S01.E10: The Oath

[formerlyfreedom]

President Kirkman fears there could be a traitor in the White House when he discovers shocking information connected to the Capitol Bombing. Confiding in Emily, Kirkman puts her in charge of quietly investigating. Meanwhile, new information surfaces about Congressman MacLeish, raising concerns regarding his vice presidential nomination.

 

[merylinkid]

Who's been hit?  Who's been hit?   Oh wait wrong show.   That was the GOOD one where we cared.

At least we know who's really pushing McLeish.   Someone tell me when this show was conceived?   

[janeta]

-groan- does agent wells have something against just calling in these threats? Does she HAVE to try and play cavalry all the time? Jeez.

[SimoneS]

Of course, dumbass couldn't just say who was behind the conspiracy. Instead offers up a cryptic "don't trust anyone." Dumbass deserved to die. Wells should be locked up for being an incompetent agent. 

This show and its ridiculous plot contrivances is why I haven't been watching consistently and I want to for Jake Epstein (Craig from Degrassi).

[irisheyes]

We can all agree that Kiefer's not dying. The way these things go, it'll probably be Mike.

Have to be honest, didn't see the COS showing up alive.  

[janeta]

I think it will be one of the spouses.

[jaybird2]

would someone tell me what happened......cable went out as the shoot was happening!

i meant to say 'shootout at the farm

[scarynikki12]

I think it's the First Lady. I also don't think Aaron is involved in the conspiracy. We don't know what the phone call specifically entailed. He could have been tasked with that job by the COS during that overseas trip and did what he was told without knowing what it all meant. 

Speaking of, I'm thinking the COS got cold feet, switched Kirkman in for the intended puppet, and went off the grid for changing the plan. I'm looking forward to him resurfacing. Also, was that a Nikita reunion I saw between him and Maggie? 

[Moose135]

41 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

Who's been hit?  Who's been hit?   Oh wait wrong show.   That was the GOOD one where we cared.

I was thinking the same thing. Also, when Aaron, Emily, and Seth are having the drink to celebrate MacLeish's selection, I was thinking they were tempting fate, as it wasn't official yet.  And really bad timing for Aaron and Emily to get together, right before POTUS tells her Aaron may be the traitor...

At this rate, I don't know that I'll be back in three months when the show returns.  Seriously, though, three months until the next episode?

Edited December 15, 2016 by Moose135

[shapeshifter]

I can pretty much forgive Maggie being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound after having internal injuries that should have led to bleeding to death or at least infection, because that's how it goes on TV, but 2 things gave me pause:

1. Maggie's ponytail length hair hanging loose so as to block her peripheral vision while she is stalking and being stalked by a killer
2. Maggie once again speeding in a car amidst bumper to bumper traffic in DC. After I was rear ended, I dreaded driving for many weeks, and  when I did drive, it was with caution — I guess that's why I'm not a secret agent for the feebs.

[lucindabelle]

 Plan a conspiracy so vast to kill everyone in the top ranking government. You do all this so you could have one congressman miraculously survived, so that he can be chosen as a vice President. Then on the very day that he will be sworn in to have the president assassinated so that all suspicion immediately falls all that congressman who will suddenly become president of the United States. Really? 

 

 I think for me this show has officially jumped the shark. As they say. Because we have in real life but dictator who gets rid of opponents and she poisons him and he does this and other ways and he doesn't do it immediately so that it's hard to trace it back to him although the whole world knows it is him. I'm talking about Putin, of course. 

 

 Virtually everyone who could connect the dots with immediately know that the capital bombing was related to the miraculous survival of the congressman who was vice president and now president. We're also getting to the point where as soon as they kissed I knew that Arin was going to be a suspect. And as soon as she found the chief of staff who seem to be a good guy after all although his clothes really cryptic he was going to be a dead man. I mean I'm getting bored.

[Happy Harpy]

 In hindsight, so much of the half-season looks like filler to me after this fast-paced and action-packed episode. Again, the pacing problem is this show's biggest enemy imo. If the writers stop stalling for the sake of it, a very large dose of plot contrivances should disappear.

