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S01.E12: Alex


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Alex finds herself in the middle of a congressional hearing to testify about the terrorist bombings. Convinced Elias didn’t act alone, she is determined to find answers and the truth. While back at Quantico, a new group of NATS join Alex and her classmates, causing tension and competition between the groups of trainees.

 

 

 

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I'm kind of disappointed we had a three month jump instead of seeing the aftermath of the explosion. There were several episodes building up to that and we barely get to hear what happened?

 

Should I remember who that Duncan person who killed himself is? I have no recollection of anyone with that name, but he seems kind of important.

 

Shelby annoys me. "It's your fault people hate me because they know I slept with my boss."  Maybe you should have thought about that before sleeping with your boss?

  • Love 8
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So, people were mad at Alex for not falling in line and saying Elias acted alone.  But they were also mad at her when she acquiesced and fell into line.   And, of course, no one believes her...  again.  (sigh)

  • Love 5
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So, of course, the only real death to come out of the big-ass explosion was Clayton/Mark Pellegrino.  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that they wouldn't actually someone that important get killed.  No offensive to Mark Pellegrino, of course!

 

I kind of got tired of all the Alex-fawning in past episodes, but the spite she was getting tonight was even worse.  I mean, she gets all this crap on her because she doesn't think Elias did it on his own, but when she finally relents and says what everyone wants to her, you've got Ryan howling all "But you didn't really mean it!  Why don't you just believe what I want to believe?!  How dare you have your own opinion!", Simon glaring at her, and Shelby being a mega-jackass.  Speaking of which, really, Shelby?  Your blaming Alex for exposing that you slept with Clayton?  Maybe next time, I don't know, don't sleep with a married man.  Especially one who is married to the future Vice President.  Can't believe I'm saying this, but poor Alex.

 

But once again, Alex is right and now whoever it is has Natalie strapped to a bomb and is probably going to make them do his or her bidding.  Or maybe it's Natalie, and it will all be a big act.  Whatever.  I just want to them to go ahead and reveal who the mastermind is soon.

 

Meanwhile, back in Quantico flashback land, the show realizes they need to have more characters to keep this going, so they've now forced our intrepid heroes to team up with the trainee group who only started a month before them, but act more like they are several years ahead of them.  It includes some jock, a socially-awkward hacker, and Li Jun Li, fresh off of Minority Report.  Not the best of introductions, but whatever.

 

Still not sure why I should care about Miranda's son, although I guess Nimah keeping what she knows to herself could go somwhere.  And whatever the hell is going on with Shelby and Caleb accidentally getting her fake sister kidnapped.

 

Performance of the night goes to Priyanka Chopra's hair, which was going all out in this one.  Might have crossed into overacting territory at times, but you do need to have some cheese with all the wine that was in this episode!

  • Love 3
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Meanwhile, back in Quantico flashback land, the show realizes they need to have more characters to keep this going, so they've now forced our intrepid heroes to team up with the trainee group who only started a month before them, but act more like they are several years ahead of them.  It includes some jock, a socially-awkward hacker, and Li Jun Li, fresh off of Minority Report.  Not the best of introductions, but whatever.

 

Basically more interchangeable characters.

 

Should I remember who that Duncan person who killed himself is? I have no recollection of anyone with that name, but he seems kind of important.

 

I don't either, especially not enough to care.

 

So, people were mad at Alex for not falling in line and saying Elias acted alone.  But they were also mad at her when she acquiesced and fell into line.   And, of course, no one believes her...  again.  (sigh)

 

Especially when it's obvious that he's not th mastermind, but they'll continue being idiots.

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I'm kind of disappointed we had a three month jump instead of seeing the aftermath of the explosion. There were several episodes building up to that and we barely get to hear what happened?

Should I remember who that Duncan person who killed himself is? I have no recollection of anyone with that name, but he seems kind of important.

Shelby annoys me. "It's your fault people hate me because they know I slept with my boss." Maybe you should have thought about that before sleeping with your boss?

Yes to all of this. The time jump was awful. Shelby was awful. It was all bad.

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This really had to be one of the worst shows I've ever seen.  Seriously.   I cannot come up with anything I've seen that was worse off the top of my head.

