It’s been a long hiatus but Prodigal Son has finally returned with the season 2 spring premiere! Episode 8, “Ouroboros,” is full of action, drama, and big reveals that’ll kept fans on the edge of their seats. Let’s jump right in.
Simon Hoxley, Europol detective, looks at Endicott’s head and declares he’s headed to New York. In his apartment, Malcolm jerks awake before beginning his daily routine. He reads his affirmation card: “I attract caring and positive people into my life.” Meanwhile, Hoxley gets a manicure, followed by a book signing for Mind Sleuth. Hoxley is, according to the cover, “the world’s leading criminal profiler.” He examines his case folder and pulls out photos of Jessica, Ainsley, and Malcolm. Malcolm gets a text from Gil about a dead body at the marina and heads over.
Mr. David escorts Martin to the infirmary for his duties, but when they arrive Dr. Capshaw and several attendants are rushing in a stabbed patient. She calls for Mr. David to help restrain the man who kicks over a pan sending utensils flying and a pair of suture scissors land just within Martin’s reach. He watches, eyeing the scissors and then the preoccupied doctor and attendants. Martin offers to help, he was a surgeon after all, and she momentarily looks like she might consider it but tells Mr. David to get Martin out.
Malcolm arrives at the marina and is talking to Jessica. She knows things have been tense between Malcolm and Ainsley but Malcolm assures her that even though they fought, it was constructive. He boards the yacht and finds the team with the dead body of Holly, the boat’s chief steward, who was shot and hanging above the deck, tangled in the rigging. Malcolm begins his profile, the killing was personal, but the boat’s horn blares and out steps Hoxley who tells Malcolm not to bother continuing his sentence, the murder wasn’t personal. Malcolm identifies Hoxley to Gil who is less than impressed. Hoxley says he’ll be observing the case. He flatters each of them, calling JT a hard worker, Gil the man who took down The Surgeon, and Dani accomplished. Hoxley tells Malcolm his relationship to murder has blinded him. He thinks every murder is personal.
Malcolm asks what he sees and Hoxley says leaving Holly hanging means the killer was indifferent. “You failed to see what is staring you in the face,” he tells Malcolm. A targeted assassination. Malcolm answers that he can’t know that with so few facts and Hoxley reveals he was investigating a courier chain in Europe that moved illegal goods and possibly a dead body, the body of Endicott. People in that chain are now being assassinated and he’s working to uncover who is doing it and who killed Endicott. He watches Malcolm closely as he reveals this. Hoxley addresses the media to explain this is NYPD jurisdiction but it might relate to his own case, “the crime of the century.” Ainsley pushes for more details so Hoxley elaborates that he “caught this snake by the tail,” investigating Endicott’s body and working his way up the chain.
Back at Malcolm’s, Ainsley researches Hoxley and wonders how he knew Endicott wasn’t killed abroad. At long last, Malcolm reveals how he got Endicott’s body from the Whitly home to Estonia. Sophie revealed Endicott always covered his crimes using a courier network. So, Malcolm used Endicott’s own courier chain to discreetly move the body. In a flashback, we see Malcolm waiting for a courier to pick up the suitcases. A woman pulls up and struggles with the weight of the containers, joking that they never know what they’re moving. She reassures Malcolm they know what they’re doing. He’s made himself memorable to this anonymous courier who could identify him. He tells Ainsley that she reminded him of Sophie and hopes to find her before it’s too late.
At the precinct, Hoxley questions Gil about Endicott; he did try to kill Gil. “I was busy bleeding out over at New York Presbyterian when he went missing. That’s a hell of an alibi,” Gil tells him and Hoxley relents. He turns his sights to the Whitly’s and Gil gets a little too defensive of Jessica. He assures Hoxley he wants to catch the killer and they strike a deal that Gil will make the arrest since Europol agents can’t.
Malcolm, Dani, and JT begin their search for possible clues to Holly’s killer with Dani pointing out that on a transatlantic cruise, she could have stored the body in the yacht’s freezer. JT asks how Dani knows so much about yachts but she deflects (we need a Dani origin story episode, please!). The trio search the records and discuss Hoxley. JT suggests Malcolm needs his own monicker and Dani and JT throw out hilarious ideas like Brain Hacker, Professor Profile, and Captain Crimefighter. Malcolm notices logo, one for a seafood processing plant that was on the back of the van the transporter was driving. He doesn’t tell Dani or JT and leaves.
On his way to Nova Shores, Malcolm tells Martin about the assassinations as Martin stashes the suture scissors he stole. Martin argues that Malcolm should let the courier be killed, no one will be able to tie him to the courier system if she’s gone. Malcolm argues she doesn’t deserve to die and Martin’s frustrated but relents. When Malcolm tells him about Hoxley, Martin is concerned and can’t pass up the opportunity to narcissistically brag that Hoxley tried to interview him. He then jokes that he should break out and handle Hoxley himself. Malcolm is horrified at the idea. He hangs up as he discovers the dead courier floating in a tub of water. Panicked, he plunges his arm in to retrieve the guy’s phone and realizes he’ll need his thumbprint to unlock it. He grabs a pair of scissors and cut the man’s thumb off just as he hears Dani and JT arrive on the scene and barely avoids detection.
