Addiction

"Addiction" is the second episode of the first season of Australia S-Unit. It was written and directed by James Burnell, his only time as a director and writer for the series. The episode introduced Marcus Andrews' backstory, something Daniel Isaac had not discussed and left Burnell to create it himself.

Story
Marcus stands over the railing of his deck as he remembers the day his girlfriend, Cynthia died. Marcus then proceeds to take some drugs and does so in anger. Marcus then goes inside and talks with Derek and an argument starts. Marcus confesses to having a drug obsession and storms out of the house. Derek gets a phone call from the office telling him that Jackson Grant, the falsified Mr Greene, has been released from prison.

Derek goes and visits Jackson Grant and asks what he is doing now that he has been released. Getting no answer, Derek gets Marcus and they decide to go on a stake out and watch Jackson. During the stake out Marcus confesses his past to Derek and why he has a drug obsession, stating that his desk job got to him mentally and that his girlfriend Cynthia was murdered by the person he owed money too. Ironically the same man, Roman Duke, at that moment arrived at the stake out and initiated a car jacking. Derek and Marcus exited the car and Roman revealed himself to Marcus. Marcus opened fire and Roman escaped the scene. However Jackson, who was caught in the cross fire, was wounded. Derek tried to get him to come back to the station but Jackson refused.

Back at Marcus' house, Marcus begins drinking and having memories of Cynthia and an argument that happened between them. Marcus then went out to Derek and asked him what they would do next. Derek says that Roman is car jacking cars from the south and north of the suburbs. Derek says they will now go to one of the locations and try get car jacked again but be prepared for Roman.

At the location, Roman arrives and attempts to car jack Marcus and Derek again. Derek and Marcus reveal themselves and a firefight starts. Derek kills Roman's partner and Marcus beats Roman. Marcus then prepares himself to kill Roman for what he did to Cynthia. Derek manages to convince Marcus to spare him and take him to prison. Marcus reluctantly agrees.

Back at home Marcus, now starting to pull himself together, talks with Derek. Derek states that he is not so sure it was Roman who killed Cynthia, stating that a police report puts Roman at a jewellery store at the time of Cynthia's murder. Marcus then questions who the real killer could be.

Jackson is then shown dead on a layer of grass with the murderer above him, suggesting Jackson's killer is the same as Cynthia's killer.

Reception
"Addiction" received critical acclaim from viewers. Viewers claimed that it introduced such a tragic and yet amazing backstory for one of the series' main characters. The episode later inspired Daniel Isaac for the story of the second season.