S01.E03: Cover

[jaytee1812]

Why does the lack of a scar on the fingerprint automatically make Alex innocent?  Couldn't she have planned this, assembled the bomb, etc., before she got the scar?  Just as she's accusing her "framers" of doing?

You wouldn't assemble a bomb nine months before it's due to go off. However, you might steal a fingerprint and keep it safe.

[miracole]

This show is very terrible.

Every time I see that random hater chick that showed up last episode all I think is "not Serinda Swan".

Who knew the FBI was an after school special? I'm just waiting for them to form a band and start singing Friends Forever.

[FormerMod-a1]

"This will be easy.  I've never had trouble reading people" says Alex before Miranda's class exercise.  Hilarious, considering we know that one of these people she's never had trouble reading is a fucking terrorist!

I thought that was the point. Alex has been surrounded by people she thinks she knows and one of them is setting her up.

Not only that, but both her parents were keeping a BIG secret from her, and she never knew*. AND she didn't know that Miranda and Liam both knew her parents. AND that Booth is under cover. And so on and so on...

It seems like she never asked her mom about her dad being an agent. She's known for a while, Liam only confirmed it but she had his ID, for a while.

*Not that I'd expect her to figure out her dad was an agent at that age, but it is in a long list of her not knowing people.

[blackwing]

When Sita was talking to Liam about how Alex doesn't know about him and her father.  I was half-expecting her to say that Liam and Mr. Parrish were lovers.  Because it seems too easy for them to fall back upon the tired primetime soap trope that Liam is actually Alex's biological father, and that Mr. Parrish was just playing a role.

[Margherita Erdman]

Someone needs to tell these writers that complications don't equal complexity.

^^^

This. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes because despite the high silliness quotient, it still felt like there was some storytelling going on and I was 100% on board for the ride. But with this 3rd episode it feels like whatever interesting storyline or mystery might remain is getting buried under the detritus of too many characters, rapidly proliferating tossed off allusions to dark secrets, time shifts, etc. I did not like this last episode. Spent more time answering email on my iPad than watching the TV screen, despite all the pretty pretty people.

[Dowel Jones]

How is it the twins can have a loud argument in their room without anyone else noticing, given that everyone else thinks she has a room to herself?  Dorm rooms walls are always exceedinly thin (trust me on that). 

 

I was wondering how she was going to duplicate the bruise on her cheek, right up to the camera blackout.  "Oww!  WTF!  I didn't sign up for that!"

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

Mind Games
And pool time! Pool time is important (and hot).

[henripootel]

I can't believe her mum threw her under a bus so easily - that film didn't show her taking a hostage, it showed her *running*.

I cant believe that they got her mom to give away so many key aspects of an active investigation, and on live tv.  If Alex is half the terrorist they think she is, do you really think her mommy saying 'please come home' is gonna get her to turn herself in?  The emotional dynamic just doesn't work here. 

Not only that, but both her parents were keeping a BIG secret from her, and she never knew

But she did know that her father was abusive and endangering her mom, what does it matter that he was also an FBI agent?  Unless you have it in your mind that a hero agent can't also be an abusive asshole, I can't see why Alex discovering her father's old job record was all that devastating.  I mean he was her father and that should be enough, but we seemed to be given the impression that his status as a hero made Alex's shooting him seem especially egregious.  Again the dynamic seems ... off. 

Seems to me the whole point of the swimming pool exercise was "let's show off Priyanka Chopra in a swimsuit".

 

It honestly never crossed my mind that this could be anything else, unless it was to show 'FBI agents don't know how to use zip-ties'. 

Edited October 12, 2015 by henripootel

[HalcyonDays]

The pool/zip-tie scene creeped me out due to my fear of drowning. That exercise was just terrifying (to me).

 

I thought it was weird that FBI Drunk Guy simply handed over all of the information about Alex's father. Maybe it's too much TV and real life examples of censored infomation released from gov't, but I was side-eyeing that big time. First, it's a major security and confidentiality breech and second, I wouldn't trust the information in there, since he readily handed it over.

