S02.E12: Pax Abuddin

[ShellSeeker]

 

It’s a new dawn in Abuddin, and Jamal’s fate - along with that of the Al-Fayeed family - remains uncertain. Recognizing the situation is ripe for turmoil, Barry encourages Rami to stay and oversee the transition. Leila cooperates with the Arab League, hoping to secure a position for herself and Ahmed in the new world order.

 

[dubbel zout]

The name of the episode is "Pax Abbudin."

[sjohnson]

But, "paz" means "peace" too, just in Spanish! Also, there aren't enough words with z, we need to use them whenever we can.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

WELP!

[SimoneS]

Eh, Jamal isn't dead. That man has nine lives, but good on Nusrat for trying to take him out. He wasn't wrong about Bassam. Since he was a child, he clearly wanted to be his father''s favorite and ultimately, he will end up taking over as Tyrant one way or the other. Democracy is a pipe dream that won't happen. I loved Bassam calling out Leila for always having an angle. Ha.

 

Oh, Molly and Sammy, save yourselves and flee Abuddin and Bassam's psycho-family drama before he brings more pain and death to you both. The actor who plays Sammy did some outstanding work this season.

Edited September 2, 2015 by SimoneS

[Rhetorica]

If Jamal's out, so am I...

[MrsRafaelBarba]

I see you Barry, eye fucking a woman who isn't your wifey.

[AlliMo]

I wasn't going to watch the second season but somehow I did and when did this show get good? This season was such a massive improvement over the first season. If it isn't renewed, I would be genuinely disappointed.

[slothgirl]

Hmmm.. not sure how I feel about this episode. It felt rushed. Maybe if they hadn't spent so much time on all the silly love triangles all season, they could have had some meatier scenes for this episode, by not cramming it all into one episode. Too many storylines to address in addition to establishing the new world order for Abbudin.

 

Leila was outstanding as usual. Molly was unexpectedly good (especially in her scenes with Exley.. SMACKDOWN!) Sammy continued to excel after being such a HUGE disappointment last season. But somehow, my boy Jamal fell flat in so many of his scenes. I could just assume that Adam Raynor wasn't giving him anything to act against in the scenes with Barry, but his other scenes felt off to me as well. And I've been singing his praises all season. What happened? Is it just me that just wasn't feeling Jamal's scenes?

 

Maybe it was the writing.. as I said, it all felt so rushed and so many things that should have been part of the conversations didn't make it in... like with Barry.. yeah.. he killed your Mom, and I'm glad they included that, but no mention of "Dude! You left me to DIE a horrible slow death in the desert!" as a reason he isn't thrilled to see Jamal.

 

Just more of Saint Barry... he holds his mother's death against Jamal, but not Jamal's own actions towards HIM. What a great guy! He can't POSSIBLY become a tyrant.

 

Is it shallow of me that despite a moving and rich performance by the actress, I spent much of Daliyah's scenes trying to figure out how her hair was done? Cause I want that hair. All those sections and twists coming together in that fabulous braid. I want Leila's wardrobe and Daliyah's hair.

 

I found myself feeling really bad for the old bedouin guy's first wife... remember her? The one whose 2 sons are BOTH dead as well as her husband? It's a little harder to feel bad for Daliyah's loss of Bassam when remembering the 1st wife's loss. The actress really sold it though.

 

Here's a strange tidbit: Despite the fact that Alice Kridge seemed totally wasted by this show, according to IMDB, she was in more episodes than Ahmed.

 

I assume the girl Bassam said he "promised" was Samira, right?

 

I'm sure Jamal will live at least part of the season opener next time... someone has to attempt to have Nusrat hung for treason... like they need more drama of that sort on the show.

[Dowel Jones]

HELP!  My DVR, although it said that it recorded the entire 1:11 episode, cut out at precisely the climactic moment of Jamal's speech, at about  1:04.  What happened afterward?  It had to be important, judging from the posts so far.

[thuganomics85]

 

HELP!  My DVR, although it said that it recorded the entire 1:11 episode, cut out at precisely the climactic moment of Jamal's speech, at about  1:04.  What happened afterward?  It had to be important, judging from the posts so far.

Nursat shot Jamal from behind.  Twice in the back and one at the side of his head, I think. Final scene was Barry trying to save him, while Leila begs Barry to just let Jamal die.

 

If this show comes back, I'm pretty sure Jamal will somehow survive those shots.  True, most would die, but this is TV, so he'll be out of it for a couple of episodes, and back to his jackass self in no time.  Plus, I think all those shots of the photographers taking pictures of Barry helping him, will end up playing a huge part in a potential third season.  People probably won't be happy if Barry saves him.

