Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Found season 2, episode 17.held hostage inside M&A, the former's son is desperate to reach her despite the threat to his own life.

The game-changing installment was directed by star Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who previously stepped behind the camera for shows such as Saved By the Bell and Murder in the First. It features guest star McKinley Belcher III as Monty, a father from a former case whom Gabi reunites with his child. In addition to Gosselaar, the main cast includes Shanola Hampton, Kelli Williams, Brett Dalton, Karan Oberoi, Gabrielle Walsh, and Arlen Escarpeta.

ScreenRant interviews Mark-Paul Gosselaar about the challenges of directing the latest episode of Found season 2, Gabi and Monty's moment of connection, and what's next for Sir, Margaret, and Jamie.

Filming On Multiple Different Stages Was A Challenge In Found Season 2, Episode 17

"We're talking through the actual system, or we're talking through a walkie-talkie, or I'm running to the other stage."

ScreenRant: This is your fourth time directing a TV show, so how did Found compare to your other experiences?

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: I think that this was definitely the biggest challenge. Our scripts are enormous, and when we receive the scripts, there is a lot on the page. Our writers and our showrunner do a fantastic job of providing us with just the best material.

The challenge then becomes, how can you keep all of this within that 42-minute allotted time that we have to tell the story? Because they're so in-depth, they're so visual already on the page. I'd say this was the most challenging out of everything that I've directed.

You had this threat taking place at M&A while everyone reacted to it through a screen back at Zeke's house. Was that difficult to capture?

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: We had to do so much mental gymnastics during the screens of who could hear and who could see [what]. I had to rely heavily on my AD and my DP and making sure that we had this all worked out before we got to set. We couldn't be on set and have to think about anything other than performances, and so just understanding when we were in M&A, when we were seeing what our group was seeing.

Yeah, that was a huge component. I'm glad that you actually saw that and noticed that because that was not easy. Even working with the writer, there were times where we were stumped. "Wait, are we here? Are we there? Who can see or hear? And how does this work out?" It's funny that you brought that up.

It's edited together so seamlessly that you don't realize it.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: And the actors are actually on a completely separate stage. So we're on Stage A and the other actors are on Stage B, and we're talking through the actual system, or we're talking through a walkie-talkie, or I'm running to the other stage to say something to them and then running back.

And then just making sure that everyone's ready to go and delivering. We don't have a lot of time, and again, we're so ambitious, we don't have a lot of time during the day to make many mistakes, and so it was definitely a challenge. We had a hurricane at one point. There was one point where we got cut. It was half a day, "Everybody go home, we're done. There's a hurricane coming in."

So we had to be cut, and then we had to come back a few days later, and then that bled into the next director's episode, and then we had to crossboard things. It's a lot. Again, it's a testament to the talent that we have also in front of the screen as well as behind the screen and everybody is just so professional and so good at their jobs.

McKinley Belcher III Was Gosselaar's First Choice For The Role Of Monty

"He's just a really special human being, and I knew that Shanola and him would connect."

I love that moment between Gabi and Monty where she lets down her walls and listens to what he has to say. What were you asking for from the actors?

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: I had to ask a lot from McKinley Belcher. He was my first choice when I read this script. I had worked with him on The age, and he was fantastic in that. I've always just loved his work—when he did a run on Ozark and then recently in Zero Day.

I knew that we needed an actor that Shanola—because she's onscreen with him through the entire episode—I needed someone that was a good person, and McKinley is that person. I also needed someone who would come prepared because Shanola does not like to rehearse. The preparation needed to be done before they got on set.

I needed someone also to have this presence on screen, but then also during that final scene with Shanola and him where they break down to each other, I needed there also to be this very soft, sensitive side that you rooted for as the audience. I was just so happy that McKinley was available that he signed on to do the job because he's just a really special human being, and I knew that Shanola and him would connect, and it would make for some fantastic scenes during the episode.

Jamie's Connection To Sir Is Still A Mystery In Found Season 2

"I think he enjoys manipulating her and sort of toying with her, especially since he has a relationship with Jamie."

The episodes continue to highlight how Jamie has started to feel like a part of the team as a kidnapping victim himself. Was putting the picture on the wall a nod to that?

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: That actually was written in the script. I think for him, ing the squad was that moment that he has with Dhan where they're outside and Dhan doesn't say anything.

He just listens to him rambling on, and then he just says to him, "That moment that you had at the door trying to get in to see your mother, I knew you were her son at that moment." So I think that that was the lead up to that and then that scene outside waiting for the landscaper to show up. Those were two important scenes for Jamie.

You and Kelli Williams had some great one-on-one scenes this episode. Is there anything you can tease about the power struggle between them?

Mark-Paul Gosselaar: I always enjoy my scenes with Kelly just because her character, as well, is a very intellectual, bright person, and so I think Sir appreciates people that are smart. I think he enjoys manipulating her and sort of toying with her, especially since he has a relationship with Jamie. The next episode is interesting. We will find out more about Jamie and Margaret. There's a moment where Sir says to her, "The clouds will part." We pick up the next episode right there.

About NBC's Found Season 2

Created by Nkechi Okoro Carroll

In any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about. Public relations specialist Gabi Mosely (series star and producer Shanola Hampton), who was once herself one of those forgotten ones, and her crisis management team make sure there is always someone looking out for the missing.

Gabi, however, has a chilling secret: In the midst of grief, she imprisoned her childhood kidnapper, Sir (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). Now Sir has escaped and is on the loose, and her biggest secret is now her biggest threat.

Check out our other interviews with the Found season 2 cast:

• Arlen Escarpeta
• Brett Dalton
• Danielle Savre
• Dionne Gipson
• Gabrielle Walsh
• Karan Oberoi
• Kelli Williams
• Mark-Paul Gosselaar
• Mark-Paul Gosselaar & Shanola Hampton
• Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll
• Shanola Hampton

Found season 2 airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.