 

Even Ms Chopra looked worse for wear.  She had not one decent outfit, her hair took over scenes and she didn't seem to know where her comb or hairbrush had gone, and her upper lip seemed to be fighting to take the place of all other features. 

 

I waited for this?????   Shame, shame, on me.

  • Love 6
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I don't even remember Elias let alone Duncan.

When the previews announced that an agent would die I shouted "please let it be Alex!".

Why does the average person care what Alex believes? And why do they all have her phone number?

  • Love 3
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(edited)

The others are acting like Alex did all this to them when she was the innocent one framed. Shelby's being hounded by the paparazzi because of he choices to have an affair, that is on her not Alex.

 

Natalie is wishing she listened right about now.

Edited by Artsda
  • Love 2
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I just have read couple of posts here and realized that I have no wish whatsoever to continue to watch this show. It obviously became unwatchable, not even for trashy fun.  I wonder how low will it fall in ratings this spring :(    

  • Love 5
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(edited)
Shelby's being hounded by the paparazzi because of he choices to have an affair, that is on her not Alex.

I think we're skating right past the fact that paparazzi are interested in following the principals in this FBI case.  I mean they are the rock stars of law enforcement, right?  Also liked that Alex's legion of fans couldn't contain themselves when she caved in and supported the notion that Elias acted alone.  How could she - stay the course, Alex!  We believe in you!  Every turn in these character's lives gets 'Special Bulletin' status on local news and I'm struggling to remember who the fuck Duncan is, and why that guy jumped out a window.  Sorry, but this just isn't the nail-biter the writers imagine it to be.

 

So the flashback was not only more laughable nonsense about arbitrary elimination of FBI candidates but the same laughable nonsense again.  Qualified candidates are targeted by their jealous peers for elimination, and they let an obstacle course and paintball decide this?  Makes Ru Paul's 'lip sync for your life' look like the Supreme Court.  

 

I think it was during the 'training lecture' that was actual just a monolog about what we the viewers should be thinking about the training (that it'll tax them to their very core and other such nonsense) that I realized I may be done here.  It's just more Alex and her hair and fake 'drinking problem', Shelby and her unclear motivations, and people putting up with Caleb's horseshit for one fucking second.  Agent Cougartown looked as bored as I felt.  I hope you other stalwarts don't think less of me if I Good Will Hunting my ass out of here before next week.

Edited by henripootel
  • Love 3
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Well, I've been debating whether or not to pick this back up after the break.  I grabbed this episode, but having read the comments here, I am torn.  Obviously, it's even more awful than before, but has it reached the point where I want to watch because it's so awful?  Has it quite reached Three-Stooges level of slap-stick?

 

Come to think of it, I never liked the Three Stooges.  Let's change that to Laurel & Hardy!

  • Love 2
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Top 5 things I refuse to believe:

1) That anyone would actually be able to contact Alex directly to express their disdain of her testimony.

2) That anyone believes we actually remember the name of the hacker guy, Duncan (?).

3) That anyone looked at all the commentary about Alex's glorious hair and thought they should change it, at all.

4) That the "socially awkward" one month older NAT would have passed any psych exam to get in the FBI.

5) That I am still watching this show. And will watch next week.

  • Love 7
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Should I remember who that Duncan person who killed himself is? I have no recollection of anyone with that name, but he seems kind of important.

 

If someone had offered me a million dollars to come up with the name of either of the hackers in however many episodes, I wouldn't have been able to do it. But I do remember there were episodes when Alex was on the run and two hackers from "Not-Anonymous" helped her get away.

 

How the Traitor(s) managed to track down and coerce Duncan is beyond me, as is why Duncan would not convey a less oblique message to Alex.

 

Onto other things. 

 

I have no understanding as to why the Bureau either genuinely thinks or wants to think Elias was acting alone. Is it a matter of calming the public down? Denial that the corruption in the bureau could go deeper than one person? Sheer incompetence?

 

Because any way you slice it, one person, and certainly not Elias, could have pulled off 2.5 bombings. Let's pretend that either Elias was lying when he claimed ot be coerced or that Alex or the others who were with Elias when he jumped were lying or mistaken about what he said about being coerced.

