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Ainsley Whitly (Halston Sage)


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They thought her father did not affect her because she was so young.  How did she get this way?
Spoiler tags are not needed for episodes that have aired (U.S. eastern time).
 

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She is the perfect one to deal with the concept of born vs bred.    Plus there was her “imaginary friend” who might have nudged her more then anyone realized.  Add to that Jessica has completely unintentionally been neglecting her being so afraid that Malcolm was the one who was like Martin.    Killing Endicott may have released the dark part of her that she has been hiding her entire life.   
 

The law of unintended consequences that is our Ainsley.  

Edited by Chaos Theory
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I want to do a rewatch of the show (Full season is in Hulu) focusing almost entirely on Ainsley’s story arc but I also don’t want to spoil.  I might give my general thoughts without spoiling too much after each episode.  Or I might just post here to give everyone something to read.  

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Ok pilot episode.  
 

Opens with report of Martin Whitly’s arrest and a reporter saying one of New York’s most prominent families may have produced a monster.

 

 

Ainsley scenes.

She first appears (as an adult) talking to Malcolm.  She was only five when Martin was arrested and says she is lucky because she doesn’t remember him but does remember Malcolm trying to make things better for her.

Then there is a scene between Jessica and Malcolm where Malcolm asks if Jessica breaks into Ainsley home like she does his.  Her response is “God no.  She is perfect.  You are my only concern.”

Then there is the dinner scene where Jessica finds out that Malcolm is working for the NYPD.   The big Ainsley moment is her asking Jessica if she watches her reporting  and Jessica’s response is “not with the sound on.”

Final scene with Ainsley is  a short one with her reporting  on the murder her brother just solved.   

 

 

Edited by Chaos Theory
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2 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I want to do a rewatch of the show (Full season is in Hulu) focusing almost entirely on Ainsley’s story arc

Glad you are doing this.  I don't have access to the episodes now.

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Episode 2:  Annihilator

Ainsley appears pretty early when Jessica insists on a family breakfast.   Pretty quickly into the scene Ainsley gets a call about some dead bodies And leaves.  After talking to mom about his night terrors and yes the girl in the box who at this point in the season is a figment of his imagination Malcolm ends up at the same quadruple homicide that Ainsley  is covering. 
 

Martin calls and then we see a flash of Ainsley on his tv and he excited wants to see them both together on his screen.   He apparently watches Ainsley with the sound on.

A few scenes later Ainsley shows up to Malcolm’s hospital room after he gets drugged/poisoned.    She is his “in case of emergency person.”   After looking at his phone Ainsley figures out Malcolm has been seeing Martin again and she deduces that is where his night terrors are coming from.    She listens to the voice mail he left for Malcolm and is pissed.....
 

Also of note and should be noted.   Ainsley calls Martin “Dad” where Malcolm tries to call him anything but.

Also Ainsley does warn Malcolm not to let their serial killer father into his mind.

 

 

Edited by Chaos Theory
Edited a bit for spelling
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2 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

I want to do a rewatch of the show (Full season is in Hulu) focusing almost entirely on Ainsley’s story arc but I also don’t want to spoil.  I might give my general thoughts without spoiling too much after each episode.  Or I might just post here to give everyone something to read.  

I think the two episodes that they never got to film would have focused on Ainsley to give us look into who she is and what she does.

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Episode 3:  Fear Response:   is the beginning of the two part “How involved was Jessica Whitly in Martin’s murders” mystery so these episodes do focus around her.   
 

Ainsley reports on a murder That Malcolm is brought in to investigate.  She appears for a moment.  
 