 

I hope that makes sense. No one ever revealed about Alex's father to Alex herself, yet suddenly FBI guy is so conveniently willing to share the info? *Red Flag*

[CheezyXpressed]

I felt like this episode was definitely the weakest one so far. I'm confused by how many shady people were brought to Quantico. I'm also confused at the teaching there, because it seems like the main thing the teachers are teaching their students is to not trust anyone...but to be loyal to your friends, who could still betray you so don't trust them either.

 

I don't get it.

 

If Raina (the mean one) left, doesn't that mean that she went against Miranda's orders? I thought both of them were there due to her and her own weird plan, that probably involves betraying everyone.

 

The fact that Sita was so quick to blame Alex says something about their relationship. Maybe she blames her for killing 'the hero.' I don't know. I also find out odd that she took the blame but didn't seem to face any jail time. The law is harsher towards women of colour in situations like this, especially if the person killed was a decorated FBI agent. I don't think something like this would be swept under the rug so easily.

 

Alex crying over her dad wasn't that far fetched. Even though he was abusive, she still loved him and knowing that he was a hero made her remember the better times with him instead of the bad. What's more troubling is that she was introduced as someone who could easily read people, but seems to be doing a bad job of it so far. Maybe she needs to have sex with them in order to read them. I dunno.

 

Yay first post!

Edited October 12, 2015 by CheezyXpressed

[dubbel zout]

No one ever revealed about Alex's father to Alex herself, yet suddenly FBI guy is so conveniently willing to share the info? *Red Flag*

 

But Alex really wanted to see it. And she's Alex. Everyone is powerless to refuse her.

[tanita]

Seriously, Alex could only be a bigger Marie Sue then she is right now if she was named Marie Sue. We get it, she is amazing, but 3 episodes in and she had yet to get ANYTHING wrong. Come on. The show is sinking fast.

Is there anyone who isn't secretly working for the FBI. Almost makes me thing they are all in on the plot to set her up.

I thought that the mean, fitter twin was the one who didn't want to come to Quantaco in the first place and that she left in the end.

 

This whole show comes of half baked to be honest. Interesting premise but it's very shallow character-wise. I'm enjoying Minority Report better at this moment to be honest.

Edited October 12, 2015 by tanita

[preeya]

 

Well, I like Simon more now, not really sure why. I love Shelby and Nimah still, and I still dislike Can't Act Caleb. Man, that 'drunk' scene was so bad.

 

Did you really expect good acting from an actor out of "Revolution"

[Netfoot]

Seems to me the whole point of the swimming pool exercise was "let's show off Priyanka Chopra in a swimsuit".

 

The swimsuit that really blew my mind was the one worn by Nimah.  WTFWT?

[tanita]

Muslim swimwear. It's a thing. I've seen it in action myself.

Apparently it's called a Burqini.

Edited October 12, 2015 by tanita

[CheezyXpressed]

The swimsuit that really blew my mind was the one worn by Nimah.  WTFWT?

Since she can't wear a swimsuit like the others, she was probably wearing a burkini. A swimsuit that covers the head and body.

[Trini]

The swimsuit that really blew my mind was the one worn by Nimah.  WTFWT?

 

She's a Muslim; she had to stay covered.

[dgpolo]

 

But it keeps me entertained for 43 minutes

Was it really 43 minutes? 'cause there was a hella lot of commercials.

 

 

Why does the lack of a scar on the fingerprint automatically make Alex innocent?  Couldn't she have planned this, assembled the bomb, etc., before she got the scar?  Just as she's accusing her "framers" of doing?

You wouldn't assemble a bomb nine months before it's due to go off. However, you might steal a fingerprint and keep it safe.

and I don't think she even had that NY apt. before Quantico, the idea was that this was done since then, so since she's had the scar since then she couldn't have assembled that bomb.

 

 

I was wondering how she was going to duplicate the bruise on her cheek, right up to the camera blackout.  "Oww!  WTF!  I didn't sign up for that!"

