Designated Survivor Review: One Hundred Days (Season 1 Episode 15)

There’s always the fear, when it comes to a show like Designated Survivor, that they do best with chaos and that the slower, building-block episodes, the ones that shy away from the conspiracy and focus on the family aspect or the politics would be lacking.

Designated Survivor Season 1 Episode 15, “One Hundred Days,” delivers the first purely political episode of the show to date, and it clearly puts that fear to rest.

Yes, this show can do it all. Yes, they can put Hannah and the explosions in the back-burner, focus on policy and still be interesting.

They can also shine the spotlight on the President’s family in a way that feels anything but contrived.

From Leo Kirkman checking what people are saying about his dad on Twitter to Alex Kirkman walking back a comment she made about gun control without drama, because this is not about her and Tom anymore, this is about the government, the Kirkman family has adjusted to life in the White House way better than anyone could have expected them to.

Which is why it seems like something is bound to disrupt the peace, probably the conspiracy turning its eyes on one of its members.

After all, they’ve survived politics and they’ve survived the demands of being the First Family. What else is there?

Don’t answer that.

The bulk of the episode, however, is not spent on family matters or on the conspiracy, it’s spent on the political aspect, the day-to-day task of governing that real life has shown us can be much more difficult than TV often gives credit for.

Designated Survivor, however, doesn’t sugarcoat this. For Tom Kirkman the beginning of his Presidency was fraught with tragedy after tragedy. But, like a phoenix rising from the ashes (his words, not mine), it’s finally time for this President to focus on something more than just surviving.

It’s time for him to be the President of the United States.

And, given the chance, he’s good at it. “It’s because he means it,” Aaron tells his cousin at one point, in one of those moments that just makes you wish he was out there, next to the President, where he belongs. But even if he isn’t, even from afar, Aaron has a point.

The thing that makes Tom Kirkman so effective – the thing that could possibly make his term as President so groundbreaking is that he just doesn’t play sincere, he is sincere. He truly means every word he speaks.

Add that to the fact that he is effectively working with much more good will than any other President in history, and also, that’s he’s a pragmatic and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Pragmatic. That sounds like a bad word. It sounds like someone who doesn’t really believe in anything.

But that’s not who Tom Kirkman is, no. He’s got some deep seated beliefs. It’s just that he’s come to understand that, in politics, it’s not just about what you believe, but when you put those beliefs out there to get people on your side.

This basically proves that you can be a politician without becoming …well, a politician.

Imagine that.

So far, Designated Survivor gets a passing grade on every category I can think of, and we’re not talking B minus either, we’re talking top of the class. We’re talking, if you’re not on this train; get yourself in front of a television now and catch up.

We’re talking drop everything you’re doing on Wednesdays, this is what you should be watching.

This is must-see television. And you don’t want to be the last to catch on.

Other things to note:

• Aaron, ditch the hair gel. You look much better without it.
• Chuck has a thing for Hannah and the only person who doesn’t realize is Hannah.
• Prints of a photo? REALLY? REALLY?
• I’m side-eyeing you here, Designated Survivor.
• Aaron, keep talking to me in Spanish, please. Without hair gel. Thank you.
• Also, NATIVE SPEAKERS. What a relief. It’s like not everyone has to speak in broken Spanish.
• Why did the ladies laugh at the mention of the gender pay gap? It’s not funny.
• “No offense, Sir, but I just fell asleep.” – NEVER CHANGE, SETH.
• Also, don’t be a traitor. Please.
• Aaron still has a thing for Emily. She might still have a thing for him. I might ship this.
• I’ve gone back and forth on the shipping issue, but if they make me wait, I’m on board.
• Slow burn. That’s what I want.
• No one looks like the traitor now. That’s a bad sign. Especially because we’re fresh out of leads, AGAIN.
• A female Chief of Staff. It just hit me. A female Chief of Staff. I’m savoring that.

What did you think of this episode of Designated Survivor? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Designated Survivor airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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