Jessica shows up at one of Ainsley investigations and chastises her for lying about Malcolm going to visit Martin.  And this is the first time we get a glimpse into how Ainsley actually views events.   She doesn’t remember Martin and doesn’t understand why she is forbidden.  “You also taught me to be ashamed of who I am.   I never knew Martin Whitly.  All I know is what you want me to know.  Maybe that’s not enough.”    Jessica of course shuts her down quickly asking her if she sleeps at night and says it’s because of the choices she made and walks away

 

Episode 4:   Designer Complicity:  this episode deals with Malcolm trying to figure out if Jessica was complicit in Martin’s murders.  Ainsley has a scene talking to Jessica.   Ainsley shows some passive jealousy about Malcolm and then talks again about visiting Martin.     She brings up doing an interview with him and what it could do for her career.   Ainsley thinks Martin doesn’t know she exists but then Jessica tells her he watches her every day.  His daughter, the ace reporter.  “Martin Whitly is your biggest fan.”

At the end of the episode Ainsley shows up at Martin Whitney’s cell.  He is surprised but happy to see her.  
 

Episode 5:  The Trip:   Ainsley doesn’t appear at all.  This is a Dani Powell focused episode but it is noteworthy mainly for being the first episode Eve appears in.

Edited by Chaos Theory
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Episode 6:  All Souls and Sadists.   Huge Ainsley episode.   

Annnnnd  we are back to “one week ago” when Ainsley visits Dr. Whitley at the Hospital for the criminally insane for the first time.   Ainsley tried to keep things professional and asks for an interview.  “An interview?  It seems a little exploItive. But then I have been exploiting people my entire life.”  “As a serial killer?”  “No as a white man.  We’re terrible.”   I don’t know why I find that funny but I do.  

Ainsley is desperate for the interview and Martin plays the good dad very well.    “Ok you want to know the questions?  How?  How could you kill 23 people?  When did it start?  And why?  That is the most important question.  Why did you do it?”    “That’s not the most important one.  Deep down, there’s another question that you desperately need answered.  And I’m wondering if you are brave enough to ask it?”  
 

Ainsley having a nice early morning with boyfriend/cameraman.   They talk about the possible interview with Martin.  Ainsley gets a call from mom that she ignores.

Another awkward family dinner but this time it’s Ainsley who brings the awkward. She outright tells Jessica and Malcolm she is interviewing Martin.   Both react as you would expect.  Ainsley leaves and Jessica tells Malcolm that the interview will never happen she will make sure if it.

Martin talks in group therapy about Ainsley and the possible interview leading to a relationship with her.   The entire scene is Martin working out if he should do the interview.   It’s a nice short scene. 

Jessica walks in on Ainsley with her boyfriend/cameraman and informs her that she squashed the interview.  This really pisses off Ainsley.   She again makes the point that everything she knows about her father is colored by Jessica’s resentment of him.

We flash back to the opening scene.

”....are you brave enough to ask it?”

”Was it real?”

There’s my girl.”

”Did you love us, or was it just some psychopathic act?”

”I’ve thought about you every single day since my arrest.  I’d imagine myself there on birthdays.  Piano recitals.. Dancing with you at the debutant ball.”

”I was never a debutant.”

”That’s a shame.  The one I dreamed for you was quite the party.”  
 

Martin makes Ainsley laugh which is when he and the audience realize he has worked his way in.   Whether Martin is telling the truth or not is not important.  He tells Ainsley what she has needed to hear since she was a little girl.  That he loves her and that he regrets not being there for her.

Flash back to present 

Jessica sadly “He made you love him.”

Ainsley tries to deny it but it is true.

Paraphrasing this part  “You expected to find the monster, because that would be easier to understand,  but instead you met a father who loves you. “

Ainsley informs Jessica  that the interview will happen whether she likes it or not.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Chaos Theory
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Episode 7:  Q &A.  

The AInsley interview of Martin Whitly episode people like to talk about and the first clear sign of dark tendencies in Ainsley.  
 

Ainsley’s first scene is in a park bench with Jessica.   Jessica thinks Ainsley is just spoon feeding him softballs but Ainsley is offended that Jessica has such little faith in her.  “Mother, these are the questions I sent.  Not the questions I’m going to ask.”   Which only worries Jessica more.

Ainsley and her boyfriend/Cameraman in Martin’s room alone looking for a good camera angel.   The boyfriend briefly mentions untethering him but Ainsley smartly shuts that down.   
 

