S02.E14: Left of the Boom

[CooperTV]

Elizabeth oversees a mission to track down the culprits behind a uranium heist in Eastern Europe, while at the same time trying to prevent the dismantling of an important arms deal in Saudi Arabia, which is threatened by the apprehension of two American teenage girls who intended to join a terrorist group.

 

[Xantar]

So now Dr. Professor Lt. Arm Candy, Esq. is also a trained paramedic?

[Netfoot]

He also glows in the dark!

[Kromm]

So now Dr. Professor Lt. Arm Candy, Esq. is also a trained paramedic?

 

He also glows in the dark!

Who knew you could roll your eyes hard enough for it to physically hurt?

Edited February 15, 2016 by Kromm

[shapeshifter]

Pretty tightly written if complicated episode that showcased the talents of the actors, not the least of which was Tim Daly/Dr. Arm Candy's ability to convey the words "Oh crap" without moving his lips.

[buckboard]

People had evacuated the room at the order of police. And yet security at the scene didn't prevent Henry, a civilian, from reentering the unsecured room? A crime scene so dangerous that men in hazmet suits arrived in a matter of minutes. But they let a civilian wander in?

Where were the police? Where was the fire department?

[bros402]

So now Dr. Professor Lt. Arm Candy, Esq. is also a trained paramedic?

 

I handwaved it away as he probably has basic combat first aid training from when he was Lt. General Armcandy

[Kromm]

Maybe the radiation is just an end run to actually make him into a superhero instead of just constantly implying that he's one.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Kromm

[CooperTV]

The show was more or less on track this episode. Bess was doing her thing, Henry was an adoring husband dealing with the kids, Russel and Bess had nice and grumpy interaction, we had some new female guest stars, etc.

 

René Auberjonois was a great choice for a guest star as well! He was awesome with both Téa Leoni and Sebastian Arcelus. I enjoyed this subplot a lot!

 

I liked how the A plot and B plot were connected at the end. And oh noes, another cliffhanger! Will Henry become a Mr. Fantastic or the Thing?!

 

PS: all scenes with Jay's babygirl were cuuuuute!

[Netfoot]

Where were the police? Where was the fire department?

 

Where was Henry's security detail?  Because they should have dragged him out of there by the scruff of his neck, kicking and screaming if necessary.  

[Bobcatkitten]

Maybe I was tired but had trouble following the core storyline of who was going after who. 

 

I did like the cyberbullying angle and the daughter relating it to the girl who was burned. 

 

Despite the ridiculousness of hubby dearest treating the people in the end his facial expression when he saw the suits said a bunch.

 

At the same time I was bothered by no reaction from the staff when they literally watch the bomb go off. Not even a gasp? 

[AncientSand]

"Was it weapons-grade?" And the entire family stops and stares.  Awesome opening scene.

[betsyboo]

I handwaved it away as he probably has basic combat first aid training from when he was Lt. General Armcandy

me too. But - and I fully agree with the Armcandy/Hero extraordinaire monikers - I give him credit that he ran back in while everyone ran out. I do think there are selfless people like that (aside from first responders) whose instinct it is to help.  (I'd like to think it's mine, but it's not.)

 

ETA: Seconded on Jay's baby. Love that Henry went right in to grab her. That is my first instinct. #babyhog lol

Edited February 15, 2016 by betsyboo

[Mom2twoNonna2-3]

I was happy with the 1/2 I actually saw. I work nights and this show started 30 minutes early so I came in in the middle. 

[SparklesBitch]

I really liked this one! Bess bringing out her claws, she and Russell and their love/hate relationship and plenty of family scenes. I really enjoyed the guest cast in this one, especially the key note speaker and the FBI agent. I did think it was weird that Henry was allowed back in to help, but I enjoyed his "oh, shit" face a whole lot. Maybe he'll develop super powers from all the radiation!

 

Also, totally agree with everyone who loved the scenes with Jay's baby. So cute, and I loved that Henry scooped her up right away and ran off with her....and the baby's fingers in his mouth when he rejoined the scene. There's something about men and babies that's completely adorable. =)

 

The only thing that annoyed me was Henry being all high and mighty with Allison over the bullying thing. I mean, it's obviously wrong, and yes she should have said something to stop it, but that's a lot to put on a teenage kid. I liked that when he talked to her about it he admitted that he's not always perfect either (shock of the century!!), but something bugged me about the way he broached the subject.

[Dowel Jones]

The CIA sure didn't come out too well on this episode.  Losing the uranium, getting smacked by the President ("Don't ever make the President repeat himself"), sending paramilitaries to their fate on a badly flawed mission, and getting scooped by Elizabeth on connecting the dots of the big picture.  Of course, State could have done better themselves if they had just read the reports.

