The Following 1x8 “Welcome Home” Recap

Summary: The FBI assigns a new team leader to the case, which doesn’t sit well with Ryan or Debra. Joe meets with a follower from his past.

The show starts with Joey waking up and Joe looking over him. Joe says that he hops Joey will give him a chance and not be afraid of him. He says they will take things slow. Joe goes to talk with Emma. She console him before wanting to introduce him to the group. They go downstairs where there is a crowd of people waiting for him.

Ryan goes to FBI. He walks into a meeting about a new protocol. Debra tells him that Nick Donovan is now in charge. They talk and Nick walks in. He asks Ryan to step back and be more of a consultant. Ryan says ‘ok’ and leaves. He goes to see Mike and wants to speak with David. He says Nick is.

Joe asks Emma to talk to Joey for him. He then asks about Jacob/Paul. She says no word. A sheriff car pulls up. A cop steps out and asks how he is. The man is Roderick. Joe/Roderick go inside to talk. 2004. They talk about how he killed two of the girls that Joe took credit for. Present day. Roderick shows Joe the place.

Nick comes and tells Ryan he wants him to sit in with him because David will only talk to him.

Nick/Ryan go to question David. Mike/Debra watch the interrogation. Ryan asks why he wanted him. He says that they are everywhere. He starts chewing on his hand and he starts spasming before he dies.

Roderick shows him the monitor rooms where Charlie is. Charlie apologizes about Claire. Louise walks in before Joe walks past her to his ‘Inspiration Room’. Joe asks how many people live there. Roderick says he’s been recruiting people. Joe says they need to bring Claire first. Roderick says he has an idea where to find her. Use the FBI.

Mike/Nick/Debra/ Ryan talk about how David killed himself by putting a poison tablet in his hand. He learned how to do it from Iraqi military. Nick learns that Ryan had Mike hack his email. Nick sent Mike home. Ryan pushes for Mike to stay, but Nick doesn’t budge.

Mike arrives at the hotel. He sees a group of guys outside his motel. He goes to the elevator when a woman walks up behind him. He lets her go in but he says he will wait for the next one. He goes to the stairs. The woman is following him. When he gets into his room, Louise and Charlie are waiting for him.

Ryan knows something is wrong because Mike isn’t picking up. Ryan goes to the hotel. He sees Mike’s room in shambles.

Joe stumbles into the kitchen, seemingly drunk. Emma follows him in there. Emma starts flirting with him. A man comes in and says that Roderick called and says all is going to plan. Emma asks Joe about Roderick. He says that Roderick was his first student. 2003. Joe brings Roderick to a basement where a woman is tied up. He says that he wants to teach Roderick. Present day. Joe spills his scotch. He says that he loves his wife as a way to explain why he can’t kiss her.

Charlie/Roderick/Louise take Mike out of a SUV at a factory yard.

Debra arrives at the hotel and Ryan shows her the hotel video footage. Ryan knows that they want something. Nick syas there are 9 potential vehicles. The woman goes through the list and Ryan knows it’s the one at the shipyard.

Roderick starts talking to Mike. He says that if he lies the ‘sport round’ begins and it gets worse with each lie. Roderick asks about Claire. Mike says he doesn’t know. Charlie goes in and punches Mike. Mike gets up and him and Charlie start fighting. Roderick interrupts and asks about Claire again. Roderick goes through Mike’s career history and says that he knows all about protective custody. Mike says he knows that he is Roderick. Roderick calls for Round 2 and asks where Claire is again. He says he doesn’t know. Louise drops two metal pipes in between them. Charlie is too fast for Mike. He grabs the pipe and hits him in the kneecap.

Debra/Ryan arrive at the shipyard. The SUV is still there.

Roderick says it’s his last chance. He asks about Claire. Mike says he doesn’t know. Roderick says he believes him. Ryan sneaks into the building. Charlie asks Mike to help him find Claire. Louise gives them each a knife. Mike picks up the knife before going to try and stab Charlie but he instead stabs Mike. She goes to slit his throat when Ryan comes in and starts shooting. A few of them fall but Charlie/Louise/Roderick get away. Ryan helps Mike. He says he didn’t tell them anything before going slack against Ryan.

Ryan watches Mike get onto the ambulance. Nick tells him that Mike will survive. Debra goes to talk to Ryan. Ryan says he’s going to go to the hospital and wait for him. Debra tells him it’s not his fault. Ryan says he just doesn’t want Mike to wake up alone.

Joe is poking the fire when Roderick/Louise come in. They tell him he got nothing and lost five men. Joe says he knows Roderick will find Joe. Charlie comes in. He says he let him down again. Joe says he’s disappointed. Charlie says he will make it up to him because he wants his life to mean something. He gives Joe a knife. Louise unfolds a length of plastic paper. Charlie and Joe step on it and Joe grabs the knife. He sys he wants his life to matter. It’s his gift and apology. Joe says he will always matter before he stabs him. Charlie dies in his arms.

Ryan is at Mike’s bed as Debra comes in. Debra tells Ryan that Mike knows where Claire is. She says he’s the only one who knows where Claire is.

Louise comes in to talk to Roderick. He is upset about Charlie but Louise is not. Emma comes in to give Joe clothes. When he takes off his shirt, his chest is covered with Charlie’s blood. Emma helps him wipe off the blood. Joe says that he loves his wife and Emma points out she’s not there. Louise tries to seduce Roderick but Roderick fights back and he starts choking her. Joe and Emma start kissing. Roderick lets go and then they start kissing.

What we learned/new notes
-We finally meet Roderick. He is a sheriff of the town that the safe house is in. We also learn that he had killed two of the girls that Joe took credit for and he feels like he owes him everything. No doubt that Joe will use this to his full advantage.
-Will Joey ever let Joe in and see him as his father.
-Could this new team leader- Nick - be one of the followers?
-Now that Ryan knows that Mike knows where Claire is, will he try to find out?
-What’s going to be Joe’s next step to find where Claire is? Preview make it seem like he will just take down everyone named Claire
-Charlie made a sacrifice for Joe. Is this an example of how things will be in the future with other members of the cult?

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, Springfield TV Examiner

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