THE FUGITIVE Recap: Episodes 13-14

Lorinda Donovan

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Boyd Holbrook in The Fugitive for Quibi

We start our final episodes of The Fugitive back in Chicago, where the FBI Agents questioning Allison (Natalie Martinez) show her the photo of Colin Murphy (Brian Geraghty) and ask if she or Mike (Boyd Holbrook) have ever met him. She of course says no, and with that confirmed, the Feds finally let her go. They apologize for everything, but Allison just shuts them down with a succinct, “F**k you!” Then she immediately gets on the phone to Pearl’s (Keilani Arellane) school and tells her and the principal (Andy Buckley) that she and Mike have both been cleared and she’s on the next flight home. The principal says Pearl can stay at his house until she gets there. The Feds ask Allison why Mike would’ve been researching Murphy, and she remembers that Mike told her there would be another attack by 6 p.m. Yeah, that would be kind of an important thing to mention.

Then through the magic of editing, bam, Bryce (Kiefer Sutherland) has the info, and while they try to figure out where the attack will take place with the help of a profiler (Eddie Yu), Mike’s busy figuring it out on his end, too, as he keeps going through the trial transcripts. He realizes that Murphy’s going after everyone he holds responsible – so far that’s been the company and the courts. The only big bad left is the insurance company that denied Murphy’s surgery claims.

Brian Geraghty in The Fugitive
Brian Geraghty in The Fugitive

While Murphy stands outside the insurance company building waiting for the bomb to go off, bam – Mike’s already there searching the underground parking lot. He of course finds the bomb, in a roller bag by one of the support columns. And just as Murphy’s realizing there’s something wrong, bam, Mike’s right behind him with a gun in his back, saying he’s defused the bomb (because of course he knows how to do that) and he’s taking Murphy in. They start walking and pass by a group of construction workers who recognize Mike. They dogpile him, allowing Murphy to get away. Mike waves the gun at them to get them to back off, and he jacks one of their trucks and speeds off.

Mike calls Bryce at CTB, who tells him they know now that he’s not the bomber. Mike tells them he’s already defused the bomb and they need to concentrate on catching Murphy. Bryce tells him to come in for questioning, but Mike’s like, no way, I’m going to get my kid, and hangs up.

Back at the school, as the principal walks Pearl out to his car, who should show up but Pritti Patel (Tiya Sircar), who tries wheedling her way into an interview with Pearl. Just as the principal’s trying to shut her down, he gets shot by Murphy. I guess Pearl’s school must’ve been just down the street or something, since it seems like it only took two seconds for everybody to get there. But anyway – Mike pulls up and jumps out, gun aimed at Murphy – and Murphy’s aimed in on him with Pearl in his clutches. Now it’s a standoff.

Oh, and what’s Pritti doing while all this is going on? Well, she’s ducked behind a car and is busy tweeting that Mike isn’t the bomber. How sweet of her. Mike finally lays his gun down and tries talking to Murphy, saying they’re both fathers and he understands how he feels. Mike says the same system that screwed Murphy over did the same to him after his accident – but Murphy’s not interested in being Mike’s new buddy and still won’t put down his weapon.

Boyd Holbrook, Keilani Arellane in The Fugitive
Boyd Holbrook, Keilani Arellane in The Fugitive

Mike tells Pearl that Murphy’s “not a bad man,” and he won’t hurt her, so she can walk away from him. Pearl’s reluctant, but then does exactly that, and Murphy does indeed let her go. Pearl goes to help the principal as Mike and Murphy stare each other down for a minute – then Murphy raises his gun and says, “I’m sorry.” There’s a gunshot and we think he’s shot Mike – but no! It’s Bryce and his padawans swooping in to save the day. Pearl runs to Mike as Bryce moves in on a very-dead Murphy and kicks his gun away. He sees Pritti hiding behind the car hyperventilating, and has Womack (Genesis Rodriguez)  take care of her. Then he walks over to Mike and Pearl and tells her that Mike “saved a lot of people today.” Mike says thanks, but Bryce just says, “No, son, thank you.” Son. I really don’t understand why Bryce has to act so old when he’s not.

Cut to later that night, as Bryce leaves his office with the bouquet of daisies he arrived with. He runs into Womack and Stamell (Daniel David Stewart) who gang up on him to take time off. He’s like, “What are you, my parents now?” And Womack’s like, “No, we’re your kids.” Aww. She says they’ll come check on him and eat the terrible rigatoni he makes. Bryce reluctantly agrees to take the time and walks off telling his padawans that they did good work and he loves them. Again, aww.

Kiefer Sutherland in The Fugitive
Kiefer Sutherland in The Fugitive

Next day, Mike takes a meeting with the gang at The Daily Score. Smarmy owner guy – whose name is apparently Ridge – goes through a long, awkward and painful attempt at an apology for everything that happened. Mike cuts him off (but not before asking if Ridge is really what his parents really named him) and lets them all know that he’ll be suing their collective a**es off for pretty much everything they can think of – slander, libel and tons of emotional distress.

Then he says if they want to settle, they’ll have to cut two big, fat checks — one to Denise Keller’s family (the girl who died in the accident with Mike’s brother), and one to Ronnie Lawson (Mike’s parole officer’s wife). As for himself, Mike says he doesn’t want any of their money. He just wants them to “clean up their act so it doesn’t happen again.” Then he walks out, leaving everyone surprisingly speechless.

But then good ol’ Jerry finally gets to go for the sick burn and reminds Ridge – or whatever his name is – of what he said before: that he started the company not to be right, but to make money. And now not only are they very publicly wrong, but they’re about to lose their shirts. And all Ridge has to say to that is, “Pritti, clean out your desk,” as he leaves. Pritti’s flabbergasted, saying she tweeted that it wasn’t Mike – and Jerry just says that maybe in 20 years or so, she’ll realize what a “gaping a**hole” (eww, there’s an image) she’s been – and that’ll be growth.

Boyd Holbrook, Natalie Martinez, Keilani Arellane in The Fugitive
Boyd Holbrook, Natalie Martinez, Keilani Arellane in The Fugitive

A victorious Jerry walks out and so does Mike, joining Allison and Pearl. He’s heading out for his new job at the warehouse, and Pearl asks if she can stay up late to wait for him to come home – like she used to do. Mike says nothing would make him happier as they walk out. One more time: aww. The end.

***

So what’s the overall verdict? Well, it’s disappointing, because The Fugitive is an awesome story – but what Quibi presented us with is not that. It’s just the bare bones of a miscellaneous domestic terrorism story that’s already been done better in a thousand other series and features, along with this hokey Afterschool Special-type morality thing about the inherent evil of the “Tweet-first-fact-check-never” style of modern-day news reporting.

And unfortunately, Quibi’s super-short episode format just doesn’t work for something like this. It actually hampers the storytelling, allowing for absolutely nothing deeper than the basic plot points – this happens, then this happens, then this happens and it’s over. You don’t have time to get to know any of the characters, so they end up feeling shallow and almost comical. And the pacing is so friggin’ fast that you just can’t take any of it seriously. So you’re much better off renting or popping in your blu-ray of the 1993 version. That one doesn’t disappoint.

 

RELATED: More recaps for The Fugitive here!

 

 

Lorinda Donovan
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