 

Either way though, I have to think Nursat is screwed.  Everyone saw her, and even if he was evil, I have to think they'll execute her or imprison her.  Still, good for her for trying to end him, after what he did to her.  Too bad her aim wasn't better.

 

I was amused over how Molly and Sammy keep talking about backing Barry up and him being happy about it, and no one seemed to give a shit about Emma.  I guess she's just stuck in America by herself.  I hope she's staying with friends at least.  Of course, Barry is still making eyes at Dayliah, so who the hell knows how long is loyalty will last.

 

Jamal's shock over how mad Barry was, cracked me up.  Like he really thought Barry would only need a day to get over Jamal leaving him to die in the desert and killing their mom.  Oh, Jamal!

 

I did think this season was an improvement over the first, so I wouldn't be against it coming back.  Have no idea what FX thinks.  It's not like this show is getting huge ratings or will be getting any award show love any time soon, but they have lost a few shows already, so they might keep with it for a bit longer.

Edited September 2, 2015 by thuganomics85

[cyberfruit]

While I expected the ending (did they seriously think Jamal was going to step down that easily? Please.), I did *not* expect Nusrat to be the one holding the gun. Not that she didn't deserve to be the one to kill him, but still! Good plot twist. 

[Artsda]

Nusrat shot Jamal multiple times to the head/back.  Well go Nusrat, of all the people who I thought would try to shoot him, didn't expect it to be her. They can claim distress over her loss of child or something.

 

Barry's already wanting Daliyah, he would probably be better off sending Molly home and have they forgotten they have another child? Did anyone call her to say hey your dad is alive?

 

That was a big cliff to leave the show on when they haven't announced renewal yet. 

[Human]

They mentioned Emma a couple of times so it seems likely someone called her off screen seeing as the actress likely isn't available.  

 

I was delightfully surprised that Nusrat pulled the trigger.  She did was Leila couldn't, and she did it publicly.  You go girl.

 

Of course, I don't want Jamal to die because then we'd be stuck with just Barry and that's pretty much why we can guarantee that Jamal won't die.  Adam Rayner would sink this show faster than anything.  

 

I wish TV operated a little more like real life sometimes.  In real life, people would talk, things would be out in the open.  Molly would mention that she slept in the same bed with their creepy lawyer and Barry would bring up his deep connection with Daliyah.  But tv, people can never talk to each other.  I know it's going to happen this way but it annoys me every single time.

 

I guess final thoughts for this season - I could take or leave this show.  I'm pretty apathetic on whether or not it returns, though there are a couple of actors here that I would love to see again, just with a better cast and writers.  

[wrlord]

Wow, this episode was slooow. All these people making lovey eyes at each other bored the snot out of me.  I can completely do without Barry, Molly and Sammy (and anyone else whose name ends in a "y").   This show grinds to a screeching halt whenever Jamal isn't on screen. I don't know if it's the character or the incredibly charismatic actor, but without him, this show is toast.  Like Dallas with no J.R.

[candall]

Well, personally, I like Barry Bassam and I'd be happy to see him marry Daliyah and be elected President of Abuddin.

 

I guess they've got me right where they want me.  : )

 

 

 

*****

Things I hadn't noticed before:

--The opening credits have Barry, then Molly, then Jamal.  (Yeow.)

--Ahmed only comes up to his mother's earlobe.

--Jamal has space for a third front tooth.

 

.

[catrox14]

Well, shit. I didn't see that coming. At least not from her.

 

Wow. Wow. Wow.

 

The best actor in the cast is the woman playing Leila, IMO. I wouldn't mind if she became President. I mean it won't happen but it would be cool. I don't see how they go on without Jamal.  Unless they have Barry go full on dark side wackadoodle which would be surprising.

 

Overall, this season was much better than s1 other than the overly long battle.  But I felt engaged and interested more than last season. 

Edited September 2, 2015 by catrox14

[paulvdb]

I was amused over how Molly and Sammy keep talking about backing Barry up and him being happy about it, and no one seemed to give a shit about Emma.  I guess she's just stuck in America by herself.

She's probably better off without them. 

 

While I expected the ending (did they seriously think Jamal was going to step down that easily? Please.), I did *not* expect Nusrat to be the one holding the gun. Not that she didn't deserve to be the one to kill him, but still! Good plot twist.

I knew Nusrat was going to try to kill Jamal after her conversation with Rami that went something like:

Nusrat: "So he's going to be punished?"

Rami: "He'll be gone."

It seemed obvious to me that Nusrat didn't just want Jamal gone so she was going to punish him if the ICC wouldn't.

