The Hunting Party Season 2, Episode 10 ‘Byron May’ served as a reminder that Bex and her team are good people at their core.
Their compassion and understanding runs deep and that’s what makes them perfect for their jobs. Because they care about putting the bad guys away and protecting the vulnerable. They limit loss where they can and will do anything possible to save lives. Even if it means bending the law to free an innocent man wrongfully imprisoned for Byron May’s crimes. And lying to federal agents after Byron May’s death so local police can free Victor Rosa and reunite him with family.
For an hour that held a series of firsts for Bex, Hassani, and Shane, we’re applauding how they handled a difficult situation. The Hunting Party Season 2, Episode 10 ‘Byron May’ is easily memorable for its emotional resolution. But there’s a lot to digest about how the trio navigated through Lazarus’s horrible choice to imprison Rosa. Because they had a lot of feelings in this hour that they didn’t bother running away from.
MORE: Miss last week’s episode? Watch then read our Season 2, Episode 9 ‘Colette Akins’ review HERE!
Bex Was the First to Pounce
When first called into debrief about Byron May’s series of murders, Bex didn’t know who he was. Because his motives and methods of killing were exactly the same as Victor Rosa’s. A man she knew was imprisoned in local jail. Sure, we would’ve joined in on Hassani’s snicker over this being the first time she didn’t know anything about a case if he was right. Because Bex is the type of woman and profiler to know everything there is about the serial killers from The Pit. And if she didn’t know this guy, then something must’ve been terribly wrong with this case.
Which there was if Lazarus was involved. Once Bex put the pieces together about why she was overseeing the case, there was nothing to laugh at anymore. Initially, Lazarus didn’t want Byron to be arrested under local law because they wanted him in The Pit. So, she pinned his crimes on Rosa and got the police to arrest him instead. An innocent man whose had years of his life ripped away from him to cover up operations in The Pit.
Bex may not outwardly show her heart on her sleeve often, especially while on the job. As she typically saves her empathy for the moments of confronting killers. But this was a moment where emotions hit her hard. Anyone with a heart and soul who learns someone is wrongfully imprisoned should be angry. Bex had turned to Lazarus and didn’t let the crowd in the room hold her back.
She was loud, accusatory, and frustrated over how Lazarus could do something like this to a man who didn’t deserve the pain. It was the first time we’ve seen Bex blow up like this. And we loved it in ‘Byron May’ because Lazarus absolutely deserved the lashings. She robbed a man of years he won’t ever get back with his family.
Lazarus knew what she was doing was wrong and Bex was going to take ownership of the situation to fix it. As the hour went on, she grew increasingly motivated to find May just so she could save Rosa. Because she didn’t want him to spend another day in jail. That’s just the type of human she is, so we fully support her rebellious attitude because it’s justified.
MORE: Do you miss Melissa Roxburgh and Josh Dallas on screen together? Read our interview here where they discuss being reunited in Season 2, Episode 8 ‘Elliot Carr’ HERE!
The Trio’s Moral Compass Is Alive and Well
Honestly, we did have some doubt in Shane’s ability to see past his connection to Lazarus coming into ‘Byron May.’ Because he had just defended her past actions and feelings of being misunderstood to Bex and Hassani last week. Reconciliations during sweet karaoke sessions can’t fully bridge a tap built on tension. But communication can. So, we’re glad that Hassani told Bex and Shane the intel that revealed that Lazarus has known Shane’s identity for years. And that she was the reason he got hired in The Pit.
Being told that he failed the psych evaluation to get into The Pit could’ve been a moment where he spiraled. As he believed passing the psych evaluation to get into The Pit had to mean he was good. And failing it would mean you were just as terrible as the inmates. However, Bex and Hassani wouldn’t let him go far as they were quick to confirm the opposite.
Here, they weren’t politely disagreeing with Shane over an opinion like they were in ‘Colette Akins.’ They were being his safe place to land when he needed the reminder that he was good all along. Therefore, it’s testament of how far their friendship has come to where they support each other through both the tough disagreements and moments of need. Bex explained to him how failing the evaluation meant he was too strong-minded and moral to be in such a dark place. In his effort to try and see any good in his mother, Shane lost sight of how genuine of a person he was.
Ultimately, once he understood how his friends saw him, it made supporting Bex’s efforts to save Rosa over his mother a no brainer. We’re happy to see this as their breaking point because Shane’s heart is the best thing about him. And that he knew better than to believe Victor Rosa had to take the fall for her agenda to work.
Final Thoughts
We feel for Shane because we love him. But all we have to say in the end is finally. Getting any closer to Lazarus would’ve only hurt him worse than whatever mourning he’s feeling right now over a relationship he never truly had a grip of. We know he must be hurting right now but it’s for the best. If she hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it, Shane won’t be on her side and ‘Byron May’ proved that sentiment.
From the second Lazarus confessed to putting Victor Rosa behind bars to protect those running The Pit, the team unified together to do what was right. Bex visited Rosa in prison and let him co-operate with the case using evidence. While Shane was the one to put an end to Byron’s reign of terror. Hassani, who usually is the advocate for following protocol, listened to Bex when she told him to stand down from calling anybody. She made it clear that Byron’s body had to be found by local police in order to free Victor. And they both listened without a fight.
Bex stood up for what was right in The Hunting Party Season 2, Episode 10 ‘Byron May’ to give us a happy ending we don’t normally see. Now with Shane’s approval to investigate her past with no hard feelings, Bex is ready to take on Lazarus. We’re ready to see it happen because there’s nothing this team can’t do if they’re together.
NBC‘s The Hunting Party airs Thursday at 10 pm EST.
