President Kirkman lost his temper for what seems like the first time ever on Designated Survivor as he dealt with electing the Supreme Court on this week. While necessary to run the country, picking the cabinet members wasn’t half as stressful as launching missiles and getting shot… yet this is what get’s him fired up.
In reality, I’d say it was more Senator Bowman throwing more opposition his way and trying to delay the vote, all because he’s angry that he didn’t get his way on the gun control bill. Sorry Bowman, sometimes the DECENT person actually wins.
Bowman isn’t in favor of the 9th impartial chief justice and seemingly orders Kirkman to provide the Republicans with five justices that they find acceptable and without liberal bias, or he’ll continue holding the “justice system hostage,” as Kirkman believes.
Understandably Kirkamn’s upset, especially because he called in his former university supervisor Julia to help him narrow down and vet the nominees. It was supposed to pass without a hitch; it was supposed to be one of the easiest things he’s done as President. But realistically, when has anything been easy for Kirkman?
Finally, the President comes up with the best option – one that Bowman can’t refuse – and offers the job to Julia. She’s visibly taken aback but promises to consider it. A little while later, she comes to turn down the job and come clean – this brilliant woman that Kirkman once looked up to is suffering from early onset dementia. Kirkman, a man of the people, is at loss for words mustering up only an “I’m sorry.”
Julia, determined to help him pick the best cabinet, realizes that if they can’t beat Bowman, they have to go around him. They gather the nominees again and explain the new plan: they will nominate only 8 supreme court justices, four on each side. When Bowman tries to object, she assures him that the constitution doesn’t specify how many should be appointed and he agrees to “wait it out” until the next election. For the win.
Meanwhile, over in North Dakota, Hannah and Atwood are trying to uncover the conspiracy that led them to a silo with enough missiles and explosives to take out half of the US. Forstell wants to send in a team to help them but Hannah, who is running point strictly for the President, wants to lay low for a little, especially because the nearest town is something straight out of House of Wax. For a town that doesn’t offer up much, there surely is a lot of out-of-towners, which is Hannah’s first red flag.
They encounter a man who tells them a “storm is coming.” I’m not convinced he was referring to the weather though but something that was going down near the silo’s a little later because he quickly regretted it when he got all weird with Wells.Hannah noticed, he had a “Pax Americana” book on his windshield. Call me crazy but if you’re part of some illegal conspiracy and trying to take down the government, maybe don’t leave your manifestos out for everyone to see.
The agents hit up a local bar to get some answers about what’s really going on in the small town and the bartender tells them that the visitors are called “True Believers.” Apparently, they gather approximately 4 times a month at the old Air Force for a bonfire summer camp, which we know is just a cover for whatever their up to.
Knowing that she has to find a way to get to these people, Wells steals a Pax Americana book from a man at the gas station, who also had a NVWS tattoo, similar to the letters she’d seen on the explosives. From the book, she finds out it stands for ‘No Victory Without Sacrifice’ a common motto in the manifesto which calls for a new empire to replace the current government. This literally explains the bombing of the Capitol and everything MacLeish has ever done.
Hannah and Atwood aren’t allowed to just drive onto the private property to mingle with the terrorists who want to take down their own country so they go for plan B – infiltrating on foot. That’s when they realize the bonfires are actually a landing zone for a helicopter. And who emerges from it but a familiar face of a man we thought was dead – Nestor Lozano. Is he the man behind everything – the leader of the True Believer’s?
Feeling a little restless and bored at home during your self-quarantine? It’s understandable. You didn’t expect to be living and working from home a month or so.
While you’re doing your part to flatten the curve and help prevent the spread of coronavirus, if you don’t have something to keep you occupied, your mind begins to wander just a little bit.
That’s honestly the only explanation I can think of for all the conspiracy theories I’ve been reading. While there’s absolutely no basis to them, it made me think that maybe there’s something there entertainment wise– people are craving a specific genre of television to help them through this tough time.
So, I’ve put together a list of shows surrounding government conspiracies that you might enjoy while you are cooped up inside.
