The Jetty's double twist in episode 1 changes everything

When Ember Manning (Jenna Coleman) is tasked with investigating a fire at a boat hut in BBC drama The Jetty, little does she know that there's an almighty storm brewing – and one that will not only destabilise the town she calls home, but will also force the detective to reevaluate her own past in excruciating detail.

Her husband Mack, who owned the property prior to his death a year ago, was several years older than a teenage Ember when they first met. But that concerning power dynamic didn't deter him from pursuing her and she gave birth not long after they met, when she was just 17.

"No, that is absolutely not the same thing," Ember says to her daughter Hannah (Ruby Stokes) when she's questioned about the parallels between her own relationship history and what has happened to Miranda Ashby (Shannon Watson), a pregnant 16-year-old who is the victim of sexual exploitation.

But at the end of the first episode, an uncomfortable truth comes to light that not only casts Ember's relationship with Mack in a new and troublesome glow, but also shifts the landscape of the narrative in dramatic fashion.

While sifting through a box of Mack's possessions alongside Hannah, Ember makes a shocking discovery: a photograph of her late husband with none other than Amy Knightley (Bo Bragason), an underage girl who vanished from the town 17 years ago and hasn't been seen since.

The pair were sexually involved – although Riz (Weruche Opia), a podcaster who specialises in crimes against women and girls, is quick and correct to note that the only term applicable in such cases is statutory rape.

"That's what it's called when a grown man has sex with an underage girl," she asserts, referring to Miranda, but the same is also true for Malachy (Tom Glynn-Carney), previously known to us as Mack, and Amy.

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The image of the pair, which was tucked away in a book, leaves Ember speechless as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that Mack was not only taking advantage of an underage girl, but that he's now the prime suspect in her disappearance.

And as viewers, we're also hit with the unforeseen knowledge that the story is unfolding across two separate timelines, almost two decades apart, that are share a harrowing reality: violence against women and girls remains endemic.

"What was deemed acceptable back in the day wasn't necessarily right," said Opia. "Grooming and crimes against women are huge issues that we shouldn't be experiencing in the world we live in now but, unfortunately, we are still dealing with these things.

"They're really important themes to explore."

For help and support, you can visit the website for Rape Crisis or contact by calling Rape Crisis's 23/7 support line on 0808 500 2222.

The Samaritans are also available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or head to the website to find your nearest branch.

The Jetty is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Episodes will also air on BBC One.

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