[Rahul]

I thought Jamal seemed quite resigned to his fate in the scene where he called Barry Bassam to his place and asked if his brother wanted him to sign the confession for the ICC. I was sure Jamal would pull out a gun and shoot himself in the head. When that didn't happen, I still expected it to occur offscreen while Leila was talking to Bassam in the hallway.

I don't think anyone could have seen that ending with Nusrat coming though, perhaps in part because it did not make much sense. Was nusrat in the audience listening to the president's purported resignation speech? If so, did she get up and run to her room to fetch a loaded gun when Jamal announced he wouldn't be stepping down and arrive seconds later? Or was she absent during Jamal's speech with the intent of killing him even as he planned to turn himself over to the ICC for punishment for war crimes? Neither scenario makes much sense.

[Human]

Another scenario is that she was watching on live tv from her quarters, heard Jamal say he wasn't going to step down and face punishment and then walked down the hallway to the press conference and shot him while he was still on live tv.  

Edited September 2, 2015 by Human

[Constantinople]

Jamal already gravely wounded and survived an assassination attempt near the start of the series, so I don't see how he can survive another near death assassination attempt.  Which is a pity.

 

Whoever the new authorities are in Abuddin, they should tell Nusrat should can either face a trial or join the Olympic shooting team.

[sjohnson]

The only scenario I think makes sense is Nusrat got the gun and got into position (tricky propositions but maybe feasible given guards are freaking out over who's in charge now,) to kill Jamal because resignation wasn't enough to satisfy her. 

 

Personally I think that if you're not going with a Christian forgive "seventy times seven," you should go with the (Old Testament) lex talionis: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and a life for a life. Jamal and Bassam killed the senior Rashidi, his hooker girlfriend and Uncle General Tariq, and in a way, his mother. Those are the murders he should have died for, given capital punishment. He didn't kill anyone in Ma'an and taking the fall for that was strictly for Bassam's political benefit. The good brother winking at Leila's lie because he wanted to become president was kind of creepy. His indifference to truth can only be explained if his only purpose was to take down Jamal. Jamal announcing his resignation because of his responsibility for Amira's death would in some respects have been vastly more satisfying an outcome to the family dynamics, in my opinion. Bassam bringing his brother to a genuine step in repentance and redemption, a truthful one, would have signified fraternal love for the man, not lust for his office.

 

I think Noah Silver's performance was just as good last year as this. The only difference I see is this season was gay sex free. In particular, Sammy's eagerness to live the high life as prince continues. His talk about finishing the job is no more to be taken seriously than Barry's. 

 

I'm pretty sure the producers intend this to be serviceable as a series finale. The tyrant is dead, all is peace (the Caliphate just left the "oil fields" from chagrin at being defeated in Ma'an, no doubt!) The final assertion that "this is justice" says raping a high class woman deserves death while murdering people doesn't sound right to me though. It was so disconcerting I wondered if I misheard.

[Ottis]

I enjoyed pretty much this entire season, with the exception of Molly when she was in the US/with the lawyer. Many characters who had been irritating really came around this season, especially Sammy. Barry walked the line between being inspiring/special snowflake but pulled it off pretty well. I hope the show is renewed.

 

One thing I don't understand is why Molly is now all in on Bassam. What changed for her? Sammy I get. But I see no reason that Molly wouldn't still want Barry and the family back in the US stat. Maybe if we saw Molly interacting more with the people of Abuddin, but she didn't.

 

Was nusrat in the audience listening to the president's purported resignation speech? If so, did she get up and run to her room to fetch a loaded gun when Jamal announced he wouldn't be stepping down and arrive seconds later?

 

 

Didn't they show Nusrat watching Jamal on TV from inside the palace? I thought she was one of a handful of people they showed watching the live feed. I could easily see her walking from her room to the press conference, and guards allowing her to pass.

 

I'm pretty sure the producers intend this to be serviceable as a series finale.

 

 

Agree it could work that way, but I would be sad to see it go. That said, I don't know where they would go next season with Jamal gravely injured. Maybe they do a time jump and he is well back on the road to recovery? Jamal's view of his brother and their place in the world was fascinating.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Ottis

[dubbel zout]

like with Barry.. yeah.. he killed your Mom, and I'm glad they included that, but no mention of "Dude! You left me to DIE a horrible slow death in the desert!" as a reason he isn't thrilled to see Jamal.

 

I know! I was surprised Bassam didn't mention this, either. Maybe he's just grateful he wasn't hanged?

 

I was mesmerized by Daliyah's braid, too. She has fantastic hair. But I'm kind of disappointed she and Bassam are eye fucking. It's way too cliché.