The sudden reignition of Emily/Aaron, the reappearance of General Not-So-Schmuck anymore (I give the writers points for subverting the trope they played straight so far) and other references to the very beginning of the season made me fear that Aaron would be the "surprise reveal". Now that he looks 100% shaddy I think he's "safe".

Can I please have more of this iteration of Kirkman? You know, doing stuff, being rather savvy, using his head a bit more than his heart etc. Finally Mike had more to do and it was organic!

And can Hookstraten be VP? K&K make a good team imo, plus she's so interesting that I wouldn't want her to be the Big Bad. Frenemies working together would be more fun to watch at least for this viewer.

Some posters had called MacLeish's wife as in on it so I wasn't surprised, but I liked how the dialogue revealed it. Until "our friends" I thought it could also be another red herring, a la "God's plan" thing and she might only be more ambitious than she let see.

I love Seth (whether he's shipper on deck for his buddies or intolerant to saccharine) and I understand his being hurt but I'm disappointed that he deliberately ignored the reporter during the press conference. It was unprofessional.

Maggie Q was great in this episode. I mean greater than usual. She played the trope of the false sob story perfectly well.

I think that Kirkman was Catalan's (it was him, right?) real target and he was waiting for MacLeish to be sworn it to pull the trigger.

4 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

I think it's the First Lady.

It would be the most logical since IIRC she was standing the closest to Kirkman and the bullet was deflected,; and since imo, she had almost nothing to do since the end of the paternity storyline.  So if someone goes with a bang, for me it should be her (granted, I'm not the biggest fan of the character). But it can pretty much be anybody, or even no one at all. I'd have preferred a concrete "victim" but maybe the change of showrunner/direction was already in the air internally at least, and this is why they kept their options open.

I like the idea Aaron taking a bullet and unintentionally proving his loyalty. I don't think he'd die because Emily doubted him whereas conveniently they were getting together. Do I dare hope for an adult reaction, and no drama? No I'll never learn.

I don't think that after she clearly fired in direction of the building, and her bullet is there to prove it, they can dismiss Hannah's intel or mistake her for a bad guy. Maybe McLeish is the one bite it, then, especially after his wife became a new lead. OTOH his wife wouldn't be as useful to the conspirators as he could be so she's a possible one.

I will be there after the hiatus. The cast is very talented, and I like most of the characters which are always my motivation for watching a show. That said, I wouldn't be against better writing, pacing and a clear direction.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Happy Harpy

[shapeshifter]

54 minutes ago, Happy Harpy said:

...I love Seth (whether he's shipper on deck for his buddies or intolerant to saccharine) and I understand his being hurt but I'm disappointed that he deliberately ignored the reporter during the press conference. It was unprofessional....

I got that impression at first, and maybe even moreso when he told her if it was up to him she'd be ignored but that the POTUS said to give her an exclusive because the POTUS likes her, but then when she spilled her classified-level intel to a room full of journalists, I thought Seth's seemingly unprofessional attitude was based on some astute perceptions of character.

 

Quote

...I don't think that after she clearly fired in direction of the building, and her bullet is there to prove it, they can dismiss Hannah's intel or mistake her for a bad guy. Maybe McLeish is the one bite it, then, especially after his wife became a new lead. OTOH his wife wouldn't be as useful to the conspirators as he could be so she's a possible one....

On this show I expect someone from the conspiracy to make Kirkman and others believe that she was aiming at the POTUS but that one of the protection detail snipers on the roof (which they gave us several views of) deflected Maggie's shot. Hopefully a boyscout near her or a non-conspiracy roof lookout will share the real scenario with the class.

[Happy Harpy]

15 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

On this show I expect someone from the conspiracy to make Kirkman and others believe that she was aiming at the POTUS but that one of the protection detail snipers on the roof (which they gave us several views of) deflected Maggie's shot. Hopefully a boyscout near her or a non-conspiracy roof lookout will share the real scenario with the class.

It's indeed an option, but one I hope the writers won't choose. I expect change after the hiatus, and this would amount for me to yet another stalling tactics.

I hope you're right about Seth, and I'm going to see things this way unless in-universe further notice.

[Dowel Jones]

Tight security there, Secret Service.  An entire building with closed windows but one, and it has a rifle muzzle pointed out of it.  What should we do?  And... volunteers checking bags at the entryway?