I actually knew the one twin was going to hit the other to 'duplicate' the black eye. But I don't think they would be identical.

[Cara]

don't think she even had that NY apt. before Quantico, the idea was that this was done since then, so since she's had the scar since then she couldn't have assembled that bomb.

.

She appeared to be living in Oakland, California with her mother before she left for the academy.

I'm not really sure why they are bothering to even call this the FBI. It bears so little resemblance to how the FBI or the FBI Academy really operate! Why not just give it the name of a fictional agency?

Edited October 12, 2015 by Cara

[dubbel zout]

I'm not really sure why they are bothering to even call this the FBI. It bears so little resemblance to how the FBI or the FBI Academy really operate! Why not just give it the name of a fictional agency?

 

I was wondering this, too. It's not as if the agency has to specifically be the FBI for the story to work.

Edited October 12, 2015 by dubbel zout

[blackwing]

I was wondering this, too. It's not as if the agency has to specifically be the FBI for the story to work.

But then you wouldn't get the catchy show title of "Quantico".  I can tell you that I for one was more intrigued by the title and it got me interested.  Everyone knows the FBI, and a good number of people know that Quantico is where the FBI is.  It's just not the same if they called the show "Alexandria", home of PUSS, the Presidential Undercover Strategic Systems agency.

[Racj82]

Chopra cannot carry this show. Her acting is not good enough.

[Netfoot]

t's just not the same if they called the show "Alexandria", home of PUSS, the Presidential Undercover Strategic Systems agency.

 

OMG, I would so watch that show!

[Mabinogia]

Yeah, the name Quantico is what got me interested, and why the only bits I like are the training stuff. I don't even pay attention to the future stuff. Don't care. Not what I wanted from a show called Quantico. What I wanted was to see hot young people training to become FBI agents. Thought that would be enough. Apparently I was wrong and we need some stupid conspiracy cover-up BS where for no apparent reason everyone is ganging up on our Special Little Snowflake Alex long before she even showed up. It must have to do with her dad. Or maybe her mom is a terrorist and this is all some really ridiculously convoluted way to flush her out. lol

[jay741982]

Thank you Show for giving two of the hottest Women on the show a Shirtless scene and being in Swimsuits LOL. I get tired as a hetero male of only Men getting shirtless scenes lol

[BooBear]

Amazing that this entire class of FBI recruits are so lame. Of course, half of them probably aren't even recruits at all.

I cannot help but scream to my TV that a hoodie over your long flowing hair is not an adequate disguise!

This show is suffering from the current in vogue for bad writers.. EVERYONE is a suspect. Thus no one can actually get a character since the writers have to keep them all sort of vague so they can be suspects. No one actually ever has a concrete conversation and we never find out what someone did because, got to keep it vague. Of course, this doesn't work becuase after a while the audience realizes they are watching a show completely in the service of the "shocking" reveal -- shoehorning the characters in service of this episode 10 reveal.  The characters themselves can't ever go in interesting places and, even if they do, you are always wondering if they are playing a role. So this kind of show imho, is pointless.

[Senna]

I thought it was mentioned last week that Miranda turned her son in for making a terrorist threat (attack?) against the school she was parked in front of. Or maybe it was implied. Or maybe I hallucinated it.

I remember something like this as well, so more implied than hallucinated :)

 

As a side note, some viewers are assuming that Mrs. Parrish knows Miranda because she recognized her in the bathroom.  My take is that Mrs. Parrish doesn't know Miranda personally, but saw her picture (in the news, maybe?) in the wake of whatever her son was responsible for.  I think she said something like, "You're the FBI agent whose son--" and then was cut off by Miranda talking about standing up for Alex.  Or something like that.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Senna

[Minneapple]

Chopra cannot carry this show. Her acting is not good enough.

More importantly her character is not likeable enough. I mean, she's fine. Whatever. But I feel no connection to her whatsoever. I don't care if she's captured and tried or what. And her so-called love interest Booth is boring. Who knew an undercover agent romancing the FBI trainee could be boring? 