The initial interview does go Ainsley’s way as she blindsides Martin with questions about his victims.  Martin tried to turn the conversation back to his career as an actual surgeon which he was apparently brilliant at. 

That is when Malcolm shows up and we once again have an awkward family moment.  Malcolm gets nowhere asking about the newest serial killer connected to Martin (The Junkyard Killer) but Ainsley asks to team up with him.    Malcolm comments that Ainsley is practically bouncing and makes a joke about Rocky Music but agrees.  
 

The interview continues.   This time she brings up Malcolm Whitly as one of Martin’s victims.   “You claim to care about your son but what you did 20 years ago harmed him irreparably.”  
 

Ainsley continues with  telling Martin the harsh truths about what he did to Malcolm which causes him to lose his cool.  It’s a wonderful moment showing what kind of reporter Ainsley is capable of being.

“You had a plan. Yeah it’s good to have a plan.”   

But that is when things go to hell.....and fast.

Ainsley wants Jin the Camera Man to take some B roll.   He comments that a guy has been stabbed but Ainsley is laser focused on the story.      

Martin admits to knowing the Junkyard Killer but that is about all.    That is when Jin gets stabbed by Tevin, one of the other patients in the psychiatric hospital who wants to do an interview with Ainsley.   

“What an eventful day we are having.”

Basically the situation is that the Ambulance and SWAT is 20 minutes out but Jin has only 10 minutes before he dies.   Good news is they are locked in a room with a world class surgeon.  Bad news is that he murdered 23 people.

Malcolm attempts to do the surgery but with his shaky hand and hallucinations he doesn’t get far and eventually gives Martin the knife.   
 

Pretty quickly and without prompting (and to the horror of Malcolm) Ainsley picks up one of the cameras and begins filming Martin performing surgery on Jin.   Ainsley tapes the whole procedure like it’s a class on surgery for medical students.   There is close ups and everything.   Martin manages to prove his point elegantly.   He might have been a monster but he was also a world class surgeon who saved countless lives.  The duality of being.  You can in fact be two things at the same time.  Malcolm looks on in horror as he watches an impressed and greatfull Ainsley.
 

Martin gives back the scalpel without prompting.  “I guess we make a good team.”


Jessica shows up after everything gets cleared up and the lockdown ends.   Ainsley tells Jessica that Martin saved Jin’s  life.  “Dad saved Jin.”

Jessica is resigned horrified and a little sad “Of course he did.”

Jessica has a classic  line at the end.  “So you are saying that my children went to see their serial killer father in serial killer prison, and it didn’t go well?  I’m shocked, Truly.”

This is also the episode where the murder tunnel under the Whitly house comes into play.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Chaos Theory
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Episode 8:   Family Friend 

Ainsley is in Jin’s hospital room watching interview footage of her interview with  Martin.   Jin wakes up and thinks he may have ruined things by getting knifed.  Ainsley doesn’t tell him about what happened next.  
 

Ainsley walking around in the hospital comes across two cops guarding a room. She is of course curious.   This is a survivor of the Junkyard Killer.  The cops send her away.  But they teller her that Gil is their commanding officer so she deduces at least part of what is going on.  

Ainsley is again laser focused on getting an interview much to the chagrin of Jin.   The network calls and Ainsley leaves leaving the laptop with the interview footage and a curious Jin.     
 

Ainsley is again trapped in a building with a serial killer when she again goes snooping around the hospital and finds the cops and the guy they were guarding dead.   Ainsley grabs an empty coffee pot as a weapon but the Junkyard Killer leaves.   Ainsley excited goes back into Jin’s hospital room and finds him watching the footage of Martin operating on him.
 

“I was doing my job.”

”I understand.  This is who you are.  I just....don’t think that is the kind of person I want to be with.”  

Ainsley leaves without saying a word but she does take the laptop with the footage.  

Last Ainsley scene is her reporting on a new serial killer at large in NYC that mY be connected to Martin Whitly.  

