Buffalo '07

Buffalo '07 is the first episode of the first season of the USA Network crime drama series Eyewitness and is the series premiere.

Synopsis
When two innocent teenaged boys secretly meet up in the forest, they bear witness to a shooting and barely escape with their lives. Desperate to keep their relationship a secret and in fear of being found by the perpetrator, they remain silent but soon learn that what has been seen cannot be unseen and when you witness a horrible event it changes everything, forever.

Plot
The episode starts with three of its main characters: Sheriff Helen Torrance (Julianne Nicholson), a Buffalo cop who, for unknown reasons, has recently transferred to her current idle town of Tivoli; her teenage foster son, Philip Shea (Tyler Young), a gay teen who’s stuck in the foster system after his addict mother relapses; and Lukas Waldenbeck (James Paxton), a closeted high schooler who, after a day of motocross, makes a move on Philip in his father’s woods-nestled cabin. The boys are caught mid-hook-up in the cabin when a car of four men -- one tied up in the trunk -- pull into the driveway thinking they’re secluded, alone. Philip and Lukas scramble into hiding and look on in horror as the thugs’ captive (played by Warren Christie) breaks free and shoots the three men -- one of them, it’s later learned, an FBI informant -- dead. When the killer finds Philip curled under the bed, Lukas intervenes just in time with a frying pan and knocks him unconscious. Scared, the two boys flee.

The following days prove trying as Philip’s foster mother becomes further entrenched in the murders. It’s soon learned that only three bodies were recovered from the cabin, which means the killer is still on the loose. Upon first arriving to the scene of the crime, Helen is greeted by an FBI agent named Kamilah Davis (Tattiawna Jones), who says she’s been tracking these ne'er-do-well heroin dealers for some time; they’re somehow connected to the Vescovi crime family. The fact that Camilla’s informant, Chris Petronelli, is one of the three bodies is withheld from Helen -- if the FBI were to find out her informant is dead, Camilla would be out of a job; and if the Vescovi family found out they had been infiltrated, there would be lives on the line. That aside, Helen still thinks there’s something fishy about Chris’ involvement and digs deeper, eventually meeting his widow, Sita (Amanda Brugel), whose child has just been taken by child services. Sita now fears for her life at the hands of the Vescovis. Going on little more than a hunch, Helen presses until learning that Chris was indeed somehow connected to Camilla and the FBI. The killer is later shown tending his wounds and googling local high schools, hoping to locate Phillip and close loose ends. Afraid for their lives, the two teens rely on each other in private, but when Philip approaches Lukas in school, Lukas’ fear of being outed as gay outweighs his affections for Philip. He picks a fight to keep up appearances, punching him to the ground. The pilot ends with him going to Lukas’ house to make up and make out, but conversation sours. He doesn't want to have a closeted relationship with Lukas, tells him he needs to decide and then leaves. In the end of the episode, Philip is taking the bus home and he sees the killer.

Main Cast

 * Tyler Young as Philip Shea
 * James Paxton as Lukas Waldenbeck
 * Julianne Nicholson as Helen Torrance
 * Gil Bellows as Gabe Caldwell
 * Matt Murray as Tony Michaels
 * Warren Christie as Ryan Kane

Recurring Cast

 * Carlyn Burchell as Anne Shea
 * Tattiawna Jones as Kamilah Davis
 * Amanda Burgel as Sita Petronelli
 * Rainbow Sun Francks as Burlingame
 * Mercedes Morris as Rose

Guest Cast

 * Shane Daley as Chris Petronelli's Foreman
 * Mal Dassin as Chris Petronelli

Trivia

 * This is the pilot/first episode of the series.

Memorable Quotes

 * Lukas Waldenbeck: "I can't believe what's happening."
 * Philip Shea: "You're into me. That's what's happening. Just deal with it."


 * Philip Shea: "I'm not gonna be your little bitch."
 * Lukas Waldenbeck: "What?"
 * Philip Shea: "You got Rose for that.  You can't hit me in the face, not want to be seen with me like I'm some freak, and then you want to fool around."

Music

 * Into the Wild by Johnossi - Recording stunts on the dirtbike
 * Will + Worry by Land Lines - Philip waiting outside the principal's office, the baby is taken by child services, Helen looks over photographs
 * The Answer by Aquamoan - Philip sneaks up on Lukas listening to music.