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Quantico – The Conscience Code (3×01)

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Quantico has gone international for their revamped third season, Italy specifically, but it doesn’t take long for them to return to New York where all the action goes down.

Following that disheveled season 2, Alex had to stay “dead” so she disappeared to Italy where she crafted a little life for herself that involved green fields, cobblestone walkways, and wine. It was perfect. In addition to her new identity, Parvati, she also had a new lover and his daughter to care for.

However, the first lesson they teach you in Quantico is to never get used to your undercover life.

She ever once shed her FBI skin and was living a complete lie. And when those terrible, bad men finally found her, her cover was blown.

As she shipped her new family off to a safer location, she left to Switzerland where she reunited with Ryan Boothe who confirmed her greatest fears: the bad men wanted the Conscience Code.

Now, you’re probably like what is a Conscience Code. Since Quantico loves to overcomplicate everything, I’ll keep it simple. It’s basically the code of all codes used by the government to bypass computers and control planes, nukes, etc. In order words, in the wrong hands, it’s mighty dangerous.

Apparently, Alex and Ryan stole the code from their own government for reasons unknown and then Alex memorized it and burned it so now, she’s the only one that knows it.

Those bad men are working for an older Italian mob lady that goes by the most generic villain name, “The Widow.” And even the story behind her name is predictable – her husband died, she took over the business and began dealing dangerous arms out of her clothing factory. Whatever.

This Widow lady has captured Shelby as bait for Ryan and Alex. And well, Shelby’s a pretty hot commodity because not only is she Alex’s best friend, she’s also Ryan’s wife.

Let’s unpack that, shall we? This new showrunner, who has simplified the plot greatly, figured out a brilliant way to continue the love triangle without making it overbearing.

Ryan, the man who was head over heels for Alex, married her best friend because he thought he’d never see Alex again when she disappeared from Thailand in an effort to get a clean slate.

Logical, I guess.

Yes, one could argue that there are many fish in the sea but as an undercover FBI agent, it’s just easier to date within your own circle. Without Alex, Shelby was the next best thing.

It sounds mean but we know it, Shelby knows it, and even the Widow knew it when she baited Ryan with the “who should I shoot first? The woman you married or the woman you love,” line. Sorry, Shelby. You never had great luck with men.

And what happened to not having any weaknesses? Ryan doesn’t have just one, he has two!

Eventually, Shelby will have to die to make room for the inevitable reunion of Alex and Ryan. It just has to happen.

So Ryan and Alex are back together and like every good action-film, the heroes need to assemble the team. Alex reaches out to Owen Hall, the only man she’ll ever trust probably because next to Ryan, these two had some weird sexual chemistry that was never fully explored.

Owen is hesitant to work with Alex, a “traitor” to America, but realizes their ask is crucial so he heads back to good ole’ Quantico, which is breaking down new agents as we speak, to enlist the help of their current professor, Jocelyn.

Jocelyn isn’t your average television character. The writers and producers stepped out of their (and Hollywood’s) comfort zone to become more inclusive by adding a deaf character.

And she’s a wonderful addition to the team because losing her hearing has made her a much better agent. She’s more cautious, composed and looks at the bigger picture.

Hot-headed Ryan who let his emotions get the best of him one too many times could really learn a lot from her. It’ll be interesting to see their dynamic and his progression as the series unravels, especially since he’ll be working so closely with both his ladies. He cracked so easily at the first sign of any torture, it’s surprising he made it this far as an agent.

Thanks to Jocelyn, they are able to narrow down Shelby’s location to either a factory or a spacious loft. It’s rather impressive how they can garner so much detail from a measly 40-second recording.

Also, Shelby comes through dropping subtle hints that only Booth and Alex could pick up on.

The caveat here is that Will — good old Will — is working for the Widow and is the reason both Shelby and Alex are in the Widow’s custody. Some friend, right?

He claims to be in way over his head but helps her stage a trap using Owen.