This is the episode where everyone starts to learn that the girl in the trunk that everyone assumed was just a figment of Malcolm’s imagination is real.  
 

This is also the episode where we learn Jessica’s maiden name (Milton) and the reasons why she didn’t leave her house or NYC even though she obviously had the means to do so.   Her family owned the house (and for awhile the area around it) since the late 1800.  She wasn’t about to let Martin Whitly take that away from her.  “This is my home.”

 

Also this is the beginning of the string of  FBI takes over the case episodes.   

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Episode 9:  Pied-A-Terre

After two huge episodes we have an Ainsley free episode.  This is however the episode where Malcolm tries to do something “normal” and it goes about as well as you think it will.  Also the episode where Jessica learns the girl in the box was real.  

“we denied his pain for years and insisted that the girl he found was the stuff of dreams.”

 

Episode 10 Silent Night.  
 

Episode starts with Malcolm watching Ainsley’s interview of Martin and him insisting he was  good surgeon and saved lives.  Ainsley pops on the screen to remind the audience of his 23 victims making him one of the worlds most notorious serial killers.     “I am Ainsley Whitly of American Direct News.  And  The Surgeon is my father.”     Clips are shown of the Q&A episode like fragmented memories in Malcolm’s head but it all comes out kinda like a mini story.     Ends with Jessica throwing one of her high heals at his tv fracturing it.

oh yeah it’s Christmas.   And this is the episode where Malcolm makes a friend just as obsessive as he is.  It ends about as well as you expect.

Ainsley walks through a crowd of reporters into the family home after her interview generates interest.  She is quite thrilled about it.  That thrill is dashed pretty quickly by Jessica.  Jessica and Ainsley fight about the interview and how it made Martin look good.  Ainsley accuses Jessica of playing the victim.   “I am not a victim.  But there are victims.  Real ones.  How do you think those 23 families feel when they see you on television?  And why is the story never about them?”  “I am not going to apologize for what I did.  I used the media to direct the narrative.”  “What does that even mean?”   “I’m telling my story,  not letting somebody else do it.”

Jessica does however take Ainsley’s advice and changes the narrative and publicly posts a reward for information into the girl in the box.   Ainsley isn’t exactly happy about it because it changes the narrative away from her story.  Which does say something about how Ainsley views the world.

Jessica and Ainsley have an awkward Christmas dinner considering neither is very happy with the other while Malcolm is busy being kidnapped (unknown to them) by the Junkyard Killer.

I believe this is where the winter hiatus was.   So I will take a break until tomorrow.

 


 

 

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Episode 11:  Alone Time

Ainsley doesn’t appear until around the fifteen minute mark.   Malcolm is still in the clutches of the Junkyard Killer and Martin isn’t much of a help.  Gil goes to Jessica to get some answers on the past with Martin.

Ainsley is being told by her producer that the PTB love everything that she is doing so far and that her ratings were through the roof.  Ainsley wants to follow her mother’s advice and do a follow up on the victims but the producer calls it a snooze fest and Ainsley gets a bunch of 911 “come home now” texts from Jessica.

Ainsley does go home and comes across the photos of John Watkins the Junkyard Killer and is told by Jessica that Malcolm is missing.    Ainsley looks through the photo and as Jessica goes to get them bourbon she recognizes the man in one of the photos.   She goes through her stuff and me tons her imaginary friend “Mr. Boots”    She shows her mother a gift her imaginary friend gave her.   A photo from John Watkins house has a picture of a gift that was given to Ainsley by Mr. Boots when she was a child right before Martin got arrested.    
 

That is about the time John Watkins breaks into the house to kill Jessica and Ainsley.   Too much happens to do a play by play but they both fight him off very well although Ainsley gets bashed in the head at some point.   They end up hiding in the master bathroom where Jessica blocks the door.     Jessica talks about raising kids, head wounds, and her large supply of drugs.  
 

Malcolm escapes captivity and shows up back home where Jessica is still fight off Watkins.   Ainsley is in pretty bad shape by the end of the episode but this is the end of the Junkyard Killer who Malcolm locks in a box.

