The mundane day-to-day activities have turned into a bit of a bore for Dr. Martin Whitly’s (Michael Sheen) as shown from the opening minutes of Fox’s Prodigal Son season two episode. Luckily for Martin, his times are just about to become a whole lot more exciting thanks to his former roomie, Jerry.
Martin does not share in Jerry’s (Michael Chernus) happiness within their group treatment session as he explains what he is going to do when he leaves Claremont the following day. Jerry’s giddy about the prospect of being set free and eating lobster, unaware how much he’s angering everyone in the group.
In the White location, Malcolm (Tom Payne) is taken aback when a guy named Hans points to the spot where Nicholas was murdered and appears to know something horrible happened there. Thankfully, he’s referring to the ruined priceless heirloom rug that used to pay that place. Jessica (Bellamy Young) violates the tension by explaining Hans is helping her find a new rug since Malcolm and Ainsley ruined the older one.
Malcolm and Ainsley’s cover story is that they inadvertently spilled wine on the carpet and have been forced to throw it out. Jessica admits she doesn’t completely realize that narrative, therefore Malcolm goes over it once again. As he is lying to his mother about the jar of wine spilling around the carpet, the authentic story plays out in his head.
Malcolm adds the great little touch which Ainsley felt so dreadful she almost had a panic attack.
Over at Claremont Psychiatric Hospital, Martin’s outside getting a little exercise by shooting hoops when Jerry nosedives in the local roof and dies upon impact. Martin’s not at all the least bit upset Jerry won’t be leaving Claremont after all — or at least he will not be walking out on his own two feet.
Gil (Lou Diamond Phillips) arrives to investigate the departure and Martin’s happy to see him. Dr. Whitly’s excited to be involved in the situation as the primary witness. Martin clarifies he saw Jerry fall but didn’t see him jump out of the roof, a fact which makes him pretty worthless as a witness based on Gil.
Martin’s convinced this was not suicided because Jerry was looking forward to eating lobster after he had been set free.
Erica’s (Keiko Agena) examination shows three of Jerry’s claws were flexed back. She considers a struggle occurred; he did not commit suicide.
Edrisa’s nearly as giddy in Martin’s existence as she is in Malcolm’s, forcing herself to rein in her fangirl trends because she converses with Martin around Jerry’s nails. They believe Jerry caught the ledge in an attempt to hang on after being pushed.
Their bonding session’s caused an abrupt halt when Gil reminds Edrisa that Martin killed 23 people.
Malcolm warns his sister she’s next for interrogated with their mother within the missing carpet. Ainsley (Halston Sage) has an easier time lying because she doesn’t remember anything. She wishes to ask their dad what happened, but Malcolm advises her to let it all go.
Ainsley confesses she is worried about another major story as Malcolm receives a call from Gil. Malcolm makes a deal with his sister: he will tell her about whatever case Gil’s calling concerning whether she stops inquiring about Nicholas’ death and promises to not see dad. She agrees and Malcolm places the phone on speaker to listen to Gil explain the departure’s at Claremont and Martin’s a witness.
Martin can be heard in the background yelling, “Can’t wait to work with you, my boy!”
Ainsley’s delighted to be heading off to Claremont with her brother, but Malcolm’s pauses to chug Alka-Seltzer first.
She’s gathering up her supplies as Jessica arrives with a swatch from the new carpet. The fact it is a comparable pattern brings up the momentary memory of blood but Ainsley manages to hold herself together.
Jessica’s spidey sense is tingling. Something’s going on with her kids.
Jerry’s body has been brought to the morgue and Edrisa has discovered bruises to suggest he was pushed. Gil and Malcolm are stunned to hear Martin’s voice over the speakerphone, also Edrisa admits she called him to ask about the angle Jerry landed. Martin’s sure someone who had been in the group treatment session is the killer.
“Every single patient within our circle seemed favorably murderous about Jerry departing,” says Martin, trying to be as integral to solving this case as you can. Unfortunately, Malcolm believes Martin’s on to something.