 

The lone bomber theory requires Elias to 

a) Buy all the materials for the three bombs

b) Research Alex's background and 

c) Frame Alex

d) Construct, plant and detonate the bomb at Union Station without being captured on surveillance or leaving a trace of evidence

e) Construct, plant and detonate the bomb at FBI HQ

f) Construct and plant the distraction bomb at the hotel 

 

All this is preposterously a lot for a single person. When you add in that Elias has no known bomb-making expertise, that makes it even more unlikely. And when you add in that he was physically in custody before the last two bombs with a detonator attached to him, it just seems completely implausible. Any examination of Elias's activities would reveal that he didn't have the means to pull this off on his own, nor the motive, nor the opportunity.

 

And yet, the intelligence community wants to act like the notion that there might be others connected to this plot is the wackadoo theory, when the lone bomber actually is.

  • Love 5
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And yet, the intelligence community wants to act like the notion that there might be others connected to this plot is the wackadoo theory, when the lone bomber actually is.

Which is stupid even by the 'logic' that 'we don't want to admit it wasn't just Elias because then we look like boobs'.  A) you guys didn't catch Elias, and B) how bad is it gonna look when the real bombers keep bombing?  Which they certainly will now as they didn't get their point across, and they're pretty sure that the B in FBI stands for 'Boobs'.  Not for nothing, but that last bit works on many levels on this show.

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And yet, the intelligence community wants to act like the notion that there might be others connected to this plot is the wackadoo theory, when the lone bomber actually is.

 

"Lone bomber" is the FBI's go-to theory.  One whacko acting alone, can keep his mouth shut.  This explains why the FBI wasn't able to get wind of the operation in advance.  Multiple whackos make for a conspiracy.  Conspiracies are supposed to be infiltrated, dismantled, taken down before they act.  So, if they fail to detect and deflect an attack, they are pre-disposed to claim it is a "Lone bomber."  To do otherwise, is to admit their own failing.

  • Love 2
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There is no getting around admitting their own failing in this case. A train station and a FBI HQ were hit, causing the deaths of hundreds of people. And by their version of the narrative, someone they had vetted to be a FBI analyst was responsible.

 

The one thing that would be worse than this situation is claiming definitively that Elias acted alone if it ultimately turned out that he did not.

 

I could buy that the FBI was claiming to believe in the lone bomber idea, while secretly investigating the full conspiracy, and making the statement that it was a lone bomber to put the conspirators at ease. But that doesn't seem to be what is happening.

 

I could buy the notion that they might hedge their bets and say "At the present, we have no evidence (other than what Elias said, common sense and so forth) that Elias was working with anyone else. We continue to investigate all possibilities." But that doesn't seem to be the case either.

 

It would have been nice if they established why everyone is so adamant that it was just Elias.

 

Or for that matter, if Alex had laid out even a smidgen of the case as to why it wasn't -- and pretty much could not have been -- just Elias.

 

Moving on....

 

Just when you think the competition process to become a full-grown agent couldn't be more ridiculous, Quantico says "We haven't even gotten started."

 

Miranda: This class is all a step ahead of you and better trained. So we're going to pit you against each other and the winner gets to at their whim eliminate 5 members of the other class.

Miranda: Now that the one class beat you, we're going to eliminate 3 from one class and 2 from another and merge the two classes.

 

The utter refusal of Miranda to play by the rules that she sets up, the premise that our nation's top law enforcement agents get selected in a fashion more befitting a reality TV show, and the arbitrariness of making the older class be stuck re-learning a month's worth of topics (or skipping a month's worth for the younger class) are just some of the absurd parts of this.

 

Seriously, with all these people being super-achievers in the rest of their lives, why don't all of them say "f--- this, I'll just go run my 6 start-ups?"

 

As to Catfish, how is it possible that Shelby doesn't just walk away? Or at least suspect this of being Catfish 2: Electric Bugaloo?

