M&A is approached about a missing family from a Jewish Modern Orthodox congregation. Margaret shares her recent experiences with her family. Sir sets a plan in motion for his and Gabi's future. An M&A ally is put in jeopardy.
Dhan declared that something happened to Gabi. It was a sudden and jarring close to the previous episode. It was all meant to provoke a response out of Sir. Gabi faked her own poisoning in order to convince him to contact Lena. However, the narrative kept the audience out of the loop. As such, it was impossible to follow what was going on. The show offers clarity right away. Gabi went to extreme lengths to make it look real. She didn't even have to video chat with Sir for very long. She quickly recovered and returned to work. The episode kept the same overall basic function. A new case came to M&A. The team worked to find a missing family. That took precedence over everything else. Dhan understands that. He knows he can't ask Gabi to step up from the urgency of the moment. Of course, she's the one who knows when Sir is deceiving people. He was given his freedom. He set the location for the meeting with Lena. It was all meant to deliver a private moment between them. It's not because Sir realized Gabi's deception. He was fooled. Lena respects the affection Sir has for Gabi even though she targets her. She knows she can't cross that line. She still needs this connection to family. She's betrayed by her brother. Yet she escapes too. As such, nothing really emerges from this meeting. It's the perception of progress without actually delivering it.
At least Sir remains in custody. He had the chance to make his escape. Lena got to freedom. Dhan only had a small team covering the hotel. That was all that was afforded to him. In fact, this story serves to further expand Dhan's backstory. His FBI contact believes he can never repay Dhan for what he did for him. Dhan thinks they are even after arranging this trap. Yet he also grows agitated when another person is mentioned. It's clear Dhan still holds animosity towards someone he blames for his captivity. He doesn't want to face that person. He doesn't even want to hear about his ongoing struggles. Dhan has plenty of his own to deal with. He has a job to do. He must support Gabi no matter what. He must provide constant protection. Gabi and Lacey need that. He would love for there to be reason to kill Sir. The master criminal refuses to give him one. He accepts his return to jail. He doesn't push his limits. But again, it's a showdown that could have offered more especially as the show heads into its season finale. Instead, the circumstances remain virtually the same. The characters are still in dangerous situations. That's nothing new for them. As such, they have to find happiness whenever they can. They know it won't linger for long.
Margaret and Jamie were nervous about reuniting with the rest of the family. Margaret has been estranged from them for years. Taylor returned to her life. Yet Margaret maintained distance to respect Jamie's wishes. He was very tentative about engaging with the family that abandoned him. His head was filled with lies by Carrie. He has a new understanding of what happened. He's grateful to reminisce about the past with his siblings. Moreover, Margaret is accustomed to being on the receiving end of their anger. Darryl is upset that Margaret kept Jamie's return a secret for a month. That was time the rest of the family spent without him. It wasn't Margaret trying to prove a point about never giving up hope. She and Jamie had a mission to complete. They are willing to offer hope of a more fulfilling future. Of course, that too is exploited to create the actual cliffhanger heading into the finale. Jamie has been taken once more. Lena is responsible this time. She targeted the most vulnerable member of the M&A team. History repeats for Margaret and Darryl. They have better resources now to rescue Jamie. They won't have to wait thirteen years to uncover the truth. But Lena is even more dangerous. Anything can happen. She leaned on her brother for support. Her livelihood is threatened because of that devotion.
Everything the main characters do is with purpose and clear intent. That's in contrast to the latest case where a family is taken by criminals who confuse them for their real targets. It's a heinous crime. One that highlights casual and prominent antisemitism. The story highlights the importance of religion and faith. It drives the team as they search for the missing Braunstein family. They understand the significance of various numbers. Gabi even seeks counsel about the pain of her past. She has never forgiven herself for taking Sir. She still must atone. The good acts she does for her community haven't lessened her guilt at all. The rest of the team has come to trust her once more. Everyone acknowledges the truth. They are willing to risk it all in the name of saving lives. That is ultimately more important. They are successful much of the time. It remains rewarding work. It's also easy for the team to focus all of their attention on the cases instead of addressing the conflict in their personal lives. That uncertainty never goes away either. It needs to be dealt with. Jamie needs time with his family. That can be very healing. Gabi needs to end this conflict with Sir and Lena. They may not be given the chance to resolve these issues. It's never as resolute as it is with the cases they work every week. It's not too much to ask for the narrative to strive for more especially after all that has occurred this season. The finale may deliver in several notable ways. This episode doesn't offer the confidence that would have made the anticipation thrilling.
