Quantico – Kudove

By: Alex Steele

Coming off a phenomenal first season, “Quantico” didn’t hesitate to jump straight back into action, drama and mystery. We left last season having witnessed Alex (Priyanka Chopra) be offered a position with the CIA and that is right where we picked back up. Not only were we given a refresher, but it gave us insight into the direction the new season would be heading. The audience no doubt prepped and ready for more heart-stopping, mind-boggling twists and turns. Titled Kudevo, the premiere episode stayed true to the present/future/past day theme that epitomized “Quantico” last season. The CIA job offer was then and now Alex is in New York for the Global Surveillance Summit. She is on the phone to Raina (Yasmine El Massri) who ensured her fellow colleague that they were one meeting away and they were nearly done. But who was Raina referring to? I guess that’s mystery number one. Not unlike Alex, she becomes distracted from the conversation when she notices white identical trucks acting weirdly. Regardless, she shrugs it off and continues inside to the summit. Once inside (after being recognized), she is joined by Ryan (Jake McLaughlin) who seems to be detailed to the President. Surprisingly, their exchange is awkward and tense. Alex asks Ryan how she is doing and demands that Alex “give it back to him.” It seems as though the two prior lovebirds are no longer in a relationship and as Ryan leaves she pulls out a ring, leaving it behind for him to collect later.

Outside, Alex is distracted again when she recognizes a man in a suit and after recording his face and movements she makes a panicked call to Shelby (Johanna Braddy) who still holds a position within the FBI. Alex asks Shelby if she can run the man’s face through facial recognition because last time Alex checked, she had killed him. Talk about seeing ghosts. Flashback to one year earlier and we see an irritated Alex working an office job at the CIA, certainly not what she was expecting when she was recruited. This scene begins an introductory sequence to the newest members of the “Quantico” cast. As we watch, we’re introduced to an author, a photographer, a lawyer and a pick-pocket as they all receive a blue post-it note with a time on it. Add to this group Alex, who also receives a post-it with the time 8:18. Leaving work, and somewhat ignoring the post-it, Alex joins Ryan and Shelby for dinner. Shelby and Ryan joke around like brother and sister while Alex and Ryan seem comfortable and in love. We’re also given a little bit of an update on the others – Nimah busted a drug cartel, Brandon got promoted to Behavioral Analyst and Caleb (Graham Rogers) is studying at Berkeley Law. Ryan is once again preparing to go undercover. As Alex goes to buy the next round of drinks, Ryan reveals the engagement ring he purchased for Alex. This exchange is endearing and unbelievably adorable as Shelby gushes over the ring (she may have helped design it) while Ryan is a combination of nerves and excitement.

At the bar, Alex looks over the time post-it note again, the time clicking over to 8:18pm as she waits for her drinks and with that her phone rings. No trace of whose calling, she answers and is informed that she’s been chosen to participate in training for National Clandestine Service. She must leave, immediately. And here comes the mood killer; she returns to the table and lets both Shelby and a dejected Ryan know that an emergency at work has come up. Both knowing the reality of their field of work, understand and bid farewell but not before Ryan himself gets a call. Meanwhile, after following directions, Alex arrives at a secluded rural location where the group of aforementioned individuals already stand. They are welcomed to “The Farm” – the CIA’s one and only training facility which is where they will be trained to go from an agency asset to operative. As the group of recruits follow their instructors, a car pulls up to reveal a hurried Ryan. Talk about coincidences right? Ryan and Alex immediately argue, each of them there for the FBI, but both equally as annoyed at the continued deception.

Back to present day, Shelby has no good news for Alex, the man Alex thought was the author Jeremy Miller (David Call) turns out not to be anyone important. Oddly, Alex and Shelby’s call is disconnected while the white trucks from earlier speed into a formation that Alex quickly recognizes as a threat. She’s not quick enough; however, as the audience watches a number of explosions occurs in a circular formation surrounding the summit. Meanwhile, inside the explosions ring out and chaos ensues. Ryan attempts to get the President and First Lady to safety, but is unsuccessful when sleeping gas is dispersed rendering every individual within the hall unconscious. Returning to one year earlier, Ryan and Alex are having it out; the lying again too much for both to handle and what makes it worse is that Miranda (Aunjanue Ellis) and the CIA were both aware. They had to keep them in the dark if the mission – infiltrating the CIA – was going to be a success. Not only that, having them both undercover doubles their odds at taking down a rogue group within the CIA. This justification seems to dim Alex and Ryan’s annoyance, only minimally, with both agreeing that it’s insane to think they’ll be able to keep their history under wraps. Their mission is to get close to the recruits and ultimately, get chosen themselves as operatives. Their mark? Owen Hall (Blair Underwood) is who the FBI believes to be responsible for recruiting members to this rogue group. Simple, right? I guess time will tell.