 

New blood is pretty much annoying. Considering the disguised voice of Traitor is that of a male, I would assume that the likely culprit is the Alpha dude from the older class. God help us all, but I think there's going to be a plot line about how he's going to try to get into Alex's pants and either succeed so that when he reveals himself as the terrorist, there's extra drama, or fail, and that will be the motivation for him to try to frame her.

 

For an episode entitled "Alex," there was not all that much new about Alex.

  • Love 1
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Yeah, this was straight up terrible.  Basically everything that was bad about the previous episodes (ridiculous elimination games for the freakin' FBI, completely incompetent FBI -- probably because the competent NATs all got weeded out -- fixation on Alex's opinion for no logical reason, etc.) ramped up a notch without even much silly personal drama to balance it out.  I'll probably keep watching because I'm a sucker, but ...

 

I did for a brief glorious moment think that the mastermind was going to be revealed, and they were wearing a CAPE ... but then it just turned out to be hostage!Natalie in a long coat *sigh*

  • Love 2
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In the "Watching for the Hair" category, at least, I can look forward to more screen time for Natalie, and as laughable as it sounds, perhaps more characterization for her. Right now, her character has been basically: mean girl, Booth's other girlfriend, and scar-faking mommy.

 

And Natalie's hair is just as attractive as the other characters, IMO.

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I applauded the Terrorist/Hacker when he maybe published Alex personal cell to the public, that's why it was ringing so much, of course he/she mocking her right away..

 

I'm still undecided, is it a he or a she? the fake voice thingy sounded like a she...

 

Natalie's future is not looking good, if the terrorist already set some bombs off, I don't see the reason why Natalie is gonna make it, she'll probably sacrifice herself jumping off to the water.

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Shelby annoys me. "It's your fault people hate me because they know I slept with my boss."  Maybe you should have thought about that before sleeping with your boss?

 

This. Shelby gripped my shit this whole episode. It was her own fault, she chose to have an affair with a married man. Also in the training scenes she was annoying with the competitive bullshit with Iris, although Iris didn't bother me. 

 

I hated the way she tolerated Caleb following her around, she needs to report that shit. Guy has stalker and serial killer written all over him. 

Why does the average person care what Alex believes? And why do they all have her phone number?

 

It's fairly common for people to be doxxed online. I surprised she was just getting nasty comments and emails. Women get rape and death threats just for having opinions online.

 

And yet, the intelligence community wants to act like the notion that there might be others connected to this plot is the wackadoo theory, when the lone bomber actually is.

 

It reminded me of that meme that goes around after a lot of tragedies, If it was a black he's called a thug, if it's a brown guy he's called a terrorist, if it's a white guy he's mentally ill and acted alone. 

 

I see the FBI trying to push that angle and a lot of people believing it, but no-one believing Alex? Really? There are people who think 9/11 was faked, as was Sandy Hook, people think JFK was murder by the CIA. But everyone just accepts this guy acted alone?

 

I did like the new NATs, well the guys were fine, but I have a major crush on Lijun Li who plays Iris, she was quite far the best thing about Minority Report. Also her behind the scenes social media posts are fab. I did like Iris, it was helped by the fact I was dying for someone to smack Shelby all episode. The only thing I didn't like was her flirting with Caleb, she can do way better than that. Also if Natalie's giving up Brandon sex, why would you flirt with Caleb when Brandon's available. 

 

The bit at the end where Iris asks if Natalie will give her a fake scar, there's an outtake where Lijun Li uses the wrong 'f' word. 

 

I also didn't see the problem with the older NATs conning the younger team, that's what criminals do. If Caleb actually was a decent analyst he would've noticed they were on a loop. 

 

I did feel sorry for Alex in the present. CarSex and Shelby were out of order. 

 

They better not kill Natalie, I'm starting to like her. 

 

 

  • Love 1
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...and they're pretty sure that the B in FBI stands for 'Boobs'.

 

Just as the I stands for Idiots.

 

Why does the average person care what Alex believes? And why do they all have her phone number?