 

I was amused over how Molly and Sammy keep talking about backing Barry up and him being happy about it, and no one seemed to give a shit about Emma.  I guess she's just stuck in America by herself.  I hope she's staying with friends at least.

 

That cracked me up, too. Poor Emma. The women are always an afterthought, if that.

 

One thing I don't understand is why Molly is now all in on Bassam. What changed for her? Sammy I get. But I see no reason that Molly wouldn't still want Barry and the family back in the US stat. Maybe if we saw Molly interacting more with the people of Abuddin, but she didn't.

 

I think it was being with him in the square with all those people shouting his name. She could see for herself that support for him was extensive. I also think that being in Abuddin while it was fighting the Caliphate made her realize that it was a country worth fighting for. Now that her son and husband are involved, she's decided to support that.

 

I found this season a disappointment. If there is a third, I don't know if I'll keep watching. It feels like it's going in circles a bit.

Edited September 2, 2015 by dubbel zout

[SimoneS]

I came to the realization last night that this show has some of the most beautiful women on all the shows on tv. The actresses who play Leila, Dahlia, and Nusrat, are breathtaking. 

[slothgirl]

I wish TV operated a little more like real life sometimes.  In real life, people would talk, things would be out in the open.  Molly would mention that she slept in the same bed with their creepy lawyer and Barry would bring up his deep connection with Daliyah.  But tv, people can never talk to each other.

I disagree... IRL people often don't say what needs to be said either. Even if B & M were going to reveal those things, I wouldn't expect them to do it in the first 48 hours of their reunion, especially with everything going on around them politically. If they get a season 3 (which I am hoping for) I think this might all come out or get discussed when they have time for more than just reuniting. And frankly, it isn't a scene I want to watch anyway... Barry and Molly having a long discussion about their relationship and the threats to it? No thanks.

 

The best actor in the cast is the woman playing Leila, IMO. I wouldn't mind if she became President. I mean it won't happen but it would be cool. I don't see how they go on without Jamal.  Unless they have Barry go full on dark side wackadoodle which would be surprising.

 

I agree about Moran Atias. She's outstanding. The complex emotion she should while simply reading Jamal's confession was Emmy worthy.

 

On the other hand... Barry going full on dark side wackadoodle means that maybe the actor would move his eyebrows or blink or something.

 

I thought Jamal seemed quite resigned to his fate in the scene where he called Barry Bassam to his place and asked if his brother wanted him to sign the confession for the ICC. I was sure Jamal would pull out a gun and shoot himself in the head. When that didn't happen, I still expected it to occur offscreen while Leila was talking to Bassam in the hallway.

The scene with Mahmoud finding out that he didn't have a deal for immunity prompted his visit to Jamal in which he undoubtedly gave Jamal the proof that Tariq was behind the gassing of Ma'an. That was the reason for Jamal's change of heart about resigning.

 

I had wondered how the Colonel had managed to avoid getting killed by Jamal in a fit of rage at some point. He seemed so ineffective, but I guess that also meant he was non-threatening. Turns out he was smarter than he looked.

 

The good brother winking at Leila's lie because he wanted to become president was kind of creepy. His indifference to truth can only be explained if his only purpose was to take down Jamal.

 

I'm pretty sure the producers intend this to be serviceable as a series finale. The tyrant is dead, all is peace (the Caliphate just left the "oil fields" from chagrin at being defeated in Ma'an, no doubt!) The final assertion that "this is justice" says raping a high class woman deserves death while murdering people doesn't sound right to me though. It was so disconcerting I wondered if I misheard.

Leila didn't lie. She believed that Jamal ordered the gassing of Ma'an. He never told her that Tariq was responsible. They had quite a scene in the episode where she found out about about the mass murder. I don't remember Jamal revealing that he had no knowledge of it til after the fact. As far as I know, Bassam didn't know it was Tariq either.

 

Of course, that makes the scene between Jamal and Barry even more bizarre... "I can't forgive you for killing our mother cause I'll never get to see her again (even though I moved to the other side of the world years ago and never saw her much anyway), but leaving me to die in the desert and killing hundreds of our people are not things worthy of mentioning when you wonder why I'm not thrilled to see you"

 

We don't know that Jamal is dead. It looked like a cliffhanger to me if ever there was one. Unless the actor has something else lined up, I can't imagine that they'd kill him off. Cause like another poster said "Dallas without JR".. won't work.

 

I don't think Leila meant that Nusrat specifically killing Jamal was justice, but that Jamal being assassinated/ dead would be justice.

