Quantico - S1E8 - Over

Previously on Quantico, ‘Go’

Just a quick note: Given the subject material and the recent attacks around the world, I can see where this show might lose its appeal for some. This show is pretty fluffy in contrast to its backdrop. My one complaint would be that it does rely heavily on the idea that every Muslim is a suspect and everyone is a secret Arab. Occasionally, they address that trope head-on, but they still use it as a default to make people look “suspicious”.

War Games

The NATS are getting more and more freedom and this week’s assignment starts off as a slam-dunk. They are all assigned separate cases and told that they should work alone, but Nimah and Simon realize that all of their cases are connected and foreshadow a possible terror attack at a local park. After a briefing at FBI headquarters, the second stage of the assignment is to track the suspects in the park and stop the attack. Alex tackles the suspect, but the biological weapon ends up in her bag. Lesson: sometimes you’re so focused on the suspect, you don’t see the diversion. Message!

Throughout the day, Simon and Nimah work well together but she shuts down all his attempts at more, and Raina feels left out when she sees Nimah flourishing as herself. Caleb gets suspicious of Shelby’s calls from an unknown number and reports it to someone. Turns out she has a secret Saudi half-sister she’s been sending money, and Caleb confesses he used to be in a Scientology-like cult to win her back. There’s so much to mine here. Alex and Ryan search FBI headquarters for info on her father, but Liam shuts them down. Liam confesses that in the past he and Alex’s father dropped the ball and a major attack happened and they covered up their mistake with a bunch of other agents who are now “higher ups” at the Bureau.

Daddy Issues

In the present, Alex and Ryan are trapped in Queens. The only way this could be worse is if they were trapped in Jersey. They get a glimmer of hope when all the FBI files on Alex’s case are leaked from Caleb’s dad’s computer. The hackers who helped Alex a few episodes ago are back and using their mad hacking skills to get her and Ryan out of the country. This also puts Caleb and his dad on the offensive. The press knows Miranda helped Alex and it’s only a matter of time before the affair with Shelby leaks too. He asks Caleb to scrub his email and Shelby’s phone, but Caleb finds an email saying that Alex’s badge was used to access a restricted area. Caleb thinks he’s covering it up but he insists he just doesn’t want anyone to figure out he was in a hotel with Shelby when he accessed the email.

Because of the leaked files, Alex figures out that there’s a second bomb that hasn’t gone off yet. The manhunt has been a part of the diversion. After getting Ryan to safety, she turns herself in so she can tell the FBI about the upcoming threat.

Bring Your Son to Work (And Break His Heart) Day

In the past, Director Shaw spends the day trying to bond with her son by taking him out with the trainees during their field training. They bond and exchange small smiles as he gets into watching the NATS on their mission and he even starts to realize why she’s been so dedicated to her job. It all falls apart when he realizes he can never be an agent because of his record. The episode ends with Shaw attacked and bleeding out in her home and Charlie missing.

Who’s Sexin’ Who

Despite a hiccup, Caleb and Shelby are still going strong. And I really need this show to step its game up because I’m not excited about the blonde-on-blonde bedtime romps. Give me more Priyanka or Yasmine. Unfortunately, both Raina and Nimah are icing Simon out so I don’t know if that will happen.

Answers and More Questions

• I said this last week, why does Shelby think Clayton is trustworthy? Everything we’ve seen from him shows him to be opportunistic and mean. She also has an email draft saying she’s still in love with Caleb so what gives? She’s lost in the sauce.
• After being rejected by Nimah and Raina, Simon ends the episode talking in Arabic with a comrade about if he made the right choice to come to Quantico. I don’t know, this came off as suspicious, secret Arab meets MRA.
• The question of where Shelby has been sending money has been answered, but I still wonder why so much. She sent a million dollars for her sister to buy a house. Seems suspect.
• Shaw’s son seemed to be making a change despite how the day ended. I’m wondering if he’s being manipulated by someone to get to his mom.
• It’s pretty obvious that Liam, Clayton, and probably Caleb’s mom are involved in this past cover up. They’re all contemporaries. Hopefully, Mama Haas makes an appearance soon.

Federal Bureau of (No) Investigation

• We’ve always known that the higher ups have been suppressing evidence because of their focus on Alex but how did Caleb’s dad convince his assistant to lie for him without arousing her suspicion?
• Did 100 agents all need to point their guns at Alex and wrestle her down to the ground when she turned herself in? She’s not Black Widow.