 

I've seen a lot of stupid shit on TV (I watch CW shows, okay?) and if your characters and relationships are likeable that goes a long way to glossing over the stupid shit. The premise of Jane the Virgin is completely WTF but the characters are SO GOOD and likeable that you quickly get over it. 

 

I keep wondering what this show would be like if it had Nikita's writers. The premise of Quantico is actually kind of similar to Nikita. But that show had really good writers and I think that's the difference.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Minneapple

[wanderingstar]

They also seem not to know that the FBI handles more than just terrorism. There is a bunch of bog standard regular crime they deal with.

Indeed! Sometimes, those investigations even make international headlines.

 

ETA: I thought Nimah was the twin who left the academy.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[Free]

I keep wondering what this show would be like if it had Nikita's writers. The premise of Quantico is actually kind of similar to Nikita. But that show had really good writers and I think that's the difference.

 

Wow, I actually thought about Maggie Q in the main lead role, it is similar.

[Neurochick]

Vasquez is the terrorist, I believe. I don't like her.

[Bruinsfan]

I'm waiting for the big reveal to be that the president or some other evil person within the government set the whole thing up to see how quickly and accurately the FBI would solve a big case like this. This show is grandiosely stupid enough to go there.

I'm waiting to see someone in charge reveal that they're a reptillian alien overlord by eating a live guinea pig like Diana on V.

[Neurochick]

Alex's mother is an idiot. She caved because she saw Alex hit Simon? Woman, Alex had a gun, if she were a real terrorist she would have blown his head off. What a dummy.

[tomatoflyer]

I was really happy to see Jacob from Lost (Mark Pellegrino)!

I enjoy this show, but I also love Shonda Rhimes shows and Chicago Fire. I don't need a show to be great, just keep me entertained and have some sexy men.

[Free]

Alex's mother is an idiot. She caved because she saw Alex hit Simon? Woman, Alex had a gun, if she were a real terrorist she would have blown his head off. What a dummy.

 

Not to mention she doesn't know the complete context of the footage, she just blindly does a 180.

[statsgirl]

I understand Alex being conflicted about killing her father. Even though she knows he was abusing her mother, finding out he did some good things must be hard to deal with, the good part wasn't the lie she convinced herself it was.

It's completely normal for Alex to be conflicted about killing her father.  But she'd be conflicted because sometimes he was nice to her and she killed him, not because she found out that he was a "hero".  That's a CBS specialty, someone is in the Marines or fights for their country and they're completely a good guy no matter what else they've done.

 

I thought it was mentioned last week that Miranda turned her son in for making a terrorist threat (attack?) against the school she was parked in front of. Or maybe it was implied. Or maybe I hallucinated it. This show piles on so many random plot elements in rapid burst fire, who knows if it'll make any sense at the end? Maybe it's hoping the audience will be too dazzled by Priyanka Chopra to care? Look! She's wearing a swimsuit! She's pretty, but not that pretty.

 

So, Ryan told Alex that he'll help her but he needs to make it seem that she's guilty. And now Simon tells her that he'll help her, but once again, he has to make it appear that she's guilty. And... they're both undercover agents working for shady senior agents. Uhhh... I don't think anyone needs to frame her since she capable of doing it herself by being so freakin' gullible. At this point, I'm beginning to think that the bombing was an FBI mistake due to incompetence (have you seen how poorly they screen their recruits?) and they're covering it up by framing Alex.

LOL, watching this makes me think the FBI is completely incompetent.

 

I didn't catch why Miranda's son is in jail but there have been a lot of hints dropped that it's very well known and she got into trouble with her career for it.

 

You're right about there being too many random plot elements for things to make sense though.  And now I'm supposed to feel sorry for Vasquez because she was crying because she couldn't see her daughter because she went for 5 months FBI training?  Hire a lawyer, lady.

Edited October 13, 2015 by statsgirl

[Free]

LOL, watching this makes me think the FBI is completely incompetent.

 

It's because you have shows that constantly portray them that way.