Gil and Malcolm see Martin and he acknowledges he understands Gil’s been paying particular attention to Jessica. Gil’s heard enough after just a couple of minutes, but Malcolm wants to hear about Martin’s assessment of those six patients’ responses to Jerry’s happiness. Martin refuses to give info until Gil and Malcolm let him become a part of the team. Gil does not have any option but to agree.
Martin describes three of the guys who had acute stress responses, including Friar Pete. Martin asserts interviewing these men will not get them everywhere and suggests rather that Malcolm attend the afternoon’s therapy session to profile himself.
The group therapy session starts and Martin tries to make them accept Malcolm among their own. As soon as they figure out Malcolm’s Martin’s son, 1 patient determines Malcolm’s crazier than he is. They talk about Malcolm turning in his daddy and one patient wonders if Malcolm hates his father. Malcolm clarifies he loved his dad and wished to hear from him, but he then found that his daddy was a serial killer. “He destroyed me,” says Malcolm.
Martin claims he only wanted to discuss what was significant with him and Malcolm starts to lose it, railing against his father who he states desired to turn him into a monster, too. (Father and son ordered this beforehand, yet it’s working as a treatment session for Malcolm who is ready to air his grievances.)
The patients appear to love Malcolm for exposing this side of himself and without prompting begin talking about Jerry. Malcolm learns Jerry could have needed a vital card to get on the roof and he didn’t have one on him when he dropped to his death. Just the gold card opens all the doors and Martin’s curiosity is immediately piqued. He had no thought a golden card existed and Dr. Marsh (Michael Potts), the therapist leading the session, fails to state who’s one.
Martin tries to insinuate Dr. Marsh murdered Jerry and Malcolm asks to see the doctor’s key card. He exhibits it and it’s gold. One individual’s immediately angry and begins screaming, “You killed Jerry!” Before hitting Dr. Marsh in the face.
Moments later, Gil and Dani (Aurora Perrineau) question Dr. Marsh, revealing they are conscious he was issued a new key card after claiming his was missing. Gil notes that his old key card has been used that afternoon, and Dr. Marsh considers it has to have been stolen.
Dr. Marsh finally reluctantly admits Jerry asked him for the key card that morning, simply to say goodbye to particular individuals. Dr. Marsh gave it to him because Jerry promised to lie and say that it was only his therapy that cured him.
Ainsley ambushes Gil and Dr. Marsh in their way from Claremont. Gil will not comment on the analysis, but Malcolm goes off the record to say they do not believe Dr. Marsh is the killer. Ainsley switches topics and admits she has recalled a knife and a lot of blood, including some on her palms. Malcolm lies and claims she tried to rescue Nicholas, that is the way his blood got on her hands. He promises to go over this later at a more appropriate venue.
Malcolm discusses the situation with his dad including the chance Dr. Marsh allowed Jerry to borrow his key card. As they’re talking, Malcolm points out it appears the gold key card has captured his daddy’s attention. Dani’s birth divides the discussion. She has learned Jerry utilized the key card to the fourth-floor library — the women’s ward.
Malcolm and Dani visit the women’s defender’s library and Malcolm instantly notices scratch marks from the doorway — scratch marks in paint that matches what was found beneath Jerry’s claws. In five minutes of saying goodbye to someone in the library, Jerry has pushed out the window. Malcolm and Dani narrow the possible killer to four women, among whom could have been Jerry’s girlfriend. Maybe this girl was having abandonment issues.
They narrow down it to 2 average-sized ladies, and then still further down to just one based on where both possible suspects are from. Rhonda’s from Maine and that surely sparked Jerry’s strategies to eat lobster when he had been set free.
Meanwhile, Jessica rings up Martin and wants his view of Malcolm and Ainsley’s story about the destroyed rug. She believes it sounds too rehearsed and then confesses the rug disappeared the same night as Nicholas. Jessica won’t say out loud what she’s thinking and Martin assures her she’s way off track.
