S02.E08: Vanished

[WendyCR72]

Airing on March 9, 2021:

The team welcomes a new member as they begin their hunt for a repeat offender and the child he kidnapped after murdering the boy’s single mother. Also, Jess tries to move past the awkward exchange he had with Sarah during their last encounter.

[auchic]

Wait, how long was that kid out in that tomb? I'd be less worried about the oxygen running out and more worried about hypothermia.

[LisaM]

Have to admit that I teared up at the last scene. 

[MerBearHou]

55 minutes ago, LisaM said:

Have to admit that I teared up at the last scene. 

I teared up too.

I like the new guy.  Even though I don’t care about the personal side stories, tonight’s was quite brief with Jess and the pleasant, cool riding instructor so I didn’t mind it.  

Tough story — couldn’t believe the beginning with Samuel in the kitchen.  This show genuinely makes me nervous when it starts because I’m so on edge about what’s going to happen.  

Edited March 10, 2021 by MerBearHou

[Xeliou66]

This was a very good episode - the case was compelling and the villain despicable, I thought the investigation was good and it wasn’t overly complicated, it was easy to follow while still being compelling, and I liked the twists the case took. 

I liked the new agent pretty good, but I did miss Clinton and Hana, Clinton hasn’t been on in forever it seems. 

The villain in this one was one of the most evil perps on the show so far. 

[mxc90]

That ending was rough with Caleb asking for his mom and Daniel seeing his parents again after all these years.

The parents that caught Samuel spooning their son should have given him an ass whipping he would never forget and never think of being with kids again.

So the retired cop knew Samuel was no good and the police backed off because they were afraid Samuel would sue? The parent's testimony of catching him in the room is not enough to make an arrest? 

How are these agents going to the site without having an EMT on hand for Caleb who would most definitely need medical treatment if found alive.

The stupid store owner trusts Samuel "with limits", doesn't need to go to the store, has cameras on him and never noticed he robbed him/faked receipts.

Ortiz tells Barnes "it's a good reminder to pay attention to the little things", yet they have their backs to the store owner who could have shot them or made a call to Samuel to warn him the FBI are here.

Jess and others never considered to get close enough to Samuel so he wouldn't jump? I thought they were the "best of the best"? Ortiz will need to take back that praise! 

Aren't the 3 enough to carry the show if there's no Hana and Clint? Did we need Ortiz? 

Edited March 10, 2021 by mxc90

[LisaM]

It's interesting why neither Hana nor Clinton have been shown in awhile - especially Clinton. Are the actors unavailable or is the production trying to save money by not having all of the actors in each episode? If that is the case, why would they bring in the new guy? Are there COVID restrictions why one or both of the actors cannot appear? The actor who plays Clinton is Canadian - perhaps there were border issues due to the pandemic? 

[illdoc]

My signal cut out for 5-10 minutes (maybe longer). One second they were getting access to the feed at the store, the next they were in the parking garage. I get that, during the time I was "away", they saw that he got a boat & oxygen tanks from the store, but what I don't know is how they figured out (a) that he had a partner and (b) who the partner was.

[mxc90]

37 minutes ago, illdoc said:

My signal cut out for 5-10 minutes (maybe longer). One second they were getting access to the feed at the store, the next they were in the parking garage. I get that, during the time I was "away", they saw that he got a boat & oxygen tanks from the store, but what I don't know is how they figured out (a) that he had a partner and (b) who the partner was.

a. There was footage of Samuel stealing a car from the airport and another person driving the car used to get to the airport. 

b. Daniel.

[sempervivum]

I guess everybody else understood this, but not me: why did the pervert bury the kid in the boat(?) with oxygen? Was he planning on getting him out or was this just some kind of torture? And why was the boat in the ground in the first place? This seems like an unnecessarily convoluted way of concealing the kid (if that's what the purpose was). 

It annoyed me no end when the agents dug the snow away and then started pounding on the glass window thing (what was that and why was it there?). Did they think the kid would wake up and unlock the door from inside or something- this seemed really stupid.

Also, there was no explanation of why the pervert killed both the mom and grandma- he hadn't done anything like this in his previous 2 (that we know of) abductions. And the murders were particularly messy and brutal, as well as unnecessary-right?

I was surprised that Daniel had been an accomplice . There have been a couple of shows that used this plotpoint, and both of the ones that I recall had the 'old' abductee end up killing the new one out of jealousy.

10 hours ago, mxc90 said:

Did we need Ortiz? 

The PC statisticians told Dick Wolf he needed a Hispanic actor to balance the crew?