Manifest is a mystery inside of a riddle that focuses on the return of Flight 828 five years after its initial disappearance. The plane’s re-emergence shocks everyone because they assumed their loved ones were dead. As the passengers begin looking for the truth, they stumble upon a government conspiracy that’s dangerous and frightening.
Manifest made way for Emergence, a drama about a small-town cop who takes in a young girl at the site of a mysterious plane crash. The young girl begins exhibiting certain supernatural powers, and as high-ranking officials develop an interest in the girl, Jo realizes she’s entangled in a mystery larger than she ever imagined.
When Will Byers goes missing, three best friends in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana begin their search for him along with his mother and police chief Hopper. The investigation leads them to unraveling a series of supernatural mysteries that lead to secret government experiments with an alternate universe.
Not all government conspiracy’s have to be dark and dangerous, sometimes, they’re feel-good shows! Miles is friended by the “God Account,” a mysterious account on Facebook that allows him to help people in need. Miles and his friends try to figure out who is behind the all-knowing account, and the possibility of a government entity is high up on that list.
The British police thriller follows Police Sergeant David Budd, who is a war veteran suffering from PTSD. He currently works for the Royalty and Specialist Protection Branch of London’s Metropolitan Police Service and is assigned as security for Homeland Secretary, Julia Montague, who is rather controversial in the political landscape. It keeps you guessing until the very end over who did what and who knew what.
The series, based on a trilogy of the same name, focuses on Project Noah, a secret medical facility where scientists test dangerous viruses that could potentially be a cure-all. However, there’s a chance they could potentially wipe out the whole human race if they get into the wrong hands (this might be a little too on the nose). A federal agent grows to love a young girl who becomes a test subject and attempts to protect her at all costs… even human destruction.
Alex Parrish is the one of the top recruits at Quantico, a training facility for only the best and brightest, but she’s being set up of masterminding the deadliest attack on U.S soil since 9/11 — a bombing at Grand Central. Can she solve the conspiracy and clear her name before its too late?
What’s better than a show that combines time traveling to relevant, pivotal, and iconic moments in history with a government conspiracy? Timeless is an adventure series that places you in the middle fo all the actions as Lucy, a historian, Wyatt, a soldier, and Rufus, a scientist, get recruited to thwart a nefarious government institution that wants to change the world as we know it.
Michael Scofield’s brother, Lincoln Burrows, is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and put on Death row. Michael holds up a bank to get arrested and begins his elaborate plan of breaking them both out, which eventually leads into the reason he was framed and yeah, you guessed it, it’s an intricate political conspiracy that’s really messy.
Jack Bauer, Director of Field Ops for the Counter-Terrorist Unit of Los Angeles, thwarts assassination attempts, torture, traitors, and nuclear attacks, while hoping to save his nation from ultimate disaster.
In a similar vein and also starring Kiefer Sutherland, low-level cabinet member Tom Kirkman ascends to the role of President of the United States after a devastating attack on the night of the State of the Union blows up the Capitol and kills the President and most of the top-reigning officials. Soon, it’s revealed that Kirkman wasn’t the designated survivor on accident as a government conspiracy unfolds.
After a year in space, Molly Watts (our girl Halle Berry) returns to Earth and reconnects with her husband, a gifted scientist, and her son, Ethan, who has skills and powers that make him incredibly special. However, she begins to realize something isn’t just right and the conspiracy that unfolds threatens her career and family. The thrilling drama hails from Steven Spielberg, so even if it’s slightly overcomplicated, you know it’s bound to be an adventure.
There’s likely plenty of other shows… which ones would you add to the list? Share them with us in the comments or on Twitter @CraveYouTV!
Campaigning for President is hard work.
Campaigning for President while simultaneously filling the role of the current President is even more daunting.
It requires double duty, yet Kirkman and his team rise to the occasion in more than one instance.
Lorraine is in charge of getting a platform that will push Kirkman, an independent, to the front of the race.
It proves challenging because unlike Moss, her former client, Kirkman isn’t willing to stoop low in order to advance.
He wants to be the guy that America votes for the right reasons, which automatically makes him the right choice in my book.
