When billionaire Lance Durand's life is threatened, Alex Cross is called into action. A break in the investigation brings the team to Chicago following the man with the haunting grin from surveillance footage. Kayla's personal mission encounters a tragedy. After finding clues in the subway, Cross' team tracks the suspect to Texas, where they must work with Homeland Security to uncover another criminal enterprise.
"Harrow" was written by Ben Watkins & Marissa Lee and directed by Craig Siebels
Cross claims he has processed all of his baggage. He has let go of his rage. He's celebrated too. He speaks at the police graduation. He's grateful for receiving a second chance after being judged for the worst day of his life. He respects Sampson for holding him accountable. He identifies that as the system working. He wants something more with Elle. He sees that eventually happening. They are drawn to each other. They connect sexually. That's all she is willing to let this become. She has forgiven him for a lot. The lies are still painful. She can't get past that. And so, the world is telling everyone to move on. That includes Cross. Sampson essentially goes from teasing him about his connection with Elle to something potentially happening with Agent Kayla Craig. That's a possibility because the FBI and Metro PD are working on a joint operation. A billionaire's life has been threatened. He wants to keep the story out of the press. The government obliges. Cross and Kayla are paired because they work well as a team. As profilers, they are in sync. It's also clear they are operating from two different places. Cross is content in life despite his romantic troubles. Meanwhile, Kayla aspires for higher stature and craves recognition for what she has accomplished.
Cross claims he has processed all of his baggage. He has let go of his rage. He's celebrated too. He speaks at the police graduation. He's grateful for receiving a second chance after being judged for the worst day of his life. He respects Sampson for holding him accountable. He identifies that as the system working. He wants something more with Elle. He sees that eventually happening. They are drawn to each other. They connect sexually. That's all she is willing to let this become. She has forgiven him for a lot. The lies are still painful. She can't get past that. And so, the world is telling everyone to move on. That includes Cross. Sampson essentially goes from teasing him about his connection with Elle to something potentially happening with Agent Kayla Craig. That's a possibility because the FBI and Metro PD are working on a joint operation. A billionaire's life has been threatened. He wants to keep the story out of the press. The government obliges. Cross and Kayla are paired because they work well as a team. As profilers, they are in sync. It's also clear they are operating from two different places. Cross is content in life despite his romantic troubles. Meanwhile, Kayla aspires for higher stature and craves recognition for what she has accomplished.
Moreover, something from Kayla's past threatens her career. It's all connected to a ghost gun recovered in Detective Akbar's latest case. She promises to help. That's only to ensure she crafts the narrative of who becomes the fall guy. It can't land on her. She's working that angle while trying to solve who is threatening Lance Durand. The audience has that clarity. And so, the viewer receives the gratification of Cross and Kayla profiling while personal details are being shared. More depth is obviously coming. More effort has to be done to connect the various pieces of this new story. Yes, it's about the motivation behind the crime. It's also on capturing them. The first season was full of twists and turns. Some surprises were revealed early on. The finale still packed a couple of its own. That structure was successful. It's already clear the second season plans on delving more into Kayla and Sampson's lives. It's presented as all professional for Kayla and personal for Sampson. He's stunned to learn his mother has been accused of a crime and only wants to speak with him. He doesn't want anything to do with her. Cross is there for him no matter how he decides to act.
Grade: B
"Scatter" was written by Jim Dunn and directed by Craig Siebels
During her second year with the Bureau, Kayla was involved in an operation that was legal only until the federal government got caught. Now, the operatives who participated are being targeted. The "Mastermind" behind the operation doesn't want any loose ends. That was enough to motivate one of Kayla's former colleagues to commit suicide. That's how dangerous all of this is. She provides a name for Kayla to investigate. She doesn't have any time to do so. Instead, she distracts herself from witnessing this trauma by focusing on work. That eventually leads her to confess to Cross. He has her back. She was there for him whenever he needed it. He promises to do the same. She doesn't take him up on that offer. Instead, she goes to Bobby Trey for protection. She views that as the more sensible option. She's more than willing to make deals with shady individuals to advance her career. She has to operate outside of the system to protect herself. She still carries the authority of the FBI. She can't count on the federal government's protection. She must rely on her own instincts to cover this up while solving the case that could paint her in a good light with the director. She's balancing a lot. It could all come tumbling down at any minute. She forges ahead. She's on the same page with Cross as they navigate the motivation driving the suspect they're chasing. They're still in the dark about the woman truly pulling the strings.