Nice family hug though.

Episode 12:  Internal Affairs.   This is mostly a Malcolm and Police episode so no Ainsley.

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Episode 13:  Wait and Hope:   Or Malcolm tries to go on a vacation.

Ainsley is back appearing on Malcolm’s tv as “Under Pressure” plays 

Then a bunch of jokes about Malcolm in is really snazzy white suit which are actually pretty funny that show he has become one of the gang.   And well a land mine.  That blows up apartment Malcolm lands on Gil’s car....so no vacation for Malcolm.   This is also the episode where Dani meets Martin.  

This Ainsley stuff mostly revolves around Ainsley’s rising star as a reporter.   A huge society party.  A last minute invite.   JessIca believes it is her opening back into the society world that Martin’s arrest cast her out of.  Her hopes get dashed when the socialites continue to shun her.  Her wounds get healed however when she sees first hand what Malcolm really does for the NYPD and realizes for the first time that this their life now and is ok with it.  

Socialite:  “You are a hero.  What is your name?”

Malcolm:  ”Malcolm.  I am Jessica Whitly’s son.”

Jessica:  “Yes he is.  Darling, I find myself underwhelmed by the social scene here.  Shall we?”

Malcolm approaches Ainsley outside the party and brings up the fact the Jessica was put at a table full of media people.  Almost like she got the invite because someone in that world went to bat for her.  
 

Ainsley reports.   Martin watches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Episode 14:  Eye If The Needle:    The episode Malcolm stabs Martin.  
 

Another big Ainsley episode.  Hold on tight.  

Family meal time where we learn Ainsley has gotten promoted to News Anchor.  And apparent Malcolm did go on vacation for two hole no Murder weeks.   Ainsley leaves when the conversation turns to the daddy issues.

Ainsley is getting ready for her first day at the new job.   Her producer informs them that killer is on the phone from the body on the Carousel they just found.   Killer wants to talk to Ainsley in the air right now.  Ainsley briefly questions the ethics but is also quick to agree.

“Hello Ainsley.  I am the Carousel killer.”

Ainsley does Inform Gil who switches on the program in the interview room where Jessica and Malcolm are being questioned.    Apparently the dude has some issues with Jessica Whitly and says he wants the money she offered for info for the girl in the box.

Malcolm tries to tell Ainsley how to do her  job but she says she knows how to conduct an interview.

Martin calls into to the show and gives his own profile of the Carousel Killer.
 

Ainsley:  “Since this is apparently a call in show now.”

 

Carousel Killer;  “Are you enjoying this?”

Ainsley:  “I was hoping for a light first day.  Then you called.”  

 

Gil:   “If I flew off the handle every time a Whitly went rogue on me, I’d never get anything done.”

Ainsley and the producer talk about what kind of show Ainsley is going to have.   Ainsley isn’t happy.  “You reported the news.  That’s the job.  And you are great at it.”  


 

Although the episode is not strictly focused on her it does a Great job dealing with Ainsley’s drive to succeed but also her conscience.   She does have one but also is quick to push it aside if it means success for her.  

Edited by Chaos Theory
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Episode 15:  Death’s Door.   This is an Edrisa episode. 
 

Ainsley shows up to the police station with Jessica to explain how Martin got stabbed in a locked psychiatric facility.  Jessica is claiming to be the one who stabbed Martin even though it was Malcolm.

Ainsley calls Malcolm to the hospital who thinks Martin is dead but she just wants to accuse him and Jessica of keeping something from her.  Malcolm confesses to Ainsley about being the one who stabbed Martin.  
 

Ainsley sets up a meeting  with Jessica and  “The Devil”  or more precisely the lawyer who got Martin his cozy deal.   He says he can get the case dismissed in a week.   
 

Jessica asks Ainsley if she is afraid Martin  is going to die. Ainsley just doesn’t want him to die “like this.”     Ainsley then explains why she set up the meeting with the lawyer “And now that you know who you don’t want, you can find the person you do.”

