As the finale of Desperate Measures begins, Varisha (Sunetra Sarker) tries to get help from Mal (Francis Magee) who has been shot. The robbers escape in a van. Firefighters enter the building and hear Varisha screaming for help on the phone system. Mal worries the police will know he is involved. He tells Rowan (Amanda Abbington) to check the glove compartment of his car before giving her his keys. Rowan gets Varisha to put pressure on Mal’s wound. She says time is running out so she has to try to save Finn. Rowan instructs Varisha to say someone grabbed her when she was coming back from the vault.

Rowan heard her scream, found her, and he forced them back down there. Varisha reminds her not to let anyone see her because she won’t make it to Finn in time. Firefighters make it to the vault and find Varisha with Mal. Rowan begins scrubbing the blood from her hands. Patrick (Warren Brown) splits from the other robber. As Rowan tries to leave the bank, police find the suspect van. Detective Simmons (Jonathan Nyati) arrives at the scene and learns about the two witnesses. He approaches Varisha to see what she has to say.

She tells him what she knows about the robbers and that they left in a security van. Simmons tells Evans to find out what he can from her. Rowan has to hide from Simmons when he enters the security room. He radios to get someone who can help find the CCTV footage from this morning. Mal is taken out on a stretcher. Rowan gets stopped while wearing a security outfit but manages to leave without being caught. Simmons catches up with the stretcher and learns that Mal is the victim.

Varisha tells Simmons what happened or at least what Rowan told her to say. So much was happening at once, she didn’t know Rowan’s father was working at the bank. Kristof (Gabor Nagypal) takes Finn (Jesse Cescatti-McFarlane) out of the hiding place. Rowan goes to the pawn shop to confront the man who gave Patrick the camera. She wants to know where they meet. He tells her about the abandoned building. When Rowan gets back into the vehicle, she remembers what her dad said about the glove compartment. She checks it and finds an envelope before Kristof arrives behind her.

Rowan gets out and asks where her son is. Once Kristof realizes she doesn’t have money, he pulls Finn out of the vehicle and fires a shot close to him. She tells him where they’ve taken the money and the fact that they have millions. Kristof forces her to drive him there. Powel tries to find information about the robbery. When he is escorted out, Varisha tells Simmons that Powel ran out of the vault without making sure the door was shut and locked. She can’t tell him how Malcolm got clearance to work at the bank because she is only a supervisor on the floor. Simmons believes Rowan is involved and knows something.

Varisha denies it and reminds him that she has been taken hostage. Rowan takes him to the building and insists they’re inside. She wants Finn to stay in the car while they get the money, but Kristof drags him along. Kristof doesn’t think they’re here, but Rowan says they are. As they move through the building, they hear men laughing nearby. Rowan approaches the robbers and asks them not to shoot. She tells Patrick that Kristof wants the money or he is going to kill Finn. Kristof comes in and starts shooting the robbers. Rowan pleads with Patrick to leave the money and go, but he refuses.

As he tries to get the money, Patrick gets shot in the arm. Patrick ends up shooting Kristof who gets up and shoots the injured robber. Patrick tries to escape. Kristof makes Rowan take one of the guns. Rowan catches up with Patrick, holds him at gunpoint, and says she can’t let him go. Patrick thinks he has earned this, but Rowan reminds him this was always about Finn. She asks if he is sure he got rid of all the evidence because he won’t get away with it. When he begins throwing the bags outside, Rowan shoots him in the chest. Kristof enters with Finn. He reminds Rowan he told her it is amazing what you’re capable of with the right motivation.

Patrick manages to shoot Kristof before passing away. Rowan tells Finn to do exactly what she says. Varisha continues talking to Detective Simmons and insists she is telling him everything. They’re interrupted because there is something Simmons needs to hear. He listens to a 999 call from Finn who says he thinks his mom has been kidnapped. He goes to the abandoned building and finds Patrick’s body as well as the others. A key and box are found in Patrick’s pocket before Rowan is released from a locked room nearby. She is taken to the police station for an interview with Simmons.

She tells him she last saw Patrick when they broke up many years ago. Rowan tells him what happened during the robbery. There is no change in her dad’s condition. Malcolm’s car is found and the envelope in the glove compartment is removed. It has “police” on the front. Simmons accuses Rowan of being involved in the pawn shop robbery and bank robbery. He receives the letter they found in Mal’s car. They also search Patrick’s workplace. Evans says the secret camera found at the scene seems to confirm the conspiracy. The plans are found in Patrick’s bag.

Simmons gets Rowan to confirm the letter is in his father’s handwriting. Mal takes responsibility for robbing the bank with Patrick and manipulating Rowan into giving him the information needed. Simmons tells her that they knew they had to act fast when they learned she was being let go from the bank. He admits it isn’t looking good for Mal. Before she leaves, Simmons tells her that Finn is back home although he looked shaken up. He suggests Finn didn’t get fed all the time he was away from home.

When she goes home, she and Finn agree to get Chinese food. Varisha gets the money needed to put her mom in a nice care home. Rowan tries to get a job as a security supervisor. She tells them why Hanlow’s Bank failed.

 

Desperate Measures Review

The finale of Desperate Measures was straightforward with one or two twists near the end. Viewers who enjoyed the previous episodes will probably like the finale as well since it gave them a semi-happy ending. It could likely be criticized as being unrealistic considering it is hard to imagine Rowan would’ve been able to keep the stolen money.

Nevertheless, it is hard to complain too much about a mostly interesting series that only requires four hours of the viewer’s time. The story was propped up by good performances from the leads including Amanda Abbington, Warren Brown, Francis Magee, and others.

Once viewers have run out of things to watch, Desperate Measures is always worth checking out. It may not leave a lasting impact, but it will keep viewers entertained for four good hours. The finale scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Desperate Measures can be found on Reel Mockery here.

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