As the narrative of "Unforgotten" unfolds further, Sunny (portrayed by Sanjeev Bhaskar) exchanges a brief conversation with Jess James (Sinead Keenan) before his attention is diverted by a call from Leanne Balcombe (Georgia Mackenzie). She informs him of a quaint pub where conversations can be heard crystal clear, an anomaly in today's noisy world. Meanwhile, Martin 'Marty' Baines (Maximilian) Fairley) endeavors to secure employment. Jess updates Juliet Cooper (Victoria Hamilton) about a cash deposit in Markaj’s account, confirming the repayment of a loan, made eight days prior to Gerard’s disappearance. Speculating on the pub assault, Jess mentions Sidhu’s theory—a dissatisfied employee, denied furlough, might be the culprit. Juliet feigns ignorance regarding this theory, but when Jess delicately inquires about her suspicions of Her husband's infidelity, Juliet becomes visibly disturbed, denies any such suspicion.
In a private moment later, Juliet confides in Taylor (Pixie Davies), contemplating postponing their evening plans. Taylor's curious probing into the affair topic catches Jess off guard, despite Taylor's presence in the adjacent room during their conversation. Jess insists with conviction that Gerard was faithful. Juliet assures her daughter of picking her up at seven, amidst their shared tension.
Paul Merrick's (Adrian Rawlins) call eventually persuades Juliet to agree to a meeting. Elsewhere, Melinda Ricci (MyAnna Buring) reads about the grim discovery, a news bulletin revealing the deceased as Bow's beloved publican, Gerard Cooper. On the beach, Hassan (Ahmad Sakhi) and Asif Syed (Elham Ehsas) bond, with Asif reminiscing about his first encounter with the ocean and his aspirations to cross it. He shares harrowing tales of his journey, including the harrowing week-long wait for his brother and a child to resurface after a perilous crossing.
Karen Willetts (Pippa Nixon) scrutinizes an evidence box, while Fran Lingley (Carolina Main) engages Alice (Sabrina Wu) in a chat about her employment under Gerard. Alice lauds him as a decent employer despite his traditional background, hinting at Juliet's discomfort with Gerard's pub management. Alice speculates that Juliet found Gerard lacking in intellect, although their disputes never spilled over into the pub. The 'Marty Baines' mentioned is revealed to be Martin, the unfortunate soul denied furlough.
Dr. Clacy (Paul McQuaid) informs Melinda of Patrick's permanent ejaculatory dysfunction, offering a glimmer of hope through the possibility of sperm harvesting, emphasizing the uniqueness of each case. In a subsequent discussion, Fran and Sunny relay their findings to Jess, including Alice's revelation that a coworker, Brianna West, witnessed Martin physically engaging with Cooper, mistakenly assuming Marty had a condition like ASD. Murray Boulting (Jordan Long) is still awaiting the return of the original assault files. Jess, based on Juliet's morning reaction, is convinced of Gerard's affair, prompting Sunny to remind the group that infidelity often serves as a motive for murder.
Asif confides in Hassan about his detention center ordeal, emphasizing the importance of passing the citizenship test for a passport, legal residency, and employment rights. He urges Hassan to follow his advice meticulously.Sam (portrayed by David Witts) arrives prematurely, explaining that his workout was canceled due to snow. Hassan listens intently as they engage in a heated debate over Asif's actions. Sam expresses his dismay upon discovering an undocumented immigrant residing in his home. While he empathizes with the desperate journey across the channel, he reminds Asif that Hassan's status remains illegal until he officially seeks asylum. Asif counters that they owe Hassan a debt of gratitude for saving their lives. Upon understanding Hassan's intentions, Sam declares that he cannot accommodate him further and plans to stay with his sister instead. He insists that Hassan must vacate the premises by the following day.
Doreen (played by Lisa Davina Phillipa) discusses the responsibility of caring for Dot (Michele Dotrice) with Marty. Natasha Findlay (portrayed by Shreya M. Patel) asserts that this arrangement doesn't have to be permanent and expresses her determination to help Dot regain her mobility so she can return home. Marty, however, is resolute in his decision to stay by his mother's side. Meanwhile, Karen continues her investigation by poring over files and stumbles upon a USB drive. Elsewhere, Juliet and Taylor share their thoughts with a therapist, with Juliet expressing her desire for Taylor's happiness and her own. Taylor emphasizes the importance of honesty between her and her mother.
