FBI Review: Exposed (Season 1 Episode 14)
FBI Season 1 Episode 14, “Exposed,” evokes strong memories for Maggie after journalist Rob McCann’s murder in Central Park. The episode is a deep dive both into both the reporter’s career and Maggie’s past that ends in a shocking turn.
Learning more about Maggie’s late husband, Jason, is a refreshing peek into her personal life. FBI is a strong show with intense action and likable characters; however, the characters can sometimes lack depth.
Maggie hanging onto the video on her phone and expressing her feelings allows us to feel for her, and therefore make her more relatable.
As details and suspects emerge, Maggie gets more invested and subsequently sparks Mosier’s attention. Mosier may be focused on Maggie’s well-being, but her questioning comes across more so as doubt. Thankfully, OA knows his partner well enough to remind Mosier that she’ll remain objective no matter what. It’s the FBI version of a no-look pass.
The technology used in this episode both to carry out the murders and find said murderer is impressive. Sure, suspect William Patterson is dead when they find him, but he died via a drone that detonated a IED on the tire of his car.
This is not your average contract killer. He’s fancy.
Patterson’s death leads the team to Russell Donovan. He appears innocent enough, but more about that later.
Going back to our contract killer and fancy technology, Kristen is instrumental in locating him. Without her technological savvy, the case moves at a snail’s pace and this episode simply does not happen.
When the murderer’s movements match an old case out of Michigan, Kristen runs a software that analyzes the murderers’ gaits. She determines that the murders are committed by the same person by simply analyzing the way they run. It makes me wish I’d paid more attention in my college physics classes.
Her work only begins there; with a few strokes of the keyboard, Kristen works in circles around her colleagues and provides Maggie and OA with the crucial data they need to solve the case. Her most impressive move comes when she locates the serial number on the drone.
She zeroes in on Frank Cutler in a scene reminiscent of Legally Blonde. “What, like it’s hard?”
Maggie recognizes Cutler from the background of her last video with Jason. Bringing it to OA’s attention, however, leads to disappointment as not only does he doubt her, but Mosier eavesdrops from a distance.
The confrontation with Cutler is supposed to be tense, but instead just turns out to be cool. Cutler attempts a James Bond move by summoning his gun from his sleeve, but Maggie and OA respond with synchronized shots to the chest — AKA the best display of #squadgoals ever.
Not only do Maggie and OA pull off a gold medal-worthy takedown, but they finally find McCann’s notebook in Cutler’s car. Decoding the clues uncovers a heartbreaking scandal involving a medical company producing a faulty cancer drug. The company opts to silence its doubters instead of choosing transparency — hence the contract killer.
Who hired the contract killer, though? Donovan. It’s always the nice ones that you’ve got to look out for.
Donovan’s arrest is satisfying; the cars intercepting an attempted run for the Canadian border looks straight out of an action movie. The final fifteen minutes, however, are a bit of a fake-out; Donovan’s arrest quickly becomes insignificant compared to the subsequent scenes.
When OA walks back his original doubts about the video, Maggie immediately bolts for the hospital. The scene leaves something to be desired, though, as OA never apologizes for doubting her in the first place.
At the hospital, Maggie finally gives in to the emotions that nag her throughout the hour. She cries as she confronts her husband’s killer in what is her most raw, vulnerable moment to date. As she repeatedly asks if he understands “what [he] took from [her],” Cutler crashes and Maggie is rushed out of the room.
The final scene once again illustrates Maggie and OA’s strength as a duo, but lacks in the camaraderie and closeness that hallmarks the bond between partners. Maggie finally lets her guard down and speaks openly with OA, even divulging that she can’t bring herself to open his closet door.
He is an attentive listener and reassures her that Jason’s death was not her fault, but he also sits on the opposite end of the bench with a bit of a coldness in his demeanor. He does assure her that he’s with her “wherever this goes,” but go put your arm around your partner and tell her it’s okay!
Cutler, unfortunately, does not survive — which begs the question whether this is a plot point FBI will revisit. Somebody hired Cutler to kill Jason, but Maggie doesn’t get that closure before he dies. It would make an interesting arc to close out the show’s debut season.
What did you think of this episode of FBI? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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FBI airs Tuesday at 9/8c on CBS.
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Gina Zippilli
Gina is the co-host of Meet Us At Molly’s, the first-ever Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. podcast. Outside of One Chicago, she has never met an ensemble-driven cop show, post-apocalyptic drama or true crime whodunit she has not liked.