As the 2nd episode begins, Alan Hamilton (John Ashton) and Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker) discuss Fogerty’s arrest before Cassie asks about the other people in the vehicle. Alan suggests they were shell-shocked and worried that some of it was going to come back on them. DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) asks about their names and Alan says they might be in his book. Alan says there was an Asian lad who he had a run-in with because he kept asking if there was any way they would let him go and he got forceful with authorities. In the end, Alan had to tell him to walk away or he’d have to nick him. Alan admits they didn’t have a reason to search the car which one of the female passengers allegedly took back to Fogerty’s place. She offered to take a test and Alan believed she wasn’t drunk so he let her drive it back.

When that conversation ends, Sunny and Cassie go outside and discuss the possibility of Walsh being in the boot of the automobile. Cassie says she wants to talk to Andrew and see the file so they can know who the passengers were and if any of them are still serving coppers. She goes on to say it is going to be very interesting if any of them are still serving. In the morning, Cassie has to wake Adam (Jassa Ahluwalia) and that leads to a brief argument. She urges him to get out and find a job because he is going to be homeless in the near future. Once that ends, Cassie goes downstairs and complains to John (Alastair Mackenzie) about her issues. When John asks about Cassie talking to her dad, she says she thinks it’d be better to wait until she is summoned since she doesn’t want to incur the wrath of Jen. Cassie gives John a good luck before asking if she seems angry all of the time. He playfully says no and she quickly apologizes.

Then, Anna Sidhu (Clare Calbraith) talks to Ram Sidhu (Phaldut Sharma) about needing a blood test since the ultrasound isn’t accurate enough to warrant the risk of an amniocentesis. Anna explains they need to find out so they can make a decision about what to do, but Ram doesn’t want to talk about this yet. Geoff (Daniel Flynn) gets the kids ready before Fiona (Liz White) tells him she might be a bit late tonight. She admits she is stressed but Geoff says there really isn’t anything to worry about. Next, Ram gets in touch with Paul Copley (Cameron Jack) and they discuss Lucy Myers who was the temp from HR that sat next to Ram at dinner on Monday. Ram claims there isn’t a story there although Lucy is saying Ram was inappropriate with her. Ram denies it but Paul wants him to come straight into the office anyway and he doesn’t give Ram any alternative.

Next, Janet (Amanda Douge) finds Liz Baildon (Susan Lynch) dressed in her uniform and encourages her by saying she is the best candidate by a country mile. Cassie goes to the office and Sunny tells her the full case files arrived. He looked through them and thinks they missed a lot since witnesses weren’t interviewed and sightings weren’t followed up on. He says Matthew had half a dozen convictions including ABH, possession, and one for dealing. There was a warrant for him since he didn’t come back for bail and they might’ve thought he was laying low for a bit. Fran (Carolina Main) is put in charge of going through the case files in detail and Sunny is going to try to find the traffic offense files. Murray (Jordan Long) is working on finding the next of kin. As Fiona prepares to leave, Belle tells her to enjoy her run. Murray tells Cassie he spoke with a neighbor at the last address who said both parents are now dead.

Matthew had an older brother named Clive and she thinks he is still alive, but Matthew’s girlfriend Karen was pregnant when he went missing. She had the baby which is now named Jerome and Karen is also allegedly dead now from a heroin overdose 15 years ago or so. Both believe Matthew’s disappearance might’ve had something to do with the premature deaths, but Murray argues they were a pretty troubled family with drug and alcohol issues to begin with. It doesn’t take long for Cassie to get in touch with Jerome Walsh (James Craze) who is working as a plumber so she can ask him about his father. Jerome seems stunned when he learns about detectives possibly finding his father’s remains. Since Jerome is working, they agree to chat another time. Meanwhile, Sunny looks through the case files while Jake (Lewis Reeves) and other officers search through Robert’s belongings.

Fiona is shown driving down the highway before Dean Barton (Andy Nyman) leaves a cellphone shop with a bag in his hand. Once he reaches his vehicle, he places a new sim card in his phone and turns it back on. He calls someone and asks if he can give them a reg. He says it will be the usual plus five for inflation and it is a white Citroen Dispatch. On her way in, Liz watches as two men high-jack a moped so she gets involved and ends up with a bloody nose on the ground. Fiona skips her run and goes to the cemetery where she leaves flowers on the graves of Jennifer Helen Grayson and wife of Sergeant Bernard Peter Grayson. Liz talks to Paramedic Brendan (Matt Jessup) and gives a detailed description of the moped and the assailant. She heads on her way before Sunny finds the names of Liz, Ram, Dean, and Fiona in the case files.