Sunny catches up with Leanne at the pub, while Marty overhears a conversation about the Protocol of the Elders of Zion, prompting Dot to call out for him. Marty takes an unidentified pill. Sunny and Leanne bond over their shared experiences with their parents. Jess visits her sister, Debbie (played by Grianne Keenan), and offers to lend a hand with cleaning. Debbie mentions starting a new medication regimen that seems more effective than the previous ones. Jess inquiries about her needs and expresses her wish to move forward, but admits she can't until she's certain of Debbie's honesty. Jess probes further to clarify if the encounter with Steve was just a kiss or something more, to which Debbie admits it was an emotional connection that went beyond a simple kiss and included sleeping together on multiple occasions.
At the end of their date, Leanne and Sunny share a kiss. Jess calls her mother to inquire about visiting her that evening, while Sunny reaches out to Leanne to ask if she'd like to go out again. During a meeting, Fran reveals that she spoke to someone who described Gerard as somewhat mischievous and had witnessed him with another woman months before his disappearance. The woman's name was Melinda, leading them to investigate Gerard's phone records and social media activity. Karen notes that the PAYE records ended in 2021 and mentions an M. Baines with addresses in Ilford and Deal, Kent. Additionally, Karen uncovers three USB sticks related to the car park incident. Murray shares that Cooper claimed to have been struck from behind by an assailant in a hoodie, but CCTV footage shows a man walking away from the Three Crowns car park towards Bow tube at 10:33 p.m., half an hour after the attack was believed to have occurred. Juliet, who found Cooper unconscious, initially assumed the attack had just happened.
They scrutinize the CCTV footage intently. Sunny postulates that the suspect might be engaging in stimming, a behavior often exhibited by individuals on the autism spectrum. Meanwhile, Fran uncovers that Gerard was once apprehended for assaulting David Prentice during a rally at Westminster Square. Murray engages in a conversation with a woman who used to oversee Gerard's properties, painting a picture of a difficult collaborator. She recounts how reluctant Gerard was to spend any money and how combative he became when he took over the management himself. Their contract with him was terminated in September 2020, and she suspects there were numerous disputes that year. She reveals that most of the tenants were asylum seekers, shedding light on a specific, protracted conflict involving an Afghan family. Enter Asif, an interpreter for this family, who confides in Sam about his exhaustion from feeling perpetually obligated to show gratitude. Sam cautions him about the ramifications for both of them, reminding Asif that his government could potentially punish him severely for being gay. In his own home, Sam warns, he could become an accessory to a crime, jeopardizing his entire career. Their debate intensifies.
Elsewhere, Marty informs Jess and Sunny that he prefers not to discuss matters in their current location. Sunny promptly calls to arrange for the presence of an appropriate adult. In parallel, Fran interviews David Prentice, who acknowledges Gerard as an old acquaintance. Their paths crossed again at a Brexit-related rally, where their differing views on the vote led to a violent altercation. David portrays Gerard as increasingly embittered, feeling hard-done-by politics and believing himself owed more recognition.
Back in 2016, Gerard established UK United, an online forum described by David as a platform for low-level racism. Elsewhere, Liz Jones and others voice their concerns to Juliet, leading to a heated exchange culminating in Juliet cursing Liz and storming away. Fran's sleuthing leads her to a video of Melinda, affectionately known as Melinda "Preachy" Ricci, a former nun turned controversial columnist, whose excitement over a Boris Johnson retweet is palpable.
Marty reminisces about securing his job through Gerard Cooper, detailing their conversations. Sunny inquires about furlough benefits, learning that Gerard had successfully applied for them but never passed the money on to Marty. A physical altercation over unpaid wages escalated in a pub, with Marty pushing Gerard against a wall after being shoved inside. Sunny informs Marty of the CCTV evidence, highlighting the striking resemblance of the suspect to him.
Desiring clarity, Marty requests a break to organize his narrative. Fran examines photographs of Melinda "Preachy" Ricci, her former nun persona starkly contrasting with her current, outspoken columnist identity. A call from Dot interrupts, urging Marty, somewhat tentatively, to refrain from mentioning their father in his statements.
