With just one episode until we reach the finale, Prodigal Son packs a lot into one episode! “The Professionals” was significantly reworked as the COVID-19 pandemic began forcing filming shutdowns, and the way the writers and production team were able to wrap up the season in just two episodes is an incredible achievement. From big reveals about Eve and Nicholas Endicott to the out-of-nowhere twist at the end of the episode, there’s a lot to unpack in our rewatch.
Family Reunion
This is one of the few times we see all four Whitlys in the same room, and what a memorable experience it is. Endicott was already with Jessica when she received news about Eve, and while neither of them wants to see Martin, he is also the man who has information. First of all, you don’t bet against Jessica Whitly, and second, Martin is just a man. As Jessica notes, “grab him where it counts and he’ll squeal like a pig.” When Malcolm and Jessica arrive they find Ainsley already there visiting her father. We find out in one scene that Sophie worked for Endicott, Martin let her live, giving him the plea deal of the century for a serial killer, and that Eve was murdered. Martin begins to unravel, wanting to focus on family instead, but Jessica points out they are just a group of people tragically bound to him by blood. After Jessica demands the truth, or no more reunions with anyone, Martin tells them the story Sophie told him. Never tell Endicott no, and as Martin says, it takes a special kind of monster to turn someone else into one. As it settles in just what kind of monster Endicott is, Martin wants to change the subject and play the family game highlights/lowlights, except he picks up on the fact that Jessica slept with Nicholas. She turns from her ex in disgust as she and her kids leave him behind when he quips, “good thing you never say no.”
Gil Goes on a Coffee Date with a Retired Mob Hitman
In this episode, we learn a bit more about Gil. When he hears that Eve was likely killed by a professional assassin, his immediate response is to take Malcolm out for coffee with an old contact. A contact who just so happens to be a retired mob hitman, Ciro, who Gil apparently never was able to catch while he was active. Unfortunately, Ciro is not exactly inclined to answer Gil’s questions, particularly after he pegs Malcolm as a federal agent. Of course, Malcolm, being Malcolm, rolls with this assumption and plays up his assumed FBI position to get the information they need out of Ciro. If we were not already invested in Gil and his backstory before, we certainly are now! How exactly does Gil know Ciro and why couldn’t Gil catch him?
Our re-watch also brought about a new and interesting piece of information that makes this scene special: the espresso the actors were drinking in the scene was real! According to Lou Diamond Phillips (who plays Gil), there were multiple takes of the scene and he “loved that scene but was bouncing off the walls afterward.” It takes some special dedication to drink that much espresso for a single scene, but we do love the results.
Loved that scene but was bouncing off the walls afterward. The espresso was real and we did multiple takes! #ProdigalSon https://t.co/iubV0slt71
— Lou Diamond Phillips (@LouDPhillips) December 16, 2020
Gil and Jessica
Can we just say FINALLY? The moment Prodigies have been waiting for arrived in episode 19 of Prodigal Son. It was a momentous occasion and it deserves its earned celebration. Fans may have noticed the not-so-subtle and intense moments that Jessica and Gil have shared throughout the season. Prodigies knew they had history: Gil was the arresting officer that brought Martin down, and Gil has looked out for Malcolm over the years as a father figure. After finding out Endicott is a terrible and slimy human being, Gil checks on Jessica and they talk as Jessica offers him a drink. Jessica feels that she attracts men who are monsters, but Gil reassures her that it’s not true. They talk about what could’ve been between them, but they went on separate paths. Right as Gil is leaving, Jessica confesses to Gil that the real reason she pushed him away was because she felt she wasn’t good enough for him. Gil, knowing just what to say, puts her mind at ease. Suddenly, they pull each other in close … and kiss! This was a long-awaited moment for Gil and Jessica, and we’re hoping to see much more in season 2!
Malcolm the Murderer?
