As the curtains rise on another episode of "Unforgotten," Detective Inspector Sunil "Sunny" Khan (portrayed by Sanjeev Bhaskar) finds himself ensconced in solitude at a restaurant, about to place his order when a call from Detective Sergeant Fran Lingley (Carolina Main) interrupts. She informs him that suspected human remains have been discovered in Whitney Marsh. Meanwhile, DCI Jess James (Sinead Keenan), returning to her abode, calls out for her children while her husband Steve James (Andrew Lancel) has already prepared dinner. However, Jess's meal might be cut short as she receives a call from Sunny summoning her to Whitney Marsh in East London.
Upon arrival, Sunny and Jess are briefed that the remains belong to an adult, though the gender remains uncertain. A notable clue emerges: the victim had a Harrington rod, a surgical implant used to treat scoliosis, likely placed within the past half-century. Dr. Leanne Balcombe (Georgia Mackenzie) draws their attention to cut marks on the body. Later, Jess's thoughts wander to the curious choice of her husband's sea bass dinner as they converse, partly about the meal and partly about the grim discovery. Their discussion continues as they stroll away, seemingly lost in the trivia of sea bass.
Returning home, Jess finds herself alone and attempts to access Steve's phone, only to be thwarted by the unknown PIN. Across the Irish Sea in County Cork, Melinda Ricci (MyAnna Buring) rides in a vehicle, engaged in a phone conversation about a girl being groomed. Gabriel (Oliver Lansley) argues passionately about witnessing her new husband's brutal deeds within weeks of their marriage. The call abruptly ends.
In Deal, Kent, Martin "Marty" Baines (Maximilian Fairley) ambles down the street, while Asif Syed (Elham Ehsas) prepares diligently for his UK citizenship test. At Central London University, Juliet Cooper (Victoria Hamilton) receives a call informing her of an unprovoked attack by her daughter Taylor Cooper (Pixie Davies) on a fellow student. Juliet promises to arrive by two, juggling her commitment with her lectures. Marty seeks forgiveness from his father and tosses roses into the water, wishing him a happy birthday.
Melinda arrives to find Patrick (Emmett J Scanlan) undergoing rehabilitation under Dr. Clacy (Paul McQuaid). As Patrick settles down, Melinda affectionately kisses him and praises his progress. Hassan (Ahmad Sakhi) and Abdul (Samir Arrian) converse quietly in the back of a lorry. Marty embarrasses himself by asking a woman an inappropriate question about her dog, rambling on about photographing canines until she ignores him. Sunny invites a friend to an ABBA-themed event and receives a call from Dot Baines (Michele Dotrice), reminding Marty of his clinic appointment.
The migrants are released from the lorry, with Hassan and Abdul bidding each other farewell. Asif offers Hassan a ride. Sunny shares with Jess that Whitney Marsh was drained once before, in 2009, remaining so for nearly two years before being reflooded in 2011, thereby narrowing their timeline to the past thirteen years. He suggests delving into the car park's CCTV footage. Changing the subject to the earlier dinner, Jess comments on the delicious sea bass. Elsewhere, Paul Merrick (Adrian Rawlins) discreetly pulls Juliet aside for a private word.He reveals a conflict brewing between the union and one of Juliet's students, to which Juliet consents to address later. Marty, after enduring his journey, finally arrives at the clinic and extends his apologies to Claire (Jennifer Aries), only to learn that he must revisit the next day after tomorrow. Meanwhile, the search team unearths a significant find. Juliet collects Taylor from school and, in a hush, Taylor confesses she assaulted the girl who mocked Juliet and her father. She wasn't astonished by his suicide following their encounter at parents' night. Juliet suggests a therapeutic session, but Taylor balks at the idea, prompting Juliet to propose they attend together. Taylor inquiries if her mother would speak the unvarnished truth, prompting Juliet to seek clarification. Patrick informs Melinda of his intent to walk into the church unassisted, evoking her concern over his potential overexertion. Soon after, Melinda departs for work.
