Designated Survivor Review: Line of Fire (Season 2 Episode 10)
Based off the thrills of Designated Survivor Season 1, you’d expect that a winter finale would be chock full of intrigue and would keep you on the edge of your seat. That’s not the case on Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 10, “Line of Fire.”
The hour isn’t anything special.
There’s no excitement in the wildfire or the quest to save baby Grace. It’s not terrible, but it’s boring. You’d rather be focusing on anything else, like on the investigation into Damien or the First Lady’s hearing.
Of course, then you realize that what you thought would be the two more entertaining options are equally as boring.
The smallest upside is Alex completely destroying Forstell, but it’s hard to enjoy that because it’s at the tail end of an extremely underwhelming hour.
Patrick Lloyd set this whole investigation in motion months ago, and so you’d think that would carry a bit of intrigue. For as much as we’re involved in Kendra’s defense and Hannah’s investigation into these accusations, there’s no excitement in the proceedings.
Now, if somehow Alex and/or her mother were found guilty, that would be shocking! The conspiracy theorist in me kept trying to read Alex, to see if she was secretly hiding something. Why else would she be so willing to accept a plea?
Alas, it ends up being nothing. Alex wins, and then dies in a car accident. It’s perplexing, not shocking.
The timing doesn’t feel right. It’s almost too coincidental, and unless there’s some deeper conspiracy here, it’s a mundane way for the First Lady to go out.
We had a traitorous vice president who died when his wife killed him and then killed herself. That’s a dramatic and shocking death, and that’s what we’re used to as viewers of this once spy thriller-esque show.
That’s the show we signed up for, and there hasn’t been anything keeping us on the edge of our seat really since the season began. I miss that show a lot, don’t you?
I really can’t believe that we dismantled that huge conspiracy over the course of one season. There have to be some hidden factions or something else going on. Let’s shift gears to something along those lines.
On top of that, Alex’s death doesn’t create any emotional impact.
I’m the person who bawls their eyes out when watching TV when it’s done right. I didn’t particularly enjoy the Arrowverse crossover this year, and I only watch two out of the four shows, but I could not stop the waterworks when Stein died.
I also cry at sentimental moments like Cabe’s gifts on Scorpion Season 4 Episode 11.
My point is TV usually doesn’t have a problem evoking an emotional response out of me, so it’s not like I’m complaining when the most TV has ever made me do is go, “oh, that’s sad.”
Alex’s death doesn’t get even a tear from me. Neither does Kirkman’s slow motion reaction set to music.
It’s disappointing that something so dramatic as killing off a character doesn’t evoke an ounce of sadness. What are your thoughts on how Alex’s death is handled?
Then there’s Hannah and Aaron’s investigation into Damien.
It is too back and forth. He’s guilty, but maybe he’s actually innocent. No wait, he’s guilty…or is he?
Chuck: Yeah, I don’t like him — his smarmy British superiority, the way he treats me like his valet.
Hannah: Chuck.
Chuck: I’m saying that there’s something off about him. I can’t put my finger on him, but he’s suspect.
There’s no proof one way or the other, and the ambiguity isn’t exciting. By the end of it, you just want something to happen; something to be certain about.
It seems like Designated Survivor has forgotten how to be the thriller it once was. There’s no real build up to anything here, and we end things still not knowing whether or not Damien is a bad guy.
We know he’s alive and was prepared for someone to shoot him, but that’s about it. Do you think Damien is a good guy? Do you care about this mystery at all?
What did you think of this episode of Designated Survivor? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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Designated Survivor airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC and returns on February 28th.
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Allison Nichols
Allison is in a love affair with television that doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. Slightly damaged fictional characters are her weakness. She loves to spend her free time curled up with a cat and a show to binge-watch. Allison is a Tomatometer-approved critic (Rotten Tomatoes).
11 comments
This show is fading fast. The first lady’s death is out of nowhere after a very boring show. The court proceedings were confusing and just seemed too easily resolved. Then after all the bull with that case all season (which honestly got on my nerves. If I hear the name “icarus astrotech” one more time I might punch someone!), it’s just over and then she dies. What?? It turns out the actress got another role in another show, which is good for her, bc her character isn’t even likable after all this court mess. But to take her out so abruptly to me is just stupid and bad screen writing. I really think this show is quickly becoming a big stinker. My guess is it will only last one more season if it gets renewed. I think ABC is trying to recreate the success of scandal while following a different formula, and its just not working.
I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one not loving this second season. I’d like to hope that they can redeem themselves in the back half of the season, but I’m skeptical. It’s so sad to see a show you enjoyed go downhill so quickly. Ugh I feel the same way about icarus. It needs to go away. I feel like I should care more about the first lady’s death, but I don’t. I’m just annoyed about the whole thing.
Never liked the first lady…BOOOOORING character.I am glad that they have removed her from the show. She didn’t lend anything to it. That simply overshadowed the death scene and I do agree, it could have been handled better.
Hanna showing emotion – getting attached to Damien rather than it just being about their sexual romps. Hannah’s attempted murder of him leaves an opening that will be interesting to see how it is handled. I didn’t think the episode was quite as boring as you have written, but, hey… Each to his/her own. Happy Holidays.
I never had strong feelings about her one way or the other either. I’m glad that I wasn’t the only one not feeling the death scene. I could not conjure up a single tear or anything.
Hannah I think is my favorite character. I see your point that it is great to see her showing more emotion. I’m glad we have gotten to see a good bit of her this season. I hope you had a wonderful holiday!
I loved the show, but this was the worst episode yet. What a stupid premise to base an episode on- Blackmailing the president over your religious BS? They should’ve let the idiots cook themselves in that cabin and moved on to something more interesting.Definitely not continuing with the series
I think the second half of the season will determine whether or not I continue with the show, but I agree, the first half of the season hasn’t made me want to keep watching.
I have a question. What was the name of the actress that played the mother of the baby who needed surgery?
Alex’s death? Ho hum As far as I’m concerned she never fit in as the right fit as Tom’s wife, so not even important with her exit from the show. What got me was the distorted view of the zeakot religious group who were more like the Jonestown people, but flagrantly were set up to look like Jehovah’s Witnesses. First of all Witnesses would never pull a stunt as the idiots depicted here, did, basically staging a protest in the cabin surrounded by fire. And, since Bloodless surgery has become a standard performed on infants through seniors, including open heart surgery, this was a gross lie that was extremely disturbing. Shame on the producers for promulgating this sort of misleading garbage.
WTF happened to this show?? It used to be an intelligent, edge-of-your seat conspiracy thriller, now it has no idea what it is. The Hannah character’s trying to hold on to the original premise, while the White House Staffers, especially the obnoxious new guy whose name I can’t be bothered to remember, are running in some campy hybrid of West Wing meets Scandal meets the Good Wife that doesn’t live up to any of the shows it’s trying to imitate. Yelling at children caroling in the White House? Come on.
I’m so very disappointed. I loved the first season. But this… this is not the show I loved. It’s a hot mess.
I completely agree. I keep making West Wing comparisons (it’s hard not to), but I haven’t found an instance where Designated Survivor did something better or even as good as The West Wing. Designated Survivor lost what made us all fall in love with the show, and somehow it forgot how to be an intelligent thriller.
Line of Fire was a terrible episode. That may have ruined the whole show for me. Alex getting hit like that was way too predictable. I don’t mind if her character dies but like that is just stupid. Hannah getting really emotional and shooting her boyfriend is way out of character and didn’t make sense. Would prefer to see her other work partner involved or get jealous and shot him.
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