Many factors affect how society looks at someone; some may create a negative image of someone.
As the show established in the series premiere, Gabi Mosley and her team don’t find people who are missing; they find missing people who no one is looking for or does not want to look for.
There is a stigma surrounding sex work in most places in the world because of a myriad of issues associated with sex, and it has become a touchy subject among many people.
When we think of some negative things associated with sex workers, chief among them is the increased risk of STDs, which shows the problem.
Found Season 1 Episode 2 introduced another angle to look at how the stigma surrounding sex work can put someone in direct danger, and the worst part is that there is no one to support them.
Through Jinny, we learned about the problems sex workers go through, from being disowned by their relatives to putting their lives at risk while in their line of work.
No one cares about sex workers.
Jinny’s Male Friend
Lucky for Jinny, she had two people who loved and cared for her, but how many people can count on their friends if something goes wrong?
The case was perfect for Gabi and her team because it involved a forgotten person in society who many people didn’t care what happened to them.
I can stand here and tell you all the ways Jinny is an amazing human being. How she’s someone’s daughter, someone’s friend, how she advocates for the safety of others more than herself, but we shouldn’t have to. Jenny shouldn’t have to be perfect to be worthy of being found.
Gabi
Something loveable about Gabi’s team was that they were all in sync with each other. No one wasted any time bringing up dumb concerns about the company’s image or tried to blame Jinny for going missing.
They were all up for the task, and these are the kind of people you want looking for you when all hope is lost.
However, the episode also showed the other side, where someone could help, but they didn’t want to because they thought Jinny was undeserving due to the nature of her work.
Ironically, it was the kidnapper and abuser who played the holier-than-thou card.
There was a significant focus on Gabi and Sir’s relationship, revealing information we didn’t know.
It was revealed that Gabi had been holding Sir captive for seven months.
There was something about Gabi and Sir’s relationship that was a red flag, the circumstances withstanding.
There appeared to be an air of co-dependency.
Gabi would bring cases to him, and he would rack his little twisted brain and develop a hypothesis.
In flashbacks, we saw how they interacted with each other while Gabi was in captivity, and even if she did her best to resist his charm, he anticipated her needs and concerns and addressed them.
When she was scared for her life, he promised not to hurt or touch her inappropriately. When lonely, he kidnaps another kid for her.
Even if Gabi’s his captive, victims have been known to develop sympathy for their kidnappers; some have even fallen in love with them.
In a situation like the one Gabi found herself in twenty years prior, a little kindness, even from a monster, means something and, at times, more than it should.
Found Season 1 Episode 1 did a lot, and it introduced several characters, showed their struggles, and teased their dynamics.
Dhan and Zeke were frenemies, but it wasn’t clear why they didn’t want to work together.
Dhan had this machoism about him where he thought that everything could be solved by force, so he didn’t understand that the mind is quite powerful.
Were it not for the fact that it was understandable that he was projecting his fears on Zeke, he would have earned a slap with that kind of talk.
We also got a glimpse into his personal life where we met his husband, and yay representation!
They were a charming couple.
However, it was clear that Dhan’s husband had a significant role in Dhan’s recovery after being rescued, which made for an interesting thought.
If Dhan’s husband is also his therapist, isn’t that suboptimal at best and dangerous at worst?
Dhan’s Husband: What feelings does Zeke bring up for you? Clearly, his childhood trauma and resulting agoraphobia are triggering something that makes you so unwilling to see him.
Dhan: He’s weak. Zeke’s condition is mind over matter, but he’d rather sit in it than fight it. That offends me.
Dhan’s Husband: You realize that’s what you used to say about yourself when you were found and brought home?
Dhan: Zeke’s too pathetic to fight.
Dhan’s Husband: Zeke reminds you of you when you were at your worst, and for that reason you shut him down at every turn. I had to teach you how to show yourself grace as part of your healing. Learning to show that to others like you is also a necessary part of your healing.
Gabi was keeping a secret, and who knew she might be a party to her own downfall?
There was cause for celebration because it had been twenty years since she escaped from her kidnapper, and an interview with the Joy-Ann Reid was a proper way to mark the date.
Unbeknownst to Gabi, the conversation shifted to Sir, and the look on Gabi’s face when Joy brought him up and pleaded with the viewers to help find him was not supposed to be as funny as I found it.
There was renewed interest in Sir and his disappearance, and this won’t be good for Gabi.
Intrusive Thoughts
- The communications room for M&A is so gorgeous it reminds me of the war room on The Blacklist. From the enormous monitors to how good the team looks standing in front of it, it is everything.
- The twists in Jinny’s case were exciting. Is $4000 the new thirty pieces of silver? Also, the security guard?
- I feel there’s more than meets the eye in Gabi and Sir’s relationship.
“Missing While Sinning” was considerably much less fastpaced than the series premiere, which was to be expected.
The episode tackled a vital topic while delivering an entertaining, twist-filled hour.
The show seems to use divide and conquer, where it fleshes out the characters individually by giving out a little information at a time.
Margaret: You know, you never questioned me going to the bus station every night and, and you didn’t even bat an eye at the idea of Jenny being a sex worker
Dhan: People have a reason for doing what they have to do. Screw judgment.
Lingering questions need answers, but I trust they will reveal everything in due time.
TV Fanatic jumped on a call with Found creator Nkechi Okoro Carroll and she provided deeper insight into the show, and how they plan to steer the story in the future.
You may read the interview by clicking the link in the above paragraph or scrolling on to the next article.
Over to you, Found Fanatics. What did you think of the episode? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on X.