Jessica asks Eve for help.   Martin wakes up.  

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Episode 16:  The Job: Malcolm works a case with.  an old friend from High School.

No Ainsley in this one. But it is an interesting spotlight into Malcolm’s past.   

Jessica line of the episode when she picks up phone “This phone  is reserved for Telemarketers and Politicians.  Identify yourself so I know how hard to slam the receiver.”

Also the episode where Eve finds the box in the basement.

 

Episode  17:   Stranger Beside You 

Malcolm is talking to Ainsley about his relationship with Eve and how he is sure she is lying to him.   Ainsley accuses him of sabotaging the relationship.  Ainsley tells him that 99% of people are not serial killers.  Malcolm’s response is “But we are part of the 1%”.    Her response is if Malcolm is so concerned they should both check Eve out.   “We can finally see who the better investigator is.” 

Ainsley shows up at a meeting between Jessica and Eve and asks questions when Eve presents a possible match for the girl in the box.  Ainsley lets Eve know she is perfect on paper but asks questions about her past.  Eve awkwardly leaves and Jessica scolds Ainsley who simply says “We need to talk about Eve.”

Malcolm goes back home to his apartment and finds Ainsley and Jessica.   He asks her what she found.  Ainsley tells him that her name is Eve and she is a civil right attorney but she thinks Eve infiltrated the family to get information on “The Surgeon” and his victims,  she grew up in the same orphanage of the girl  that she presented to Jessica as a possibility of being the girl in the box.  “I think Eve is connected to the girl in the box.”     That is when Eve shows up.   “You’re right.  She’s my sister.”

Jessica is quite upset at Eve.  Malcolm  has a bit of a breakdown.  Jessica and Ainsley want Malcolm to deal with what is happening but he chooses to leave and continue the case he is working on.

Malcolm and Eve talk and It becomes about keeping their relationship together or searching for the truth.   Malcolm has a thing about the truth.  Malcolm confirms Eve’s sister is the girl he saw in the box.

This episode reinforced the notion that Ainsley is just as good an investigator as Malcolm.   They work by different methods but Ainsley not someone to underestimate.  

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Episode 18:   Scheherazade 

Nicholas Endicott first appears in this episode so here we go folks........

Ainsley doesn’t appear in this episode but since Endicott is important I will be including important details anyway.

Jessica Is attending a benefit for Endicotts’s endowment for the arts.  She calls Malcolm who is supposed to be her plus one and threatens to donate his inheritance.  
 

Endicott approaches Jessica who is in the middle of a bit of a verbal cat fight with another rich lady.  Jessica comments that when everyone else left her out in the cold after Martin got arrested Nicholas was the one person who opened his door to her.     Nicholas responds that he doesn’t believe in guilt by association.  
 

I am skipping most of the ballerina stuff but Endicott introduces the new prima ballerina and her partner to the rich doners in attendance at his party.   While they are dancing and in full public views of a bunch of rich socialites ( including Jessica and Nicholas). the male partner dies.   In comes Malcolm and Co.

Nicholas is really quick to get offended when Gil asks him questions about his relationship with the dead dancer.  But that could be nerves and male bravado.  Most of the rest of the episode is Nicholas seducing Jessica while making Gil a little bit jealous.   However there is the flashback with Martin and Eve’s sister the girl in the box.  

Eve’s sister to Martin “You have to believe me.  Nicholas Endicott is a monster.”

 

 

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Episode 19:  The Proffesionals

Ainsley shows up for breakfast to find Malcolm there but no Jessica.   Nicholas Endicott enters looking for coffee introduces himself to Ainsley and sits down.   It is all very weird.

But Malcolm still manages a “Way to go mom.”  

AInsley does mention that Endicott Industries seems a bit shady.    They talk bit.  Eve broke up with Malcolm via voice mail.  Ainsley wants to hear it thinking Malcolm might have misinterpreted the voicemail.   He plays it for her.   “Yeah that was super clear.”    It important to note that Ainsley does show genuine empathy for Malcolm.   Malcolm leaves to work a case.  The case is Eve.  It looks like a suicide but Malcolm says its not.

