FBI: Most Wanted – Do You Realize? – Review: Terra Firma

FBI: Most Wanted – Do You Realize? – Review: Terra Firma

This week’s episode of FBI: Most Wanted, “Do You Realize,” is deeply unsettling. It generally fails to deliver the thoughtful and pulse-pounding content the series is known for, leaving viewers wanting more in both substance and sensitivity. Let’s get into it.

Viewers are introduced to a young man, Jake Williams (Keyon Bowman), who, at just five years old, witnessed the murder-suicide of his parents. His traumatic upbringing in the foster care system leads him to operate from a dangerously disturbed sense of family and protection. Driven by a distorted sense of duty, he commits the horrific murders of his sister’s foster parents, Lena (Amelia McClain) and Tom Logan (Shawn Allen McGlaughlin). Jake heated a meat tenderizer to brand Tom Logan before shooting him and his wife because they hurt his ‘sister,’ Brianne Moten (Lauren Chanel). Brianne, clearly the brains of the operation, goes along with Jake’s plan to reunite his foster family out of misguided loyalty.

While the plot held potential, the writers ultimately failed to deliver a multi-dimensional narrative, leaving this viewer disappointed and uneasy due to the glaring racial overtones. The foster care kids, Jake and Brianne, are Black and are portrayed as emotional and murderous. Jake kills the Logans and Ken the Security Guard (Nick Kohn). Conversely, their white ‘sibling,’ Sydney Logan (Lily Jane), is depicted as securely attached to loving adoptive parents in the Philly suburbs. This portrayal reinforces negative stereotypes and highlights an inconvenient truth: Black children in the foster care system, especially those who aren’t infants, are “hard-to-adopt” and easy to abuse.

The episode’s conclusion further exacerbates these issues. Brianne, a talented skater, is approached by her former coach Carrie (Geena Quintos), who told the FBI that Brianne’s parents only fostered her for the money. Cynically, the coach’s motivation could be perceived as a different type of manipulation as she may want to exploit Brianne’s athletic talent. This lack of a stable and supportive environment for Black children in the foster care system underscores their rage and desperation—emotions that are understandable but never acceptable.

Overall, this episode misses the mark in addressing the complexities of the foster care system and instead falls into harmful tropes, leaving viewers uncomfortable and yearning for a more nuanced and compassionate portrayal. Even Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott’s (Dylan McDermott) humorous and snarky quips fell embarrassingly short when he waved cash in front of Jake and Brianne’s friend Seymour (Alexis Frias) for information, saying, “What about now, Jayden Smith?” Seymour’s a kid who probably should have been treated with more care.

Remy’s tactics with Seymour seemed even more disrespectful when, after Jake had been arrested, he says, “The nice thing about chosen family is that you actually like them.” Remy also confided to Special Agent Hana Gibson (Keisha Castle-Hughes) that his girlfriend, Abby, was terra firma for him. She represents the solid attachment relationship that provides a sense of security, stability, and reliability in his life—something most foster kids, like Jake, never have.

Chosen family, in the forms of the Fugitive Task Force and his romantic interest, is what gives Remy his swagger. It’s what makes him grounded and resilient. So, it was a bit strange that Hana admitted to Remy that her ex-partner, Ethan, represented terra firma for her, suggesting that she may still be involved. But it wasn’t made clear.

“Do You Realize?” attempts to tackle a complex narrative about the problems with foster care but sadly falls short in a few areas. The lack of racial sensitivity is not only disappointing but also contributes to a portrayal of characters that feel one-dimensional and stereotypical, reducing them to appear cartoonish and entirely predictable. The FTF’s plodding through their hunt for Jake and Brianne lacks the emotional depth that they sometimes bring to the cases.

The plot resolution leaves the team feeling self-satisfied, neglecting to address the complexities and dynamics of personal relationships surrounding them—such as Hana and Ethan and Special Agent Ray Cannon (Edwin Hodge). Relationship questions remain unanswered, not in a tantalizing, anticipatory way, but rather in a way that feels incomplete and unfulfilling.

What did you think of this week’s fugitives? Are Hana and Ethan really over? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Overall Rating:

5:10