Edited September 2, 2015 by slothgirl

[sjohnson]

Except for the point that being a witness means actually witnessing the deed being done, which Leila didn't (and therefore I see her as lying,) I agree with the rest. Especially that Jamal is only dead if there's no third season. I would add the producers know that having a rape victim (rape is a physical assault, which doesn't necessarily require penile penetration to be brutal or sexual) kill her attacker is fairly common in TV/movies and they know what it implies. So however Leila meant it, we can't perceive it the way she does, we know Nusrat's story where (if I remember correctly) she doesn't.

[Human]

I disagree... IRL people often don't say what needs to be said either. Even if B & M were going to reveal those things, I wouldn't expect them to do it in the first 48 hours of their reunion, especially with everything going on around them politically. If they get a season 3 (which I am hoping for) I think this might all come out or get discussed when they have time for more than just reuniting. And frankly, it isn't a scene I want to watch anyway... Barry and Molly having a long discussion about their relationship and the threats to it? No thanks.

I'm sure there are some people who don't talk to their partners, but by and large that's not how it works.  I would also think that the issue of coming back from the dead would require a bit of conversation.  

 

They don't need to make a big scene about it.  A simple "we have a lot to talk about" is enough and then it can happen off screen.  It might take a bit of extra brain cells for the audience to recognize that something is happening offscreen, such as the fact that people were talking to Emma when the camera was turned away.  But using two extra brain cells shouldn't be that difficult.  The point is that all of this not talking is TVland's way of saying that they intend some romance drama up ahead.  No thanks.  

[slothgirl]

Except for the point that being a witness means actually witnessing the deed being done, which Leila didn't (and therefore I see her as lying,) I agree with the rest. Especially that Jamal is only dead if there's no third season. I would add the producers know that having a rape victim (rape is a physical assault, which doesn't necessarily require penile penetration to be brutal or sexual) kill her attacker is fairly common in TV/movies and they know what it implies. So however Leila meant it, we can't perceive it the way she does, we know Nusrat's story where (if I remember correctly) she doesn't.

I don't know what the ICC legal code is, but in the US, being called as a "witness" simply means having testimony to give. That testimony can be what was said to you or that you directly heard being said; you are a "witness" to a conversation, not the event itself. I would say it would not constitute "proof", but merely becomes part of a package of evidence that would need further substantiation.

 

So Leila lied if she testified that Jamal admitted to the attacks. But since she actually believes he did order the attacks, and he didn't deny it to her, she is lying only about how she knows, not WHAT she (thinks she) knows. So yes, lying, I suppose. But I wanted to point out that she didn't know that Jamal wasn't responsible. It would be interesting to know if she would have taken things this far if she had known.... Or maybe I just missed the scene where Jamal tried to tell her.

 

I'm sure there are some people who don't talk to their partners, but by and large that's not how it works.  I would also think that the issue of coming back from the dead would require a bit of conversation.  

 

They don't need to make a big scene about it.  A simple "we have a lot to talk about" is enough and then it can happen off screen.  It might take a bit of extra brain cells for the audience to recognize that something is happening offscreen, such as the fact that people were talking to Emma when the camera was turned away.  But using two extra brain cells shouldn't be that difficult.  The point is that all of this not talking is TVland's way of saying that they intend some romance drama up ahead.  No thanks.  

Given the state of marriage and divorce, I would say that at least as many people DON"T communicate as do. If we are talking about potential infidelity or at least temptation, I'd say that there is even more being left unsaid. You are describing how relationships SHOULD be, but not how a substantial percentage of them ARE.

 

Besides, it's not like Barry opened up much even before all this (wasn't his silence and unilateral decision making a reason they were arguing in season 1?) It's totally in character that he wouldn't reveal anything about Deliyah at all, but certainly not their first night together (especially since celibacy had obviously been wearing thin for him!).

 

Molly, on the other hand, thought her husband was dead. She has nothing to "confess", and resuming her marriage certainly doesn't require that she open up about the lawyer ever, much less the first day she is together with her husband. I find their behavior believable; any deep conversations about the past year, I would expect to happen down the line, not on their first night. I was rather skeeved out by Barry going from "We have to start over" to "Will you sleep with me on the first date" in 2 minutes. I was really hoping she'd say no.

 

I did think the episode had too many storylines being tied up, and the absence of an on-screen conversation about Barry hiding the truth for the last year was annoying. But if you think we should accept that even though the camera was turned away, they were in communication with Emma all along even though she was only barely mentioned in a line here and there, then we can also assume that "coming back from the dead" conversations might have taken place before the reunion (or before Jamal showed up at the hotel)... there was quite a bit of cell phone usage going on in the last few episodes, as well as a tender night of marital bliss (snort) between Molly and Barry on their "first date".

