Our coveted couple is at odds with each other yet again.

And who is at the center of it all? None other than Jason Grant.  It's been a minute, and we had to have known that him coming between Nikki and Mike wouldn't simply stop overnight.

While the guys got sucked into locating Ms. Patty on Alert: Missing Persons Unit Season 2 Episode 5, Nikki and Mike were at odds with each other because of a secret she and Jason are harboring.

It's just another day with the MPU, right?

Ms. Patty was a fiery old broad, and she was fun to watch. She didn't take to someone holding her captive too well. She had a witty one-liner for her captors and was rarely intimidated.

She damn near dared them to shoot her a few times. And when they did, she handled it like a "G," to steal from Jason Grant.

Given her past with chasing up after everyone to ensure their neighborhood was in the best state, the list of people who had a grudge against her was a mile long and wide.

Wayne: How is it that you know so much about hip-hop?
Jason: Because I'm a G.

• Permalink: Because I'm a G.

Julius Meeks was definitely someone who looked like he could be good for doing something to Ms. Patty. He couldn't hide the disdain he had for her. And it probably grew stronger since her abduction is what led to him going away for his chop shop business.

But instead, the case became straightforward once we learned that she was a pseudo-parent to a famous rapper. It was obvious that someone was using her to get to Mo Betta, and it was easier to pursue that angle once they had a few proper leads.

Helen was back to offer some input and serve as her quirky self, but it's still difficult to connect with this character. And the lack of C is so glaring that it makes you long for a situation where it would bring him to our screens.

It's slightly easier to connect with Wayne, but with most of her interactions connecting to Jason, many of her moments are underwhelming.

It's still difficult to buy into the sexual chemistry and tension that is supposed to be between the two.

Inexplicably, something unknown has shifted between them, and we were treated to a brief makeout session before business took over.

But I'm still not convinced by the two as a romantic pairing, and it feels like they're putting someone with Jason just for the sake of it.

It's not the most popular observation to make, but Dania Ramirez and Caan have the strongest chemistry out of everyone on the cast. When it comes to chemistry, I'm of the mindset that you go where the chemistry is and let the storytelling follow.

Otherwise, it's distracting and inauthentic.

I felt more tuned into the Nikki and Jason scenes that had them joking with each other, checking in with one another, and talking about Mike the playful banter between Jason and Wayne.

The latter still give off a sibling energy that's hard to shake. But another issue is how little we know about Wayne and how rarely we check back in with her.

Mike is aware of that chemistry, too.

We're just going to keep pretending something isn't wrong?

Mike [to Nikki]

• Permalink: We're just going to keep pretending something isn't wrong?

It's why he spent most of the hour frustrated with Nikki for keeping something from him and letting it out in little passive aggressive ways.

He also took it out on some of their suspects a few times. His tackle was epic, although nothing compared to Jason nearly decapitating that one guy at the chop shop.

Mike doesn't have an issue working with Jason, and by now, they've formed their own friendship. They talk to each other about things, and they're something akin to family, which is nice.

But it isn't enough to keep Mike from feeling like the third wheel in his own marriage when Nikki and Jason are teamed up with something.

And when he and Nikki aren't on the same page, it spills over into the office space, and it's noticeable to everyone. Kemi got caught in the awkward crossfire a few times during this installment.

But this situation is hard because Mike is such a stickler for the rules and following orders that he's not someone that Jason would immediately want to bring into the fold.

It also has to be lingering in the back of Jason and Nikki's minds that Braun went to Mike and teased opportunities to him about his career going bigger places.

It's not that they don't trust Mike Sherman. Instead, it's not wanting to drag him into the fray when they don't have the necessary proof that Braun is invovled with the car bombing.

Kidnapper: Make the damn call, lady.
Ms. Patty: That gun supposed to scare me?

• Permalink: That gun supposed to scare me?

When you go after someone with the type of power and standing as Braun, you have to come correct and make sure there's enough evidence for whatever charges to stick.

All Jason has had thus far is a hunch that he can't shake. Wayne gave him another clue that has confirmed for him that it's Braun. The person who confessed in prison is terminally ill with nothing to lose.

But he still doesn't have enough to lead the charge. However, that hasn't stopped him from talking to Nikki about it and firing up the pitchforks.

This car bombing situation is the ongoing case that lingers in the background, but frankly, it's not all that gripping. At this point, they can hurry along to the big reveal about Braun.

Jason: Is that about me?
Nikki: ISn't it always?

• Permalink: ISn't it always?

Anyone who looks at him can tell that he's shady, and the way he fixates on Jason is highly suspicious. I can't wait until things ramp up on that front.

I also wonder if the Irish mob will have any connection to all of this when it's all said and done.

Sometimes the case-of-the-week is intriguing, but overall, Alert has lost some of its pizzazz.

Over to you, Alert: MPU Fanatics. How hilarious was Ms. Patty? Are you 'shipping Wayne and Jason? Should they just bring Mike into the fold to expose Braun? Sound off!

Alert: Missing Persons Unit airs on Tuesdays at 9/8c on FOX. You can stream the following day on Hulu.

Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.