[blackwing]

I would perhaps feel sorry for Vasquez if she displayed any qualities other than being the show's nasty witch.  She has been completely nasty in every single scene.  She isn't nice to anybody and hasn't shown any redeeming qualities whatsoever.  I actually laughed in a Nelson Muntz "har har" way when she was shown crying about her daughter.  Because she probably deserves it.

I was really happy to see Jacob from Lost (Mark Pellegrino)!

 

I never saw "Lost".  I only know him from the late lamented "The Tomorrow People", where he was the mostly evil leader of the bad guys.  So I don't trust him here at all and am not surprised to see him being one of the villains.  Plus, he has a particularly weasel looking face.

[scrambled eggs]

She's a Mary Sue, she knows everything, she does everything right, she's the best at everything including being better than the entire FBI. The entire plot of this show is stupid, & I'm sure it's going to take the entire season to find out who & why are setting her up.

And she's crazy self-righteous on top of all that. Too bad there probably won't be a twist where we find out Alex was behind the bombing after all. 

[GaT]

Too bad there probably won't be a twist where we find out Alex was behind the bombing after all. 

That would be awesome.

[tennisgurl]

So damn, I guess Alex`s mom always had issues with her or something. She was super quick to jump on the terror bandwagon.

 

At this point, the only person I am convinced is not the terrorist is Simon. I think he`s not what he says he is, but I think its too obvious right now.  So, was he always an agent, or was he recruited after he supposedly washed out? He`s really the only character who seems to have some interesting backstory going on.

 

Definitely a step down, as far as episodes go. The whole exercise was really freaking stupid. No way do I buy that just one person would have given up three names, in the whole history of training. And what was the purpose?

 

And, again, why has the FBI allowed the sketchiest group of people EVER in their training program? 

Edited October 13, 2015 by tennisgurl

[tom87]

I just can't get over how Alex apparently got everything right at training but leaves behind some many clues and so much evidence against her when planning a terrorist attack.

 

That alone is enough for the other FBI agents to have to think she is being framed.

[Free]

And she's crazy self-righteous on top of all that. Too bad there probably won't be a twist where we find out Alex was behind the bombing after all. 

 

If she was the mastermind, at least it would've explained away how 'good' at everything she is.

 

I just can't get over how Alex apparently got everything right at training but leaves behind some many clues and so much evidence against her when planning a terrorist attack.

That alone is enough for the other FBI agents to have to think she is being framed.

 

There's a major disconnect between the flashbacks and present day/post attack scenes.  They tried to tell us how perfect she was in her academy days, yet that never seems to show up during her time being on the run in the present day.

[mertensia]

The pool scene was important to establish that Alex now has a scarred fingertip.

[thuganomics85]

Show, while I appreciate you finding a obvious way to get both Priyanka Chopra and Johanna Braddy in swimsuits and struggling next to each other, maybe you shouldn't start out the episode with that scene, because the episode really has nowhere to go but down, after that.  At least with me.

 

Really though, this episode was very silly.  The whole "test" thing was so dumb.  Basically an excuse to get everyone mad at each other and cause a bunch of stupid "drama", and then it ends up not really mattering, because it really was just all part of Miranda's grand plan to actually get everyone to trust each other or some shit. Lame.  And it kind of just made almost all of them unlikable.  Also, having them do this in only the third episode brought in its own issues, because I felt like some of the complaints I haven't seen enough of yet.  Like Simon has been shady as hell, but I wouldn't call him creepy.  And I really haven't felt like I've seen Shelby bring up her parents that much, so the whole she is using it for sympathy points, didn't work for me like it should have been.

 

Meanwhile, the non-Quantico stuff has gone even further off the rails, with Alex's mom being played like a chump.  Really, guys.  If Alex was this big, scary terrorist, she would have just knocked Simon out.  She is already suppose to be responsible for 180 deaths: why wouldn't she just make it 181?  No one found that entire thing suspicious?  It was also obvious that the Deputy would be up to something, because, well, it's Mark Pellegrino.  Why can't you be a honest guy, Mark?  Although, I guess Simon working with him is the only interesting thing about that plot.