When Malcolm “arrives,” Hoxley asks why his arm is soaked and Malcolm says there was a pothole and a car, turning his attention back to the victim, Brian. Malcolm assesses that Brian knew his killer, and Hoxley elaborates that Endicott must have been vacuum sealed at this facility by Brian. As Malcolm addresses the missing thumb, Hoxley adds the killer took it to open the phone that’s also missing. This will be how they find the next link in the chain.
In the infirmary, Martin finds Dr. Capshaw sitting alone. He asks what’s wrong and she shares the patient from earlier died. Martin sympathizes; he’s been in that situation, it’s difficult to lose a patient. He also says she’s better than Claremont and asks how she ended up there. Capshaw informs Martin she was warned he would try to charm her like this and she’s not falling for it.
Jessica invites Hoxley to her house to get his interrogation over with. He asks how she got entangled with so many murderers, “Jessica Whitly played for a fool, yet again.” She reminds him she was at Gil’s bedside with Dani and JT. Not to be outdone, she elaborates that perhaps she snuck away, lured Endicott to her living room, and butchered him right there. Hoxley questions why she’d suggest that, then notices the differences in the aged rugs. Realizing her mistake, she takes offense to his accusations and makes him leave, immediately calling Malcolm and Ainsley. Ainsley believes they’ve done a good job with the murder and that quip sees the return of Malcolm’s tremor. Malcolm declares they need to stick together, no one should talk to Hoxley again, but Jessica reminds him that there’s a fourth Whitly involved.
Hoxley finds Martin scrubbing the floor and comments how far he’s fallen. Hoxley reveals his theory: they killed Endicott and Martin helped cover it up as well as his plans to write another book. Martin quips a title, The Family That Slays Together, Stays Together. Capshaw enters and tries to make him leave but Hoxley threatens to call her superiors so she leaves. Hoxley steps closer to Martin and his theory evolves to specify Malcolm as the killer. We all know you don’t threaten Martin’s son, and the scissors appear in Martin’s hand. Just as it seems Martin might follow through on killing Hoxley, Capshaw returns. She called her superiors herself to say she’s kicking Hoxley out and he leaves undeterred.
Back at home, Malcolm removes the phone from a bag of rice laying it on the counter with a hammer, towel, timer, and the thumb. He tells Sunshine that the phone’s GPS will ping in 60 seconds so he has to work fast. He sets the timer and opens the phone. He finds the number for “Nat-Courier” and destroys the phone with the hammer (what is with him and hammers?) just as the timer sounds. Naturally, Hoxley bangs on his door at this exact moment and Malcolm scrambles to hide everything. Hoxley reveals his theory that Malcolm killed Endicott, but Malcolm’s had enough. He points out Hoxley’s nothing but a washed up phony trying to get his face back in the paper. He’s not solved a case in years and his book is in the bargain bin. Hoxley says he’s obtaining a search warrant for Jessica’s house and leaves.
Later that night, Malcolm meets Nat. Hopping in the car with her, he fills her in as they drive. He says to head to the airport but quickly notices she isn’t scared and missed the exit. He realizes Nat is the killer and is headed to the marina to kill Hoxley. Malcolm tries to talk her down but she tells him to get out, he has to do literally nothing and the problem will be solved. Malcolm, never one to do nothing, races to the marina on foot. He finds Hoxley on the boat, who thinks Malcolm is there to kill Natalie and threatens him with a paring knife. Malcolm starts to explain Nat is “the head of the snake” but she arrives and bullets fly. Hoxley is hit in the leg, and Malcolm tells him to stay down so he can lure Nat away. On the top deck he ambushes Nat who falls over the side, managing to grab a rope. Gun in one hand, and a rope in the other, Malcolm begs her to drop the gun so he can pull her up. Instead, she moves to shoot him but loses her grip and falls to her death.
At the precinct, Gil tells Malcolm that Natalie was in deep with Endicott and they think she killed him. Hoxley enters, he just gave a statement and plans to leave. Gil says he’s welcomed in New York, he just needs to call next time. Malcolm begins to apologize but Hoxley cuts him off and apologizes to Malcolm for threatening him. Malcolm says he’ll read Hoxley’s next book but Hoxley isn’t planning on writing one. Malcolm solved the case. However, Malcolm points out that Hoxley did the leg work tracking the couriers down, he was a supporting role. Hoxley is obviously on board with that logic though the press is fickle, but Malcolm can help.
In an exclusive interview, Ainsley asks Hoxley, “What was it like to finally catch the woman who murdered Nicholas Endicott?” Hoxley announces his book, The Ouroboros Murders. Ainsley, Malcolm, and Jessica sit watching the interview and Ainsley proposes a toast to getting away with murder. Malcolm counters, “To keeping it in the family,” and they cheers to having Endicott behind them.
Sleeping, Martin hears someone approach. In walks Capshaw, alone with Martin and way over the red line. She asks for her scissors, and when he is reluctant she threatens him. He relents, stepping very close to her as he hands them back. Her hand covers his, and he kisses her. With an unreadable expression, she walks away.
Malcolm Danger Count: 5
Prodigal Son airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on FOX.