Shelby and Alex have some time to catch-up before the Widow demands the code before threatening to shoot Shelby. Alex succumbs to the pressure and gives the Widow the code, a fake code. This is Alex we’re talking about.

The decision bought the team enough time to trace the call and pinpoint their location.

By the time the Widow figures out she’s being played, Booth and Owen come busting through the door to save their ladies.

The writers also involve Harry because he was a beloved character once upon a time. He was hating his life and working private security for some billionaire schmucks who did way too much cocaine when Ryan presented him with the opportunity.

They never really needed him but he killed his annoying boss by stuffing his face into that cocaine pile so yeah, it’s good to have him back.

If you thought this Widow storyline would span multiple episodes and be part of a greater, overall plot, you were wrong.

This was just the kick-off to get the old team back into place; since they’ve proved that they are still capable of doing good cohesive work, the new Quantico director gave Alex a full presidential pardon and assembled them into a Black Ops group run by Owen. I swear, we’ve done this before, haven’t we?

Alex isn’t tickled by the idea and insists she just wants to go home. When she arrived in Italy and sees her “family,” she gets flashbacks of her other life and convinces herself that they’re better off — and safer — without her.

And I cannot argue with that. She’s been lying to this man the whole time and despite how relaxing her life was, being an agent is in her blood. Will we ever get some closure on this relationship, though?

Alex returns just as quickly as she left and takes her seat at the table of old classmates-turned-agents.

The series seems to be taking a procedural approach and will likely see the team tackling various cases that differ week-to-week. I’m not sure if I like that, however, based on the ratings, the old template wasn’t doing them any favors.

Maybe this will be easier to follow along?

This new season is also giving me major Bond-vibes. Did anyone else pick up on that? Especially when it came to that intro which definitely featured Ryan as the equivalent of the “bond girl.”

Is this Priyanka Chopra’s audition for the role? The film is looking to embrace a female-led Bond this time around.

Something tells me, Alex Parrish would be an incredible 007.

If not, I’ll remain content watching her take down the bad guys on the small screen.

 

Overall Grade = B+ 

We’ll be sticking around for more Alex Parrish, will you?

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Lizzy Buczak is the founder of CraveYouTV. What started off as a silly blog in her sophomore year at Columbia College Chicago turned her passion for watching TV into an opportunity! She has been in charge of CraveYou since 2011, writing reviews and news content for a wide variety of shows. Lizzy is a Music Business and Journalism major who has written for RADIO.COM, TV Fanatic, Time Out Chicago, Innerview, Pop’stache and Family Time.

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13 Best Government Conspiracy Shows to Watch During Your Self-Quarantine

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Must watch government conspiracy shows

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 (two seasons – currently airing)

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.

 

Emergence (one season so far)

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.

 

Stranger Things (preparing for season 4)

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.

 

God Friended Me (two seasons – currently airing)

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 Bodyguard (one season)

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 Passage (one season)

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.

Quantico

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?

Timeless

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.

Prison Break (5 seasons)

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.

24 (9 seasons)

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.

 

Designated Survivor (3 seasons)

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.

 

The Event (one season)

Sean Walker, a seemingly regular man, begins to look into the mysterious disappearance of his fiancee and exposes one of the biggest cover-ups in American history.

Extant (2 seasons)

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!

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Quantico

Quantico – Ghosts (3×12)

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Quantico Ghosts

Quantico’s penultimate episode took us on an intense trip overseas all the way to Ireland.

As most things on this show, getting there safely wasn’t an easy feat, especially when the snake Connor Devlin escaped from custody.

Their exchange in the very beginning of the episode couldn’t have been more accurate — Alex has dealt with many monsters but none have ever come close to Devlin’s level of dangerousness.

Extradition was all part of his greater plan because as you imagine, he has almost everyone on his payroll back at home.

And you know who else is in his corner? Fricking Fiona. Which meant that they couldn’t remain ghosts, aka dead in a plane crash as most would have presumed, for too long.

We didn’t find out about her real motives until a little later in the episode, but I always knew there was something off about her. She was too eager to help and get Devlin to Ireland and also, getting too close to McQuigg.

