S01.E13: Missing While Forgotten

[Mr. Sparkle]

Season Finale

Gabi unravels as the team receives an anonymous tip about one of its most important cases -- a missing girl they've been tracking for months. Gabi makes a shocking discovery about Sir.

Premieres Tuesday, January 16th. 

[AnimeMania]

John Menchion as Grandpa Jeremy Porter
Joyce Guy as Grandma Lily Porter
Lawrence Adimora as Kareem Jones
Marissa Chanel Hampton as Apryl Jones
Brielle Oliver as Dasheka Jones
Geoffrey D. Williams as Lenny Norris
Vas Sanchez as Dave Heller
Lee Osorio as Ethan Rana
Ethan Daniels as Kyle Randolph
Betsy Elizabeth Sligh as Samantha
Breanna Allen as Denise

[Brown44]

Either the beard was fake or the school scene's was the last stuff shot, knowing MPG can start to grow it again a month bf they start filming again.

[possibilities]

Kind of lazy writing that they didn't show exactly what the conversation was when Gabi told the team about what she's been hiding, and what they said in their responses. 

 

[statsgirl]

9 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Joyce Guy as Grandma Lily Porter

I thought I recognized her.

It doesn't feel right that the grandmother should go to jail since she was protecting her granddaughter. She tried to do it by the law and the CPS worker failed her.

I find it hard to believe the teenage Gabi had memorized all that Shakespeare no matter how smart she was.

I didn't mind that the scene where Gabi told them about "Sir" was silent, the director was going for effect. Or it may be because i am so over all the Sir story.

 

[Trini]

Yeah, I'll start with the ending; the silent scene with Gabi confessing to the team didn't work for me because we really need to know exactly what she told them, since she's been lying this whole time.

Sir being the one who -supposedly- gave the tip to M&A about Desheka was just a guess, right? There's no way they can know that for sure. Besides the fact that it's a HUGE stretch that Sir just happened to run into (and recognize) the girl that Gabi's been searching for for months, and then went out of his way to get that photo to M&A at huge risk to himself, while no one and no camera spotted him - except the one that he had the time and expertise to erase. Doesn't Zeke have eyes everywhere?

And then the case itself was convoluted just so there could be multiple red herrings. So Desheka was being abused by her stepmother, but was kidnapped by her grandmother, because a social worker was being paid off to hide evidence by ... somebody... because.... and they lost me there. And everyone around all these people were clueless about each other's dealings. Do I have some of that right? If the girl was just stashed in Grandma's closet this whole time, that would be one thing, but they said she'd been traveling with(?) Grandma as well, now that would be a lot harder to hide.

So I did like getting a tiny bit more backstory for Zeke -- but that was also confusing. Or at least raises more questions. So his uncle kidnapped him, but his parents don't know that?? Does anyone know that? So his uncle was never caught/proscecuted?? I have many questions!

I also liked seeing how Sir's obsession with Gabi started. But it was kinda weird to see M-PG without the beard!

And I'm not worried about Lacey, despite the cliffhanger; I am curious about which team member is going to turn Gabi in, because somebody has to, right?

[cfinboston]

There's no way to suspend disbelief enough for this episode.

Sir escaped and took Gabi's rat poison which he is able to get to Laci's dog. He then somehow gets a phone and gets on the DC Metro where he recognized Dasheka traveling at 4:30 am which is a half hour before the trains start running. He snaps the photo and accesses the security camera and erased it before getting the photo printed out and leaving it for Laci. He subsequently gets a fake passport and this fact is passed in to Dhan by his super extra underground contacts. Then he gets to BWI which is in Baltimore and buys a ticket to Amsterdam.

Simultaneously, Dasheka was abused by her stepmom who paid the social worker $7K to hide the report. This social worker takes regular payoffs which are paid via electronic transfer into his bank account. The dad also never noticed $7,000 missing from the joint account. Granny then kidnapped and hid her but she was never able to contact her family despite granny traveling for work and caring for an Alzheimer's patient. Randomly she goes outside for a train ride before going back to granny's closet?

