The FBI joins the investigation into the murder of a controversial tech magnate, forcing Karadec to reunite with his former partner. Meanwhile, Ludo becomes overwhelmed with his increasing childcare duties.
Karadec's former partner is even more stubborn than he is. His inclusion is meant to showcase how much has changed within Karadec's partnership with Morgan. He was highly skeptical of her skills early in the season. He didn't think her presence was necessary to solve cases. He has been won over by her insights. He still has to outline rules for her to follow. He no longer tries to change who she is. When she has something to say, she does so. No one can silence her. Of course, any criticism of her inclusion in the investigation is largely done through a casually dismissive attitude. No one has any actual disdain for her. No arguments are made that she doesn't belong. People simply underestimate her because she doesn't carry herself with the same sense of professionalism and reverence. She remains a valuable member of the team. People should question their biases that make them dismissive of her. She sees things others frequently overlook. Her obsessive personality has resulted in many arrests so far. Karadec actually brags about her now. He knows she can deliver when the pressure is on. He relies on that to remain connected to the investigation when a battle over jurisdiction occurs.
Ronnie and Karadec used to be the best detectives at the precinct. They solved more cases than anyone else. They were targeted with disinformation. They were accused of being crooked cops. Instead of staying to clear his name, Ronnie left. Karadec had to deal with the fallout entirely on his own. Ronnie could no longer work somewhere where his colleagues could so quickly turn on him. And now, he has the job that matches his arrogance. He comes onto the scene issuing orders. He believes everyone will instinctively respect his authority because that's how it naturally does. The federal agencies have priority over local officials. He doesn't care to mend things with his former partner. It's all about projecting dominance. He has something to prove. Karadec plays into that competitive spirit as well. His detectives caught the case first. It's unclear precisely when the murder took place. Everyone can work together. But again, Ronnie believes his access to superior technology is the only way to solve the case. It takes actual police work and insight into human behavior to prevail though.
Morgan is full of questions. She receives most of the answers too. Part of it is just to understand how her partner is acting in this situation. She also wants the dirt to hold over Karadec's head in the future. She enjoys playfully teasing him. It never gets in the way of her ability to do the job. These detectives don't have to be serious all the time. The job requires that of them. They have to be respectful because they investigate murders. However, plenty of them have occurred in outlandish ways. Morgan must step into that perspective in order to get a sense of what led others to take this action. This case delves into the debate over whether tech companies need to be regulated in order to act responsibly. Everyone talks about the victim's company that can make perfect deepfake videos. That frequency suggests the detectives shouldn't trust the video evidence they gather. That's not the twist though. Instead, it's all driven by vengeance. The victim must pay for what his technology did. It's also a lot of twists that don't inform character. It's a mess that Morgan and Karadec must navigate through. They have an assist from Ronnie's team. It's enough to impress the FBI and offer a job to Karadec. It's not enough to actual lure him away.
Of course, it would be perfectly reasonable to assume the foundation of the show could be shaken up at the close of the first season. This is the penultimate episode. Only the finale remains. The narrative foundation was built around Morgan and Karadec's partnership. Threatening that relationship could introduce plenty of drama and uncertainty. Even Morgan suggests Karadec get some sleep before declining the offer. That's not what he wants to do. He's perfectly content with where he's at. He enjoys the people around him. He will do anything for them. That's sweet. The same applies to Morgan's personal life. The story provides more depth to Ludo's struggles providing childcare. It's stressful largely in name only. Ludo says he has to rearrange his schedule. That creates tension that builds to him fainting. It's mostly a lesson Morgan has to teach Elliot about how their brains process information. It's easy to fear worst possible outcomes. It's better to focus on all the happiness they have. It takes time to arrive at that clarity. Elliot is lucky to have a mother who understands. Plus, they champion Ludo for all he does. It's more than what he has done so far this season. It's not exactly meaningful story development. It adds to the overall sentimentality the show is going for. As such, it connects to everything else in an understandable way.