Dr. Balcombe engages Sunny and Jess in a discussion about their discovery, elucidating that nothing hindered the decomposition process. She reveals the victim to be a male, yet refrains from disclosing the cause of death. Asif confides in Hassan about his job prospects, inquiring about Chullam's whereabouts. Hassan recounts how Chullam ventured north post-American departure, securing employment in Mazar-i-Shariff. When his mother fell ill, he returned to Kabul, enduring a harsh winter. They speculate Chullam accepted a bounty on his head to sustain his family with food and fuel. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Vice apprehended him, and his body was later discovered outside his mother's abode. Asif confesses he didn't desire the translator's role; he accepted it solely due to a British colonel's persuasion, blaming himself for trusting them.
Juliet learns of Liz Jones' complaint, who visited her three days prior, expressing dissatisfaction with the ethnic homogeneity of authors on the 'Death of the Empire' module's reading list. Juliet claims neutrality, asserting that everyone fears making a mistake in such matters. She reveals the two books she suggested were purely her own choices: 'Imperial Measures' by Linford Kobi Mackenzie, among others. Juliet suspects the underlying issue. Upon Marty's return home, Dot requests a sandwich. Balcombe informs Jess and Sunny that the victim was of below-average height, aged between 40 and 60. She discovered a puncture wound on the upper thigh, approximately an inch and a half deep, severing the adductor longus and superficial femoral artery. The artery's reaction implies the injury preceded death, resulting in catastrophic blood loss for anyone so afflicted.
Juliet elucidates to Paul Merrick the rationale behind an author's title choice, to which Paul responds by stating she should have warned the student.
Juliet insists that Liz Jones is Caucasian, to which Paul dismisses as irrelevant. Liz demands an apology, prompting her union to recommend Juliet attend a micro-aggression seminar. Juliet is less than thrilled about the prospect. At home, Melinda flips through a bridal magazine, lost in her thoughts. Elsewhere, Jess returns home to find Steve out for dinner, and her mother inquires about her reflections from the previous week. Jess inquiries about Steve's inclusion in her sister's upcoming birthday celebrations, to which her mother gently urges her to ponder deeply before departing.
In Barnstaple, Asif guides Hassan indoors. Melinda prepares for her television show, while Geoff Parker and Vita Montgomery engage in conversation at Britannia Studios. Melinda announces that this week's episode of "Going for Woke" will delve into compliments and flirting. Geoff then segues into Mel's Minute, where Melinda discusses the European courts' impending decision regarding ISIS bride Areesha Arshad, stranded in Turkey after losing her British citizenship. Melinda launches into a passionate tirade against Areesha.
Following Melinda's speech, Geoff reveals the next segment will explore the curious concept of trans pets. Juliet has a heart-to-heart with her daughter, who is engrossed in watching videos about transgender issues. Taylor agrees to resume therapy, provided they do it together. Sunny informs Jess that no additional evidence was found, and a sample has been submitted to the DNA database. Jess decides to halt the search for now.
Omar, played by Sharif Dorani, apologizes to Hassan for the unprepared room, prompting Hassan to mention Asif's claim that Omar was once a doctor in Kandahar. Omar claims a 15-year career in cardiology, but Hassan corrects him, stating he only qualified last year and now works as a delivery driver.
Dr. Clacy informs Melinda that Patrick will unlikely regain significant mobility in his legs, suggesting a wheelchair might be necessary for the rest of his life. Clacy emphasizes that Melinda must help Patrick come to terms with this reality. Hassan urges Asif to formally apply for asylum, expressing his aversion to a future as a pizza delivery driver like Omar. Hassan insists he is better than that; Asif responds by sharing his own story of risking his life only to be detained.
Marty indulges in online conspiracy theories, one of which suggests a false flag operation to incite Black Lives Matter protests. Marty makes a disturbing remark about Lanesse, just as Sunny rushes into the police station with exciting news – they have a DNA match. The victim is Gerard Samuel Cooper, reported missing by his wife, Juliet, on February 24, 2021, when he was 58. Although no body was found, authorities initially concluded he had committed suicide by jumping into the Thames. Sunny reveals that the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the case, Ram Sidhu (Phaldut Sharma), was imprisoned in 2022 on corruption charges, a revelation that stuns everyone.
