‘Prodigal Son’ Season 2 Episode 11 Recap: “You Can Run…”

By
Rebecca Murray
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Prodigal Son Season 2 Episode 11
Tom Payne and Lou Diamond Phillips in ‘Prodigal Son’ season 2 episode 11 (Photo by Phil Caruso © 2021 Fox Media LLC)

Fox’s Prodigal Son season two episode 10 ended with Malcolm learning his father has escaped from Claremont. Episode 11, “You Can Run…,” begins with a flashback to 1998 which finds Malcolm and Ainsley fighting over a Batman toy. Martin settles the argument and then asks Malcolm to look out for his sister while he’s off on a trip. He reminds Malcolm that Ainsley’s the only sibling he’ll ever have.

Malcolm’s sad his dad’s taking off, but Martin assures him that even when he’s not present, he’ll always be inside Malcolm’s head. (What a disturbing warning/threat that turned out to be!)

Flash forward to present day and Malcolm (Tom Payne) is attempting to make sense of the news his dad’s escaped.

Malcolm’s visiting his dad’s room at Claremont when Gil (Lou Diamond Phillips) arrives with U.S. Marshal Emily Ruiz (April Hernandez-Castillo). She confirms the U.S. Marshals have jurisdiction in this case but she’s letting the team stay on to help with the search. Emily believes Malcolm’s in a unique position to find Martin.

Malcolm thinks it will be Martin’s accomplices that ultimately lead to his whereabouts. He’s certain his dad won’t make any mistakes but the other two fugitives – Friar Pete and Hector – will. And Malcolm’s sure that of the three it’s Friar Pete who’s the wild card.

Jessica (Bellamy Young) is being treated by Dr. Vivian Capshaw (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in the infirmary when Gil and Malcolm catch up with her. She explains she was there to find out about a bank key of Martin’s and isn’t having any luck figuring out what it’s to.

Jessica recalls Martin was in a good mood yesterday. She’s certain he knew what was going to happen.

When Malcolm asks about Vivian’s relationship with Martin, she claims it was the same as with any other inmate. She lies in response to Malcolm’s question regarding whether she ever saw Martin steal anything.

After Jessica leaves, Malcolm hangs around and reveals he knows Vivian’s lying. She confesses she untied Martin and takes the blame for three killers now roaming the streets.

Ainsley (Halston Sage) shows up at Claremont concerned about her mom, and Malcolm admits he’s surprised she’s not at the news station prepping a report on their dad. She claims she’s not thinking about work right now; she’s worried about their mom.

The ambulance the escapees stole for their escape is located and contains two dead EMTs. Gil thinks The Surgeon killed them, but Malcolm explains the cuts are uneven. The Surgeon would have been much more precise. Plus, Malcolm reminds Gil, Dani (Aurora Perrineau), and JT (Frank Harts) the voicemail Martin left said he was never going to kill again. Malcolm doesn’t actually believe that, but he thinks Martin does. He’ll hold off killing as long as possible.

Gil sends JT and Dani off to check on any nearby stolen cars.

Malcolm tells Gil that right now his dad’s most likely looking for a quick way to stock up on supplies including cash and food. Unfortunately, the closest place with everything needed is Malcolm’s house. Gil and Malcolm race over but they’re too late, the fugitives have come and gone. Malcolm’s weapons are missing which means The Surgeon’s now armed.

Jessica and Vivian have a heart-to-heart, bonding over Martin’s betrayals. Jessica confesses she only makes it through the day with the help of gin and the prospect of viewing Martin’s open casket in the near future.

Back at the station, Malcolm lectures the officers on what to expect when looking for Martin. Emily’s sure they have less than 20 hours before the threesome splits up. JT reports a LeSabre was stolen close to where the ambulance was found and everyone should be on the lookout.

After the meeting breaks up, Malcolm admits to Dani he’s not fine. He wonders how he can do his job when he was so clueless about Martin’s plan to escape. Dani assures him they’ll figure it out through good detective work.

Emily, Dani, and Malcolm head over to an auto shop where the LeSabre was spotted. No one at the shop got a good look at the occupants, and Malcolm quickly figures out they only parked at that location to rob a nearby bowling alley.

Malcolm checks it out by himself and finds a dead employee on the ball return. Friar Pete shows off his bowling skills and Malcolm realizes this place reminds him of his youth. Pete confirms it dredged up memories of his dad and living above a bowling alley when he was 10. His father was always an angry man and constantly pissed at God. The bowling alley became Friar Pete’s first sanctuary.

Malcolm advances on Pete while asking where Martin’s headed. Friar Pete warns him not to get any closer and shows he’s got one of Malcolm’s stolen guns in his waistband. However, Malcolm’s not intimidated. Shooting isn’t part of Friar Pete’s MO but launching a bowling ball at Malcolm’s head apparently is. Malcolm dodges the ball and Friar Pete resorts to using the gun. He’s about to shoot when Emily arrives and takes him down with a bullet to the head.

Malcolm’s angry Emily killed the best lead they had to Martin’s location. Emily’s equally upset Malcolm was gambling with the lives of innocent people in the neighborhood by letting Friar Pete almost shoot him and escape.

Prodigal Son Season 2 Episode 11
Lou Diamond Phillips and Bellamy Young in ‘Prodigal Son’ season 2 episode 11 (Photo by Phil Caruso © 2021 Fox Media LLC)

Jessica’s back at home and Gil confirms they’ve got officers posted outside. Plus, he reinforced the exterior locks and JT’s going to remain in case Martin shows up. Gil promises this will all be over soon.

