In the opening of Episode 1 of "Blind Sherlock," a dockyard worker's voice echoes through the recording, his words cut off by the menacing threats of two Uzbek thugs before he's thrown from a crane. News reports now reveal that a staggering 50 billion worth of cocaine is flooding into Europe via Rotterdam, and the police are in a race against time to end the drug war. They're desperately recruiting transcribers and consultants for their wiretapping unit, where things seem to be going nowhere until the blind Roman Mertens steps in.
Roman, with his acute hearing, impresses Taskforce leader Nico by accurately visualizing the crime scene from the dead worker's audio. The thugs were searching for a stolen container and fled in a BMW i8 after killing the worker. Roman returns home to his pregnant girlfriend, Caro, who runs a vet clinic. He's a skilled cook and quite capable of running a household, but Caro is worried about him getting into danger. Nevertheless, he's excited to showcase his potential, and we soon learn that his father was also a cop.
A flashback shows young Roman and his brother, Bo, playing in a cop car that gets into a crash, resulting in Roman losing his eyesight and being sent to a blind institute. Back in the present, Roman joins the task force alongside Nico, Tess, Suus, and Safi, while the wiretapping team consists of him, Anthony, and Helen. Roman quickly solidifies his position when they lead them to Kirill, the son of Nico's close friend. Kirill runs a car rental company but feigns ignorance about the thugs. That night, someone sets a car on fire in his garage, and the police wonder if it's the work of the dead worker's gang.
However, they're running out of time as Chief De Geeter and Mayor Limon demand answers. Limon provides resources to ease Roman's work, and he gets to listen to Kirill's wiretapped audios. It becomes clear that Kirill has been laundering money, and the garage is just a front. He's also having an affair with his secretary, and once they tap her phone, they overhear an angry phone call.
Nico begins to develop a connection with Roman, drawn by the latter's shy and innocent nature. He wonders how Roman developed his exceptional hearing and a flashback reveals a young girl advising Roman to stop looking and start seeing.
Returning to the present, the precinct brings in their Uzbek interpreter, Umut, who claims the phone call was just a simple check-in with family members. Roman isn't convinced, but no one listens to him. Meanwhile, another thug starts following Roman. Caro notices that Roman is troubled but he refuses to give up. A flashback shows some bullies tormenting Roman and the girl from earlier, Meryem, backing him up. In the present, he calls her, and it's awkward as they haven't spoken for 20 years, but she agrees to translate. Roman was right, it turns out. Kirill used his secretary's phone to arrange a hit at Restaurant Het Hert as payback.
The cops rush over but it's too late. The two Uzbek bikers arrive and start shooting at the restaurant before driving off. A young girl is shot. Nico realizes that Umut betrayed them and apologizes to Roman for doubting him. The thug from earlier finally approaches Roman. He threatens to hurt Caro unless Roman works for them as their mole.