 

From her personal website IknowEliasdidnotactaloneandIwillproveitReallyIwill.com

 

Instead of the 5 (or 3) trainees picked to go home (that stupidity has already been addressed), the entire hostage rescue team should be booted, or at least sent back for remedial training.  "Fire at will "?  Really?  In a building with hostages?  And no one thought to guard the back door in the first place?  And Shelby's glee at downing the guard in front.  In reality, that bullet would have ripped half her back out; it's not a game.  Best line of the fight:  "Everybody fall back.  It's an ambush!"  What was your first clue, maybe the fusillade of fire from the hostage takers?

  • Love 5
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Well, I've been debating whether or not to pick this back up after the break.  I grabbed this episode, but having read the comments here, I am torn.  Obviously, it's even more awful than before, but has it reached the point where I want to watch because it's so awful?  Has it quite reached Three-Stooges level of slap-stick?

 

Come to think of it, I never liked the Three Stooges.  Let's change that to Laurel & Hardy!

 

It used to be a more entertaining trainwreck, now it's just boring and bad.

  • Love 2
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This is in no way a spoiler.  But I will be seriously disappointed if Caleb's mom isn't the mastermind. Marcia Cross does slightly evil better than anyone!

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So I was watching this and realized that I just couldn't sit through the episode. I thought "I wonder if Previously TV reviews it, so I can find out what happens without having to actually watch?" It does and I'm happy. Now, whenever Alex decides SHE'S satisfied with who did it, I'll find out here without the pain of watching this tripe.

  • Love 1
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This is in no way a spoiler.  But I will be seriously disappointed if Caleb's mom isn't the mastermind. Marcia Cross does slightly evil better than anyone!

 

Ha!, imagine that some jealous rage against cheatin' hubby cost the lives of 32 agents? nahh! I'll pass on that

  • Love 1
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Ha!, imagine that some jealous rage against cheatin' hubby cost the lives of 32 agents? nahh! I'll pass on that

I was thinking more it would make her look sympathetic for her campaign, but I guess your reasoning would work too.  

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...the entire hostage rescue team should be booted, or at least sent back for remedial training.  "Fire at will "?  Really?  In a building with hostages?  And no one thought to guard the back door in the first place?  And Shelby's glee at downing the guard in front.  In reality, that bullet would have ripped half her back out; it's not a game.  Best line of the fight:  "Everybody fall back.  It's an ambush!"  What was your first clue, maybe the fusillade of fire from the hostage takers?

 

They should also be forced to watch "The Dark Knight," where Joker did the exact same thing of swapping bad guys for hostages.

 

The difference between this and that is that these "hostages" had IMO more opportunity, should they have wished, to let the good guys know that they were "hostages," IMO. 

  • Love 2
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The conversation between Raina and Miranda's son was one of the most realest conversation this show had. I enjoyed it. 

 

The new students joining the search really doesn't do much for me cause I want whoever it is to be someone we already met before this second half of the season. 

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I was thinking more it would make her look sympathetic for her campaign, but I guess your reasoning would work too.  

Two birds, one stone. 

 

Possibly a third: getting to be like "WE MUST STAND UP TO LONE TERRORISTS LIKE ELIAS" gives her a campaign issue.

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They should also be forced to watch "The Dark Knight," where Joker did the exact same thing of swapping bad guys for hostages.

 

The difference between this and that is that these "hostages" had IMO more opportunity, should they have wished, to let the good guys know that they were "hostages," IMO. 

 

Then we wouldn't have the contrived situations of the hostages staying that way and creating more of their own problems.

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I don't even remember Elias let alone Duncan.

Same. It just proves to me that I neI d to cancel my season pass. I don't k ow who,half these people are nor do I care.

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The difference between this and that is that these "hostages" had IMO more opportunity, should they have wished, to let the good guys know that they were "hostages," IMO.

I'd have to go back and watch again (which I'm loath to do) but I seem to remember the 'hostages' taking somewhat aggressive stances.  Certain the one guy smirked when he realized how fooled Alex's team was, so so much for being objective.

 

What am I talking about - Miranda and Cougartown knew they were cheating and when confronted said basically 'yeah, what of it?'.  I honestly woulda had respect for any of Alex's team who then said 'So you set a competition, you cheated and allowed cheating, and you're still gonna boot some of us out for following the rules?  Fuck this - I didn't sign up for the bullshit patrol'.

