Roz (Grace Dove) and Eileen (Hilary Swank) are heading to the town of Meade to follow up some leads on the Gloria Nanmac case. Accompanying Gloria’s mom Sylvie (Irene Bedard) the two hope to gain some valuable insight into what happened to Gloria.
At the paper, Austin (Craig Frank) pursues a story on Senate candidate Frank Moses (Scott Fee). Moses looks like a perfect candidate with a desire to do right by the environment and the people of Alaska. Austin gets little time with the candidate as a mining accident ends the interview.
Juna (Ami Park) is still dealing with the online harassment from the death of Jordan Teller. Her first front page story led to Teller killing himself, and now the cub reporter is being harassed by online trolls. Austin reminds her that the story was good, and that it was Jordan Teller who was responsible for his own death.
Further north, Roz and Eileen spend time with Sylvie as they search through Gloria’s room looking for clues. Sylvie arranges for transportation out to the tundra to see the site where Gloria’s body was found. The reporters differ on a line of attack for the town. Eileen is eager to visit the cops to get the police report while Roz wants to visit the local council and inform them of what they are doing in town. Roz follows Eileen’s lead, and they head to the police station.
Waiting to see Chief Durkin (Michael P. Northey), Eileen notices numerous postings on the wall of missing indigenous women. Durkin tries to stonewall the reporters, but Roz and Eileen are not being led astray. The chief promises to hand over the police report later that day so Roz and Eileen leave.
Outside the station they meet their rides for the journey to the tundra. Seeing the sight where Gloria was found Eileen describes how angry she is, and Roz tells her good. She’s been angry for a long time. (This partnership between Eileen and Roz is perfect.) From the tundra they are brought to where ‘Skeeter’s’ house was, a possible lead on Gloria’s case. The problem is the ‘Skeeter’s’ house is gone. Roz believes that he probably moved it. Talking to the neighbors, the two learn that ‘Skeeter’ was loathed by the community, and that the cops in town could not be trusted.
Back at the paper, Juna and Austin are diving into the financial records of Frank Moses. Austin consuls Juna on how to deal with the trolls who are harassing her online. (Future relationship maybe?) Seeking information from his ex-wife about her law firm’s association with Moses, Austin fails to learn anything and antagonizes his former spouse.
As Eileen probes Roz about her half-brother Derek (Kindall Charters) who lives in Meade, an officer arrives at their door with a heavily redacted police report. The only facts that are visible blame Gloria and offer little help to the reporters. Roz and Eileen know that copies of the reports would be kept at city hall, and despite the lack of help at the reception desk, Eileen seeks out Derek, who works in payroll at city hall, to help.
Austin and Bob (Matt Malloy) learn that Moses is supported by mining company executives and determine that he’s not the environmental candidate that he claims to be. Meeting with Stanley (Jeff Perry) they want to publish a story immediately, but Stanley hesitates. He wants to rule out any ties to other candidates first from the mining executives and Austin is angry and Bob advises him to leave.
Eileen gets the report, but Roz is furious that she went behind her back and asked Derek. Roz confides in Sylvie about her complicated relationship with her father. She complains about Eileen, and Sylvie advises Roz that she is no sidekick and to be strong.
Angry, Austin is fuming over Stanley’s refusal to publish the story. Juna talks to him and gets him out of his grumpy mood. Meanwhile, Stanley has gone to the paper’s publisher Aaron Pritchard (Shane McRae) about the story. Pritchard doesn’t see the story on Moses as damaging, and Stanley leaves.
In Meade, Roz goes to the tribal council and meets with a member about why she and Eileen are in town. She tells the council member about the issues they have found and asks if there is anyone who might be willing to speak up about the treatment from the police department. Roz quickly learns that there are many people in town who are regularly ignored by the police. Now with a witness, Roz and Eileen can confidently say that the cops in Meade don’t investigate crimes against indigenous women.
Austin and Stanley reconcile over their differences, and Stanley agrees to print the full story on Frank Moses. Roz and Eileen confront Chief Durkin about his record and the lack of investigations into violent crimes on native women in the town. The chief is recorded saying some awful racial slurs, and the two reporters leave.
Back in Anchorage, Stanley is pleased with Roz and Eileen’s work and plans to publish the story on Durkin. Roz gives Eileen an ultimatum. She needs her on the team, and if Eileen goes behind her back, then Roz will quit. Roz needs to be able to trust Eileen. For once, Eileen apologizes.
Austin is celebrating his story, when his ex-wife calls to say that she has a promotion at work which will force her to move to Chicago. To make matters worse, she wants to take their son with her. The episode ends with Stanley calling a shadowy figure to learn more about the Pritchard family.
Bill’s Perspective:
Things are getting good. Partnerships are being cemented, Alaska is being explored in depth from the political issues, the business issues, and more detail about the missing and murdered indigenous women. Alaska Daily is deep, and willing to take the time to explore a complex issue with some great performances from Swank and Dove.
Jeff Perry was born to play Stanley Cornik. He is incredible.