3 hours ago, SimoneS said:

Dumbass deserved to die.

I missed something.  The last I saw of Langdon was him driving away during the shootout with Wells and Cabal member redshirt.  Is this who you're referring to?

I did like the scene with McLeish and "the little woman" discussing the plan.  Shades of Manchurian Candidate.

Granted, Secret Service Mike has the President's trust, but would he even be in the Oval Office during a discussion surrounding national security?  Just curious.

And for heaven's sake, who takes their first date to an Elvis impersonator?

2 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

plus she's so interesting that I wouldn't want her to be the Big Bag.

Oh, dear.  She's homeless now?  (snark)

[Happy Harpy]

1 hour ago, Dowel Jones said:

Oh, dear.  She's homeless now?  (snark)

My brain is after 27 hours without sleep.  Thanks for noticing, I can correct it.

[dwmarch]

4 hours ago, janeta said:

-groan- does agent wells have something against just calling in these threats? Does she HAVE to try and play cavalry all the time? Jeez.

If we file this under "it's not a bug, it's a feature" it was clearly inherited from 24. The hero characters always find themselves in situations where they can't trust anyone and they have to chase down the only lead in person, et cetera.

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I can pretty much forgive Maggie being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound after having internal injuries that should have led to bleeding to death or at least infection, because that's how it goes on TV

I'm guessing the makers of whichever car she was driving are obviously not sponsors of this show. Agent Wells gets t-boned and somehow ends up with a gaping wound in her side? I didn't see any horns on the front of that vehicle that hit her.

3 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

 In hindsight, so much of the half-season looks like filler to me after this fast-paced and action-packed episode. Again, the pacing problem is this show's biggest enemy imo. If the writers stop stalling for the sake of it, a very large dose of plot contrivances should disappear.

This also reminds me of 24. When there were 24 individual, real-time episodes half of them were straight bullshit. But when they did a 12-hour season the show was tight and the filler wasn't nearly as present.

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

one of the protection detail snipers on the roof (which they gave us several views of)

 

58 minutes ago, Dowel Jones said:

Tight security there, Secret Service.  An entire building with closed windows but one, and it has a rifle muzzle pointed out of it.  What should we do?

This was the worst part of the whole episode for me. Okay, the bad guys have a Secret Service agent working for them and as such can sneak onto the seventh floor as an agent is clearing it. But sticking that big fucking gun out the window in the general direction of all the VIPs gathered there? Bull... shit! If I were a Secret Service agent watching this episode I'd be insulted.

There were a couple-few elements I actually did like amidst this steaming pile of an episode:

The flower embroidery on Emily's gloves, because Emily.
The General comes back and having since realized that President Kirkman actually has a pair, offers to help.
McLeish's wife is in on it! An unexpected plot twist that works out better than I could have imagined! (However I am ready to admit this is because this plot reminds me of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse in which we are led to believe a Senator is the bad guy but it turns out his wife is pulling the strings the whole time.)

[marinw]

5 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

Some posters had called MacLeish's wife as in on it so I wasn't surprised, but I liked how the dialogue revealed it. 

Me too. It is Lady McLeish who wants to Make America Great Again.

I know it was  CGI, but seeing all those people gathered in the Mall improved this show's World-Building tremendously for me. 

I loved this episode, although the show still feels like a poor man's 24. Hannah is definitely from the Jack Bauer School of counter-terrorism. She even comes her with her own very-put upon Man Chloe.

I find myself comparing this show to Fringe of all things. That show struggled in its first season but then it started to gel. Maybe Designated is like that too, a slow burn.

So when do we get a new episode?

[Happy Harpy]

13 minutes ago, marinw said:

So when do we get a new episode?

March 8, according to TV Line.

[SimoneS]

4 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

I missed something.  The last I saw of Langdon was him driving away during the shootout with Wells and Cabal member redshirt.  Is this who you're referring to?

I probably got confused about who died and missed the guy driving away. Regardless I rail against the plot contrivance.

Edited December 15, 2016 by SimoneS

[TaraS1]

Love you, Maggie Q, but man....I think I'm out.  Three months is a long ass hiatus!

And apropos of nothing, but Seth's speaking voice drives me insane.