But optics are everything in a Presidential race.
And in an America where people have openly admitted to not voting because no candidate represents them, their beliefs, or causes that are important to them, it’s harder to convince the public to see that greatness.
It becomes increasingly difficult when Kirkman’s campaign is overshadowed by scandals that arise out of nowhere.
In Designated Survivor Season 3 Episode 2, Kirkman tackles the situation of child brides following an unfortunate meeting with a donor from Saudi Arabia who brings along his 14-year-old wife for a photo op.
Kirkman is disturbed considering the young woman is roughly Penny’s age, and he could never imagine selling his daughter into marriage.
Despite Lorraine’s advice not to speak openly about child marriage, Kirkman decides he cannot just stand by idly.
A representative for Saudi Arabia comes for a sit down with the President and it’s immediately the strongest scene in the episode.
The scene could have been one-sided with Kirkman asserting himself as an American, talking down their archaic beliefs, and taunting America as the better and progressive country.
But instead, the female representative turned the tables and listed off some of America’s flaws: slavery is the foundation, high incarceration rate, and guns.
She also unearthed homegrown issues including laws with grey areas that allow for children to get married pending parental consent.
It’s great when a series can turn the table on its own people and show that sometimes, you have to start with issues in your own backyard.
Related: Designated Survivor – #thesystemisbroken (3×01)
The fact that Kirkman, and his team, weren’t aware of such laws or that it was common practice in many states speaks to the ignorance of the American people. We’re blissfully unaware about what’s happening on our own turf yet quick to point fingers and condemn others.
Despite his outrage, Kirkman was forced to table a law prohibiting marriage before 18 simply because it didn’t suit his campaign.
Emily was initially upset because she knew deep down that it was the right thing to do and something she was passionate about, yet she understood that Kirkman wouldn’t be able to invoke change if he lost the Presidency.
Emily’s heart is in the right place, which is why she’s Kirkman’s moral compass. She’s idealistic, but sometimes that idealism gets in the way.
Lorraine understands that there’s a strategy when it comes to politics. They’re trying to get every single voter possible and bringing up issues that are controversial can turn those voters away.
As she put it, Kirkman trying to push this legislation would get him nothing, but cost him everything.
Sometimes, to win, you have to take the L.
Emily’s choice to move to the campaign has a few pros mainly that she’ll be close enough to Lorraine to keep her in check.
Emily isn’t the only one who doesn’t trust her and for good reason. Lorraine may be advising Kirkman, but it’s still unclear if she’s actually on his team.
It’ll also benefit Emily to be exposed to a different side of the political game.
After being promoted to Campaign Speaker, Emily mentioned that she had to “toughen” up.
Who would have thought that toughen up would mean to expose Moss’ Alzheimer’s gene when the President explicitly said not to?
Even Lorraine didn’t stoop that low.
Kirkman’s strategy of when they go low, we go high is noble — No one wants a President that’s a bully.
Yet, it was important for the public to know about Moss’ condition even if Kirkman didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news or violate any privacy laws.
The second issue that worked against the President came at the expense of his trans-sister-in-law.
And while it wasn’t fair to out Sasha, who chose to live a life outside of the public eye, but helped establish Kirkman’s beliefs.
Republicans tend to swing towards conservative and anti-gay, Democrats are liberal and thus pretty accepting of the LGBTQ community.
Related: Designated Survivor – Run (2×22)
But an independent? Where would he stand?
When Sasha made headline news it was a lose-lose situation for Kirkman.
The public condemned him for hiding his trans family member out of embarrassment without ever considering he was honoring her privacy.
The only way to get the bullying and death threats to stop was for Sasha to make them.
Sasha’s introduction came just as little Penny, who isn’t so little anymore, got her period.
Seeing two men that deal with issues on a national and nuclear level get so bent out of shape over a period was downright hilarious.
It’s a good thing Sasha handled the whole “you’re becoming a woman talk” for Kirkman.
The show is finally acknowledging the impact millennials have on politics.
If a candidate wants to win the popular vote, he has to reach the voters on their terms.