 

I've given up on Natalie.  They have made her such an one-dimensional antagonist, that she'll never be likable, even if it's all because she can't see her daughter for whatever reason.  Her character's sole purpose seems to be to prop up Alex as the "good" one.

 

I'm going to be really bummed if they hired Rick Cosnett, only have him just stand around and leer at Simon.  Why did you have to kill him off, Flash?

 

I'm am curious to see what the fate of the twins will be, since one of them left.  Still can't tell which was is which, but I at least figured out one is named Nimah and the other is Raina (man, variations of Raina seem to be popular on ABC.  Rayna from Nashville.  Raina from Agents of Shield...)

[Eolivet]

I still like it. For the first time, the present day was more interesting than the flashbacks, though.

 

I do think the writers have somewhat shot themselves in the foot with the present day premise: Alex has to be better and smarter than everyone or she'd have been caught the moment she started running or slightly afterwards. The nature of the plot is that she has to be two steps ahead, or there would be no show. The fact that Simon is apparently (another?!) undercover agent is interesting, which makes me wonder how he'll slip up.

 

I don't know -- I don't find it all that different from one of the particularly over-the-top seasons of 24, where Jack Bauer was the only one who knew what was happening and the rest of CTU were a bunch of morons. This actually has season 1 24 fingerprints, with the "Who is the terrorist"/"Who is the mole" plot.

[redsox7819]

Too bad there probably won't be a twist where we find out Alex was behind the bombing after all.

 

 

I am with you. Especially since they have not made her that likable. And that this point I am not sure it would be that shocking.

Edited October 13, 2015 by redsox7819

[Cara]

It's completely normal for Alex to be conflicted about killing her father. But she'd be conflicted because sometimes he was nice to her and she killed him, not because she found out that he was a "hero". That's a CBS specialty, someone is in the Marines or fights for their country and they're completely a good guy no matter what else they've done.

LOL, watching this makes me think the FBI is completely incompetent.

I didn't catch why Miranda's son is in jail but there have been a lot of hints dropped that it's very well known and she got into trouble with her career for it.

You're right about there being too many random plot elements for things to make sense though. And now I'm supposed to feel sorry for Vasquez because she was crying because she couldn't see her daughter because she went for 5 months FBI training? Hire a lawyer, lady.

You know in the old days J Egar Hoover had to approve the script if a TV or movie wanted to use the FBI. I'm certainly not advocating that. Just noting it.

I missed the part where . Vasquez was complaining about not seeing her child. I didn't hear her say that. Who was taking care of her kid during those 5 months? They wouldn't bring her to visit? After the first few weeks trainees have most weekends free. Spouses and families often come visit and stay at nearby hotels. The trainees go and stay with them there.

But that's the real world, not much connection to this show! ;)

Edited October 13, 2015 by Cara

[Julie23]

I too tuned in because I thought this would be a show about people training to be FBI agents, not some attack and conspiracy taking place months after the training is over. We get bits and pieces of each, but nothing is coherent. The only thing that could make this worse is if there is a shadow organization behind it all.

[Daisy]

I never really understood the Mary Sue thing that people always said...but boy. Alex... 

and she's a dumb one too. I'd be questioning, why did Booth have to make me guilty? Why is Simon making me guilty. 

 

for someone who knows everything - she's entering Jon Snow territory of knowing nothing. 

 

I also don't get how this twin thing can work, without one of the twins. don't they have a secret job lined up? 

all of these people are shady and crap. I was telling someone what they should do was have ALL the training episodes season one. then the terror episodes as season 2. cramming it in one season is bor. ing. 

 

also. Alex. Your daddy may have been a hero at work- but he was an abusive drunk it looked like at home. so. whatevs. 

Oh and the Natalie thing sounded like it was a choice: either stay home and take care of Kidlet, or go for five months and  no daughter time. 

so it must have been a choose us, vs. choose our career thinger.