Turns out, she was an MI-5 agent who felt like she owed her life to Devlin who supposedly saved her and her brother back in the day. Per usual, she was romantically involved with him and he only needed her until the job was done.

When Alex finally caught on and realized that Fiona was the mole, Devlin left her behind knowing that she would probably sacrifice herself to protect him.

Then again, this is the man who shot his brother in cold blood just to regain the kingdom for himself.

Seriously, Devlin is the BIG BAD who makes all those who came before him look like child’s play.

He’s also really conniving. Then again, you have to be if you’re going to gain control over so many folks and order them to do whatever at your beck and call.

He played his own brother, you know, before killing him, by allowing him to follow through on his auction. Eamon was so convinced that this new business was better than the simple drug shipments his father and brother dabbled in because it guaranteed big money. However, there’s something slightly more dangerous about auctioning off kidnapped women so at least Devlin realized this wasn’t something he wanted to get mixed up in.

He knew that since his brother had Maisie, Harry’s sister, the agents would pursue the lead and walk right into his plan.

When they busted the auction, they thankfully saved all the girls costing Eamon tons of money. None of that matter though because Devlin then killed him and made it look like a kill by the FBI so again, he walked away scot-free. How does he keep getting away with it all?

Harry was reunited with sis, though at one point, I really thought she was going to mess this up for everyone because of her big mouth. And then I thought she would die after being saved. Thankfully, none of that happened.

McQuigg felt understandably stupid for believing Fiona and not seeing her for who she really was. Yeah, pretty girls can definitely have that effect on you.

Alex tried to cheer him up by saying they were all fooled but you know that’s a lie — she never trusted her.

Since this is the final episode before the finale, the writers had to give into all that tension that’s been building up between her and McQugg. And boy, did they deliver!

McQuigg mosied his way into Alex’s room where she was conveniently laying in a silk nightgown. She was practically beginning for him to come over. They could have definitely done away with that because when has Alex ever done such a thing? Never.

I have to say, I was always Team Ryan and wanted her to end up with him, however, their chemistry didn’t light a match to what she and McQuigg have. I guess it’s a good thing he married Shelby.

Of course, the moment Alex gave into temptation, you know that they had to bring back Andrea and his daughter into the picture.

Remember when Devlin told Alex she hadn’t “lost” anyone yet or paid the price for killing his son? Yeah, he didn’t mean her mother, he meant Andrea and his daughter.

The man is connected so he easily got his hands on the two of them and is probably holding them as leverage in exchange for Ryan Booth.

You know, maybe she was onto something when she told McQuigg she couldn’t hook up with another co-worker. That’s one messy web to be tangled in.

Devlin’s ultimate revenge is to kill Ryan since he’s the one who took the actual shot that killed his son.

The question is, would Alex trade Ryan to spare Andrea and his little girl? Shelby definitely wouldn’t allow it, but the stakes are higher because there is a child involved.

And if Andrea is saved, what does that mean about her relationship with McQuigg? I would say that regardless of her feelings, she would need to let Andrea and the girl go because even inadvertently, she’s still a danger to them.

I doubt Andrea would even want anything to do with her if he found out that she’s the reason they are in this situation.

How do you think it will all end? Will Ryan pay for his sins? Will Alex survive? Will they kill Devlin? Will this finale be as good as the rest of the season? No matter how messy things got in season 2, the writers really redeemed themselves for this season and I have to say, I’m sad to part ways with these incredibly talented FBI agents.

Since the series finale is called “Who Are You,” maybe Alex finally has to stop and think about who she is when she’s no longer an FBI agent. I don’t believe she’d ever give up the profession — it means too much to her — but it’s no secret that it has impacted her life greatly. Who would she be without it? Who is the real Alex?

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Quantico

Quantico – Hell’s Gate (3×03)

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Quantico Hell's Gate

Quantico seems to be getting it right with their cases in this rebooted third season.

Yes, personally, the only tension is still between Alex and Ryan and now, Shelby, but case-wise, things are linear, interesting and at times, even funny.

