With four episodes of build-up, it’s time for the much-anticipated reunion between Will and Angie. Expect sparks to fly, but does it overshadow an interesting case filled with spies and espionage?

Picking up after Angie’s reinstatement to the APD, the first investigation with the whole team back together finds them investigating the death of a DOD contractor. For this plot, the show takes a look down the avenue of CIA spycraft as a rogue element is seeking out members of the public to commit heinous acts under the guise of patriotism.

Aside from the episode’s numerous attempts to mirror the plot to the relationship between Angie and Will, the spy whodunit offers more than cool gadgets and Alias references. It brings with it a timely narrative of the ever-increasing incidents of loneliness within our society. The killer uses this to his advantage, manipulating these lonely people into believing that what they are doing matters when, in fact, they are helping to commit treason. It’s a layered approach to a tried-and-true genre mash-up that unfortunately gets underplayed, thanks to the season’s wider character arc.

The reunion between Will and Angie is the episode’s elephant in the room. After everything that’s happened between them, the atmosphere is suitably awkward, and they spend most of the first half of the episode walking on eggshells.

This palpable tension that flows throughout the episode’s first half, however, eventually erupts. Whether the argument itself is worth almost 4 hours of buildup is debatable, but it does irreparably change the dynamics between the main cast. This can only be a good thing, as it allows Will, Angie, and others to explore different facets of themselves, ultimately maturing their characters.

“Wilbur Trent… I release you.”

Angie Polaski

Alongside Angie and Will, this episode also features some important moments for other members of the cast. For the first time since the season’s second episode, we get some development on the unlikely relationship between Amanda and Sunny. This time, it focuses on Amanda’s struggles with the realities of parenthood.

As the story progresses, we see Amanda making positive actions to accommodate this life change. Her determination is obvious as she sets everything aside to make Sunny her number one priority. Moreover, Amanda discovers that her years as a detective might just come in handy when raising a teenager.

Finally, the Faith and Ormwood ship gets to set sail for a moment or two during this episode. It seems that in Will’s absence, their partnership has struck a close friendship between the two, and perhaps something more on the horizon.

What starts off as a layered spy thriller is quickly consumed by the behemoth that is Angie and Will’s reunion. This all-consuming character arc brings both positives and negatives to “Floor is Lava.” To its deficit, these scenes often undercut an interesting case filled with unexpected meaning. On the brighter side, however, with everything out in the open, the series can move on to bigger and better things.

I Give Floor is Lava: 8/10