Quantico Review: America (Season 1 Episode 2)

Wow… this is a lot. Isn’t it?

It’s been a while since I’ve been left feeling like I have so many answers, but just an undeniable number of questions too!

And that’s what this episode of Quantico does for us. It answers just enough of our questions, but poses a series of new ones as well.

Episode two, entitled ‘America’, mirrors the format of the pilot. We see Alex training at Quantico — and going through a training exercise that will obviously help her evade the police while being framed for the biggest terrorist attack since 9/11.

This episode is definitely more intriguing than the pilot, but that’s not to say that the pilot was bad. Between the past and the present, we learn some very interesting details about each recruit, and major character on the show. For example, Simon doesn’t really need glasses, and Miranda Shaw knows that Nimah and Raina are posing as one. She even refers to them as an “important experiment,” which, seriously? Is a bit creepy.

But we don’t know why!

Honestly, I love coming up with insane conspiracy theories during commercial breaks.

And while I love trying to understand each character, and what motivates them, I can’t help but also feel a little lost this episode. It seems like too many stories, and plot points happening all at once. Sure, each recruit has their own secret, but is it necessary to indulge us in those secrets in the second episode?

Unless these secrets have something to do with the attack, I think it would have been better to space out these ‘OMG’ secrets throughout the season or even, the series; because these characters have the potential to be rich and likeable, even if their morals don’t align with ours.

Like Caleb! This episode brings him back as an analyst, after being kicked out after last week’s fiasco. While I love to hate Caleb as a character — his smugness, his cockiness, his attitude, I can’t help but feel incredibly bad for him as he tells Shelby about his parents ‘being done’ with him, and his Hail Mary that comes in the opportunity as an analyst.

Speaking of analysts: hello Rick Cosnett. It feels so great to have him back on my screen. The last time I saw him, he was declaring he was a hero, and I was crying my eyes out. I honestly hope that he turns out to be one of the good guys this series.

While the show has its major plot holes—does Alex really only need a hat to hide her identity?—the show is interesting enough to keep me hooked. I want to know when Liam fell in love with her. And what exactly is that scar on Nathalie’s neck?

It doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting all our answers next week, but I can hope that maybe we can get a bit more insight on the terrorist, and Alex’s relationships — in general.

Things to think about:

1. What hair product do you think Alex uses? She had zero cases of hat hair the entire episode
2. Who do you think had that peeping tom set up going on in the apartment to Alex’?
3. “The recruit you fell in love with, or the terrorist who rejected you?” Boom! Miranda Shaw, welcome to Shondaland. Kind of.

What did you think of this week’s episode? Let us know if the comments below!

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Quantico airs Sundays at 10/9c on ABC.