Thursday 8 May 2008 9:00pm - 10:00pm

Max Raban (James Nesbitt) was once a successful investigative journalist but is now reduced to raking through bins for cheap celebrity stories after being publicly and professionally disgraced. His past has left him a broken man; he is unable to face daylight, has temporarily split from his wife Carolyn (Zara Turner) and has little contact with his eight-year-old daughter Martha. He is the Midnight Man.

Any information he uncovers during his nightly trawl through the bins he sells to friend and tabloid editor Jimmy (Ian Puleston-Davies). Max is desperate to revive his ailing career. So when he accidentally discovers evidence linking to the recent murder of Iranian Majid Danush (Christopher Jefferies), he thinks he is onto a lucrative story about international conspiracy. With his track record as an occasionally unreliable conspiracy theorist, will any one believe him?

Max goes looking for hard evidence. His investigation leads him to a small policy group called Defence Concern. Lead by Daniel Cosgrave (Rupert Graves), the group’s sole aim is to place defence and national security at the top of the political agenda. Although he is unsure how or why Defence Concern are involved, Max demands to speak with Cosgrave about the murder but is stopped by Alice Ross (Catherine McCormack), Cosgrave’s Foreign Affairs Adviser. At first she thinks Max’s claims are outrageous, but when she asks Cosgrave about it and he acts suspiciously, she copies a confidential file in a bid to find out what he is hiding.

Max knows he is getting close to a big story - he is now being followed at every turn he makes. It seems that someone wants him out of the way and will stop at nothing to silence him. But a determined Max won't be intimidated. He tracks down Reza Dunush (Sargon Yelda) and Reza tells him a death list exsists that includes people the government want to disappear. Furthermore, Reza has proof - a trophy video of the murder of his cousin was sent to him as a threat to keep him quiet. Max needs that video and Reza agrees to give it to him if they can meet again in private. But before they can, Reza is found dead.

Max knows a death squad is at large and must stop them before they kill anyone else on their list. Now that Reza is dead Max must find the trophy tape himself but this isn't going to be easy - he is still constantly being watched from the shadows. He goes to Jimmy and asks for his help, but Jimmy thinks Max has no lead and is paranoid.

Lost, but as determined as ever, Max won't give up and the death squad knows it. Blake (Reece Dinsdale), the leader of the death squad, tracks down Max in an all night café and tells Max to give up. Max refuses but by doing so he unwillingly puts his family in jeopardy.

Continued in part 2…