[AshleyLyn]

Watched the episode and enjoyed it

After Elizabeth had her meeting with the Saudi Girl (not sure how to spell her name) the end of it made me shiver. I just knew something would happen at the conference.

Good ep. I'm not bothered too much with Tea Leoni anymore. And I liked Henry's expression when he saw the hazmat suits.

[secnarf]

 

René Auberjonois was a great choice for a guest star as well! He was awesome with both Téa Leoni and Sebastian Arcelus. I enjoyed this subplot a lot!

Wow, I didn't even recognize him! Though I did think that he looked vaguely familiar. He has changed quite a bit from how I remember him.

 

Loved the look on Henry's face at the end. Though I got the impression he had never made it out and the bomb went off as the room was being evacuated.

[Netfoot]

I'm going to speculate here:

 

The stolen/missing nuclear material was recovered. Therefore, where did the so-called dirt come from to build a dirty bomb?  Also, dirty bombs aren't supposed to go BANNNGG!! and kill lots of people.  They are supposed to go <bang> (just loud enough to disperse the dirt), and contaminate lots of people.  Which is worse? A hundred bodies in the morgue?  Or a hundred people in hospital dying of radiation poisoning?  So, I'm beginning to think this wasn't a dirty bomb at all, and that we shall very quickly learn this, next week.  

[secnarf]

I'm going to speculate here:

 

The stolen/missing nuclear material was recovered. Therefore, where did the so-called dirt come from to build a dirty bomb?  Also, dirty bombs aren't supposed to go BANNNGG!! and kill lots of people.  They are supposed to go <bang> (just loud enough to disperse the dirt), and contaminate lots of people.  Which is worse? A hundred bodies in the morgue?  Or a hundred people in hospital dying of radiation poisoning?  So, I'm beginning to think this wasn't a dirty bomb at all, and that we shall very quickly learn this, next week.  

The promo for next week says otherwise:

Of course, it's possible that the promo is misleading, but it seems to explicitly say rather than imply that it was a dirty bomb.

[Netfoot]

The promo for next week says otherwise:

 

Well, back to the old drawing board....

[Kromm]

Wow, I didn't even recognize him! Though I did think that he looked vaguely familiar. He has changed quite a bit from how I remember him.

Actually to me, the way age has hit him is that (to me) he kind of looks like Odo OUT of any makeup these days, whereas when he was younger it WAS as result of makeup!

And sigh... that next episode looks annoyingly Very Special Episodish, with lots of Acting Moments! for future Emmy submissions.

[Brian Cronin]

It is precisely situations like this that security DOES break down, so I don't mind Henry being able to get back into the building and really, come on, once his kids were safe, going back in to help as many people as he could is exactly what Henry would do, right?

 

And I'll admit it - the moment when the folks in the radiation suits walked in was handled so well that it really gave me the feels - that look on his face where he's trying to save someone and discovers that HE might be screwed himself? So well done by Daly. 

[Netfoot]

And sigh... that next episode looks annoyingly Very Special Episodish, with lots of Acting Moments! for future Emmy submissions.

 

It seems to be a continuation of the on-going "She May Be The Secretary of State, But He Is The Real Star" theme that we have to deal with every fecking episode!

[Guest]

I liked this episode overall until the end. Then it just seemed melodramatic. I mean, it's been what... 3 episodes since she almost died in a different bombing?  It isn't the show's strength; I wish they would stop trying to be so over the top.

 

Did everyone catch that our super spy, NSA wrangler, perfect in every way professor is also the Baby Whisperer? Just in case you missed it. 

[orza]

Did everyone catch that our super spy, NSA wrangler, perfect in every way professor is also the Baby Whisperer? Just in case you missed it. 

Well, Henry has three children so it's not surprising that he knows something about babies. He didn't do anything unusual there.

[Guest]

And I'll admit it - the moment when the folks in the radiation suits walked in was handled so well that it really gave me the feels - that look on his face where he's trying to save someone and discovers that HE might be screwed himself? So well done by Daly. 

 

I find that its no longer mattering much to me if its handled well or not.  I'm finding the show preposterous that its careening from disaster to disaster every week.  The Secretary of State would have been scapegoated several times over by now if the county was having this number of international incidents on a regular basis.

[Brian Cronin]

I find that its no longer mattering much to me if its handled well or not.  I'm finding the show preposterous that its careening from disaster to disaster every week.  The Secretary of State would have been scapegoated several times over by now if the county was having this number of international incidents on a regular basis.

 

There are definitely way too many disasters, I'll certainly agree with that. But as to whether she'd be scapegoated or not, I think we've seen that when flatout DISASTERS occur, the public actually tends to rally around the government. I mean, the President has almost been killed about three dozen times, right? The public tends to eat that up. So while yes, it is clear that there are too many bad things happening in this universe, I think if you buy into that idea, then I don't think it's a step too far to buy that she (and the administration as a whole) would be popular still. But sure, if you can't get past the absurd amount of disasters every week on the show (and I don't think it is unreasonable to not be able to to get past that), then fair enough. 