As training gets underway the next day, Lydia (Tracy Ifeachor) is the first recruit to introduce herself to Alex. Being the only women in the group, the two join forces quick with automatic chemistry. Jeremy Miller, however, seems to already have people offside as he appears to the be the least likely to succeed having only written stories about such things. But if “Quantico” has taught us anything, it’s to always watch our backs when it comes the dark horse and I predict that Jeremy is that black horse. The first part of their training involves the recruits undergoing a lie detector test, seems simple. There’s a catch; after having completed both this and a multi-choice test, the recruits are introduced to their lead instructor Owen Hall and informed that the lie detector tests will now serve as a baseline. They serve as a baseline to test how well each class member can lie and evade the truth. The majority of the class have difficulty, with no member achieving a perfect score except Ryan. Show-off. Returning to the present day timeline, the summit hostage situation continues with Raina joining Ryan in the hall – she’s there as a translator. It is now that we learn the name of the group responsible; The Citizens Liberation Front is demanding that Eric Boyer be released. Not only that, if anyone attempts to cross into the zone around the summit a lethal biological agent will be released. To make matters worse, the President (Danny Johnson) will not stand for it and suggests they negotiate. Unfortunately, this results in both he and the First Lady being taken away separately.

Test two for the recruits on “The Farm” involves using their skills of extraction, but with a little twist. They’re given cards with one singular word written on it and their goal is to match that word with the recruit. How? By getting drunk and waiting for one another to slip up. It’s a relatively humorous sequence with Harry Doyle (Russell Tovey) as the obvious stand-out with his smooth talking ways and English charm. He calls Ryan’s bluff and also saves Jeremy from being ousted. Meanwhile, Lydia and Alex continue to connect and build trust with both revealing deeply personal information about themselves. I have to say, these two have a dynamic that rivals Shelby and Alex as they’re both witty, flirty and extremely intelligent. Quick return to present day and even with Ryan being escorted to join the President and his wife, the leader of the free world agrees to the terrorist’s terms. Interestingly, the solider that watches over them references Ryan by name. Elsewhere in the building, Alex has managed to stay inconspicuous up until she’s held at gunpoint by a masked figure. We all know you don’t hold Alex Parrish at gunpoint. She attempts to disarm the individual, but it’s not as easy as first thought and they fight – it’s brutal and hard-hitting with Alex eventually getting away.

The episode continues its quick flashbacks, returning to the recruit’s third task – they’re jumping from an airplane. I should mention that Ryan, Harry, Jeremy, Lydia, Alex and Leon (Aaron Diaz) all got through the second test at the bar but not with flying colors. This time around, Harry with all his confidence jumps straight out of the plane while Jeremy stalls and gets sent home. Lydia, whose harness won’t connect, goes next regardless of live or die and Alex in all her “hero-ness” jumps and saves Lydia from what could have been a horrible situation. Alex and Ryan both jumped and it’s ironic as they were just heard discussing how hard it was before when they were lying to one another. Ryan informs Alex that he knows just what he has to do to ensure she never doubts him again. Keeping with the theme of lying, as the recruits land safely on the ground the first twist/reveal of the episode occurs. Lydia is not a recruit, but Owen’s co-instructor. Not only does she reveal this, but she reprimands Alex for not following her instructions and that if they are to work in the CIA there is to be no heroes. Oh goodness, it seems as though Alex is starting off on the wrong foot. Thankfully, both she and Ryan made it through to the final cut. Welcome, officially, to “The Farm.”

As the episode begins to close, the present day timeline sees Alex fight the masked figure once again, this time overpowering him to hold him at gun point. Having the power, the figure is unmasked revealing none other than Jeremy Miller. He wishes Alex hadn’t been there when all this played out, subtle remorse showing, but when he jumps out of the window all is said and done. Within the past timeline, we watch as Alex and Ryan come to an agreement on how to make their six months undercover work. Not only that, we watch as Ryan goes to show Alex the engagement ring. As he’s about to open the box, she refuses to let him, telling him to wait until they were done with this assignment. We then watch as Owen Hall and Lydia Bates give a rousing pep talk to the remaining recruits (now joined by two other groups of successful trainees). They explain that every week the class will be ranked on the “Murder Board”; find yourself on the bottom more than once and you’ll be asked to leave. This week’s bottom feeder? Alex Parrish. Flash forward and the President’s demand has been met, Eric Boyer has been pardoned. That’s positive right? Not so fast. As chaos starts and everyone within the hall is separated, we see that Ryan is joined by his other CIA trainees. They’re all there. What’s going on you ask? Who knows, but as the black figures grab the First Lady the audience watches in horror as the force her to her knees, hold a blade above her neck (execution style) and with a downward motion and the screen flash to black, we’re left with our jaws on the floor and our minds blown.

Other key notes:

• Owen Hall is Lydia Bates’ father. Talk about TWIST
• Leon Velez has (possibly) been in prison
• There are two recruits we are yet to meet – Harry’s roommate and Alex’s
• What’s the story with Eric Boyer?