JT delivers the news the key matches a safe deposit box at a bank where Martin has an account under the name Jonas Salk (the creator of the polio vaccine).

Malcolm and Dani find the time to discuss Malcolm’s state of mind. He knows Dani believes he has a death wish but claims he was in “full control” with Friar Pete. Dani points out that’s not completely true and Malcolm was in fact risking his own life to find his dad. Dani reminds Malcolm taking a bullet for his dad is a bad idea; Martin isn’t worth it.

Malcolm confesses he’s never had a friend like Dani before and Dani says she hasn’t either. “Mine was a compliment…was yours?” asks Malcolm. “The jury’s still out,” answers Dani.

Emily’s located Friar Pete’s phone and it only has one number in it. Malcolm calls it and Ainsley picks up. She thinks it’s her dad and Malcolm doesn’t say anything, stunned.

Gil interrogates Ainsley, asking about her secret visits to Claremont and why she thinks her dad would call her. Ainsley doesn’t answer and Gil warns the U.S. Marshals are ready to make a federal case against her. She denies helping to plan a prison break and reveals it was Martin who reached out to her. He just wanted to talk and thought she’d appreciate a sympathetic ear. Ainsley claims they talked about “life stuff” and describes her dad as surprisingly insightful.

Jessica’s at the station anxious to hear what’s going on with Ainsley but all Gil will say is that it’s clear Ainsley’s desperate for a father in her life. He wonders if he could have helped her more when she was younger, and Jessica reminds him he was with Malcolm growing up and yet Malcolm’s still heavily influenced by Martin.

Gil left the interrogation room so Malcolm could step in, and Malcolm acknowledges he knows she’s been lying. Ainsley confesses she’s worried she’s just like their dad. Martin’s been filling her head with the idea she takes after him during their secret talks, and Malcolm assures her the fact she’s worried she’s like their dad proves that she’s not a psychopath like him.

While Malcolm’s telling her she’s a good person, Ainsley’s thinking about a conversation with her dad when he encouraged her to cry a little and pretend she was worried so she’d pass for normal. Malcolm asks if Martin ever dropped any hints as to where he’d go if he was free. Ainsley wipes away a tear and recalls a random story about apple picking in an apple orchard upstate when she was a kid.

Malcolm’s sure it’s an invitation to escape with their dad. He says Ainsley must have passed a test and Martin would have been convinced she was just like him. Malcolm’s silent for a moment and then announces he knows where Martin’s heading.

Gil and Malcolm head to the only commercially owned apple orchard in Kingston, New York. They’re looking for a woman who used to own the place and the man who answers the door – Bobby Stevens – is her son. She passed away and now he runs the place. Malcolm doesn’t mince words when he asks if his mom was involved with Martin Whitly. Gil explains Martin escaped and he may have a connection to this farm, but Bobby claims not to know of any connection.

While they’re talking Gil receives a text from JT that says Jonas Salk paid Stevens Orchards $400,000 back in 1994. Gil explains what he just learned and Malcolm demands to know what’s in the barn.

Bobby takes them to the barn and shows them the crop-dusting plane inside, a plane that used to be considered top of the line. They bought the plane in 1994 or 1995 after his mom took flying lessons. Malcolm’s sure Martin actually bought the plane with the $400k in case he needed to escape.

Malcolm pokes around inside the plane and locates a secret compartment containing a bag full of money. Bobby seems legitimately shocked by this discovery. The bag also contains passports with Martin’s photo as well as Malcolm’s Batman toy.

Bobby claims his wife needs him at the house and takes off.

Malcolm wonders why Bobby never asked about The Surgeon’s location. He and Gil figure out that’s because Martin’s already at the orchard!

Malcolm’s sure Bobby rushed back to the house because his family’s being held hostage. Malcolm’s determined to go it alone but Marshal Ruiz calls and thwarts that plan. Gil and Malcolm step outside the barn to discover the place is crawling with U.S. Marshals. Gil confirms he’s been keeping Emily in the loop. Malcolm asks to speak with his father alone, but Emily denies his request.

The officers make their move and a gunshot is heard from inside the house. The Marshals report the target is down. Emily can’t immediately confirm the identity of the target and Malcolm takes off running into the house to see for himself.

The family’s being hustled out as Malcolm sees the target is Hector. He asks about his dad’s whereabouts and Hector claims Martin was never with them. He never made it to the ambulance.

Hector explains Martin told them about Malcolm’s weapons and the orchard with the plane and bag of money. He laughs and says, “Guess he had other plans for himself.”

Gil immediately calls Jessica to let her know Martin’s still on the loose.

Malcolm returns to Claremont and speaks with Dr. Vivian Capshaw as she’s on her way out after being fired. She’s holding a box with her possessions as Malcolm confesses he believed his dad wanted him to find him.

“He’s a killer who deserves to be hunted down. I’m never going to forget that again,” says Martin.

As she’s walking away, Vivian turns and tells Malcolm she believes in karma. She’s sure Martin will get exactly what’s coming to him.

The final scene of episode 11 is of Dr. Vivian Capshaw walking to her car in the rain. She places the box in the front seat and then walks around to the trunk. A banging can be heard from inside as she says, “Quiet now. Here we go, darling. We’re almost free.”




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