Critic’s Rating: 4.6 / 5.0
4.6
Lacey is the light that will keep M&A together, but only if she sticks around long enough!
We reached a bit of a turning point during Found Season 2 Episode 4, which had Lacey’s return to the agency, a little worse for wear but no less a survivor, and some leeway in the constant bashing against Gabi.
And Sir was still wreaking havoc and making some diabolical plans.
First, we should delve into the case because it was such a well-done introduction.
The cases this season have mostly fallen by the wayside only because they’ve served as background fodder for the bigger plot point of locating Lacey and Sir.
Getting fully invested in many of Found‘s cases was hard because there were more pressing issues to address.
So, despite it being Lacey’s first official case, a week after she survived her ordeal with Sir, it was easy to believe that it would be another case that took the backseat.
Initially, one had to wonder what the primary hook was for this particular case when it involved a wealthy socialite couple who weren’t even on the radar of law enforcement or the mother/mother-in-law taking care of their teen.
But Jay was a compelling character, and his desperation to get help, clamming up the second he saw Trent’s badge, was enough to rally the troops.
It was fitting that Dhan immediately latched onto this case because it speaks to his desperation to keep his family and this collective sense of purpose intact.
Typically, Dhan wouldn’t have shown much interest in this case at first glance only because they historically love to focus on disenfranchised parties who don’t get the attention of the media and law enforcement.
Despite Jay’s insistence that something was wrong and a deep sympathy for this kid, it was a curious thing to wonder what their attachment to this case would be, and they landed on it easily when everything clicked into place regarding Kate’s position as a domestic abuse survivor.
Not only did this case tie into some of the current friction and other things with the characters we know and love, but it illuminated an issue and challenged viewers to broaden the scope of how they perceive which type of people slip through the cracks.
Kate and Sam were the “perfect” couple, but the truth is that behind closed doors, they were anything but that.
It’s not uncommon for seemingly wealthy, socialite families to harbor the darkest secrets, and the fixation on upholding a perfect image is a breeding ground for some of the most heinous acts.
One can never let a person’s social status or even economics overshadow the dangers they may face, and Kate is a prime example.
Her husband was a well-connected lawyer; they were hailed as philanthropists and activists, and her mother-in-law was so worried about protecting her son and the image of the family that she turned a blind eye to decades of Sam abusing Kate.
It was abhorrent yet all too real, and once the bits of that started to unravel and spread, we had a genuinely compelling case that harked back to some of the greatest hits of Found Season 1.
This is a case that I’ll remember, and that will stick with me for a bit. It was mainly that way because it affected characters like Trent, Gabi, and Lacey.
For Lacey, it was difficult for her to keep up with the case and all of its factors because her concussion was causing memory issues.
People generally don’t tend to realize how severe a concussion’s damage can be and the long-arching battles of a TBI, and that’s another reason I’m grateful for a series like Brilliant Minds, which explores topics like that in detail.
But Kate’s abuse was also triggering for Lacey as she thought of all the physical and emotional violence that Sir unleashed on her from the moment he took her until she made it to the hospital.
Gabrielle Walsh does some incredible work in this hour, and it felt so damn good to have her free from the confines of whatever hole in the wall Sir held Lacey in and back into the fray of interacting with the other characters.
It never felt so obvious that Lacey was as much of the glue to this group as Gabi.
Lacey serves as the bridge between Gabi and the others because she has a lot of light and energy that just balances out all the seriousness and trauma.
If I had to compare Lacey to anything as the hour unfolded, it’s kintsugi, you know, that Japanese pottery practice where they make something previously broken whole and beautiful again by piecing it together with gold.
Lacey is the gold repairing the broken pieces, and no, it won’t look exactly the same again — M&A will never look precisely the same again, but it can still be beautiful, strong, and full of character and purpose.
We needed that, and it feels like the season is finally starting to click into place again as a result.
But, the case was taking a toll on Lacey and bringing up some of the issues from her past.
The flashbacks have been great and illuminating.
I love following baby Bella as she tries to work through this horrific trauma and find her place, all with the help of young Gabi and Gina.
