Missing no more: Procedural drama takes sinister turn in ‘Found’
According to Namus’s October 2022 report, in the United States, approximately 600,000 people are reported as missing annually — no doubt a much higher number than many of us might expect.
As true crime aficionados and law enforcement can likely attest, only a fraction of these missing people are ever found, and with each passing hour, their cases become more and more dire. Thankfully, there are a handful of people in the world who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to help, and one such person — on screen, at least — is Gabi Mosely, the leading character in NBC’S newest procedural drama “Found,” premiering Tuesday, Oct. 3, and streaming the following day on Peacock.
Played by “Shameless” star Shanola Hampton, Gabi is a hard-working, determined public relations expert who specializes in finding Americans who have been reported as missing. As she leads a team of professionals in their shared noble work, Gabi does her best to parse her own past as a missing person. That said, Gabi’s methods for dealing with her demons could arguably use a bit of work.
As viewers quickly learn, Gabi has turned the proverbial tables on her former captor and has taken him hostage for a change — not exactly legal, but certainly satisfying. Now, despite her outwardly calm and put-together exterior, Gabi must hide the fact that she has a man, known only as “Sir” (played by “Saved by the Bell’s” Mark-paul Gosselaar), tied up in her very own basement while she seeks justice for the remainder of the missing Americans on the register.
To make matters even more intriguing, Gabi has a plan for Sir.
Convinced that, as a former abductor himself, Sir knows the ins and outs of the criminal psyche and its various resulting behaviors, Gabi enlists his help as a consultant. With each new case she brings home, Sir is forced to help her find the victims of these heinous abductions and turn the kidnappers over to the authorities for investigation, (hopefully) a guilty verdict and sentencing.
While “Found” was originally scheduled for a Feb. 19 premiere this year, NBC announced the show’s postponement in mid-january, believing it to be better suited to an autumn release.
“After watching the first few episodes of ‘Found,’ it quickly became clear that our love for this show has continued to grow and grow with each step of the process,” Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content for Nbcuniversal television and streaming, said in a January news release.
“Our goal is always to find the absolute best home for all our series, and it’s particularly the case with one as important as this,” Rovner continued. “By moving it to fall, we’re able to better leverage our resources, including lead-in and marketing muscle, enabling us to launch ‘Found’ to the largest possible audience across all our platforms.”
The cast and crew of “Found” certainly have their work cut out for them with such an important topic. Thankfully, series stars Hampton and Gosselaar have some help bringing awareness to the subject. Kelli Williams (“The Practice”), Brett Dalton (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”), Arlen Escarpeta (“The Oath”), Gabrielle Walsh (“9-1-1”) and Karan Oberoi (“Counterpart”) star as cohorts of Gabi’s, helping her in her hunt for justice, while Azaria Carter (“P-valley”) stars as teenaged Gabi in flashbacks.
Bill Kelly (“True Detective”), Sterling Jones (“Barbie,” 2023), Rena Maliszewski (“CODA,” 2021), Mike Whaley (“Under the Dome”) and Monique Grant (“Swagger”) also star.