Found Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Missing While a Pawn

One of the most high-stakes cases yet makes Found Season 1 Episode 4, “Missing While a Pawn,” the most emotional episode of the series so far.

When a 13-year-old boy named Matthew goes missing from his mother’s church, his parents enlist the help of Mosley and Associates to find him. He’s a child of divorce, so of course, one of the first thoughts is that he ran to get away from the fighting. But it turns out to be more complicated than that. 

This is a procedural, and we’re seeing specific patterns develop in how each episode works. The team breaks up to investigate the case, each using their particular skills to help put together pieces of the puzzle.

It’s not unlike a police procedural or legal procedural in this way, but their approach is unique, and that’s what keeps this all so interesting.

Most audiences are familiar with this kind of process, but the rules are different — even the kinds of things the team is looking for are unique. 

What remains most interesting is how Margaret uses her superhero observation skills. She understands people in a way no one else possibly could. It’s almost too much, but it’s entirely believable in how Kelli Williams plays the part.

As the team investigates, they realize that Matthew is about to become the victim of human trafficking. It means they have even less time to find him than they initially thought. 

The team gets closer to finding the answers, but we can’t forget about one key element: Sir. While they’re out looking, he’s locked in Gabi’s basement studying — and he figures out a clue he desperately needs to share. 

The kidnapper isn’t an adult. At least not directly. 

Matthew was trusting an older teen, Tony, who had been groomed and was just as terrified about what he had done. Now, one complaint I was beginning to have about the first few episodes of Found is that so far, there has always been a happy ending.

On some level, I think the audience wants that to be the case, but it doesn’t make for good drama if it is. There is a happy ending on this episode — but it’s wrapped up in a tragedy. 

Because while Matthew is saved and returned to his parents, Tony winds up in a coma. And his father’s accusations toward Gabi of picking and choosing who to protect — who to fight for, send Gabi into a spiral.

Gabi breaks down that evening in her kitchen, emotional in a way we haven’t seen before. Sir screams for her, trying to break his way free to get to her. Her kidnapper, this sick and twisted man, seems desperately to want to console her.  

Gabi’s outburst is essential at this point in the story. If you read my review of Found Season 1 Episode 3, you know I was concerned that we weren’t seeing those layers to her character just yet. But when she breaks down, it’s visceral. It’s heartbreaking. And it’s an impeccable performance by Shonala Hampton. 

Meanwhile, Mark-Paul Gosselaar’s performance matches it. He plays Sir/Hugh in a way that makes us feel sympathy for him and shows a range of complex emotional layers — desperation, rage, love, and even jealousy. Those emotions are evident when he calls out for Gabi after figuring out the kidnapping case, as well. He wants to help — on whatever level. 

Yet just as the audience might see humanity in Hugh, a flashback shows that he may be even worse than it originally seemed. There was another girl before he took Gabi. Annie left notes, assuming there could be another victim after her. And when Sir discovers that Gabi has learned about her, and warns her not to be rebellious, or the same thing will happen to Gabi that happened to Annie.

Now, in the present time, Gabi continues her search. She occasionally goes through cold cases — ones that seemingly all involve Sir. And she’s returning to Annie’s. 

Sir, however, tells Gabi that she’ll never find her, leaving the audience with even more questions than answers about what happened in the past.

Other thoughts:

• There has already been one mention of Zeke feeling triggered by a case on the pilot episode. This case also seems to affect him profoundly, yet we don’t know all the details of his experience yet. I’m hoping we get those soon.
• The karaoke night brings levity, and seeing the group bonding is fun. I just have one question — isn’t Margaret supposed to be at the bus station? I’d have liked to see some clarity there. 
• Lacy figures out that Gabi is lying about Sir, but she doesn’t know what about yet. Is it too soon for this particular conflict? It seems like it could be. 

What did you think of this episode of Found? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Found airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.

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