My heart aches for this poor girl who has spent her entire life with Sir, ever the elusive gaslighter, harassing her and making her question and doubt her own mind and sanity.
It’s probably one of the worst offenses of someone who emotionally terrorizes you because you’re left defending yourself or wondering if you really are crazy.
It was upsetting that everyone insisted that Lacey was having nightmares and just seeing things instead of actually witnessing Sir in the flesh.
As a young child, it was easy to dismiss Lacey and chalk things up to her traumatic experience, but it genuinely sucks that she didn’t have more support with that.
However, it’s also challenging to thread the needle.
As frustrating as it was that Gina didn’t seem to take more precautions to help Bella in the aftermath of her abduction (maybe moving her out of a room that leads outside or trying to get more therapists involved sooner), these are the hard things.
People underestimate how difficult and long it can be to obtain the resources that a person needs.
And in the interim, Gina could easily have faced losing her child if CPS thought Bella wasn’t in a good place.
In the end, they had to convince Bella that she was having nightmares because if people believed that she was still seeing Sir everywhere, she’d be shipped away somewhere, which was counterproductive to her well-being, ripping her away from the stability and warmth of her home and family.
It all translated well to the present, which had Lacey again questioning her own mind when she saw images of Sir outside of windows and on camera following Trent.
Lacey staying with Zeke was probably the best call because she had the comfort of another person always there with her, enough security to feel safe, and the possibility of feeling useful, too.
If it wasn’t already abundantly clear how much Zeke loves and cares for Lacey, we saw that with all the ways he doted on her and tried to protect her as best as he could.
Their late-night sleep session on the floor was as endearing as it gets, and here, Found does a decent job of having a romantic interest provide a safe space and support where their love comes through clearly.
However, it doesn’t feel like Zeke is taking advantage, either.
The only issue where Zeke got annoying was his insistence on serving as a buffer between Gabi and Lacey.
He put his all into checking Gabi at every turn, making it seem as if she would harm Lacey.
It’s frustrating that everyone is allowing their own grievances and anger to overtake them and putting it off on other people.
In the end, NO ONE has a bond with Lacey as Gabi does.
We know that Lacey could forgive Gabi for some of anything because of the context of their sisterhood and what they’ve served together.
The other characters have no clue how deeply that bond is, and it feels a bit ridiculous that some of them are trying to step in and muddy the waters in a situation and dynamic that they simply will never understand.
It wasn’t their place for that, and fortunately, in the end, Lacey acknowledged that she did remember Gabi’s confession and that she’d forgiven Gabi, and they needed to as well.
The others can’t continue to carry anger against Gabi, which Lacey doesn’t even possess, to justify constantly browbeating this woman like this.
You can see the relief on Dhan’s face when Lacey makes her statement because he gets it, too, and he just wants to keep this great thing they have going.
It also felt good to have other characters, including Lacey, counter the harshness or offer some reality to the situation.
Blessedly, Captain Mallory has done the same with Trent.
I couldn’t have cheered loudly enough when the captain called Trent out on his hurt feelings, clouding his judgment.
Cap Mallory: Is this about her breaking the law, or breaking your heart?
He’s lost all sense of rationality if he genuinely believes that they can build an entire case against Gabi based on admission in a heightened moment when she’s one of the most recognizable faces of a Trauma Survivor there is.
In an editorial piece unpacking this complex character and how others react to her, I may have emphasized that Gabi is a Survivor, Not a Savior.
Gabi is a bit of a hero and lifeline for so many people.
If they don’t have an airtight case (which they don’t) and someone willing to press charges against her (Sir would NEVER for a plethora of reasons, one of which being he’s a wanted killer and abductor), Gabi isn’t going down for this.
Given the circumstances, I don’t think a jury around would convict Gabi of anything, and Trent has to know that at some point.
Shockingly, the captain had to keep 100 with him like this, but no DA would even want to touch that case, especially given the recent news of Lacey escaping the clutches of this same monster.
Sir is the monster in America’s eyes, and Gabi is a hero in this story as someone who used her trauma for a purpose and advocates for the masses reunites families, finds missing babies, saves lives, and “defends” herself or takes a proactive approach against her abuser.