Malcolm goes to tell Jessica but Nicholas is already there.  He tells them that the police are still investigating. Nicholas leaves.  They go to see Martin and are surprised that Ainsley is already there.

“What is this?”
“well isn’t it obvious it’s a family reunion?”

Again Ainsley shows how good of an investigator she actually is.  She found that Sophie Sanders the girl in the box worked for Nicholas Endicott.  

Jessica is of course shocked.  “There is only one monster in this story.”

Malcolm is quick to realize that Martin made a deal with Sophie.  She had dirt on someone.  Ainsley also picks up the thread.  That Nicholas Endicott was the reason Martin got the plea deal of the century.   That’s when Malcolm lets Ainsley and Martin know that Eve Blanchard was murdered.  Martin does not want to talk about it.   Jessica threatens the usual threat.    Martin tells them what Sophie told him about Nicholas.   “You can never tell him no.  That’s Nicholas Endicotr’s one rule.”  Martin goes on.   “It takes a special kind of monster to turn someone else into one.”  

Ainsley is pacing in the family home wanting to cover the Endicott story.  She was the one who figured out that mom’s boyfriend was super shady.  Ainsley is not afraid of Nicholas Endicott.    Jessica is not afraid of him.  She liked him.  Again Ainsley showed compassion for a family member.   She makes Jessica feel better. But she still leaves.  “I am a reporter.  This is what I do.”

Flashback with Martin and Nicholas after Martin has gotten arrested where Nicholas has secured Martin a very comfortable cage as long as Martin gives Nicholas certain assurances.

Back to present and Ainsley watching Nicholas at a dinner meeting.   Nicholas is quick to catch her.  They need to have a chat.   Ainsley and Nicholas chat.   Ainsley goes with her best option and tells Nicholas she wants to profile him.  He asks her what her endgame is.  Nicholas temps her.   With big options.

Another flashback where Nicholas threatens Martin by threatening to destroy his family.   

 

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Episode 20:   Like Father....,,

The season finale once begins with Malcolm having a nervous breakdown and Martin telling him in his head that he is his son and they are the same.   Jessica tells Malcolm to stop talking to the police and that she hired him attorneys and then grounds him.  
 

Martin wakes up to find that he is not guarded.  The phone rings on the other behind a door that should be locked.   On the other side of the phone is Nickolas.  They both make threats.  Nicholas frames Martin with trying to escape.

Malcolm escapes his tracker to work his own case.   Jessica isn’t happy.   She gets a note from Nicholas wanting to have dinner the following night.  And help with Malcolm’s “situation”.   

Gil shows up to see if Jessica is ok.  Gil knows that Malcolm didn’t kill anyone.   He wants to fix things for them.   

Malcolm takes to the lawyer who got his father the sweat heart deal and gets more clues into Nickolas Endicott.   Nickolas had the lab alter the DNA reports.   Profits were never what Nicholas was after.   He wanted power.  He kept a lot of important people out of jail and his price was almost reasonable.   Absolute loyalty.   He had Eve killed because he was afraid she had found her sister.    Framing Malcolm was a convenient  perk.  The lawyer gets shot and killed.

Martin is sent to real prison where he quickly learns there his a price on his head.  
 

Malcolm rushes back home to find Ainsley and Jessica.   He snuck in by the secret tunnel.  The ones murdered use.    Ainsley says they can’t get to Martin because no one knows where he is.  JT and the NYPD show up.    He lies to them.      He confesses yo going to see the lawyer much to the Charign of everyone.  But they do take him with them.  So yay.

FyI everyone but Dani believes Malcolm.

Malcolm finds out where Martin is. Ainsley and Malcolm go to visit Martin at Rikers.  Martin does not like real prison.   Malcolm realizes that Martin is scared,  The evidence Martin has on Nickolas that Sophie gave him doesn’t actually exist.   It was a really good bluff.   They all discuss solving the murder that Malcolm is being framed for but they don’t get far.,

That is when Martin brings up the idea of Malcolm killing Nickolas.    It is interesting that the camera flashes for a second to Ainsley.  But Martin is talking to Malcolm when he says it.  

