, or they could simply be those of a frightened teenager being wrongfully targeted for something she had nothing to do with.

Another twist comes in the final moments as the murder weapon used to kill Hannah is discovered to be the green scarf that Talitha was wearing on the night she vanished.

DI Cassidy sees this as the final nail in the coffin for Talitha's defence case, but of course, it's anything but – she could have lost that scarf halfway through the night only for it to be picked up by the actual culprit.

What was the nature of Talitha and Hannah's relationship?

When Talitha is brought into police custody and questioned, she is quick to downplay her connection to Hannah Ellis, describing her as someone she knew slightly, found to be "annoying" and ultimately had a falling out with.

However, this appears to be untrue, as video footage on Dhillon's phone sees the three of them hanging out together on a sunny afternoon and seemingly having a lovely time.

It appears that, at one point, Talitha and Hannah were very good friends, but there's also the possibility that their relationship may have gone further than that.

If a romance had developed between them, it might explain why Talitha felt the need to make up a lie about them not really knowing each other, as she might feel nervous about her friends and family finding out.

• Read more: Is Showtrial a true story? The inspiration behind BBC One thriller

How is Dhillon involved?

As his mother reminds him after getting word of the arrest, whenever Talitha would get into trouble at school, Dhillon would often be drawn into it – and that seems to be the case here.

The opening scene reveals that Talitha and Dhillon will stand a joint trial, meaning they will both be implicated in whichever version of events the police decide to pursue.

While he insists to his mother that he doesn't know anything about what happened, he also makes out like he barely knew Hannah – and we know that not to be true.

Something is clearly troubling him throughout this first episode, but it's open to speculation whether he played a direct role in Hannah's tragic fate, or has simply been dragged into more trouble by his reckless friend.

When will the media explosion happen?

The synopsis for Showtrial says that the series will explore how media bias can undermine a fair trial, but this is an aspect we are yet to see come into play.

We hear a report that the police has arrested someone in connection with Hannah's disappearance, but Talitha's identity is never revealed, which is likely why the press is yet to sensationalise the proceedings across their front pages.

We're speculating that things will kick up a gear when police come knocking on the door of Meera Harwood, a member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for the Environment, to speak to son Dhillon.

It could very easily be argued that extensive reporting on a court case in which the defendant is the son of an MP is in the public interest, while it's a scandal that many would surely be fascinated by.

In the opening montage at the start of the episode, we see protestors outside the courthouse, one of which is holding a placard that reads "minister for murder", suggesting this will indeed be a plot point in future episodes.

• Read more: Showtrial ending explained: Who is the real killer?

What will the jury decide?

The interesting thing about Showtrial is that it has been implied the jury in Talitha's case could potentially come to the wrong verdict, due to a potent mix of factors including "prejudice, politics and the media".

If she is guilty, her powerful father might be able to pull some strings to keep from justice being served, while if she is innocent, the jury may be influenced by mounting pressure to convict her from protestors and the media.

One thing she does have in her favour is the backing of ace solicitor Cleo Roberts, who has shown that she isn't afraid of taking on tough cases and facing off with intimidating individuals.

The trial continues next weekend. If you can't wait until then, check out our Showtrial review for our take on the series.

Showtrial continues on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday 7th November. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.