Trent and some of the others severely overestimate that the courts, a jury of peers, and the general public would perceive Gabi as they do.
Interestingly enough, Trent had some admissions as he bogarted his way into this case because of how deeply it affected him.
He fought like hell to get his sister out of an abusive marriage and even admitted that he almost killed his brother-in-law himself.
Trent understands the high emotions that could lead to such indefensible acts, and his righteousness is rooted in his having the wherewithal to stop himself.
But what if he didn’t? And what if someone stopped the situation for him?
Does Trent have to be precisely in a person’s shoes to understand these things, or does he allow other factors to cloud his judgment?
He exuded such sympathy for Kate, but he also had moments with her when he wanted to focus on the law.
Kate hit the point home clearly: The law isn’t always fair
The law being fair, just, moral, and equal is patently false, and Trent even has to realize that in some way.
Trent still couldn’t resist the constant potshots at Gabi, even after her dutifully answering his questions in Found Season 2 Episode 3, and he got a firsthand look at the hold Sir has on Gabi then and even during this installment with the letter.
It’s frustrating that if Gabi hadn’t shown remorse, it would be an issue, but when she expressed genuine guilt and remorse, they still took digs at her.
What exactly do they want from this woman?
Kate’s elaborate plan got her what she needed: she and her son were free from her husband, and Sam confessed to everything and took accountability.
It reflected what was happening and could also occur with Sir and Gabi.
It’s how Gabi can get away with what she’s done because, in the end, the real monster is Sir, who is on the loose.
The cat-and-mouse game at the home between Trent and Sir was entertaining.
Shockingly, Sir showed some restraint and didn’t actively plot to do anything against “Heavy Boots” despite having the chance and loathing that man.
Sir’s desperation to help with this case proves how obsessed he still is with Gabi, but his addition to the matter feels ridiculously contrived because there’s no way on earth Gabi needs that letter to prompt her to identify with Kate.
But alas, we overlook these things.
It was interesting to see how Sir is plotting so much to set up this new life with Gabi.
Gosselaar busting out the Dutch at the top of the hour was such a delightful treat, but I shuddered at the books lined up of non-extradition countries he’d love to go to (Holland, China, Russia) and the fake passport he already had for Gabi.
I couldn’t help chuckling when he said his wife was an agoraphobe (way to take after Zeke) and inquired about this new luxurious place that had a basement.
Every time you think about how this man groomed Gabi to go from his progeny pseudo-daughter to a “worthwhile” partner and wife, it’s enough to give you the creeps.
But where exactly is Sir getting all of this money from?
Surely, he can’t access things he had before he went missing, as it would alert authorities. And he stole Dhan’s husband’s credit cards, but they shut that down.
Gabi is determined to track down Sir with whatever time she has left before (IF) Trent arrests her, but a key to that may be Christian.
She ignored two of his calls, but he must have a lead on Sir or something important to say. I can’t wait to find out.
Additional Thoughts:
- Lacey’s sweater, Trent in that caramel motor jacket, Sir in that black trench, and Gabi rocking that hot pink blazer… the wardrobe department delivered us LOOKS in this episode. I want EVERYTHING.
- Margaret couldn’t even handle walking into the basement to see where Sir was held, reminding us yet again that she’s having a tough time because she’s coming from a place of never experiencing captivity like the others.
- Is Margaret still going to therapy? She may need to revisit her therapist because she’s having such a hard time with this, and something has to give.
- I’m dying to understand the book’s significance at Mr. Choi’s house and how they play out moving forward.
- Something tells me that Lacey leaving the house and sounding off the alarms is a false alarm. Maybe she just needed to get out or need space, but poor Zeke!
- I genuinely would love to learn more about Dhan and dig deeper into his relationship with Gabi. It keeps scratching all my Scandal Olivia/Huck vibes, and I’m eager for the story behind them.
- Shaker is the gift that keeps giving. Not a scene alive she can’t steal!
- I agree with Lacey; I, too, missed that part of the gig and the “welcome home celebrations.
Over to you, Found Fanatics.
Can Trent build a case against Gabi? Where do you think Lacey went?
How did you feel about this case? Hit the comments and let’s discuss!
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