[Biggie B]

Why did Maggie not just scream out "SHOOTER" while holding out her badge for all to see? If she'd yelled that out even BEFORE seeing the window open where the sniper was, the secret service guys would've slammed POTUS to the ground, covering him in safety. For her to take it upon herself to try to shoot the sniper was absurd beyond belief, and now of course, she looks like SHE'S a sniper! Good grief! Now she'll end up in a cell right next to Atwood.

I assume FLOTUS was the one shot. I'm indifferent as to whether she survives or not. I'd feel bad for the President, but...not that much. As it was, at least the kids weren't in this episode. I cheered when Kirkman advised his wife to take the kids and go into hiding. Now, if she dies, the kids can be shipped off elsewhere, under someone else's care (relatives, or whoever). So that's helpful!

I hate that reporter! I don't care how many times she apologizes for the Leo story, she's got her own agenda. Seth should steer clear...no good will come from getting involved with her, I feel.

Poor Emily. She ditched her fiancé for someone who now might be a conspirator! Although it seems too easy to assume he's part of it. I'm not sure.

So Mrs. MacLeish wasn't the one tipping off Maggie but wow, she's bad to the bone, eh? That scene in their bedroom before the ceremony was creepy. She looked really matronly and almost seemed like a stern parent reprimanding an errant child. Yuck.

The weather is back to being cold and wintery, whereas just recently, the President was gazing out on a vernal view and people were going about outside dressed in summery clothing. Pick a seasonal timeline and stick to it, please!

Can't believe this won't be back until March. I wonder if it'll be cancelled between now and then? Is it performing poorly?

[Primetimer]

Two trails of clues lead to the White House Chief of Staff, but will it be in time to prevent another assassination at the Capitol?

View the full article

[dmc]

Ehh this show is dreadful. I was just iffy but let's face it, its sucks.

My opinions of this episode:

Why does Tom keep whispering everything? I have to keep close captioning on. Also...pretty sure this guy is supposed to be keeping shit like the capital bombing from his wife.

I hate FBI lady she comes off insane which lowers her credibility. I also hate her BF/cohort...

We all know Aaron isn't the bad guy and they are just throwing this plot out there for there to trust issues or angst a la him and Emily...

I

[Netfoot]

10 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

I understand his being hurt but I'm disappointed that he deliberately ignored the reporter during the press conference. It was unprofessional.

She made him a solemn promise and immediately betrayed his trust.  Her excuse was basically "I'm a reporter.  It's what I do.  Integrity is just a word I use to get people to turn their back, so I can slip the knife in."  Why should he ever give her a break again?  Ever?  Is it some sort of trope where people who do wrong must be rewarded?  They already made Aaron Chief of Staff for leaking confidential information to the press...

[Princess Lucky]

Best moment of the episode:

Kirkman shows his wife the super-duper classified file (shades of Ivanka, by the way?) and she very logically asks, "Who else knows about this?"

Kirkman: "Just you and Mike." (unspoken: "the only two people I trust and cherish in this world")

So sweet. Mike better not be a bad guy, or I'll riot.

This episode was so much fun. This is the show I want to watch. Crazy Agent Wells, her sidekick Chuck, and Special Guest Star: the POTUS. The White House stuff was okay (because we had MacLeish and Hookstraten, who always salvage the storyline) but give me shoot-outs in the woods, any day of the week. Maggie Q outdid herself. I love her.

As the episode went on and on and we still hadn't gotten to the shooting, I did fear it would end in a cliffhanger. I was hoping to see the immediate aftermath, if only for a second, to get the "shock" of seeing who got shot, but oh well.

9 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

The sudden reignition of Emily/Aaron, the reappearance of General Not-So-Schmuck anymore (I give the writers points for subverting the trope they played straight so far) and other references to the very beginning of the season made me fear that Aaron would be the "surprise reveal". Now that he looks 100% shaddy I think he's "safe".

I agree (I think). Early on in the show, they were really playing up Aaron's shadiness, to the point where I was wondering if he was supposed to be a villain. But then they had that General guy be the "villain" (which he wasn't, turns out) and I figured maybe Aaron was a red herring. But then they had him embrace Kirkman, and be all cute with Emily, and I was wondering if he's the mole, after all.