[mxc90]

He buried him for some religious sacrifice. The oxygen tank didn't make sense. Maybe he forgot he had stolen it from the store and might as well put use to it.

23 minutes ago, sempervivum said:

Also, there was no explanation of why the pervert killed both the mom and grandma- he hadn't done anything like this in his previous 2 (that we know of) abductions. And the murders were particularly messy and brutal, as well as unnecessary-right?

Right. The writers needed a juicy open by killing mom and grandma to draw the viewers in. A straight kidnapping just won't do it for these disturbed creators.

Also, an excuse to get a "Life Alert" plug.

I can only think the writers needed Daniel's parents alive to have the emotional reunion at the end.

1 hour ago, sempervivum said:

The PC statisticians told Dick Wolf he needed a Hispanic actor to balance the crew?

Also, Crosby needed someone (Jess and Barnes wouldn't care) to tell the difference between missing out killing a pig while hunting compared to a human dying in their line of work. Crosby had brief internal joy for nailing that line and then looked pissed when he said: "Thanks for clearing that up".

[preeya]

Is it just me or does this show bear huge similarities to Criminal Minds?

[Xeliou66]

 

8 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Also, there was no explanation of why the pervert killed both the mom and grandma- he hadn't done anything like this in his previous 2 (that we know of) abductions. And the murders were particularly messy and brutal, as well as unnecessary-right?

I was surprised that Daniel had been an accomplice . There have been a couple of shows that used this plotpoint, and both of the ones that I recall had the 'old' abductee end up killing the new one out of jealousy.

The reason why the perp killed mom and grandma is because he had a personal tie to them - he dated the mom at one point, he said so to the kid in the episode. So he killed them because they knew him. 

Yeah I was surprised Daniel was alive, I liked the twist. And yes I do recall other shows using the plot of the old abductee being so brainwashed by a pervert that they killed his new victim out of jealousy, particularly the Law and Order episode Captive used this plot.

 

[mythoughtis]

I think Samuel did not intend to kill Caleb. I think he was ‘purifying’ him by a ritual of ‘burial’ and then ‘rebirth’. The total number of tanks allowed for 30 hours of air.  Nor do  I think Daniel even understood what the buried tank was for or that Caleb has been taken.  However I think that Daniels’ days were  numbered as he had ‘aged out’ in Samuels’ mind.

I want Clinton and Hana back.  Ortiz was fine.  I just liked the two of them from day 1 
 

[BrownBear2012]

On 3/10/2021 at 7:51 AM, LisaM said:

It's interesting why neither Hana nor Clinton have been shown in awhile - especially Clinton. Are the actors unavailable or is the production trying to save money by not having all of the actors in each episode? If that is the case, why would they bring in the new guy? Are there COVID restrictions why one or both of the actors cannot appear? The actor who plays Clinton is Canadian - perhaps there were border issues due to the pandemic? 

I've been wondering the same thing...also, the grandparents haven't been on the show in awhile.

[AnnA]

I really like Clinton too but I can take or leave Hana.  Does anyone know why we haven't seen them?

[Maren]

Just catching up with this show, started this season. And yea, I totally miss Clinton and Hana, but Clinton especially. The only thing I've found about them leaving is Keisha Castle Hughes being pregnant. I can't find anything on Nathaniel Arcand leaving tho. I really REALLY hope he is coming back. And soon.

 

This episode was heavy. The first victim being revealed as alive was like that old TV movie "I know my first name is Steven" about the real life story of Steven Staynor. Horrible, horrible story with sadly, no real happy ending. 

Edited March 14, 2021 by Maren

[Snazzy Daisy]

Re the case, it feels like watching SVU & Criminal Mind, the ending is heart warming, long-road to recovery.

Please bring back Clinton & Hana, it's not the same without them. 

Am not interested in Jess/Sarah storyline at all, we have enough of Tali & her smugness when it comes to Jess' personal life. Why only Jess get to have personal storylines, over & over again - deceased wife/daughter/FIL/MIL/father & his gf/people from old cases? 

Ivan Ortiz (Miguel Gomez) looks so familiar, then I realized he was in LA's Finest season 2, as Leon. The character seems likeable, am hoping he is not replacing Clinton.

[jabRI]

Now they just added another character who already looks like a team member, and whose name I don't remember (if i ever did). someone else to just grunt around and flex their muscles.  Sorry, to many twists like getting paid off with that cabin.

[cameron]

Going to be interesting to get the back story on why Jess wants/needs to be called Jess not Jesse as presented in this episode.