[Beden]

 

I don't think it's a step too far to buy that she (and the administration as a whole) would be popular still.

And on another, admittedly superficial level, let's not forget that the president is Keith Carradine. I mean seriously--what's not to like???

[MerBearHou]

I'm going to be so upset if the storylines have Henry die and this great tv marriage goes away.

It's not like this is in real time and Elizabeth has a catastrophe every Sunday.

Blake is the absolute best. I love his little aside comments like no one reads my emails or why doesn't the FBI person ever tell me why she's here? He is often one step ahead of Elizabeth and is so great at his job. Love him (and love the actor).

The older guy from the 1st floor was perfect -- so smart, works so hard, working in the dungeon basically and treated like a D-player, no one reads his reports, and yet his information is so spot on. I liked the way Jay came around to respect and recognition. The elevator scene about the real coffee cups and please, just read our reports was fantastic.

Henry and Allison's conversations about the bullying -- yes, he was a bit self-righteous but he was being a disappointed dad AND an ethics professor where he wants his students to figure out the answers rather than just telling them.

Love this show so much.

[shapeshifter]

I'm going to be so upset if the storylines have Henry die and this great tv marriage goes away.

It's not like this is in real time and Elizabeth has a catastrophe every Sunday.

Blake is the absolute best. I love his little aside comments like no one reads my emails or why doesn't the FBI person ever tell me why she's here? He is often one step ahead of Elizabeth and is so great at his job. Love him (and love the actor).

The older guy from the 1st floor was perfect -- so smart, works so hard, working in the dungeon basically and treated like a D-player, no one reads his reports, and yet his information is so spot on. I liked the way Jay came around to respect and recognition. The elevator scene about the real coffee cups and please, just read our reports was fantastic.

Henry and Allison's conversations about the bullying -- yes, he was a bit self-righteous but he was being a disappointed dad AND an ethics professor where he wants his students to figure out the answers rather than just telling them.

Love this show so much.

Never fear, MerBearHou, Dr. ArmCandy will be cured due to his super knowledge of radiation poisoning and his own quickthinking MacGyvering. Right?

[sinkwriter]

 

So now Dr. Professor Lt. Arm Candy, Esq. is also a trained paramedic?

 

Did he really do all that much that anyone couldn't learn in a general first aid course? I remember learning stuff about tourniquets and CPR and elevating feet and loosening clothing, making sure people are breathing and comfortable, putting pressure on wounds, etc., and that was general health class stuff (along with learning it in a babysitting course so that you'd know what to do if any of the kids got hurt or choked on something).

 

He's ridiculous sometimes, but I'm willing to go with this particular scene. 

 

The bigger question has already been raised above - where the HELL was his security detail? That's who should have been on Henry and his family the second everyone started getting ushered out of the room before the bomber got in and set it off. They should have been one of the first to get out of there, and the aides would have restrained him from going back in. So that was pretty much bullshit.

 

 

Blake is the absolute best. I love his little aside comments like no one reads my emails or why doesn't the FBI person ever tell me why she's here? He is often one step ahead of Elizabeth and is so great at his job. Love him (and love the actor).

 

Oh so much agreement. Blake is the man. I love how on top of things he is. And he's so funny. Great character and actor.

Edited April 2, 2016 by sinkwriter

[CheshireCat]

sinkwriter, on 02 Apr 2016 - 12:12 AM, said:

Did he really do all that much that anyone couldn't learn in a general first aid course? I remember learning stuff about tourniquets and CPR and elevating feet and loosening clothing, making sure people are breathing and comfortable, putting pressure on wounds, etc., and that was general health class stuff (along with learning it in a babysitting course so that you'd know what to do if any of the kids got hurt or choked on something).

 

Granted, I have no idea about military precedures but wouldn't he have at least some basic knowledge about that kind of stuff from being in the military?

 

The bigger question has already been raised above - where the HELL was his security detail? That's who should have been on Henry and his family the second everyone started getting ushered out of the room before the bomber got in and set it off. They should have been one of the first to get out of there, and the aides would have restrained him from going back in. So that was pretty much bullshit.

 

 

Did they have an assigned security detail? It seems that the family never does (which, frankly, surprises me. Henry I get, he's an adult, Stevie, okay, she's an adult as well, but wouldn't it be way too easy to snatch Jason and/or Alison if someone wanted to kidnap them? Jason more so than Alison since he's going to public school). Anyway, maybe the DS only provided security for the event but it wasn't an assigned detail?

That said, I, too, was surprised that they let him head back into the building/didn't even seem to notice/care that he wasn't getting into the car.