But now they have him as the obvious mole, so yeah, I'm thinking he's probably innocent. And, with that in mind, I can still think he and Emily are cute together. Even if the best part about their flirtation is Seth's face (those side-eyes are hilarious). I also liked seeing them actually kiss, by the way. So many of the shows I watch have had the cliched "almost" (but ultimately interrupted) kisses recently. It was nice to see a couple going at it, like normal people (as long as it wasn't the kiss of death for one of them, which, maybe it was).

Of course, I could also accept that Aaron is guilty. Just like MacLeish and his wife and Hookstraten (and the General, and that Chief of Staff), the show is doing a good job at keeping all these characters shady but also likeable. That way, no matter who's ultimately behind it, we can still buy it and/or be bummed out. That's why I think Aaron and Emily are great potential victims. If Aaron is involved in the terrorist act, they can't drag it out any longer. They could, if no one knew about it, so we could keep watching him being shady (like MacLeish) while the others were oblivious. But now that Emily has the information, something has to happen.  Either Aaron takes a bullet for the POTUS, surviving and proving his loyalty (or dying and proving his loyalty, lol) or Emily gets it and the info dies with her (I guess). Or, maybe Aaron is the bad guy but he really loves Emily, so he shields her from the bullet? So she's conflicted?

I do agree that the FLOTUS dying would be pretty dramatic (and welcome, at least in my book). But what if it's Mike? Oh my God. Kiefer would be inconsolable.

March 8, you say? Dammit. I assumed the show was coming back in January.

Oh and Catalan is really hot (in a cro magnon sort of  way). They need to give him a line or two.

[Happy Harpy]

52 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

She made him a solemn promise and immediately betrayed his trust.  Her excuse was basically "I'm a reporter.  It's what I do.  Integrity is just a word I use to get people to turn their back, so I can slip the knife in."  Why should he ever give her a break again?  Ever?  Is it some sort of trope where people who do wrong must be rewarded?  They already made Aaron Chief of Staff for leaking confidential information to the press...

I don't mean that he should give her the time of the day on a personal level or do her any professional favor. But she's still an accredited journalist and he's still in charge in the press conference. He shouldn't give her precedence on anyone, but I'd prefer he had allowed her when she was the only one in the crowd who had a question (IIRC). It would be taking the high road and confronted to his indifference she wouldn't have any leverage (because she seems to be the kind who angles for it and if he's pissed off, it's that he cares).

41 minutes ago, Princess Lucky said:

Best moment of the episode:

Kirkman shows his wife the super-duper classified file (shades of Ivanka, by the way?) and she very logically asks, "Who else knows about this?"

Kirkman: "Just you and Mike." (unspoken: "the only two people I trust and cherish in this world")

So sweet. Mike better not be a bad guy, or I'll riot.

And I'm convinced he trusts and cherishes Mike more.

Quote

But now they have him as the obvious mole, so yeah, I'm thinking he's probably innocent. And, with that in mind, I can still think he and Emily are cute together. Even if the best part about their flirtation is Seth's face (those side-eyes are hilarious). I also liked seeing them actually kiss, by the way. So many of the shows I watch have had the cliched "almost" (but ultimately interrupted) kisses recently. It was nice to see a couple going at it, like normal people (as long as it wasn't the kiss of death for one of them, which, maybe it was).

Yes, that's what I meant about Aaron. And they're cute indeed but I think they were allowed to kiss because in the writers' mind "The Kiss" is Hannah and President Kiefer meeting.

1 hour ago, Biggie B said:

Can't believe this won't be back until March. I wonder if it'll be cancelled between now and then? Is it performing poorly?

Live, not as good as it did at first, but considering the dire state of most ABC dramas (fractional galore) it doesn't seem in danger of cancellation if the numbers stay the same after the hiatus. The new average seems to be 1.2.  It's also a DVR Live+3 (it seems to gain some importance) and Live+7 juggernaut. The problem is getting all those people to watch live.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Happy Harpy

[Netfoot]

3 minutes ago, Happy Harpy said:

But she's still an accredited journalist and he's still in charge in the press conference.

And he already threatened to have another journalist banned for life, so maybe he should ban her.