Next, we learn that DVLA has the Ford Granada which was sold by Fogerty in 1991 and was reported off-road by the new owner in 2002. It was ultimately sold for scrap and likely won’t help with the investigation. Jake admits they’ve been unable to find anything despite extensively searching through Robert’s belongings. They agree the hands and head were likely the last parts they would’ve gotten rid of. Jake wonders if they should be looking for evidence of a storage facility somewhere and Cassie expands on that saying they need to check any other buildings Fogerty had access to. Fran says the last witness who saw Matthew has died, but she made contact a Viv Hancock who also had reported seeing Walsh that night. There is no official statement from Viv in the files and one was never taken from her but Fran will be meeting with her to see what she has to say.

Then, Cassie says the victim’s clothes have been sent to a forensic botanist because Leanne thought there were interesting plant remains on his t-shirt. Cassie confirms she is going to be meeting the victim’s son before the team admits they’re glad to have her back. Then, Sunny calls and tells Cassie about the four police probationers who were in the car with Fogerty and reveals that their names are Dean, Fiona, Liz, and Ram. Next, DCI Ram Sidhu sits down with his boss Paul Copley to talk about Lucy’s claims. She is claiming Ram put his arm around her waist, made a few lewd comments, patted her behind, and made her feel uncomfortable, but Ram only laughs and denies it. He claims Lucy flirted with him and Paul isn’t sure if Lucy will make a formal complaint yet.

Paul hasn’t gone to Professional Standards yet either. Ram thinks the whole incident is racially motivated because Lucy came onto the Paki who turned her down. Ram threatens to get the BPA involved and cause chaos for Paul and Lucy if she doesn’t retract her claim. Eugenia (Mina Andala) helps Eileen Baildon (Sheila Hancock) with the flowers Liz brought her for Mother’s Day. Eileen would rather toss them in the bin if Liz thinks she is only worth day late petrol store flowers. Then, Eileen tells Eugenia she has stories about Liz that would make her hair turn gray. Next, Liz meets with the higher-ups and tells them about her career to date. Her parents weren’t happy about her decision to become a cop since she had recently completed a classics degree a Balliol. She goes on to tell them about working as a constable in Walsall for three years and how she’d love to improve the public’s perception of who they are.

Liz explains she wants her colleagues to be proud of the job they do since they risk their lives daily. Meanwhile, Ram begins searching for Lucy on a social network and Cassie approaches Jerome. They head inside where Jerome explains he never met his dad or his grandparents because they lived chaotic lives. Matthew’s girlfriend had similar problems and died when he was seven so he was mainly raised in care homes. Jerome confesses he doesn’t have a strong emotional connection to his father, but he does have a wife and child of his own. He doesn’t want his father’s problem infecting his family but offers to give a DNA sample to help identify Matthew. Cassie asks Jerome about Matthew living with his older brother Clive in a squat in North London.

They believe Clive was the last person who actually knew him and to have seen him alive so they want to talk to him. Jerome admits Clive used to send him Christmas cards until four or five years ago and he might have the address. Seconds later, Bal (Ronny Jhutti) asks his brother what he is going to do about the girl and the baby. He threatens to destroy Lucy if she makes it formal but Bal wonders if he should just speak to her and apologize this time. Ram believes it is all about his race, but Bal isn’t sure about that. Ram says he knows what is going on because he has put up with 30 years of bad jokes about corner shops and Gandhi. Bal admits he doesn’t understand how Ram has managed to remain so ticked off for so many years before Ram says it is easy because he just looks at Bal and his dad and knows he doesn’t want to end up like that. Bal says they’re happy though.

Ram claims they’re accepting of things that aren’t right. When Ram says he is happy, Bal suggests he is still trying to prove something. That night, Cassie sits down with her dad Martin (Peter Egan) who says he wants to change his will so half of the house will go to Jenny. He says the kids are spoiled and need to learn how to earn their own money. Cassie tells him that the will says the equity will stay in the house until she sells it and then it goes into a trust until they’re 35. She reminds him they worked it out together because neither thought it was a good idea for them to get a lump sum, but she says it is his choice. Jenny (Janet Dibley) interrupts so Cassie speaks to her in private. She wants to know what her father is planning but Jenny claims she doesn’t know. Jenny says she didn’t want to fall in love with a dying man, but she did and doesn’t have any agendas.

Marnie (Lucy Speed) tells Dean that their son went out like a light. They talk about the upcoming fundraiser and whether or not Marnie will get her sensory zone. She offers to talk to the old Lloyds mob about the two remaining tables tomorrow and Dean likes that idea. He breaks the news that he has to travel to France first thing in the morning to meet a possible new client and will be back in the afternoon. His young son asks him if he wants to play games but Dean says no. Meanwhile, Cassie encourages John to take her dad out and see if he is being manipulated but John doesn’t want to probe him about stuff. He believes they have to let it run and see how things play out. Then, she asks Stuart to take him out for a beer. Ram spends the night drinking and ignoring Anna’s calls. Liz gets a call from a private number and is surprised when it is her mother wanting to know how it went.