“He’s not a killer.”  AInsley says simply.

“He’s a Whitly ”   Martin respond,. Again the camera is on Ainsley as he says this and then on Martin. “He’ll know what to do.”  Only then is the camera on Malcolm.

Martin is called and as he stand he tries to say goodbye to his children.  That he loves them both.   But Ainsley is quick to stop him.  She doesn’t want to hear any last words from him.  “You are The Surgeon.  You are the smartest one In here.   Start acting like it.”  That is when they bot realize that Ainsley has her hand on his wrist.  Probably the first time in 20 years they have touched.  Martin gets taken away but they stare at each other as he leaves.

Jessica has dinner with Nickolas in hopes of taking him saying something incriminating.  Nickolas offers Jessica something she doesn’t have.   Power.   He can get Malcolm out of his charges.   He tells Jessica he is head over heals for her.  

Malcolm tracks down the woman on the box.  Sophie.  Eve’s sister.   The only other person who had a reason beside Malcolm to kill the dude who killed Eve.   Malcolm decides no to tell the police about her.

Gil shows up and Nicholas  has him Stabbed.   Jessica saves Gil’s life in a fun scene.  

Malcolm shows up at the hospital where Gil gets taken.  The troops are all ready to go get Nickolas Endicott.   Everyone is finally on the same page.

Martin convinces the top guy in prison to protect him by being an actual surgeon again and telling him he will need one and in prison will probably not get the best.  Lucky for him he’s there but not if he dues tonight,   Which FYI ends up starting a prison riot,

Malcolm returns to the family home to find Ainsley and Nickolas.    Nickolas and Malcolm both make vague threats against each other.   Nickolas doesn’t care that the police suspect him.  The guy who stabbed Gil is dead .   “You can’t keep silencing people”  Ainsley says “oh you’ll find I can. Actually,  it’s what I do best.”

That is when Malcolm pulls out a gun and aims it at Nickolas.  “You know,  you really are your mother’s son Malcolm .  All smoke.  No fire.”

Malcolm insists they will find the evidence.  The witnesses.   “I WILL ARREST YOU!!!!!”

”No you won’t.  The whole system is mine.  I own it.  I can do anything i want....”

Ainsley comes from behind Him and grabs his head and slits his throat with a big knife.   A shocked Malcolm looks on.  Nicholas turns to Ainsley in shock and she screams as she stabs him over and over and over again,  And in shock herself drops the knife.

”What did you do?”  Malcolm asks still shocked.  

Martin stands in the middle of a prison riot and grabs a dropped cell phone and calls Malcolm.

”Well don’t worry about me.  Things are looking up.  I took Ainsley’s advice.”

”And she took yours.” 

“Really?”  Martin smiles like the proudest papa in the world “My girl.”

 

 

 

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(edited)

Final thoughts:    Season 1 focused mainly on Malcolm and to an extent Jessica and how having Martin being arrested effected their lives.   But what about Ainsley?    She was The Surgeon’  daughter.   And we know at least one fact that she was never a debutante which is definitely something she would have been otherwise.   But other then that we know very little about the last 20 years of her life.   We know that Jessica was cast out of  “polite society”.   We know that Malcom and Jessica were messes but we don’t know much about Ainsley.   My guess is that season 2 will be in part about how Ainsley handled being the “normal” Whitly.     Did she have friends?  We know that Malcolm had trouble making them and had one real friend in high school who ditched him when his own father got out of prison.   What about Ainsley?   Would she have had play dates with other girls?   How was she treated in high school.   We know she at least on paper handled things bettter then Malcolm but what if that was all just a facade.   What if something dark lingered inside her for a very long time that eberyone just missed?    What would Martin do now that he sees it?  Again what about Ainsley?  How will she handle blood on her hands?   Even if she wants to stop.

Can she?

 

Edited by Chaos Theory
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