Salamander

- Season 1

(2015)

On a Sunday a professional gang enters the private Bank of Jonkhere through a tunnel. 66 specific lockers are cracked. The rest is left alone. Only personal things, secrets, cash money and jewels are stolen. They're all from people high up in the Belgian business world, magistrates, politicians, trade unions, army and so on. Jonkhere fears a grave scandal and together with Attorney-General Persigal and the safe holders they try to cover it up. But then the smalltime Brussels detective Paul Gerardi gets a tip from a forgotten informant. His chief tries to put him on a ...

Gerardi refuses to believe the official story but is suspended by his superior, the commissioner, who follows the procurator-general's instructions. Banker Jonckhere hopes the cover-up is thus under control, but Gerardi finds a trail to the bank and works out its vault lockers were robbed and leans on deputy director Robijns to admit his informer part. But Robijns commits suicide and Gerardi can barely escape the mysterious security officers, who next proceed to take his family hostage.

Paul Gerardi hides out at a monastery. Here his old friend and former police superintendent Martin Colla stays. At first he refuses to help Paul for which he has a good reason. Paul's wife Sarah and daughter Sofie are continuously intimidated by employees of procurator-general Persigal. Paul discovers a lead which leads him to senator Rasenberg. He's one of the 66 safe owners. Those 66 are part of the action committee called Salamander.

Now Paul's good friend Carl betrayed him, the net closes around him. He suffers one misery after another. Meanwhile the 66 safe holders receive envelopes with copies of the sensitive material they kept in their safes. The foreign minister is the first to take to flight. Senator Rasenberg is involved in dirty business surrounding the Royal Family. The leaders of Salamander realize someone wants to destroy their organization. But who and why? Persigal is caught between two fires. He wants to protect the land, but at the same time he's a member of Salamander.

While Gerardi is in the hands of Persigal, Sofie realizes her mother has an affair with Cassimon and she runs away from home. She goes to the police and demands to speak to her father. Now Persigal can persuade Gerardi to help him catch the bank robbers in deepest secrecy. And find out who's behind it. Senator Rasenberg's wife has a crush on Gerardi and passes on information about her husband. Since the former Home Secretary committed suicide, Rasenberg makes a very good chance to be the next Home Secretary. A millionaire called Wolfs is behind the bank robbery. He ...

With the eager help of Karin Rasenberg, Gerardi discovers her husband saved a member of the Royal family from a grave scandal. He has to seduce Karin further to get more information, which puts his marriage on the line. It's becoming clear that Wolfs drags a heavy history with him, which goes all the way back to the Second World War. Salamander discovers Gerardi is hot on their heels. To secure the appointment of Rasenberg to the post of Home Secretary they need to eliminate Gerardi.

Paul's wife Sarah is murdered instead of him. Now nothing stands in his way to hunt down Salamander. He wants Sofie to go to a boarding school where she will be safe. Persigal wants to get rid of his Salamander-past and works together with Paul. Paul blocks the way of Rasenberg to go to the king for his appointment of Home Secretary. Klaus made a mistake with the murder of his one-night stand and he gets Paul after him. Paul is in search of a confrontation.

Wolfs tells Klaus to send the incriminating material they stole from the safes to all 66 owners. They are all members of Salamander and the top of the Belgian society. One after another they quit, disappear of commit suicide. There are a lot of strikes and a dark crisis threatens the state. Sofie meets a granddaughter of Wolfs at the boarding school. She was put there, because she was unruly at home. Salamander turns out to be a failed resistance mission during the Seconde World War. Wolfs father and Jonkhere's father were part of it.

Paul continues his search into WWII following research by brother Victor. A file for April '44 is missing. Persigal is set up to be the scapegoat by the Prime Minister's office which is infiltrated by Salamander member Vincent Noel. Gil DeWolf flashes back on his past after his father disappears. He and his mother leave the home, and he enters an orphanage in 1951 after she dies. Wolf's daughter Patricia wonders if Paul will call after their brief meeting at Madame Kempinaire's in the last episode. She has been a widow for a year.

Gerardi narrowly escapes yet another attempt on his life. Meanwhile the Public Prosecuter is feeling more isolated and informs Noel that he is planning to resign. He then finds that his office has been searched and needs to tip off Gerardi that his location might be compromised. The details of the April 44 file also come to light.

The origins of Salamander are revealed, and also what happened to the money in 44, Wolfs knocks out Gerardi but ends up being grateful to him as he saves his life from a gunman. Wolfs although injured goes to visit Jonkheres and ends up shooting him.

Now that the Wolfs know Paul Gerardi's true identity, they fear the worst. Klaus takes matters into his own hands, with catastrophic consequences.