Dontae has taken the Kirkman campaign into the digital age, and it’s refreshing.
When airing Kirkman’s speech about infrastructure on the national channels wasn’t an option, Dontae suggested putting it on the web for free.
Kirkman didn’t just reach more people, he was trending everywhere and as accessible as your best friend.
I think he should win it solely for embracing millennials when other candidates don’t see the value in it.
With the show’s shift to Netflix, Designated Survivor isn’t constrained to as many boundaries.
The F-bombs are flying and for those of us who watched the show since its heyday, it’s slightly jarring, yet it makes things more believable.
I’m betting things at the White House, especially during a campaign trail, are a chaotic cluster eff at all times. Of course, they swear to blow off some steam!
The series has become more inclusive and representative of things like LGBTQ rights, lack of representation for minorities, and Aaron Shore even leads the narrative for the Latinos.
We’d all probably agree that Aaron was sorely underutilized throughout the first two seasons; it’s as if the writers never really knew what to do with him.
But all of that has changed once the series found its new home.
Much like the other characters, Aaron now has a personal life outside of the White House walls with Isabel.
Isabel’s Latino pride is a stark difference from Aaron, who has always tamed down his Latino roots even having changed his last name at some point also.
He always found a conflict between owning his heritage and fitting in in politics, which is something Isabel hasn’t had much of an issue with.
Yes, Isabel challenges Aaron, but it’s not in a good way. Her character is very “I’m right and you’re wrong” and leaves them in constant conflict and disagreements.
Since they are constantly arguing about something, it’s difficult to pick up on any chemistry.
Why be with someone if you don’t accept them for who they are?
Should Aaron own up to his heritage? Quite possibly, but she shouldn’t continuously push him because it’s been successful for her.
Lorraine, on the other hand, is going to push Aaron’s Hispanic heritage in a push for votes.
She also sees the NSA Director’s untapped potential and realizes he can also win over the millennials, the urban, and the 45% of non-voters who felt like they weren’t represented.
Lorraine even says, “if Kirman can get these people, he wins.”
It also helps he’s a looker!
It’s interesting to see a man get objectified instead of a woman for a change.
Much like women do on a daily basis, Aaron is now seeing what it means for someone to measure your worth by appearances and not by how capable you are of doing the job.
Will Aaron take the offer and join Kirkman’s ticket?
Hannah was fired from the FBI, scooped up by the CIA, did her time as an analyst, and then stumbled into a bioterrorism case that’s even left her Dr. Eli Mays scratching his head.
Remember that red cardinal Emily hit with her car while spending time in Florida with her mom? The birds died of a virus that was genetically engineered: smallpox.
Hannah and Eli were exposed at Eli’s friends’ lab, but thankfully got to a cure just in time!
They trace the virus to a hospital that affected plenty of patients and was seemingly brought in by a male nurse who has, you guessed it, dropped off the face of the planet.
A manmade virus created to wipe out the population seems like the kind of situation Hannah would get herself in. It’s just a shame that Chuck isn’t around for this!
It concerns me that Emily was in a state where the bird virus was present. Could this mean she’s in danger?
So to sum it all up: Kirkman wants to play fair, but also knows it’s not always in his best interest to pursue any legislature that can divide his voters. Don’t underestimate either Lorraine or Emily. Aaron Shore can be Kirkman’s golden boy if he just gets over the whole “I’m only being considered cause I’m Latino” shpiel. And Seth is a dad!
Thoughts on the two episodes of Designated Survivor?
Keep following CraveYouTV for the remaining episode reviews!
Netflix gave Designated Survivor a second chance and similarly, the American people are giving Tom Kirkman another one.
Before ABC pulled the plug on the Kiefer Sutherland fronted drama, President Kirkman decided to go against all odds and run for re-election.
I know Netflix dumped all episodes in one fell swoop, but I’ll be reviewing them individually for old time’s sake.
At the kickstart of Designated Survivor Season 3, Kirkman’s misstep during his State of the Union speech almost cost him his upcoming bid.
The nation assumed he was unhinged and though yelling at the American public may not have been the best approach, Kirkman has never pretended to be something he’s not.
