When Detective Brock (Diana Maria Riva), calls Colter asking for help in finding a missing prisoner and her niece, he finds himself forced to call for help too – from Billy (Sofia Pernas).

This is a nicely handled episode, with two plots running in parallel in a manner that subtly reminds us of what the last few episodes have often forgotten: the show’s title. Colter is very good at what he does and this week we get to see that in action in a fun way as he realises that one of the two leads of the case goes somewhere he can’t: women’s prison.

It’s a cheesy conceit to be sure, but this at least makes a decent fist of it. It’s a nice touch to have Brock back at all, and the fact she deputises Colter is a refreshing change from his usual struggles with legitimacy with the law. Riva and Pernas are very good performers and Pernas gets to have some fun in the prison scenes. Best of all, the show stands up on the fact this is both the only plan they have and a Very Bad One. When things go sideways, and they do, the action is short, brutal and panicked and blows the case open. Better still, it’s not something Billie can shake off straight away. This feels like one that almost got away from them and it’s nice to see the dangerous work these characters do given added weight.

That’s added to by the fact Rachel, Brock’s niece, is in on it. Carlena Britch is the latest in the show’s long line of excellent guest stars and she sells the complexity of the character’s motives really well. The entire cast are good and that’s vital for the show to sell the slightly goofy premise.

It helps too that everything is coming back around to the one thing Colter doesn’t think he has: family. Brock’s familial faith is rocked but not broken by Rachel, Billie and Colter are tested but emerge closer and more trusting, and even Chris Lee’s Randy gets some subtle development. Because Bobby (Eric Graise) has gone off grid and in a show like this that’s not a good thing…

Verdict: Not the most original episode by any means but a well-cooked burger is still enjoyable and so is this. An especially strong cast help too. 8/10

Alasdair Stuart