For a final piece of backstory we learn Zeke was kidnapped by his uncle but his parents don't know that? Despite not knowing who kidnapped him, Zeke's dad contributed millions of dollars to M&A. 

[FlowerofCarnage]

I think Gabi's fate with Sir was sealed the minute she said she already read all the books on the 10th grade reading list.

Sir seems like such a snob so it's surprising to me that he is a teacher at a run of the mill public high school.  He comes off as wanting to share his "brilliance" at a private school or as a professor at a university.

 

Sir says he is not a killer but I think that is total bullshit. He definitely killed his mother. He will try to kill Lacey to punish Gabi for ruining their twisted domestic situation by telling Dhan. 

 

[EtheltoTillie]

Oh, what a mess this has become.  Each week I become less and less able to follow the COTW, and I don't really care.  Then we have the confusing back stories on all the "detectives."  And then the Sir story.  Frankly, this is the most interesting part, although very sick and twisted.

I appreciated seeing the high school scenes, although I thought Gabi's literary comments were over-the-top glib.  Professor Sir is a tool.  One doesn't test literary knowledge and understanding by posing the questions in the form of a cross examination. 

Edited January 18 by EtheltoTillie

[AnimeMania]

2 hours ago, FlowerofCarnage said:

Sir seems like such a snob so it's surprising to me that he is a teacher at a run of the mill public high school.  He comes off as wanting to share his "brilliance" at a private school or as a professor at a university.

If you are planning on kidnapping someone, you don't want the private school, rich, white, girls that would be all over the news, but the public school, poor, person of color, girls (I wonder if Sir would have taken a boy if he fit the requirements), new transfer, limited parental contact. Reenforcing the theme of the show.

I knew Sir was still around the minute Lacey said her dog threw up. At the end of the episode, everybody who works at M&A was getting ready to eat something, I wonder how many Sir has tampered with.

[stonehaven]

I don't like watching this show before bed but I happened on the last five minutes and it gave me nightmares. I was kind of on my way out of watching this show. It just doesn't have enough people to really like for me and it seems way too dark. Hell, even in later years there was moments of levity in the Criminal Minds team but with the Sir secret, it casts such a pall over the entire drama.

Someone once said that this show could be great if it explored the missing that no one cares about and we got backstories on each of the characters. The Sir in the basement capitalizes on the notion that serial killers/kidnappers/evildoers are people worth understanding and being weirdly fascinating and so much smarter than the rest of us. That's a Hollywood trope that didn't need to be in this series. Thankfully, you all have spelled out the plot enough so I don't have to rewatch. Now, I don't have to care to come back.

 

[MarylandGirl]

13 hours ago, cfinboston said:

There's no way to suspend disbelief enough for this episode.

Sir escaped and took Gabi's rat poison which he is able to get to Laci's dog. He then somehow gets a phone and gets on the DC Metro where he recognized Dasheka traveling at 4:30 am which is a half hour before the trains start running. He snaps the photo and accesses the security camera and erased it before getting the photo printed out and leaving it for Laci. He subsequently gets a fake passport and this fact is passed in to Dhan by his super extra underground contacts. Then he gets to BWI which is in Baltimore and buys a ticket to Amsterdam.

Simultaneously, Dasheka was abused by her stepmom who paid the social worker $7K to hide the report. This social worker takes regular payoffs which are paid via electronic transfer into his bank account. The dad also never noticed $7,000 missing from the joint account. Granny then kidnapped and hid her but she was never able to contact her family despite granny traveling for work and caring for an Alzheimer's patient. Randomly she goes outside for a train ride before going back to granny's closet?

For a final piece of backstory we learn Zeke was kidnapped by his uncle but his parents don't know that? Despite not knowing who kidnapped him, Zeke's dad contributed millions of dollars to M&A. 