  • Love 1
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I don't know why I stick with this when I continually think it's average to bad. I continue to struggle with Priyanka on here as well. The girl is unquestionably stunning, but her acting is just average, struggling too often in important scenes, and I think that's the main difference between this and Scandal and HTGAWM. Those shows go off the rails into nonsense for sure, but the acting, especially from the main character, is never the thing that I'm struggling with. So here, when the mystery is plot is ludicrous, the writing is subpar at best, and I'm struggling with the lead actress continually, I find myself wondering will this be the last week. And the answer is still no, the preview for next week looks interesting though I'm highly suspicious of all things Natalie, so I'll go back hoping for better and knowing it won't happen. Figure that will continue to work for the rest of this season, but next season, not so much.

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I literally set up an account just so that I could post that even though there is nothing believable about this show, the possibly least believable thing is that the valedictorian of Harvard-Westlake, whose students I've tutored for over ten years, would ever, ever, EVER go to USC. I had to pause my DVR because I was laughing so hard. Like, that new character would've gone to Harvard or Stanford. USC wouldn't even be her back-up: Penn would.

Also, shut up, Shelby.

  • Love 5
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Well, I'm still here for cheesy fun and to see how tortured the show can make Simon Asher look every episode. His looks range from "You stepped on my puppy..." to "...with a steamroller."

 

I feel like "What you were capable of -- what we were capable of" is phrasing I've heard before, and I wonder if it's a clue.

 

Honestly, the most suspicious person right now (other than Caleb and his weirdo cult persona) is...Naima (??) The sister in the headscarf? But then I think that would make the show look so awful that the devout Muslim woman is actually an evil terrorist. It would've sort of explained how she would've gotten to Simon, though.

 

But no...I'm still going with dumb Caleb, acting at his mother's behest. Only one with the motive to get rid of her cheater husband.

 

Welcome back, you crazy trainwreck of a show -- I missed ya.

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What the hell, was it opposite day in Quantico land. Now everyone who risked everything, her supposed friends to help Alex all hate her. And now Natalie seems to be her only supporter, and I am actually starting to like her. So that means she will probably die soon.

 

And even Priyanka's hair was having a bad day and I could not even enjoy and pretend it was a Pantene commercial I was watching!

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I'm still undecided, is it a he or a she? the fake voice thingy sounded like a she...

 

To me, it sounded like a mash up of all of their voices.  It definitely sounded like Shelby at certain points, but I don't think it is straight up her.

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....the possibly least believable thing is that the valedictorian of Harvard-Westlake, whose students I've tutored for over ten years, would ever, ever, EVER go to USC.

 

I'm betting that someone on the writing staff did, though.

  • Love 2
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I made it about halfway through this episode and realized I don't even care who the supposed other terrorists are, nor do I care what happens to the main cast. I was mainly sticking around for Simon's character, but everything else is just so bad that the cons outweigh the pros. I'm officially out.

  • Love 2
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I made it about halfway through this episode and realized I don't even care who the supposed other terrorists are, nor do I care what happens to the main cast.

 

You know, I agree with you.  

 

This whole series is stupid.  The plot-lines are stupid, the training exercises at Quantito are stupid, the investigating is stupid, and the acting is stupid.  (Why are so many of my shows drowning in stupid?)  I am quite convinced that when the terrorist(s) are finally revealed, it will be the stupidest reveal, with the stupidest of tortured logic, and will be just stupid.

 

As for the cast, I really don't care what happens to them.  When WossName jumped out the window?  I'm sorry they didn't follow their FBI suicide training and all jump out with him, to show solidarity.  Better yet, they could find a bomb, and all huddle around it waiting to go out together.  There isn't a single character in this show who I care for, or about.

  • Love 3
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^^You mean Caleb?

 

Duncan was one of the hackers that helped Alex escape before?

Yes, Caleb. :) Thank you. Jacob was his father, in another show... (I think - it's been six years). I got them mixed up.

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As for the cast, I really don't care what happens to them.

It is something of an accomplishment, having this large a cast without a single interesting or redeeming character.  And they've really stayed the course on making the plot as preposterous as possible.  

  • Love 2
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