Martin chuckles as he gives a voice to Jessica’s feelings and quickly says his goodbye as Ainsley arrives unexpectedly.
Malcolm visits Rhonda (Sarah Hunt) to question her around Jerry. She admits she had feelings for him and blames herself for his death. She did not kill him but she knew he had been fearful of an inmate nicknamed The Surgeon who was insisting Jerry assist him to escape.
Malcolm barges into Ainsley and Martin’s assembly, also Ainsley’s upset no one will tell her exactly what happened that night with Nicholas. Malcolm blurts out that Martin killed Jerry which distracts Ainsley who immediately extends into reporter mode.
Ainsley rushes off while Malcolm faces Martin about Jerry’s murder. Martin insists he is innocent and points outside Jerry almost hit him falling from the window. Malcolm believes Martin may have coerced someone into emotionally pushing Jerry, given that he is a psychopath. It finally dawns on Martin that Malcolm’s functionality in the group was his son telling the facts about how he believes.
They argue over Martin’s motives and an enraged Martin stresses that if he was a psychopath, he’d hate his son for turning him in and ruining his life. Martin transforms into Mr. Nice Guy when he adds that if he killed Jerry, Malcolm would figure that out and it would mark the conclusion of his visits.
Malcolm wonders why Rhonda changed the blame on Martin. It suddenly dawns on him Martin treated Jerry and consequently is the reason Jerry’s being published. Rhonda has a reason to despise Martin along with a motive for murdering Jerry.
Gil questions Dr. Marsh who reveals he did not know Rhonda and Jerry were something but did notice that Rhonda’s involved with Andre the guard — the same guard who answered Malcolm’s queries in the women’s wing.
Dr. Marsh warns that Rhonda is capable of explosive rage. The warning comes the same instant Rhonda’s viciously attacking Andre within her mobile. She steals his keys and key card.
Martin’s no longer a defendant and rather is the next potential goal of Rhonda’s anger. Martin and Malcolm wind up in an elevator together without a guard because Rhonda’s taken control of the elevator. She sends it to the basement. Malcolm calls Dani for backup as Martin observes the basement’s a superb spot to get a murder.
Malcolm creeps through the cellar carrying out a heavy wrench and searching for Rhonda. Regrettably, she gets the drop on Malcolm and uses a taser to incapacitate him. Martin’s in a bind…should he help his son or pick up the key card and escape? He’s used bolt cutters on his handcuffs and stolen a jacket while Malcolm was hunting for Rhonda, and there’s an exit nearby. But Rhonda could kill his son. Decisions, decisions…
Rhonda differently tases Malcolm and Martin sticks around to provide help. Dani arrives and they quickly work together to distract Rhonda and take her into custody.
Martin’s riding adrenaline after being part of the group that luggage Jerry’s killer. He starts informing Rhonda of her Miranda rights, but Dani cuts him off. Malcolm puts his father back into cuffs and eliminates the golden key card by his dad’s clenched fist.
Later, Jessica and Malcolm sit down for supper and Jessica confesses she thought Malcolm murdered Nicholas. She had been so convinced that it was true that she called Martin to discuss it. She admits she ripped the room apart searching for any signs. She finally found just one drop of blood on the pages of a book.
Malcolm claims he killed Nicholas, but Jessica understands he’s lying and Ainsley dedicated murder. Jessica needs to know the truth and Malcolm admits Ainsley does not recall what she did. He begs his mother to not tell his sister what happened or they can lose her.
As Jessica’s worst nightmare’s coming true, Ainsley’s active reading Martin’s journal. She appears intrigued by her daddy’s explanation that when you see your victim’s blood for the first time that it’s exhilarating.
That night Jessica’s in bed when Ainsley joins her, promising to have had a terrible dream. You just know it will be hours before Jessica’s capable to close her eyes and sleep.
