[Spoilers ahead for episode 2 “Zzyzx”]
Episode 2 begins with Dockweiler (David Denman) using Maddie (Madison Lintz) as leverage by vowing to only reveal her location to the LAPD if he can have his other criminal charges dismissed. Bosch (Titus Welliver) decides to continue searching for his daughter and he comes one step closer when Maurice (Stephen A. Chang) is able to find Maddie’s general location, though it’s too large to help the investigation. Maurice also inadvertently triggers a video stream of Maddie, who’s trapped in a box, proving to Bosch that she is still alive, though she might not have much time left.
Bosch sneaks into the police department where Dockweiler is being held. He threatens to torture Dockweiler but leaves after Jerry (Jamie Hector) convinces him to do so. Jerry also reveals that Dockweiler took Maddie to the desert, which prompts Bosch to continue his search. Bosch also discovers that Maddie is near an air force base and puts Maurice to the task of finding the flight data of the base.
Bosch sneaks into Dockweiler’s lawyers office and discovers that Dockweiler was raised in a commune called Zzyzx in the Mojave desert. Maurice finds a flight path that lines up with the commune and this prompts Honey (Mimi Rogers) and Bosch to head to the desert via helicopter. Back at the station, Jerry is able to deduce that Dockweiler buried Maddie underground.
Like the episode that preceded it, Zzyzx features a strong sense of urgency and tension which has arguably been elevated as the audience is now more aware of Maddie’s terrifying predicament. Bosch is also more active towards attaining his goals in this episode then he was in the previous one, which makes him a more interesting character to watch. Titus Welliver delivers a solid performance, though it’s less emotional than in the previous one. Another stand out performance in the episode is David Denam who’s delivery feels very theatrical and almost overzealous in comparison to the other characters. Though initially his performance is a bit jarring it actually works well for his character, who’s presented as an unstable but calculating villain. The main shortcoming of this episode comes from the fact that Dockweiler’s fate is never revealed. Though it’s presumed that he will likely be arrested and forced to face all his charges, the episode fails to tie up this loose end.
Rating: 7/10