A wild office party at a high-profile medical technology startup leads to the shocking murder of the founder and CEO. A new co-worker at the precinct catches Morgan's eye. Morgan agrees to show Ava around the LAPD, but things quickly take a dangerous turn when the precinct is held hostage by the friends of a recently convicted man.
An overworked assistant wakes up the day after a wild office party in her demanding boss' office only to discover her dead from a stab wound. The police overwhelmingly believe Sam committed the crime. Morgan always roots for the underdog. That's in her nature. Her colleagues at the precinct understand that now. They want her to keep an open mind with the investigation. She can't just make quick assessments about people. She wants the same of them. Even good people can be pushed to their breaking points though. Sam doesn't believe she could forget killing her boss. She wanted this job because of how influential a figure she was. The reality was much more brutal. In fact, Elaine is covering up how ineffective her latest medical device truly is. It may provide relief during panic attacks for children. It does very little else to address their underlying conditions. The office celebrates her for securing a distribution deal. They champion her vision. They are proud of what they have accomplished. And yet, many of them have reasonable motive to kill. It only requires the right circumstances. Ultimately, Morgan and the team prove Sam's guilt. The initial assessment was correct. That isn't the conclusion of the story. That's what provides the drama with the intrigue that shows it's more than just a standard procedural.
Morgan offers compassion to Sam. She relates to her because she too was once jumping from job to job hating the people she worked with. She despised every boss she ever had. Things are changing now. The precinct accepts her. All of that comes from the tone Soto sets. She welcomed her immediately. The rest of the detectives came onboard. Morgan and Soto are frequently behind the glass together listening in on the interrogations. The detectives conduct the interviews. But the consultant and the captain accumulate the bigger picture. The case ultimately comes together with the reveal Elaine had a secret camera in her office. Sam was right to fear her boss was watching everyone's every move. The video put everything into greater context. Yes, Sam was betrayed to learn about the forever chemicals the company was responsible for dumping into the world. She also rejected an offer to have her student loans completely paid off. Despite being under the influence, she maintained her composure. What happened next was an accident. The detectives see that. They know it was an act of self-defense. They reach that conclusion only because they looked deeper. It wasn't on a skilled lawyer to present that defense in court. Instead, law enforcement did their jobs by getting the complete story. Some details were superfluous. However, it allows the team to come together and bond. That makes the viewer accept the work they do together despite their differing perspectives.
This episode requires confidence from the creative team to pull off. It's actually shocking how effective it is given some of the ongoing issues. The supporting ensemble still remains thinly defined. Everything hinges on Kaitlin Olson's performance. If one piece of the mystery falls apart, then the entire episode falls flat. And yet, the intensity starts high and maintains that energy throughout the hour. That's impressive. Sure, the viewer may not particularly care about Tom. He holds the potential for romantic possibilities with Morgan. Nothing has actually happened yet. This is only his second episode after all. They were charming previously. Now, they have to be a little more straightforward with what they want. His presence allows the stakes to escalate. Everyone sees the severity of the situation once the gun goes off. Tom is shot in the leg. Morgan desperately asks for him to receive medical attention and for Ava to be released. This episode showcases how Ava is frequently embarrassed of her mother but still wants to be a part of her life. She had the opportunity to exit the building. She stayed because her mother remained in danger. The entire story is channeled through the anger Morgan feels as a mother. That motivates her entirely. Everything she does is about keeping Ava safe. Her daughter is present to actually hear it. She experiences it viscerally too. She wants to protect her mother. Yet Morgan is the one with the brain to solve the case. She can do what others cannot. She looks beyond the simple explanation. She arrives at the true answer. An arrest occurs. An innocent man is released from prison. She solved a case under duress. Some could confuse her actions with empathy. She truly hates Brooke for threatening Ava. That never went away. As such, those who held the precinct hostage deserve the punishment that awaits them.
The episodes have slowly offered the reassurance that Morgan is part of the team. That was noted in the previous episode. And now, it's remarked on with the inclusion of a desk in the bullpen. Karadec knows it's unlikely she'll use it. She likes interacting with people. She is always up in their business whether they ask for her help or not. It's still a sincere gesture. Everyone appreciates what she did to save lives. Melon pompously believes he's the best detective in the precinct. That's true no matter who is actually in the room with him. Morgan doesn't step up and demand to be noticed. She's more concerned about Ava. When she contacts the rest of the team, that's her priority. It could very well distract her. She could make mistakes. However, her brain makes her fixate on the crime. She has to examine the clues alongside Melon. He's not the one carrying the burden alone. When she sees something that doesn't add up, that's when she intervenes. All the pieces are there to solve the mystery. It just requires people asking the right questions. Sure, many of them freak out over the circumstances. Morgan is frightened too. She's also capable of deducing that the bomb isn't actually real. She figures that out while Jeremy spirals in desperation. He took this action alongside Brooke. She was willing to accept the consequences for doing so. She had a code. She didn't want to hurt anyone. Jeremy refused to be held accountable. He thought he could escape despite the police knowing his identity. These two never tried to hide who they were. They were trying to help a friend. He meant everything to them. They took drastic actions. They escalated everything severely. They thought this was the only way to get the police to pay attention. It works. It's costly too. Morgan delivers that punishing blow. She never lost sight of what's important. She juggled every aspect of her life with complete control. That represents growth on her end too.