Edited September 2, 2015 by slothgirl

[Ottis]

Maybe it was the writing.. as I said, it all felt so rushed and so many things that should have been part of the conversations didn't make it in... like with Barry.. yeah.. he killed your Mom, and I'm glad they included that, but no mention of "Dude! You left me to DIE a horrible slow death in the desert!" as a reason he isn't thrilled to see Jamal.

 

 

I thought that for a second, but the reason Jamal left Barry in the desert was that Barry tried to overthrow Jamal. So maybe Barry decided the two actions were relatively equal and left it alone vs. open up that debate again.

 

I think it was being with him in the square with all those people shouting his name. She could see for herself that support for him was extensive. I also think that being in Abuddin while it was fighting the Caliphate made her realize that it was a country worth fighting for. Now that her son and husband are involved, she's decided to support that.

 

 

Thought of all that, but it doesn't work. People were chanting for Barry when he tried the original coup, and Molly wasn't moved to stay or support his actions. We never saw her realize that Abuddin was worth fighting for - that's why I said that if we had been shown some of those scenes, with Molly interacting with its people, it might have worked. But we weren't. And Molly wanted Sammy out of there and away from the war. Even as she realizes he is his own man now, I don't know why she would want anything different now that it is over. There is no clear reason why Molly should have done a 180 expect maybe ... guilt?

[Rahul]

 

I did think the episode had too many storylines being tied up, and the absence of an on-screen conversation about Barry hiding the truth for the last year was annoying.

Evidently FX cut the second season episode order down from the initially ordered 13 to 12 at some point. This decision affected the ability of the finale to address all the story lines in the way the show runners had intended. I actually found the pacing of the finale to be a bit slow and tedious, like a needlessly protracted denouement.

[slothgirl]

 There is no clear reason why Molly should have done a 180 expect maybe ... guilt?

 

I agree that story-wise Molly's behavior this episode made no sense. And yet, oddly, I enjoyed her performance more in this episode than any other... go figure.

 

Evidently FX cut the second season episode order down from the initially ordered 13 to 12 at some point. This decision affected the ability of the finale to address all the story lines in the way the show runners had intended. I actually found the pacing of the finale to be a bit slow and tedious, like a needlessly protracted denouement.

Tedious and rushed at the same time. I think it was this show last season (or maybe some other show that I was dissing at the time) where I commented that the problem was that it was entirely predictable and at the same time, made NO sense.

 

But I still love this show, primarily for the guy that they might have just killed off.

[ganesh]

I see you Barry, eye fucking a woman who isn't your wifey.

 

Sooo, why did you pick up teh phone, huh? Ugh Barry. Just take the second wife. Who's going to stop you?

 

I don't feel that Barry's cult leader status was really earned because they wasted so much time on Molly with the lawyer etc. I disagree with the choice to include Molly/Bassam on his return from the war, or whatever you want to call it. It still smacks of The Americans Save The Day. I would have preferred that Barry became more and more Abudinni and Molly faded away. Which may happen. After all of what he's been through, the "let's start over" seemed flat to me. He was westernized when they met. He's really not that much so now. I wouldn't have minded if Sammy stuck around either. 

 

I don't feel like I wasted my time though, and I'll watch a 3rd season. This was certainly an improvement. 

 

It was fitting to me that Jamal was being nailed for the one thing he actually didn't do. Though I don't know why he didn't speak up immediately. I also didn't mind that Nusrat was the one who shot him. It's a little tropey, but not that bad and kind of classically tragic. I don't think it's OOC for her and she's clearly been burning with resentment forever.

 

For a tv show person, I can understand that it's hard to let go of such a good actor. I would like a death bed monologue to Barry, paralleling like the father did in S1, and then having him be dead for real. If they have him survive that, it's kind of too much of a cheat for me. 

 

In the end, this is a tragedy, and the 'hero' has to die because of his tragic flaws. It's fitting that it would be from Nusrat and it serves the story the best. So the question naturally is, does Barry harbor those same impulses? Can he over come them? Will Amahd have them too?

 

I had wondered how the Colonel had managed to avoid getting killed by Jamal in a fit of rage at some point. He seemed so ineffective, but I guess that also meant he was non-threatening. Turns out he was smarter than he looked.

 

He's been quietly sharp and chooses his words carefully. When the car bomb went off, he had an immediate plan to get his nephew out of the country and a secret bank account. 

[algebra]

I got tired of the whole Daliyah thing. Barry's got too many women hanging off him already and I've been waiting all season for Leila to tell him that Ahmed is really his son, not Jamal's. There's always next season for that. I will wait.