I was also very confused by the case of the week. Did the grandmother take the grandfather with her when they traveled? If not, who was caring for him? I think an interesting plot point could have been if he was saying "She's in the closet," and no one believed him because of the Alzheimer's, but he was telling the truth.

When Gabi said she figured out who took Dasheka, I actually thought it was going to be the social worker. So that it would more closely parallel Sir taking her, even though she wasn't (to our knowledge) being abused by her father. And agreed that it's a bit absurd how Sir was able to find Dasheka and do all that.

When Lacey came home, I fully expected her to go through the door locking process, then turn around and see Sir standing there. I guess she'll encounter him later. I do wonder what he'll do with her--would he kidnap her again? I don't think he'd kill her. Gabi wouldn't forgive her for that. Maybe he'll just spend all season creepily hiding in various team members' closets.

I also felt anxious seeing everyone about to eat, though I don't know that Sir necessarily could have gotten to all their food? Gabi's and Lacey's obviously.

I do wonder how the team will come back together. Maybe if Sir does kidnap Lacey, and they all come together to find her? And will someone tell Trent about Sir?

[KaveDweller]

2 hours ago, MarylandGirl said:

I was also very confused by the case of the week. Did the grandmother take the grandfather with her when they traveled? If not, who was caring for him? I think an interesting plot point could have been if he was saying "She's in the closet," and no one believed him because of the Alzheimer's, but he was telling the truth.

They said the grandmother had part time help with the grandfather while she was travelling, but then his health took a turn. So, I thought the grandmother had the girl stashed somewhere out of the city, and when she traveled for work she checked on her. But then she had to stop working and couldn't travel to check on her, so that is why Dasheka took the train home to hide in the closet.

I didn't get why Dasheka didn't tell her grandmother it was the stepmother who hit her, not her father. She didn't want her dad to lose his wife, but surely she didn't want him to lose herself (his daughter). I get why she didn't tell anyone about it at first, but after she was kidnapped?

[mrsbagnet]

I can't with this show anymore. The bad writing is now affecting the acting.

Why would Dhan and Gabi just assume that the person who bought a fake passport and ticket to Amsterdam was in fact Sir, sight unseen. I'm sure lots of people fit his description. Unless they have raw camera footage of him boarding the plane and getting off of it in Amsterdam, they have no proof. Aren't they supposed to be detectives?

Edited January 18 by mrsbagnet

[cfinboston]

24 minutes ago, mrsbagnet said:

I can't with this show anymore. The bad writing is now affecting the acting.

Why would Dhan and Gabi just assume that the person who bought a fake passport and ticket to Amsterdam was in fact Sir, sight unseen. I'm sure lots of people fit his description. Unless they have raw camera footage of him boarding the plane and getting off of it in Amsterdam, they have no proof. Aren't they supposed to be detectives?

The logistics make zero sense. Gabi is in Metro DC. Why was Sir in Rockville MD and then traveling back to DC to leave the picture for Laci?

 

 

 

[babyrambo]

What an unsatisfying finale.

I liked the idea of the case but the execution was a muddled mess. Relating the flashbacks/current-Gabi to the case of the week doesn’t always work. Like in this finale. The story was at once convoluted and cliche.

But that’s pretty much my review of the season: excellent ideas, unconvincing execution. 

And this episode was a perfect example; the mystery of an escaped Sir on the prowl should’ve garnered intrigue but because of the scattered case and weak flashbacks (they’d previously revealed Sir to be her teacher and a massive creep. Knowing that he was willing to poison a student in defence of Gabi on the day they met upped the gross factor but wasn’t necessary. He’s a grown man who kidnapped a child, the fact that he’s not a good person is basically a given) it was almost an afterthought. 

As was Gabi’s confession. 

