HomeTVMotherFatherSon episode 2 recap

MotherFatherSon episode 2 recap

BBC Two‘s excellent new political drama MotherFatherSon kicked off last week and there was a lot to take in.

If you need to catch-up, read our episode 1 recap.

If you don’t want any spoilers for MotherFatherSon, we suggest you stop reading this article now.

Episode 2 opened up with a flashback that gave an insight into the breakdown of Max (Richard Gere) and Kathryn’s (Helen McCrory) marriage. During divorce proceedings, Max tried to claim that alcohol and drug abuse were the reason why they lost their daughter, and that Kathryn wasn’t fit to look after Caden (Billy Howle).

Kathryn made it clear she would fight him for sole custody but he hit back telling her that she wasn’t going to win. After asking if she was being ‘fired’ as his wife or Caden’s mother, she realised it was both. We then saw Kathryn saying goodbye to a distraught Caden but assuring him she would see him all the time. As she pulled away in her car, she found a place to stop and let her emotion out by screaming.

MotherFatherSon episode 2
Credit: BBC

Moving back to the present day, Caden came out of surgery and Max and Kathryn were told to expect that their son would be different. They were warned that he may react differently to how he used to and that he may not have a filter any more when it comes to voicing his thoughts.

The two bickered over their relationship with Caden before leaving the doctor’s office. Kathryn was alarmed to see that Caden had guards standing by his room but it was explained to her that there were big money offers out there to try and get photos of Caden in hospital. One of the guards then opened and placed a get well soon card in Caden’s room.

As Kathryn looked through a box of Caden’s belongings Max’s partner Sofia (Elena Anaya) arrived. The two women were warm and friendly towards once another, and Kathryn realised that Sofia was pregnant. She went home to get some rest, then returned with some of Caden’s things. Kathryn sat talking to her son unaware that the get well soon card had a listening device in it and that Max was hearing everything she said.

Maggie (SinĆ©ad Cusack) and Nick (Paul Ready) began their investigation into the death of the private investigator, which they believe was covered up by Max and Caden. They met his former employee but they didn’t get much in the way of answers.

Max met with Angela (Sarah Lancashire) to talk about her campaign to become Prime Minister and revealed all the research he’d done on her. Unfazed Angela told him she believed she could win, despite not coming from a rich and powerful background. She admitted that she was determined to turn the UK in to the world’s most powerful country.

MotherFatherSon episode 2
Credit: BBC

In another flashback we saw Kathryn taking drugs to get through another of Max’s political parties. She spent time with Caden who asked if she and Max were going to stay together. After the party she tackled Max about it but he retaliated by being nasty to her. She told him she wanted to go back to work and he retorted that she was respected but never read as a writer.

Kathryn was called to a meeting with Max where he presented her with a file on Caden. She was shocked to learn that he frequented escorts and had a problem with drink and drugs. Max claimed not to have known about his son’s habits and Kathryn came to the conclusion that their son had an inability to love. After she left, Max admitted to Lauren (Pippa Bennett-Warner) that when he heard Caden had had a stroke, his first thought was that he couldn’t mess anything else up for the family now.

Caden came to in the hospital and quickly became hysterical. Kathryn and Max rushed to his side and Kathryn was surprised to see Scott (Joseph Mawle) in the waiting area of the hospital with flowers. She told him he couldn’t be seen at the hospital and promised to call him later. By Caden’s side, Kathryn and Max were shocked to see the state their son was in. He was barely able to talk and paralysed down one side of his body.

Back at the newspaper Nick was called into the office by Lauren for a chat and some cake. It turned out that the meeting was really to let Nick know that Max knew he was digging into his involvement in the death of the private investigator. He shared the meeting with Maggie later on in the episode and they realised the investigator they’d met earlier was working for Max.

MotherFatherSon episode 2
Credit: BBC

Max left the hospital and went to see the Prime Minister (Danny Sapani). He warned him that Angela was a danger to him and also learned that the Prime Minister’s son had been troublesome in the past. After the meeting he asked Lauren to look into it.

Kathryn called Scott and the two went on a date. They ended up back at her place and had sex.

Another flashback showed the moment that Max set his sights on taking over the newspaper, and we saw him confidently pitching his vision to the board. His plight was received well as Kathryn listened in outside. We also saw Kathryn look at some disturbing pictures Caden had drawn of his father.

Kathryn then jumped out of bed saying she had a bad feeling and that she needed to see Caden. As she was getting ready in the bathroom, she heard a loud bang and when she returned there was a hole in some furniture that Scott punched before he left.

Back at the hospital Caden tried to communicate to the nurse but what he was saying didn’t make much sense. Kathryn arrived and Caden was hysterical. He told her he wanted to die before pulling out his IV causing his arm to spurt blood. Caden then ripped off the part of his scalp that had been stitched after his operation and latched onto Kathryn’s breast like a baby as she desperately called for help.

Preview MotherFatherSon episode 3.

MotherFatherSon continues at 9pm Wednesday on BBC Two.

Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip is the owner and Editor of Entertainment Focus, and the Managing Director of PiƱata Media. With over 19 years of journalism experience, Pip has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world. He is also a qualified digital marketing expert with over 20 years of experience.

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