[Dowel Jones]

1 hour ago, Princess Lucky said:

Kirkman: "Just you and Mike."

In hindsight, I should have realized something big was going to happen, as this is standard tv talk for "Somebody's gonna get shot real soon."

Was Wells talking to Chuck when she blurted out "They're going to shoot the President?"  If so, Agent Chuck of the FBI is going to have serious splainin' to do in the after action report, as to why, AS AN FBI AGENT, he didn't notify anyone of a possible threat and the actual building where the threat might be located.

How did the reporter find out about the person arrested for murdering the terrorist?

[Princess Lucky]

3 minutes ago, Dowel Jones said:

In hindsight, I should have realized something big was going to happen, as this is standard tv talk for "Somebody's gonna get shot real soon."

Was Wells talking to Chuck when she blurted out "They're going to shoot the President?"  If so, Agent Chuck of the FBI is going to have serious splainin' to do in the after action report, as to why, AS AN FBI AGENT, he didn't notify anyone of a possible threat and the actual building where the threat might be located.

Right? And later, Emily found out too. Plus Aaron found out that they're onto him (or that they are shutting him out of something). It would make sense for any one of them to get shot. I think only Kirkman, Hannah and Seth (right?) are 100% safe.

And Mike, hopefully. He already got shot once.

As for Hannah and Chuck not alerting anyone, that is pretty crazy. I mean, don't get me wrong, I loved that Hannah had an actual room number but she couldn't get there on time (by the way, I lament the fact we didn't get a Hannah vs. Catalan fight) so she had to resort to shooting at a faaaaar away window with her handgun(?) to prevent the attempt. But realistically (lol), if they just called someone, anyone, even plain ol' 911, somebody would have responded. Not every agent and cop is involved in whatever scandal this is. What if Hannah hadn't made it there before the shooting because of the traffic, and just arrived to find Kirkman dead and MacLeish the new POTUS?

I have to say, when Hannah fired her weapon I assumed she was aiming at Kirkman (not really, but in his vicinity) to get Mike and the Secret Service to protect him before Catalan could take a shot. I didn't realize she was shooting at Catalan. Does that even make sense? But I guess she just wanted to throw him off? With a precise shot like that, any disruption will affect the aim.

Oh and I thought I was the only one who found Aaron's hair suspicious. That is the hairstyle of a villain, for sure.

[Happy Harpy]

1 hour ago, Netfoot said:

And he already threatened to have another journalist banned for life, so maybe he should ban her.

I agree, but I think it was Kirkman's decision? Seth didn't seem very happy about it, and stayed very professionally silent.

[buckboard]

And the reason Maggie Q or her friend who is helping her didn't contact the DC Police or the White House and/or the FBI to warn them about the shooter and that the ex-COS was still alive.....?    She and only she can stop the assassination, running the gauntlet of dozens of security agencies that are on the lookout for her, not to mention traffic around the Capitol from a crowd of tens of thousands?

An attempt on her life has just been made as she rushed to give classified information to Hookstraten.  Because she didn't tell Hookstraten the information on the phone,  Macleish was made VP.  She now has information about an assassination plot and is again the only one (other than her friend) who knows about it, but severely injured, she still refuses to alert the authorities and attempts once again, to stop the crime on her own. 

Add to that, as other posters have mentioned, Secret Service not only doesn't notice the only open window, but will likely assume that Maggie Q is the shooter.  Also, can a handgun hit a target at that distance?   

Edited December 15, 2016 by buckboard

[cali1981]

Well at least we know that the conspiracy is more likely driven by internal players rather than foreign ones.  It sounds like an uber-right wing group or a corporate cartel (or both) who did not like the direction that the country was going in but killing the entire federal government officialdom seems a tad on the extreme side.  Mrs. McLeish is Raymond's mother incarnate from The Manchurian Candidate but nowhere near as scary as the great Angela Lansbury.  I would not be shocked of Aaron is in on the conspiracy.  There is something shady about him and he did sucker punch Kirkman when he released that video to force him to act. 

Edited December 16, 2016 by cali1981

[Moose135]

15 minutes ago, cali1981 said:

Mrs. McLeish is Raymond's mother incarnate from The Manchurian Candidate but nowhere near as scary as the great Angela Lansbury. 

