Justice Served is a new crime thriller coming to Netflix. The show was produced in South Africa, and it tells the story of a group of rebels seizing the court where a white man is about to receive his sentence for killing a black man. Before the sentence is given, the group kidnaps the building and prepares to serve justice with their own hands. The show deals with racism and the corruption inside the penal system in South Africa. This subject makes it a very compelling and interesting show to watch.
The series is very well produced, and it shows that South Africa is stepping up its game when it comes to its filmmaking industry. The country is ready to become an international force, and they are spearheading the initiative in the African country. Other countries like Ghana have followed suit, and it feels great to have these new perspectives when it comes to storytelling. Justice Served is very much a South African story, even when it is clear that it takes from other movies and shows to construct its narrative.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Justice is Served season 1. Read at your own risk.
Does Justice Is Served At The End Of Season 1?
When Commander Maqoma seizes the court at the beginning of the season, the plan of the rebels to take justice into their own hands seems to be a plan that would expose the corruption inside the system. Corruption being part of almost every political system in the world becomes a unifying subject for the audience, both outside and inside the show. Maqoma looks like a hero, and his revolution looks like the right path to follow.
However, in true real-life fashion, it is revealed, little by little, that Maqoma is not doing this for the people. Maqoma’s speech conveys that he is sacrificing himself for the good of the people, to force the system to change and make the country better. This is all a lie. In truth, Maqoma is just a sociopath. His past has transformed him into a monster. The same kind of monster that he is fighting against. However, he doesn’t care about the truth. Maqoma only cares about vengeance and his own satisfaction.
Uhuru, one of the members of his team, has seen through the lie, and when Maqoma orders him to kill innocent people, he knows the dream is a lie. He cannot, in good conscience, follow the orders of a madman. Uhuru takes the reporter, Karabo, to a side building. The two have a connection, and they clearly like each other. Although, it could be that Karabo is just using her charms to appeal to Uhuru’s good side.
Whatever the case is, Uhuru decides to defy his orders and brings Karabo to a panic room, where she can hide and wait for things to calm down. She will be safe there. Teekay sees that Uhuru is about to betray them, but Uhuru kills him first. Uhuru is wounded. Karabo tries to help, but Uhuru forces her to get inside the room and wait for the best. Meanwhile, Karabo finds a phone inside the room, and calls outside, to tell the truth about Maqamo to the people, about how he has killed people inside the building. He is just a madman.
Outside the building, Baby who has been supporting the rebels by giving them propaganda through her radio station dismisses Karabo’s statement. Karabo still finds a way, to tell the truth, by going with other channels and TV stations. She addresses the people of the nation through these channels and tells them that on this day, justice will not be served. If they follow Maqamo only the desires of one man will be served. Nothing more.
Does Allan Harvey Die At The End of Justice Served?
Maqoma tries to manipulate the public by initiating a voting system through an app. People can download the app and vote if they want Allan Harvey killed. Maqoma is a very good manipulator, and he manages to convince people that killing Harvey is true justice. This is the type of justice that the system would never give the family of the victim. The victim’s younger brother even tries to kill Harvey, but fails.
However, Karabo’s speech is also a strong one, and she manages to convince some people that this is not the way of justice. This is the way of anarchy and tyranny. Maqoma needs to be stopped. She is convincing enough that the vote turns the tables, and in the end, the majority of the people voted to not kill Harvey. Maqoma is angry but knows that he has been outplayed. He offers himself to the police in exchange for his team being left alive. The police accept, and the victims go green.
Maqoma still manages to kill Harvey, through the hand of the victim’s younger brother, who shoots Harvey in the back when the truck they left is intercepted by the police. Maqoma is taken to a more secure facility, and there he reveals that he has managed to plant his people in several government organizations and is prepared to go to war. In the morning, nobody knew who he was, but now he is famous and has followers.
The show ends with Maqoma making a statement to the people of South Africa, to go to war under his banner. Become his soldiers and cleanse the country of the people he hates. A wounded Uhuru manages to find Karabo’s house, and she takes him in to cure his wounds. His fate is unknown.