Abhiroop Das
Created by Ian Weir, Fox’s ‘Murder in a Small Town‘ follows Karl Alberg, the chief of police of the idyllic seaside town known as Gibsons, who came here to escape the extreme pressure of solving urban crimes. However, his experiences in the field have honed his senses, and the protagonist soon finds himself in the middle of yet another investigation. As the number of cases begins to rise, Karl is forced to balance his priorities, but finds support in the form of Cassandra Lee, the local librarian with whom he starts a relationship. The inaugural season ends with Karl putting a serial killer behind bars, and while things look pleasant for now, trouble is bound to rear its head once again. This time, however, Karl has a new ally, with Laila Jackson bringing a new perspective to this crime thriller series. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Laila Jackson is the Newest Addition to the Gibsons Police Department
Laila Jackson is introduced to the story as a police corporal who has temporarily been placed in the Gibsons Police Department. Although the exact reasons for her circumstances are not revealed, Laila wastes no time in putting her investigative skills to use. Her first case in the story, a complaint about a drunk person, directly connects to the season premiere’s grand mystery, as she is the one to find Garrett Walker’s car. When the investigation makes its way to his house, Laila keeps up with Karl, correctly deducing that Garrett’s wife, Denise, is somehow involved in all of this. The young corporal’s impressive feats do not stop there, as she charts Garrett’s potential trajectory and locates him in CCTV footage, along with one of the major players in the narrative, Susan Baylor. The final piece of the puzzle that Laila adds is Susan’s connection to biker gangs, which in turn puts the whole murder mystery into place.
While the episode clearly showcases Laila’s ability to weave through the details of the case and find what no one else can, her personal life is not as streamlined. In a conversation with Isabella Harbud, Laila says that her housing situation is still a mess. However, when Phyllis Diaz tries to help with a rent opportunity, Laila backs off. This hesitation reveals some deep-seated insecurities about her privacy being breached, and both Isabella and Phyllis make note of this. Instead of taking it the wrong way, the latter chooses another approach, assuring Laila that their lives will not intersect in any way that threatens how she leads her own life. With this, the corporal finds herself one stage deeper into the tight-knit social structure of the town, wherein the entire community comes together in times of need.
While Laila’s talent as a cop makes her an invaluable member of Karl’s core team, this inadvertently raises the pressure on her. With the protagonist’s jurisdiction increasing to cover every major crime in the surrounding region, the workload is likely to balloon as well. This creates the grim possibility of suffocating Laila to the extent of corrupting her lifestyle. Although we do not know the nitty-gritty of her past, her avoidant nature when it comes to personal matters suggests that there is more to the story, and as the episodes unfold, Laila’s journey is bound to gain depth. As such, whether she ends up prospering as an individual or sinks deeper into the darkness depends entirely on whether she survives the onslaught of head-scratchers.
Bethany Brown Pours Life into Laila Jackson
In a series where everyone in town seems to know everyone else, Laila Jackson’s take as an outsider adds richness to the narrative. However, this also brings trouble for the character, as she has to find her way from scratch more often than not. Actor Bethany Brown brings an air of charm and confidence to the role, elevating it with her own creative touches. Jackson found the sweet spot between depicting the corporal’s outgoing nature and her more secretive side, which required an in-depth understanding of Laila’s past and present. The actor is no stranger to the industry, with over a hundred acting credits under her belt. She started with minor roles in shows such as ‘The L Word’ and ‘V’ before landing a major role in the ‘LEGO Chima’ series, where she voices a number of characters such as Eris, Crooler, and Windra.
The Brown’s most popular works include ‘The Good Doctor,’ ‘Plan B,’ as well as the movie ‘F*** Marry Kill,’ where she plays Rochelle, Liz Coleman, and Robin, respectively. For her portrayal of Laila, the actor undertook a hands-on approach, analysing the dialogue and collaborating with the writers, directors, and other members of the team to mold the character. In an Instagram post, she explained this as an essential step in getting to the core of the character and charting her transformative journey. Additionally, Brown pointed out the healthy and affectionate dynamic she shared with the cast and crew, in particular recalling the positive atmosphere she had on day one of filming. All of these experiences directly played a role in the construction of Laila as one of the main needle movers of ‘Murder in a Small Town,’ while also fleshing out her inner life.
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