I thought the costumes in this episode were insane. Leila's purple wrap was idiotic looking, who dresses like that in the daytime? In an Islamic country? Then she turns up in an outfit right out of Little House on The Prairie; she suddenly turned into Ma Ingalls.

Molly's orange dress was a size too small and who wants a slit up the thigh in an tweed office dress? Or did she need the slit just to get into it? The color was awful on her. Didn't care much for that other dress with the appliquéd amoebas on it either, another bad color choice.

Then Nusrat appeared wearing a buttoned up swing coat like it's winter. What was that?

Before this episode I loved the clothes. It was like the costumiere went off the deep end on this one.

[scrb]

There should have been way more awkward conversations than there actually were. Several characters should have been apologizing to each other, instead of pretending certain things didn't happen.

Barry and Jamal -

Jamal: Sorry about leaving you out in the desert to die. Bro.

Barry: Sorry about plotting to overthrow you, which forced you to give me a death sentence. Oh and sorry for playing to the crowd who are calling for your ouster.

Barry and Molly -

Barry: Sorry for making a detour to visit Dalia instead of coming right to you.

Molly: Sorry for thinking of boning a smarmy lawyer as a way of moving on from you.

Barry: Sorry for going out on a "walk" the day after you gave me what you didn't give up to the smarmy lawyer. Oh sorry but I'm adopting this cool Bedouin tradition of taking up a younger, hotter, second wife. Meet your "sister"

Jamal and Leila -

Leila - Sorry for throwing you under the bus and my sudden concern for Ahmed to take over for you.

Jamal - sorry for not confessing to a crime I didn't commit, so you could keep your place in the palace.

Jamal and Nusrat -

Jamal - sorry for personally giving you a gynecological exam.

Nusrat - Bang! Bang! Bang!

[Oldmajor]

Thought of all that, but it doesn't work. People were chanting for Barry when he tried the original coup, and Molly wasn't moved to stay or support his actions. We never saw her realize that Abuddin was worth fighting for - that's why I said that if we had been shown some of those scenes, with Molly interacting with its people, it might have worked. But we weren't. And Molly wanted Sammy out of there and away from the war. Even as she realizes he is his own man now, I don't know why she would want anything different now that it is over. There is no clear reason why Molly should have done a 180 expect maybe ... guilt?

 

Well, to the shows defense, they werent chanting his name until after his arrest. When that happened she was facing a husband in jail and possibly his execution and being trapped in the US embassy. She probably gave two [expletive] about Abuddin. Now having spent more time there, Father and Son finally bonding, she really has no choice but to go along or she could lose her husband and son.

[TVForever]

I came to the realization last night that this show has some of the most beautiful women on all the shows on tv. The actresses who play Leila, Dahlia, and Nusrat, are breathtaking. 

         And holy cow, Leila has GOT to be the best-dressed woman on any show. Awards for the costume designer!

[Constantinople]

Jamal and Nusrat -

Jamal - sorry for personally giving you a gynecological exam.

Nusrat - Bang! Bang! Bang!

Didn't Jamal also have Nusrat's father killed after his participation in Barry's failed coup at the end of Season 1?

[slothgirl]

scrb, you left out:

 

Showrunners: "Sorry for casting some really weak actors in key roles"

 

Audience: "Sorry, not sorry, for hoping Barry and Molly would just die already"

[ganesh]

I'd love it if this was some long game where the actor played Barry deliberately low key like this, and next season he becomes this force of nature tyrant. I don't think it will happen, but it would be cool. 

 

I don't agree with some of the plots, but I do get the impression that TPTBs had a narrative direction for these 2 seasons, and aren't making it up as they go along. I'm willing to give a generous amount of slack for that. 

 

I want this show to be better, and I think they can do it. I think TPTBs are holding themselves back by having the American pov. I don't mind it being mostly the Abudinnis and I don't think most do here either. It's not an accident that the palace plots and the rebel character stories were the most compelling. And I don't have anything against the actor playing Molly, but I think it's a better choice for the story if she realizes that Barry isn't Barry anymore and she's just never going to be Abudinni. And to be fair, they've been apart for the entire season, so it's not like she would come to that realization. But you have Bassam going back to visit is side piece and she sees him praying for real, so I hope this is setting up for that plot. 

 

I don't think Barry is as bad as he's being made out to be, but there is a definite lack of oomph compared to Jamal so much that it makes me wonder if it's deliberate. 

Edited September 3, 2015 by ganesh

[algebra]

I agree that when Mahmood found out Leila had been unable to get him a deal, he went to Jamal to work out something on his own with him. Mahmood might have enough dirt on everybody to put himself in a very powerful position. But we didn't see that because of all the Dahliyah scenes which are completely unnecessary, we get it. Barry likes her. She can leave now. If Jamal dies he will have his old flame Leila coming after him anyway.