Eileen admits she hid the number because she wouldn’t have answered it and she knew about the interview all along. She tells Liz she admires her balls for going for the top job under the circumstances. Liz seems a bit distraught when her mother ends the call. In the morning, Dean heads on his trip and Cassie rushes to get ready. Before she can leave, John breaks the good news that he got the job. However, they’ll need to buy down there if he decides to take the job. Since it is a big decision and Cassie needs to run, they agree to talk about it later tonight. Anna goes to the store and finds Ram hungover downstairs. She tells him she is going to do the blood test in an hour and she doesn’t think he has an opinion one way or another, but he apologizes and suggests otherwise. She isn’t putting up with his excuses and says this is far more important than anything work related.

Ram wants to talk, but Anna says she isn’t going to miss the blood test so they’ll have to talk later tonight. Jake and the others find a set of keys but the writing on the cards is impossible to read so they think the paper got wet. Jake hopes the lab will be able to do something about that. Dean finds a white van and its key hidden behind the license plate. He gets inside and finds a stack of money before driving away. Paul approaches Ram and says he did what he could to try to convince her that it was a misunderstanding, but she called from home and said she was too upset to come in for the rest of the week. Paul is worried she is going to make a formal complaint when she comes back. Ram brags about the two Chief Constable commendations he has received and reminds Paul he doesn’t have any. Paul apologizes and says his hands are tied before leaving. Dean drives through a checkpoint while Geoff and Fiona sign paperwork. Then, he approaches a UK Border Control checkpoint and once again passes through.

Next, we’re taken to Hendon where Sunny learns that the son’s DNA swab gives them a 50% match with Matthew Walsh and the press office wants to put out a statement for the evening news. Sunny believes Cassie would want to speak to Andrews first though, but she says it is okay and the bigger the better. Later that evening, Ram uses an official computer to search for Lucy, criminal record, and known associates. Dean finishes the drop before calling Felix and letting him know it is finished and he is throwing away the phone. He doesn’t want Felix to call him again and says he did him a favor because they go back. He destroys the phone while Sunny and Cassie learn about the police training program back then. They obtain the files belonging to Rob Fogerty and Ramjeet Sidhu who is still a serving police officer in Twickenham. Cassie is handed the files belonging to Dean Barton and learns he left service after just a few months.

Fiona Grayson stayed for a year and a half before departing. The receptionist admits it is odd for two of them from the same class to leave so soon. Finally, they receive the files on Liz Baildon who is about to be appointed Chief Constable of East Anglia Police. When they leave, Cassie tells Sunny that they passed out six months before her but she didn’t cross paths with any of them. They agree to do it by the book and treat them all the same. Sunny wants to make sure they’re not trying to settle scores but Cassie insists it has nothing to do with her pension. After a little pushing from Sunny, she admits there is a small bit of her that wants to punish someone. She wants him to call her out if it gets in the way at any point. She thinks they might be able to do it right and the questions regarding Walker, Finch, and the rest can go away and she might be able to sleep at night.

Sunny says it is a lot to ask for one case, but Cassie admits she doesn’t have much of a choice. A call from Fran interrupts after talking to Viv Hancock and saying they might have a connection between Matthew Walsh and one of the passengers in the vehicle. As Viv was coming home, she saw a lad in gear running in her direction and another guy running after him from a vehicle. She said the other guy was Asian but she wasn’t sure if he was chasing the other man. A bit later, Liz hears the news report about the discovery of Matthew’s body and the others hear it as well. Liz drops her glass from shock but her partner thinks it is shock from the earlier assault.

 

Unforgotten Review

Overall, this episode was more coherent and effective than the first. We’re starting to get a feel for the new main characters and the writers are slowly beginning to drive our opinions in one way or another. We know that they’ll likely change over the course of the season, but they’re pointing the finger at Ram Sidhu and Dean Barton more than anyone else right now.

Also, Cassie is struggling to remove her emotions from the case while trying to come to grips with her father’s condition and decisions. Ultimately, this episode revealed a lot about the new characters. We know that Ram and Liz are still involved in the service and Liz is on the verge of getting a big promotion while Ram will likely be investigated for harassment.

His computer search leads me to believe he is going to try to silence Lucy Myers and Viv’s comments make him the number one suspect right now. I could be wrong but Ram seems like the red herring since he would be too easy. Suspicion was also cast on Dean since he is a confirmed drug smuggler although he might’ve got out of that at some point.

Liz and Fiona are in the clear right now but I guarantee this won’t last long. Jake found keys belonging to Robert Fogerty but they’re not sure what the keys belong to just yet. Jerome was indeed Matthew’s son but he didn’t know him well. He could however help lead police to Matthew’s brother Clive. I could be wrong, but I am almost positive that Liz is the one who was allowed to drive Fogerty’s car after his arrest. Her stone-cold demeanor and status tell me this. If so, she likely knows a lot more about Matthew and his murder.

The investigation could go in so many differences, couldn’t it? We’ll have to be patient to see what happens next. The episode was pretty good and I think it’ll get even better as the suspects are pushed to their breaking points. The episode scores a 7.5 out of 10. Don’t forget to catch up with past recaps of Unforgotten on Reel Mockery.