I thought the same thing!

[marinw]

4 hours ago, Princess Lucky said:

Kirkman: "Just you and Mike." (unspoken: "the only two people I trust and cherish in this world")

So sweet. 

I would not protest too much if there was a House of Cards style threesome. *Runs and hides*

IIRC it was @Princess Lucky who expressed a wish for this show to embrace its crazy. After this episode, I am considering the crazy embraced

I really liked the moment when Tom stepped out of the SUV and waved to cheering crowds. It would seem as if the nation has accepted him as their leader and had to at least some part STFU about how qualified he is. It was a real moment of coming together, of hope for a rebuilt government. So naturally the scene has to end in an attempted or successful assassination of somebody. I also fear Alex is the causality, because Kiefer's TV wives are contractually obligated to perish.

March 8? Dammit.

[blackwing]

Finally, an episode where there is more action than talking about politics.  Loved this episode.  Finally, Maggie Q gets to shine.  A lot of what happened was a bit improbable, particularly why she didn't feel like she could trust more people (I thought she had been in prior contact with Emily?) or why she just didn't tell the nearest Secret Service agent about the shooter in that building... but still.

I agree that Alex Kirkman is probably the casualty... if so, won't be sad.  Her character is useless.  Then maybe Kiefer will go all Rogue Jack and he and Maggie Q can team up to kick butt.  That's the show I want to see.

As it is... with all of this "conspiracy in the government" and "mysterious puzzles to be solved", the show pretty much is a standard formulaic David Baldacci novel.  Which was ripped off last year by "Quantico".

[cali1981]

3 hours ago, Moose135 said:

I thought the same thing!

Either that or Lady Macbeth.

[merylinkid]

When I was riffing on the Season 1 ending of a certain OTHER (good) White House show I was about to say something about the hiatus.   Then I remembered, the West Wing shooting was Season 1 ending in May, we found out in September who had been hit.   That's longer than 3 months.   So longer to find here but it seemed normal because it was a season cliffhanger instead of "hiatus."   

[shapeshifter]

12 hours ago, Biggie B said:

...So Mrs. MacLeish wasn't the one tipping off Maggie but wow, she's bad to the bone, eh? That scene in their bedroom before the ceremony was creepy....

She was so OTT mustache twirly that now I'm wondering if she's the casualty.

[chaifan]

23 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

Speaking of, I'm thinking the COS got cold feet, switched Kirkman in for the intended puppet, and went off the grid for changing the plan. I'm looking forward to him resurfacing.

I like this theory!  But, if it were correct, I think Mrs. McLeish would have made some reference to COS screwing up the original plan.

I think if I were one of two people who figured out a conspiracy and didn't know who to trust, instead of keeping it all to myself I'd tell a whole bunch of people - in Hannah's case, I would have called several of my FBI buddies, a few secret service, one or two military folks.  Yeah, one or two may be in on the conspiracy, but what's the chance they all would? 

I really hope Alex isn't the one who is shot.  Kirkman is almost catatonic sometimes.  In mourning he would be dull as a rock.  And then we'd have to see the kids again, too.  They're better off staying off screen.  From a realistic perspective, if the sniper's gun was moved even a fraction of an inch the new target would have been off the stage.  There's no way his gun could be jolted and the bullet ends up just a few feet from the intended target.

[marinw]

So why didn't Hannah grab The Very Important Classified File as she was limping away from her car? Was she worried about bleeding all over it?

[secnarf]

Finally got around to watching the episode. I thought it was entertaining if I didn't think too hard - which I also thought about 24. It's still hard for me to see Lara Jean Chorostecki's character as a villain. I'm too used to her on X Company.

I think a long hiatus is going to hurt the show more than it helps. People aren't going to remember all of the details, and I don't think the suspense will hold that long.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, secnarf said:

...I think a long hiatus is going to hurt the show more than it helps. People aren't going to remember all of the details, and I don't think the suspense will hold that long.

Details? Suspense? </snark>

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, marinw said:

So why didn't Hannah grab The Very Important Classified File as she was limping away from her car? Was she worried about bleeding all over it?

That made no sense, and it would have been quick and easy for it to have been just beyond her wounded reach as she at least tried to grab it, and then have her look over her shoulder to signal that she needed to get out of there pronto.