It should be no surprise by now that the first season of Prodigal Son is full of twists and turns and the penultimate episode is no exception. Episode 19 ends with a major cliffhanger: As Malcolm is at home thinking about Eve and grieving, his door is broken down by JT, Dani and Gil follow close behind. Dani breaks the news that Eddie was killed at the hospital and Gil continues that Edrisa found DNA on the body. That DNA would be Malcolm’s. Malcolm tells them Eddie was alive when he went to question him, but Gil says it was not an accidental transfer. It was hair, skin cells under the fingernails. As Dani starts to handcuff him, Malcolm pleads with Gil, telling him he knows he didn’t do this. “Malcolm Bright, you’re under arrest for murder.” This plot twist is something many of us didn’t see coming but are now looking forward to seeing how it’s resolved, or continued, in season 2. Malcolm being framed for murder, especially with a serial killer father, is hard to ignore and it will be interesting to see what happens next!
Dani Kicks Ass
While it was already known that Dani was a badass, this episode really let the audience get a glimpse of how deep her skill set runs with an excellent hand to hand combat sequence. After Malcolm’s scene in the train station helps the team identify the assassin, Dani must give chase in order to stop her from getting away. Feeling cornered, the assassin tries to get the jump on Dani, resulting in a fantastically dynamic fighting sequence in which each woman tries to gain the upper hand. After a moderately quick (but action-packed) grapple, Dani manages to gain the upper hand by flipping the other woman over her shoulder, effectively pinning her in place and leading to her arrest. The assassin is so impressed by Dani’s fighting maneuvers that she mistakenly labels her as CIA, to which Dani replies, “No … NYPD”. That’s our girl! Hopefully we will get to see more of Dani’s skills crop up in season 2.
Edrisa: The Best Pathologist in NYC
Edrisa said it herself: any other pathologist would have done the usual examination of Eve’s body, seen no further reason for analysis, and ruled her death a suicide. But Edrisa isn’t “your average pathologist,” she’s the best dang pathologist in NYC because even with the commissioner breathing down her neck for an answer she takes the time to test the diatoms in Eve’s bone marrow. This, of course, reveals that the chlorophyll levels are different from the river where she was found and is the turning point for the investigation. It’s the confirmation the team and Malcolm need to prove that Eve was drowned elsewhere and then thrown from the bridge. Without this fact they wouldn’t have continued digging into the case and might never have uncovered what really happened to Eve, Endicott’s monstrous past, and Malcolm might never have found Sophie in the coming episode. We mean it wholeheartedly when we say Edrisa is an absolute rock star at her job in this episode, and we can’t wait to see more of her in season two.
Eve Is Dead
Probably one of the most heartbreaking and shocking moments in the entire season occurs in this episode as Malcolm finds out about the death of his love interest Eve. Eve’s death is a major motivation behind a lot of Malcolm’s actions in this episode, causing him to seek out her killer and ultimately leading him to Endicott. We also learn the plot twist that Eve’s killer was spying on her from the apartment above for months. We find out the killer is an assassin named Eddie hired by none other than Endicott! Which leads nicely into our next point …
Nicholas Endicott Is Proven To Be The Worst
This is a fact viewers have known since we first laid eyes on one Nicholas Endicott: he’s a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad person. From his romancing of Jessica (still bleaching our eyes from watching him discuss Jessica with Malcolm and Ainsley over breakfast) to his shady business practices, Endicott is the embodiment of privilege and corruption. This episode, we confirm that he is orchestrating the massive conspiracy to eliminate Eve as a threat (and later, Malcolm). We see his charming yet menacing behavior towards Ainsley as she investigates him, not to mention his insincerity as he comforts Jessica when she hears of Eve’s death. While actor Dermot Mulroney is excellent as Nicholas completes his heel turn, the character of Endicott is still, officially, the WORST.
Malcolm Danger Count: 2
Turns out, faking an assault in a crowd is the quickest way to find an assassin. Another life hack courtesy of Malcolm Bright.
We will return with the final #NerdsRewatchProdigal event on December 29 – with only a few short weeks left until the season 2 premiere! You can check out our full breakdown of the latest trailer here, and be sure to catch up on the first season on Hulu and Fox Now.
