Designated Survivor Review: Home (Season 2 Episode 8)

On Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 8, “Home,” nothing is going well at the White House while Kirkman’s away. Instead of allowing the staffers to goof off a bit and have a tiny bit of fun, Emily and Kendra are left putting out fires left and right.

Emily and Kendra handle both of these situations on their own, and they do a pretty good job. However, there’s already so much drama and tension in the storylines featuring Kirkman in Afghanistan that we needed a bit of a drama break.

Instead of balancing things out with some lighter storylines maybe focusing on aspects of the staffers’ jobs that they don’t necessarily like or we don’t always get to see, we instead find ourselves tackling dramatic and serious problems.

Lyor filling in for Seth as press secretary for a briefing does earn some laughs, but that’s the only fun moment that occurs at the White House. Everything else is drama, drama, drama.

Seth’s problem is annoying. Sorry, but a drug bust?

Seth: Em, I’m running out of ways to say I’m sorry.

Emily: Improvise!

There is not a moment where it seems like Seth might actually get into legal trouble for this. The consequences are too severe, and it’s not just believable.

There’s no real sense of danger here. It’s just a matter of time before things work themselves out, which they do because Kendra is amazing at what she does.

At least with Lyor’s crisis, we learn a bit more about him.

Seth’s serves as a reminder that he’s a great guy, and he may or may not be dating Emily? Honestly, I don’t want to talk about it. (Team Aaron & Emily for life!)

Lyor’s personal life is a bit of a mystery. We don’t know much about him, and so this problem sheds some light on the mystery of Lyor. There’s also more humor to it than there is with Seth’s.

Emily: You’ve been married 6 years?

Lyor: Only technically.

Kendra: Marriage is like pregnancy, Lyor, either you are or you aren’t.

Lyor: It’s complicated.

Lyor would be married and yet shrug and file his taxes as if he isn’t. It’s such a Lyor thing to do.

It’s cute seeing him and Julie together, and then learning about their relationship from both of them, separately. Julie talking about her bond with Lyor is sweet.

The only issue is that this situation isn’t resolved. It’s left up in the air with neither Lyor nor Julie wanting an annulment.

Now, maybe I missed something, but how can Kendra fix things with the IRS without the annulment?

Okay, let’s focus on the group in Afghanistan now.

Kirkman being covert and operating outside of the White House is actually pretty entertaining. He and Aaron share a couple good scenes, especially when they are profiling the two warlords, trying to determine who is behind the attack and who to trust.

As much as I love Maggie Q, the hunt for Kevin and the tiff with Mike isn’t all that enjoyable. There had to be better ways to utilize her and Mike than to have them on this side mission.

It would have been better to see Hannah working alongside Kirkman.

If need be, the tension between Mike and Hannah could still be there. Mike could try to keep her away from Kirkman, and yet Kirkman would specifically ask for her or something.

This whole thing could have been handled differently. It was entertaining to see Mike and Hannah together, but the mission and the unnecessary drama between them isn’t enjoyable. Did you enjoy Hannah and Mike’s rescue mission?

Did anyone else think that Harry was going to die. My paranoia kicks in some times when it comes to TV, and we do spend quite a bit of time with Harry.

Thankfully, nothing happens to Harry.

Kirkman’s scenes with Harry are a great way to show us more of Tom Kirkman, not President Kirkman. It’s nice to see more of Tom, especially when he’s just being friendly and not tackling a crisis.

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

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

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

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

18 Greatest Couples of Shondaland