I agree with the comments about disliking the silence in that scene. All season long they built up Gabi’s connection to the others and teased her confession, yet muted things when it mattered. At least Gabi wasn’t given an easy out and actually had to own up to the basement of it all. Lacey, who the show finally remembered, was the one I felt most sorry for.

In a darker show I’d worry for her life but here, a main character death while the team is at odds might be overkill. A season of Sir holding Lacey captive to exert control over Gabi seems more likely but given how Found likes to do things, it’s more likely that whatever they chose will be resolved in the first episode.

Thoughtful complexity and patience have never been this show’s strong suit. 

Hate to say it, but I sometimes feel like the writers are more interested in the idea of representation and community instead of actually portraying these communities in nuanced, meaningful ways. The writing hardly holds up and there’s a caricature-like aspect to the character’s depictions—trauma is painful but how dismal it is to portray that as all anyone ever is—that I hoped would fade after the pilot, but hasn’t.

Still, it’s only the first season. The potential is there and I’m willing to wait it out, at least until season two gives me a reason not to.

They definitely lucked out by premiering at a time where nothing much else was on though. I think the show would’ve gained a swift cancellation otherwise. 

[Johannah]

I was fine with the COTW, didn't find it as convoluted as others did.  My problem is with the whole Sir thing.  One of my biggest pet peeves...  Not resolving a season-long storyline.  I'll probably be checking out. Maybe I'll watch the first episode, or just read about it here, to see if they resolve anything, but I think the actor is slated for next season, so unless Gabi brings her folders to prison, it's just more of the same.  Pity.  I liked the cases.

Showing us everybody's food at the end, Sir definitely poisoned some, or all, of their meals, just like he poisoned that high school kid.  Maybe I'll watch to see who, but I'm so disappointed that they are dragging on the Sir storyline.

Oh, and I found highschool Gabi to be a little obnoxious.

Edited January 18 by Johannah

[howiveaddict]

The make up job on this episode to make Sir look younger was atrocious.  It looked like a smooth mask on his face.  It distracted me.

This is a good show to watch, during the writers strike. Wonder how it will do, once the new season starts, against other shows.  Maybe they will put it on as a summer replacement.  I'm on the fence about if I'll watch again.

[mrsbagnet]

I almost forgot my favorite moment of episode: When Gabi goes in for a kiss with Trent, and he hits her with a "We need to talk." He's been sprung on her for the entire season, but he's finally, finally had enough. Good for him.

[Mr. Sparkle]

8 hours ago, howiveaddict said:

The make up job on this episode to make Sir look younger was atrocious.  It looked like a smooth mask on his face.  It distracted me.

I was wondering if it was de-aging CGI, because it looked so plastic. It looked like they digitally erased his beard. 

[jabRI]

I'll be the first to admit I zone out at certain times during the flashbacks, but when was Lacey burned, that she knew the progress of COTW healing? I thought Sir never physically hurt them?  It was probably covered, just missed it. Unless it was an accident and that's how they escaped?

[Mr. Sparkle]

15 minutes ago, jabRI said:

I'll be the first to admit I zone out at certain times during the flashbacks, but when was Lacey burned, that she knew the progress of COTW healing? I thought Sir never physically hurt them?  It was probably covered, just missed it. Unless it was an accident and that's how they escaped?

That was my thought, and I also understood that she was only kidnapped for one day. Maybe she was in a different abusive situation, but I don't recall that being mentioned. 

[AnimeMania]

Laci burned herself trying to get some food from the stove. Then Gabi hits Sir with a frying pan and they escape.

[paul4295]

I was also bothered by the silent "confession" at the end.  I can understand the team members being upset about being lied to, but Gabi either deceives them or comes up with some crazy/illegal idea in almost every episode, and they complain a little, but then just back off and fall in line every time.   I don't get why this would be such a deal breaker that they all walk out on her (if that's even what they're doing, since we don't know what anyone said or thought).  They've all been traumatized, and they all seem to understand that trauma can make you do crazy things.  I think we needed to hear why they reacted the way (it looks like) they did.