Charlie was a great one-time addition to the team because his motive wasn’t readily available and you couldn’t actually argue with his plans for the cartel. He was a legend; he’d been in with them longer than any undercover cop and understandably, he didn’t come out unscathed.

Culebra took everything away from him — his freedom, his career and the love of his life.

You can’t argue with a man wanting to get revenge for that.

It’s not every day you see someone use an EpiPen to take down the kingpin of a massive cartel in a courtroom while the FBI is shooting at him to stop him. The storyline definitely kept you on your toes.

While Owen’s newly minted FBI unit began searching for the mole, I thought it was pretty obvious that the mole was standing right in front of them. It wasn’t pure coincidence that when they went to pick up Charlie, the cartel was tipped off about the exact route they were taking.

Knowing how good Alex and Owen are at what they do — I can’t speak for the remainder of the team since I don’t know them all that well yet — you’d think they would have suspected it from the get-go.

If they had, we probably wouldn’t have seen Ryan donning leather pants and trying to get his gay-flirt on to “pull off the role.”

Again, for an agent that always follows through on the character that’s needed to get this done, I’m surprised that he couldn’t sell being attracted to a male. Put your ego and your pride aside for one moment and just do what needs to be done. I won’t say he deserved to be stabbed, but really, what did you expect? This guy deals with the biggest cartel in the world. Don’t you think he’s ready at all times even at a gay club where he’s trying to get his hook-up on?

Shelby didn’t even seem too concerned about Ryan’s well-being which was just further proof that there is zero chemistry between these former Quantico cadets. Truth be told, Alex cared more than his own wife.

Charlie was good at reading people so he intensified the conflict brewing beyond the surface with Shelby and Alex. I’m not sure if Shelby was just hopeful or if it really didn’t occur to her that there would be some ongoing awkwardness regarding the whole “I married your ex” ordeal.

Personally, Alex is being super cool about all of it, especially the fact that Ryan tried to kiss her. She’s wedged between two people she cares about so it’s difficult to decide who she “owes.” Should she honor Ryan’s wishes and keep quiet until he decides to tell Shelby? Should she tell Shelby the truth because she’s her best friend and deserves to know?

And does honesty trump heartbreak here? Because that’s what Shelby will be when she finds out — heartbroken.

He’ll finally be convinced to tell her when he can no longer deny or suppress his feelings. Which based on his jealousy of Alex and McQuigg’s innocent interactions is coming up really soon.

I’d imagine on some level, she already knows. She knows Alex is hiding something from her and Charlie’s winded-clock analysis simply proved that to be true.

I think she also expects it to happen because let’s face it, Ryan has never gotten over Alex; Shelby is a band-aid, second best.

And it’s truly unfair that Ryan put Alex in this position and is asking her to withhold the truth. I used to root for him but his messy love triangle this season is painting him in a really negative light. Even Harry called him out for it.

Quantico incorporating a deaf-character as a lead and allowing for dead-air so they can communicate strictly in sign-language is awesome. I’ve never seen this happen on a TV series but do think it’s important to address. It is possible to tell a story without using words!

Other Thoughts

  • There was a shootout on a packed highway and not one civilian was injured. I find it hard to believe.
  • What kind of courtroom has a window where you can see the witness testifying? That seems rather dangerous.
  • Charlie knew Alex better than she knew herself and everything he said, right down to her hesitating and buying him some time, was accurate.
  • Who had the best abs? I’m going to say Harry won this round. Deep and Celine are proving to be comedic relief. When he asked her how she explains the job to her parents, I could just picture an Indian mother inquiring about what kind of work he does.

Overall, there’s no avoiding a love-triangle on Quantico and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The series was built on this doomed relationship between Ryan and Alex and followed them coming to terms with never getting a happy ending because of their career demands. It doesn’t succeed in love stories, however, but in friendships, which I think have always been solid.

And the case-of-the-week layout is just an added bonus so that we can see just how badass Alex and co. really are.

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