As the team investigates a deadly robbery, it discovers one of the perpetrators is a classmate of Jubal's son.
Tropes:
- Adults Are Useless: Discussed between Nina and Jubal at the episode's end over how Zach's parents couldn't see how troubled and dangerous their son has become.Nina: "I don't get it. I don't know how the parents couldn't see that he was unraveling."Jubal: "Well, kids don't always share what they're feeling, you know. And yeah, sometimes parents don't wanna see it even if they pretend to because... I mean... It's just really hard."
- A Day in the Limelight: Jubal and his teenage son Tyler.
- Anger Born of Worry: Jubal and his ex-wife Samantha go through this when they find their son Tyler missing.Jubal: "Our child is a mess here! He's hanging out with kids that-!"Samantha: "Don't you dare put this on me! I am the one who is here every day, trying to help him, encourage him! I'm not a magician! I can't just wave a wand and make our son's cancer go away. Trying to make him the cool, confident kid that you want him to be."Jubal: "I know. I know. I didn't mean that. I'm just... I'm scared."
- Ax-Crazy / Teens Are Monsters: Zach O'Connor.
- Bittersweet Ending: Jubal is able to rescue Tyler and stop Zach. But Clayton is still dead and Zach will be facing serious jail time. In spite of this, Jubal and Tyler reconcile and are on the path to repairing their relationship.
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Distanced from Current Events: This episode was originally planned to air for Season 4 on May 24, 2022 on CBS but was pulled due to the Robb Elementary School shooting
that occurred on the same day. - Driven to Suicide: Clayton Hall.
- It's All My Fault: Jubal says this as he realizes that his absence in Tyler's life has led to his son becoming associated with a potential mass shooter.Jubal [to Samantha]: "If Tyler is somehow mixed up in this, I know it's my fault. It's because I wasn't involved enough, it's because I wasn't present, and that is going to change. I promise you."
- Outliving One's Offspring: Clayton's parents are devastated that their son has taken his own life.
- Papa Bear: When Tyler ends up getting taken hostage by Zach in a bookstore, Jubal doesn't hesitate to enter and attempt to defuse the situation instead of waiting for SWAT.
- Troubled Teen: Tyler. Between recovering from leukemia and his father's absence, Tyler has been going through emotional turmoil which led him to associating with Zach.Jubal: "Look, I'm glad that Zach has been a good friend. I get it."Tyler: "No, you don't. You've no clue what I deal with. What I go through. What's it's like to be me. The weak kid. The sick kid. The cancer kid."
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: OA and Nina are dismayed over how Clayton could go from smiling and laughing with his parents on the beach to fantasizing about school shootings, participating in robbery and murder, and committing suicide.Nina: "I don't understand. I mean, how do you- how do you go from smiling and laughing on the beach to, I mean, all of this?"OA: [sighs] "Who the hell knows?"
- When You Coming Home, Dad?: Deconstructed. Jubal's absence in his son's life due to his work has led to Tyler resenting his father and associating with Zach.