[howiveaddict]

13 hours ago, Superclam said:

I was wondering if it was de-aging CGI, because it looked so plastic. It looked like they digitally erased his beard. 

Almost looked like he had a Michael Myers mask on.

[KaveDweller]

10 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Laci burned herself trying to get some food from the stove. Then Gabi hits Sir with a frying pan and they escape.

Lacy was younger than Gabi when she was abducted. I find it hard to believe she would memorize the healing patterns and exactly how it looked at different months.

Not to mention, I am sure not everyone heals at the same rate and that not all burns cause the same type of scar/wound.

[DonitsYum]

OK I waited until the finale to comment on this show.

They showed the shark too early.  I wish they had spent S1 with character expo rather than revealing right from the jump that she was keeping Sir in a cage.  I understand that's the entire hook of the show but now that hook is gone. I would have preferred it that they kept that reveal for the end of the season, showing her being held captive and spending time getting to know the background of the other characters and why they work for M&A, as they all seem to have connections to being abducted.  This episode felt like a way to have him escape rather than be a true missing person case.  The previous case with the trafficked children would have made a better finale because it naturally tied in with her real life teacher-student-abduction story.  

The best thing they have done with this show, especially the prev episode, was to show how children are REALLY groomed. MPG has been excellent in this role.  Perhaps now that the cat's out of the bag, they will focus on the backstories but I doubt it since I'm sure there will be legal ramifications to deal with regarding the reveal and also Lacy's upcoming scenario with Sir. 

[DonitsYum]

On 1/17/2024 at 5:48 AM, cfinboston said:

There's no way to suspend disbelief enough for this episode.

Sir escaped and took Gabi's rat poison which he is able to get to Laci's dog. He then somehow gets a phone and gets on the DC Metro where he recognized Dasheka traveling at 4:30 am which is a half hour before the trains start running. He snaps the photo and accesses the security camera and erased it before getting the photo printed out and leaving it for Laci. He subsequently gets a fake passport and this fact is passed in to Dhan by his super extra underground contacts. Then he gets to BWI which is in Baltimore and buys a ticket to Amsterdam.

Simultaneously, Dasheka was abused by her stepmom who paid the social worker $7K to hide the report. This social worker takes regular payoffs which are paid via electronic transfer into his bank account. The dad also never noticed $7,000 missing from the joint account. Granny then kidnapped and hid her but she was never able to contact her family despite granny traveling for work and caring for an Alzheimer's patient. Randomly she goes outside for a train ride before going back to granny's closet?

For a final piece of backstory we learn Zeke was kidnapped by his uncle but his parents don't know that? Despite not knowing who kidnapped him, Zeke's dad contributed millions of dollars to M&A. 

My thoughts exactly. There are parts of this show that are very good and parts that are very, very bad. This episode was not a good ending. How did Sir get the money for a super underground passport and money for a train ticket? How did he poison the dog, how did he erase security footage that's most likely backed up in the cloud with a password.  Is this guy a genius? He's been chained to a bed for months.  Did he cut his own foot off? How did he pick the locks?  They made us watch all this dreck but we can't get a backstory on why Zeke won't leave his apartment?  Or why Dhan keeps a cache of guns hidden in his wall?  The only person who got character expo was Margaret.

[mythoughtis]

Dhan is former  military annd  also seems to consider himself an enforcer of sorts.  His having guns fits with that. 
 

Zeke wont leave his apartment because he only feels safe inside his own home.  Given that he was kidnapped by a trusted family member- he can’t even feel safe in a family member’s home.  
 

I think Zeke, Lacey, and Margaret showed proper reactions.  The first two were kidnapped, the latter had a family member kidnapped.  They all work to bring kidnap victims home.  Now their trusted friend and co-worker has kidnapped someone.  The horror was written on their faces.  I didn’t need their words/ there are no words.   

 

Edited February 11 by mythoughtis