The state of America was crumbling and the only way to get anyone to listen was to cause a scene.
As Emily Rhodes said: it was refreshing.
Kirkman, who is running as an Independent, against his former-friend-turned-nemesis, Moss, quickly learned that his unconventional campaigning tactics would be his secret to success.
His vice president Eleanor Darby also resigned and decided to run against Kirkman as President. Because of her decision, his infrastructure bill didn’t garner enough votes to pass.
There wasn’t much to rely on in terms of data or research for an Independent candidate. And the numbers weren’t there either. Independent’s never had a chance of winning, yet Kirkman struck a chord with numerous voters who wanted, nay, needed a change.
They wanted someone to listen and hell, Kirkman wanted to listen.
Kirkman was uncertain of his own capabilities and gathered his old team for a dinner at the White House where he polled them on his odds of winning.
In true fashion, Emily was the beacon of hope that reframed the election in Kirkman’s mind.
“Why are you running,” she asked him.
At that moment, Kirkman knew he had a shot at winning if he followed his heart and approached it not for himself but for the American people.
By the end of the hour, Kirkman figured out his motive for running, found a uniting platform and hired his campaign manager.
Lorraine Zimmer was a spit-fire and though she initially seemed like a good addition to Kirkman’s unconventional team, I’m not so sure she has his best interests at heart.
Considering Zimmer once served on Moss’ team, I think she may have accepted to position simply to undermine Kirkman and help Moss get elected.
In order for Kirman’s campaign to succeed, he also needed to put the gang back together.
At the beginning of the episode, Emily had removed herself from DC politics and moved home to Florida to take care of her cancer-stricken mother.
Mars Harper replaced her as Kirkman’s Chief of Staff, and though he was damn good at his job, there was always something missing.
Seth, who scored a promotion to White House Communications Director by the end of the hour, lured Emily back to DC explaining that she was the missing key to Kirkman’s success.
Sure enough, when Kirkman saw her he admitted that he needed her back on his team as his moral compass.
Aaron Shore continued to be the eye-candy of the White House, but for all of you shipping his relationship with Emily, it doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards for them.
Shore is now dating Isabel, who I initially thought was his sister (you have to admit, they do look alike), an employee of the White House who really connects him to his Latino side.
While Shore’s romance with Isabel is new to us it’s seemingly been going strong as he just asked her to move in with him.
Although, his reaction to her “thinking about it” didn’t seem too promising.
While Netflix doesn’t ignore the previous narrative of Designated Survivor, it does a great job of wrapping up storylines and moving them ahead without lugging around the baggage.
Hannah Wells’ storyline was so complicated, it did her more harm than good.
Getting dismissed from the FBI closed a chapter for Wells and opened up her new opportunity: a gig with the CIA.
Truthfully, they’d be stupid to pass on a woman so skilled in her craft.
Wells is an absolute ninja and can handle whatever comes her way.
And it seems like that’s going to be bioterrorism; where is Dianne Lewis, CIA director, sending Wells on her next assignment?
And how will her storyline remain connected to President Kirkman?
There’s plenty of new additions to Designated Survivor that will undoubtedly strengthen an already strong cast and ensure enough there’s enough political drama to round out the season.
Dontae Evans, a black and openly gay man, is hired onto the team by Seth after introducing Kirkman’s team to the power of social media and generating a hashtag that successfully redefined his platform.
In addition to Evans, we also briefly met Mars’ wife, Lynn Harper, a woman suffering from opioid addiction.
Free from network constraints, Netflix now has the ability to elevate a series that reaches a broad spectrum of people and touch upon topics that were formerly taboo.
We’re looking forward to seeing what the streaming giant does with a show that never lived up to its full potential.
Also, Penny no longer wants to be referred to as Little P, and it’s heartbreaking because she’s grown up right before our eyes!
What did you think of the Designated Survivor premiere?
Is it a better fit for Netflix?
Will the streaming giant give the cast storylines that play to their strengths?
Does Kirkman have another traitor in his midst with Lorraine?
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