Ep 17. Mind Games

Charlie Eppes, played by David Krumholtz, is a mathematical genius who uses his expertise to help solve crimes for the FBI. In season 2 episode 17, titled "Mind Games," Charlie is called in to help investigate a string of murders that all seem to be linked by the use of a particular drug that renders the victims unable to resist the killer's commands.

The episode begins with a woman named Melanie, played by Amanda Righetti, being targeted by the killer. She manages to escape, but not before she is injected with the mind-altering drug. When she awakens in the hospital, she has no memory of what happened to her, but she does hear a voice telling her to kill herself.

The FBI is called in to investigate, and Charlie is brought on board to help. He quickly deduces that the killer is using a mind-altering drug called desmethylprodine, which has the ability to control a person's actions. The drug is commonly used in veterinary medicine, but it's also available on the black market.

As the investigation continues, the team realizes that the killer has been using the drug to create a "hive mind" of his victims. He injects them with the drug and then uses his voice to control their actions, essentially turning them into his puppets. The team quickly realizes that they need to find a way to break the hive mind if they want to catch the killer.

Charlie decides to use his mathematical expertise to create a model of the hive mind. He builds a computer program that will allow the team to simulate the behavior of the hive mind and hopefully predict the killer's next move. However, creating the model proves to be a challenge as Charlie struggles with the limits of his own understanding of the human brain.

Meanwhile, the killer continues to target his victims, leaving clues for the FBI to follow. Each victim is injected with the drug and then told to perform a specific action, all of which seem to be leading up to a final, deadly plan. The team races against the clock to decipher the clues and stop the killer before it's too late.

As the episode progresses, tensions rise as the team realizes that they may not be able to stop the killer in time. Charlie becomes increasingly frustrated with his inability to solve the problem, but he refuses to give up. With the help of his brother Don, played by Rob Morrow, he continues to work on the model of the hive mind, hoping to find a way to break it before it's too late.

In the end, the team is able to use the model to predict the killer's next move and stop him before he can carry out his deadly plan. However, the victory is bittersweet as the team realizes the toll that the case has taken on them. Charlie is forced to confront his own limitations as a mathematician, and the team is left to grapple with the trauma of the case.

Overall, "Mind Games" is a suspenseful and thought-provoking episode that showcases the unique blend of math and crime-solving that makes Numb3rs such a compelling show. The episode explores themes of control, manipulation, and the limits of human understanding, all while keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.