The Following - Season 3 Recap "A Simple Trade"

Part of Fox's 2-hour night of The Following, we pick up where the last episode left off with Ryan having to meet up with Theo to exchange Penny for Mike.

When the FBI arrives at Ryan's apartment - questioning where he's been and what he's been up to - Ryan sells a pretty smooth excuse, but not for Max.  She catches onto what he's doing, and after slugging him in the face for not telling her Theo has Mike (she feared he was dead), they make a plan to get Mike back.

Meanwhile, as Mike is being dragged along by Theo, Mark and Daisy, Theo must devise a plan of where and when he will do the exchange for his sister.  He ends up settling on a performing arts theater (where Mark brutally kills the one guy working there), and the place is now turned into a meeting ground for the trade-off.

As Ryan and Max orchestrate their scheme to get Mike back - by not informing the FBI of what's going on - they end up stealing a few supplies from the headquarters.  They fear if the bureau is brought in, Mike will die and Ryan's job will be toast.

Back at the mansion where Mike is being held captive (I know, where do these places come from?), he's able to escape from Daisy but not before Theo and Mark return to find out he's gone.  While Mike is almost able to get out of there, he's caught by Mark and is once again looking likely to be killed but not before Daisy pulls a gun on Mark and shoots him.  She realizes without Mike, Theo will kill her and needs him to survive.  Mark gets away and now we're left with the big showdown of Ryan and Theo.

The theater set up is pretty well orchestrated, but after Ryan gets a hold of Mike and Theo gets a hold of Penny, a shoot out and runaway begins with Ryan gunning down Penny.  Theo you can tell is heartbroken by losing the one person he loved, but ends up escaping with Daisy.

With Mike and Max now reunited, the have a perfect moment later on in the parking garage outside FBI headquarters as Mike confesses his love for her.  All is seemingly well and good until Mark surprises and brutally stabs Mike multiple times as Max is left helpless.  It look like she's about to be taken out too but Mike is able to finally gun down Mark himself.  Mike is left in a pool of blood with Max calling for help.

Grade: B

Notes/Questions:

• Gwen does in fact tell Ryan she's pregnant and looks to be giving him another chance if he changes his ways.
• Ryan heads to an AA meeting and claims he wants to change and be better, seemingly ridding the ghost of Joe.
• Did anyone else see that stabbing of Mike coming a million miles away?  It was just too perfect and ideal a moment for nothing to happen.