I don't know why we need more of Molly. She is intelligent enough to understand why he had to play dead as long as he did, given the dangerous position he was in. They don't need to talk about it. I dont understand why she is okay staying in that country, though. I think the audience deserves a better explanation.

As for the absent Emma, the outburst from her on learning that she didn't inherit anything and Sammy's funny comment about how she's intelligent and attractive, so she'll find somebody, might have been less scripted acting and more a genuine reaction to finding out she's been cut from the cast. "Let's give her the news while the camera is rolling and get her reaction."

[Feline Queen]

Barry can take Daliyah as his second wife - and in Abuddin it would be more legal than what Kody Brown is doing in Vegas.

 

I also thought it would be revealed that Ahmed is really Barry's son - and Lelia was forced to marry Jamal and pretend he was the father.  

 

And for some reason I thought their mother was a foreigner who'd married an Arab, so I was surprised to find out she was actually a native.    

[slothgirl]

And for some reason I thought their mother was a foreigner who'd married an Arab, so I was surprised to find out she was actually a native.    

Jamal and Barry's mother was English.. I thought... how was she a native?

[Feline Queen]

She's played by an English actress, but I didn't think the character was supposed to be British. I thought something was mentioned in one of the episodes this season about her family which led me to believe she was from Abuddin. I could be wrong though. 

Edited September 4, 2015 by Feline Goddess

[Cool Breeze]

I believe Alice Krige's character was supposed to be British by birth.  I thought of her as someone like Queen Noor of Jordan, who was married to the current Jordanian king's father, King Hussein.  Queen Noor was an American and half-Swedish and half-Syrian.  

 

The current Aga Khan (like the Ismaili Muslim version of the Pope) is 1/4 Pakistani, 1/4 Italian and 1/2 English.

[sjohnson]

If the show is renewed, Jamal survives. But if it's not renewed, it's obvious there's no way he could survive such well spaced shots in the lungs and heart.

Remember, interpretation depends upon context! 

[JennyMominFL]

If the show is renewed, Jamal survives. But if it's not renewed, it's obvious there's no way he could survive such well spaced shots in the lungs and heart.

Remember, interpretation depends upon context! 

Bullet proof vest? I mean they were making people go through metal detectors, so clearly they were concernered.

Now about the shot to the head.

[Rahul]

Amira, the al Fayed matriarch was most certainly British. Non-Muslim women are forced to covert to Islam and are given a Muslim name upon marriage. I had hoped the second season would visit her back story and how she came to meet and marry Khalid, but alas that will likely never happen now.

[slothgirl]

Amira, the al Fayed matriarch was most certainly British. Non-Muslim women are forced to covert to Islam and are given a Muslim name upon marriage. I had hoped the second season would visit her back story and how she came to meet and marry Khalid, but alas that will likely never happen now.

And this would certainly become a plot point in season 3. They didn't just send Molly back to church so she could meet a lawyer. They lawyer could simply have been a lawyer she hired.

 

If Bassam becomes a recognized ruler of Abbudin, the existence of his Christian wife is going to be a big problem. How much of an about-face is she willing to do to support Barry? It won't be enough for her to stay in Abuddin. She's gonig to have to convert.

 

She's also going to have to stop wearing tight dresses slit way up her thigh (seriously.. I cant believe she would even PACK that dress to go to Abuddin, muc less WEAR it, especially given the state of unrest in the country and the region!)

Edited September 5, 2015 by slothgirl

[algebra]

And this would certainly become a plot point in season 3. They didn't just send Molly back to church so she could meet a lawyer. They lawyer could simply have been a lawyer she hired.

If Bassam becomes a recognized ruler of Abbudin, the existence of his Christian wife is going to be a big problem. How much of an about-face is she willing to do to support Barry? It won't be enough for her to stay in Abuddin. She's gonig to have to convert.

She's also going to have to stop wearing tight dresses slit way up her thigh (seriously.. I cant believe she would even PACK that dress to go to Abuddin, muc less WEAR it, especially given the state of unrest in the country and the region!)

The costumes were nuts, why would anybody even buy that orange dress, much less pack it for a trip.

Anyway, Amira might be based on the present First Lady of Syria, who is is British by birth.

Anyway, a lot of this is like Syria, President Assad is a physician, an ophthalmologist, AND a dictator, he gave up his medical practice to step in as president of Syria after his brother died. So the idea that a doctor could transition to tyrant is not far-fetched.