Prodigal Son: The Job
It’s back! Who missed Prodigal Son? I know I did, and this episode took you on a ride. New faces, old friends, and a whole lot of action. Let’s talk about it.
The Deal
Our show returns with a deal of shorts. Malcolm and Jessica make a deal with Martin so that Malcolm stays out of jail and all returns back to semi-normal. Of course, Martin has conditions. He wants Malcolm to visit at least twice a week. While hesitant, Malcolm agrees, much to Jessica’s dismay, but the deal is done. Things don’t get any better once our mother-son duo return home…
Back at the House
Jessica presses Malcolm about his time with Eve, and he tells her Eve has not returned his calls. This is not something that Mrs. Whitly will accept, so she calls her for Malcolm. Cue the awkwardness that ensues, but a dinner date is made. When they meet for dinner, Malcolm tries to explain his odd behavior to Eve, who strangely doesn’t seem too freaked out. At least, not as freaked out as most would be. In fact, they seem to be on their way to amends. Thankfully, for those of us (myself included), who don’t like her very much, he gets a work call! Huzzah. Bye, for now, creepy Eve.
What a Thrill
This week’s case brings us to an auction house, where there’s a lot of damage, a lot of missing expensive watches, and one very dead female victim. With one shot to her head, Malcolm begins to piece together a preliminary profile. Until an old face and perhaps friend appears. Meet Vijay, one of Malcolm’s only friends from high school who happens to work as part of an insurance company now. He is there to make sure they get the watches back, so his company does not have to pay it out.
He’s … unique, to say the least. Arrogant and very flashy, the team immediately seems to dislike him. However, the two have a history as Vijay’s father was equally as bad, except his crimes were drug-related. They did not leave off on the right foot in high school, so Malcolm is wary of him and seems not to trust him.
As the two try to work together, Malcolm shares his thoughts on the killer. He believes the person is talented, younger, and quicker to violence. This is essentially thrill killing.
Shot to the Head?
A second attack, this time, things get weird. As they clear the building where a second robbery has occurred, they find a second victim, seemingly dead with a gunshot to the head. EXCEPT SHE IS NOT. That is the shock of the episode thus far, as she pops her head open like it is nothing and speaks to them. At the hospital, she is brought directly into brain surgery, where they tell Malcolm and Vijay (who just wants his watches back) they cannot speak to her, even though she’s the only witness. Malcolm decides to use his father (which in reality should not work here), and they get to talk to her for a few minutes, where she shares that one of the people had a bird tattoo. Well, then.
A Phoenix
It is soon revealed that it is not just a bird, but a Chinese phoenix, a symbol of a well known Chinese street gang. Their leader is Cooper Woo, and they are known for their robberies and crime. Soon, Vijay, because he does not listen to Malcolm and seemingly their past, is a problem, sets up a meeting with Cooper and his gang to try and get the watches back. (Safe. Real safe.) And Malcolm, being Malcolm, goes along with it because… well, it’s Malcolm. He is a danger magnet.
They soon are with the gang and are attempting to both solve their crimes, when one of the team members discovers Malcolm’s connection to the NYPD. Vijay tries to deny it, which earns him a pretty bad beating, and Malcolm swoops in to make sure he gets away? Maybe? This whole scene is weird. Malcolm tells him he would never trust him, and Vijay just leaves him in his fancy classic Porsche.
Head Games
Malcolm continues his profile after Vijay’s exit, trying to figure out which one of them is the killer. He asks Sheila to remove her beanie. Beneath it is a full head of curly hair, just like the two victims. Pete is in love with her, or at least was. You do not usually shoot people who look like the one you love, y’know? Things get heated fast, and suddenly there are more guns raised at each team member and … boom, they go off. Malcolm has a part in this, and when he hits the ground from the impact, he’s visited by a hallucination of his father, who blames him for all that’s happened and his life. Granted, he also warns him that everyone is not dead, and he needs to wake up. He does so with just enough time, seeing Sheila and Pete injured, but alive, Pete ready to finish it off.
Vijay, our unlikely hero, arrives with his fancy car, running over Pete to save the day. Now THAT, I never would have guessed! And while this would probably never happen in real life and I really should not have enjoyed it… I really did. Sue me. (Seriously though, he would be in jail.) And who wants bloodstains on a car like that?
Evil Eve
As the episode winds down, Eve shows up at the Whitly house with flowers for Jessica. Why is she so set on this family? Anyone with sense would run away from a scenario like Malcolm’s unless you were really invested in it already. I guess maybe she is, as we soon see for another reason. Jessica goes to bring the flowers into the kitchen, and Eve wanders her way into the basement… right to where the box is hidden. She opens it with a look of horror on her face, and soon tears form. But, because things just can’t stay normal on this show, she climbs into the box for some insane reason.
WHO IS THIS GIRL?! She is nuts. Plain and simple.
Thoughts
I’m glad we don’t have to wait much longer for answers on Eve’s motives. I’m also glad that she is not who she says she is, and this probably won’t be a relationship for our profiler, because he needs to get his head together first. The best part of this show is when Malcolm Bright believes he’s one step ahead of a killer, or able to get around their thoughts, and ends up in danger. But, I don’t think anyone saw this girl’s danger coming, and that should prove interesting.
I do love the dynamic between Jessica and Martin right now; it’s hilarious watching him get so annoyed over the mention of Gil’s name. As a fan, I know that he’s a huge part of the show and the reason our protagonist is the way he is, but it drives me up a wall that he can torment this poor kid to the level he does and has. I’m not sure how the show would do without him, though, yet at the same time, I don’t think long term (say past this season) if this sort of dynamic would work. I can’t imagine if the show is renewed for season two, Martin still torturing his son in this way.
Annnd, because we only got a minute or two of her: more Edrisa, please! 🙂 And I would also love to see a more JT centric episode, as well.
One Final Thought
How will the show be affected by the shutdowns due to the coronavirus? Will we see the ending the showrunners had planned for season two? Or will there be a cliffhanger none of us saw coming?
Catch Prodigal Son on Fox, Mondays at 9 pm.
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