During her second year with the Bureau, Kayla was involved in an operation that was legal only until the federal government got caught. Now, the operatives who participated are being targeted. The "Mastermind" behind the operation doesn't want any loose ends. That was enough to motivate one of Kayla's former colleagues to commit suicide. That's how dangerous all of this is. She provides a name for Kayla to investigate. She doesn't have any time to do so. Instead, she distracts herself from witnessing this trauma by focusing on work. That eventually leads her to confess to Cross. He has her back. She was there for him whenever he needed it. He promises to do the same. She doesn't take him up on that offer. Instead, she goes to Bobby Trey for protection. She views that as the more sensible option. She's more than willing to make deals with shady individuals to advance her career. She has to operate outside of the system to protect herself. She still carries the authority of the FBI. She can't count on the federal government's protection. She must rely on her own instincts to cover this up while solving the case that could paint her in a good light with the director. She's balancing a lot. It could all come tumbling down at any minute. She forges ahead. She's on the same page with Cross as they navigate the motivation driving the suspect they're chasing. They're still in the dark about the woman truly pulling the strings.
Cross and Kayla confront Lance about relying on a sexual predator to maintain staffing levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. People died because he needed to keep delivering food to the country. He blames the system for not being able to handle the burden. However, he didn't have to pay the cost of this action. He continues to make deals. He stands proudly in his idealism of ending world hunger. It's become devastating on those who prop up his business. He finds it reasonable to lie even to the people trying to help him. Cross and Kayla believe their suspect cut off his own fingers as a sacrifice to the deity he worships. Meanwhile, the fingers delivered to the target are meant to threaten. The pieces are coming together. However, the deity is an actual individual in this world. She seeks vengeance against those who prey on little girls. She punishes those who protected these predators as well. She has already amassed a significant body count. It's all in the pursuit of more information. She wants even more names of those who are guilty. She seeks to kill those who support this network of abusers. It's in the name of honoring her mother's legacy. She believes she operates with righteous beliefs. A family is terrified of her and Donnie. Their threats were real. They only punish those directly responsible. That code is apparent even though the system won't condone their murderous actions.
Grade: B
"Feed" was written by J. David Shanks and directed by Stacey Muhammad
Cross and Kayla are compelled to work alongside Homeland Security after tracking Lincoln to South Texas. Their bosses don't care about the facts on the ground. One agent seriously complicates the investigation because of his rogue and cocky actions. He mistakes a camera for a gun and starts shooting. He fires at a suspect holding a kid hostage without any regard for the minor's safety. Cross invites the kid home with him. He doesn't want him to remain in immigration detention until the case is prosecuted. He's already been traumatized. Sampson inspires him to take this action. Cross owes him for lying about Sampson's mother being dead since they were children. That's the betrayal that creates tension between them once more. Sampson must reckon with his mother returning to his life only because she needs something from him. He wants to stay focused on the case. LaDonna prevents the situation from being that easy. She demands an emotional connection. She's aided by the community believing her innocence even though the evidence suggests otherwise. Sampson is intrigued. He must make a difference now. He needs to take action. Cross feels the same way too. He needs to understand the criminals he's hunting. This season offers stinging social commentary on the ills of the system that feeds the world. Communities are ripped apart and forever changed in order to put a happy face on the executives collecting all the benefits.
Cross and Kayla are compelled to work alongside Homeland Security after tracking Lincoln to South Texas. Their bosses don't care about the facts on the ground. One agent seriously complicates the investigation because of his rogue and cocky actions. He mistakes a camera for a gun and starts shooting. He fires at a suspect holding a kid hostage without any regard for the minor's safety. Cross invites the kid home with him. He doesn't want him to remain in immigration detention until the case is prosecuted. He's already been traumatized. Sampson inspires him to take this action. Cross owes him for lying about Sampson's mother being dead since they were children. That's the betrayal that creates tension between them once more. Sampson must reckon with his mother returning to his life only because she needs something from him. He wants to stay focused on the case. LaDonna prevents the situation from being that easy. She demands an emotional connection. She's aided by the community believing her innocence even though the evidence suggests otherwise. Sampson is intrigued. He must make a difference now. He needs to take action. Cross feels the same way too. He needs to understand the criminals he's hunting. This season offers stinging social commentary on the ills of the system that feeds the world. Communities are ripped apart and forever changed in order to put a happy face on the executives collecting all the benefits.
La Luz is uplifted as a deity by Lincoln. She's also just a daughter trying to get justice for her mother. Rebecca wants to avenge a crime that happened decades ago. She follows a lead back to her hometown. She doesn't know this is where her mother came from. The families who were victimized by this corporation all reside here. Their lives and culture were stripped away. They carry the wounds of that devastation. People fight back and demand retribution. That doesn't make it easy for Rebecca to stay and be welcomed as part of the family. She has put plans in motion. Donnie struggles on his own. He still succeeds. Another executive is killed. A trafficking operation was disrupted by federal agents. Lincoln was successful in that regard. He manages to slip away from further detection. One agent mocked him. He sought to torture Lincoln but ultimately lost his own life instead. He was foolish. As such, he created more problems for Cross and Kayla. They wanted a night to escape all they're dealing with. That brought them closer together. It wasn't just the alcohol fueling their hookup. Kayla believes it was always inevitable. They got it out of their system after knowing each other for years. The possibility remains open for it happening again. The priority remains on the case and the many ways their careers could be derailed by it.
Grade: B+