[snarktini]

14 hours ago, Princess Lucky said:

So sweet. Mike better not be a bad guy, or I'll riot.

 

For real. They haven't written him shady in the least but this seems exactly like the kind of show that would pull a lame twist like that.

In the beginning I was intrigued but find myself caring less and less as the episodes go by, so I deleted my season pass. I won't remember by March, so it's a good time to cut the cord.

[marinw]

7 hours ago, secnarf said:

I think a long hiatus is going to hurt the show more than it helps. People aren't going to remember all of the details, and I don't think the suspense will hold that long.

The long hiatus is weird when this is actually one of the Network's top shows, FWIW.

I am a little disappointed that Kiefer didn't get a Golden Globe nomination for this show. Maybe the Shooting will allow him to display some of his award-winning manpain.

[DrSpaceman73]

I have to wait until MARCH to find out who was shot? 

If I had known that I would not be watching this show.  I am pretty sure I will forget by that time this show is even still on. 

I have stopped expecting top drama from this show and am just enjoying it for the B (or C) level drama it is and will likely remain. 

Not sure who was shot.  Obviously won't be Kirkman of Mcleish.  The wife........Keifer again losing his wife in a shooting on a TV show in season one cliffhanger? 

They should have had Nina as the shooter, if that's the case

[nutty1]

I still like this show! Though I must admit the whole Hannah part of the finale bugged me.  She couldn't call anyone to tell them to look at that room across from the inauguration?! How did she get a gaping hole in her abdomen from a car crash? And she miraculously was able to fight, shoot her gun and race through a crowd less than 24 hours later??

I have to say they've done a good job of the "who done it?".  I really don't have a clue.

Once they find the traitor, I wonder what the new storyline will be.

[Raja]

8 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

That made no sense, and it would have been quick and easy for it to have been just beyond her wounded reach as she at least tried to grab it, and then have her look over her shoulder to signal that she needed to get out of there pronto.

I would give her a pass for a fight or flight action as the hitman tried to choke her out. What was inexcusable was for two FBI Agents not to scream to the Secret Service, or anybody, their suspicions, down to a specific room for a sniper to kill the President.

[Princess Lucky]

2 hours ago, nutty1 said:

I have to say they've done a good job of the "who done it?".  I really don't have a clue.

Once they find the traitor, I wonder what the new storyline will be.

I was thinking about that. You have to imagine they'll resolve certain storylines by the end of this season, if not earlier. MacLeish, especially, and Aaron's involvement, and maybe Catalan, too, at least as an individual (we might not get at "the" Big Bad, but we'll get some answers about him and his connection to MacLeish, I think). And then what? What if another attack happens in the season finale? Something to really give us some drama? A war?

...

Nope. Too on the nose. I am curious to see what happens, though.

2 hours ago, nutty1 said:

I still like this show! Though I must admit the whole Hannah part of the finale bugged me.  She couldn't call anyone to tell them to look at that room across from the inauguration?! How did she get a gaping hole in her abdomen from a car crash? And she miraculously was able to fight, shoot her gun and race through a crowd less than 24 hours later??

 

1 hour ago, Raja said:

I would give her a pass for a fight or flight action as the hitman tried to choke her out. What was inexcusable was for two FBI Agents not to scream to the Secret Service, or anybody, their suspicions, down to a specific room for a sniper to kill the President.

Right? She had a ROOM NUMBER. Girl, just call somebody. Anybody. Make an anonymous 911 call. Like, if she had no clue where Catalan would be, but she had figured out he was planning on killing Kirkman, I'd understand that she'd be out of options, she'd have to rush there and walk through the crowd, trying to get eyes on the would-be assassin. But she had a room number. She knew exactly where he'd be.

And the folder/evidence thing bothered me too. You had one job, Hannah! When she was running away, she pulled her coat aside and I was like "oh wait, she's going to pull out the folder, she totally snatched it up, you go girl!" But then she just revealed her gaping wound. I mean, I get it, she was injured and in danger and probably disoriented, but it was way too convenient for her to lose all her evidence in one fell swoop.

Then again, it's those dumb plot contrivances which keep this dumb show fun and exciting, so I can't complain.