Designated Survivor Season 1 Episode 6: The Interrogation Recap

If you would like to read a recap of the last episode, click here. The government now has Nassar but what information will he provide? What is MacLeish up to? Will Tom finally rebuild the government? Is he done dealing with rogue governors? Read more to find out.

The episode starts off with Nassar being escorted to his cell in some sort of military prison. Aaron informs Tom that Nassar hasn’t talked yet. He also tells him that his approval numbers are up since the capture but Tom doesn’t care. He is hosting the governors at the White House so they can meet him and discuss the issues such as taking care of the Senate and the House of Representatives. He is also made aware that Florida’s governor Rivera (David Norona) is willing to accept a plane full of Syrian refugees. Tom tells Alex that he is worried if hosting such an event so close to the bombing is a good idea but she reassures him.

At the dinner, Seth is being grilled by the press about the White House’s plans. He appears to get flustered by a new journalist named Lisa Jordan (Melanie Scrofano). Aaron and Emily hypothetically offer MacLeish the Vice President job and he is honored. Tom arrives and starts to shake hands with the governors but Arizona’s governor, Chris Nichols (Christine Estabrook), has concerns. Aaron notices Seth and Lisa and encourages him to talk to her.

Tom gives a speech to try and unifying the governors and find common ground but he gets interrupted when the White House gets fired upon. The Secret Service and Mike (LaMonica Garrett) are out there investigating. Mike finds the suspect and takes him out, not before getting shot himself and is taken to the hospital. Tom wants an update on Mike and is told that he is in surgery. He is also told that Mike took out the only suspect and that he was affiliated with Nassar.

Tom is frustrated that this is all because they took in Nassar alive. In the command centre, he is told to remain vigilant. One suggestion is to take him away to a blacksite for enhanced interrogation but Atwood convinces Tom otherwise and is given a chance at Nassar for 24 hours. After the meeting, Emily asks Atwood if he can help her start to vet MacLeish for the Vice President position.

Tom learns that Mike’s surgery went well. Alex tells him that the family is still scared after what happened but he tells her that they have increased security. Tom learns that Rivera won’t let the refugees off the plane. Atwood tells Wells about MacLeish and she is visibly upset. She hasn’t yet heard again from the woman who told her about room 105.

Tom meets with Rivera. He succumb to the pressure of his constituents. After what happened, he’s worried about the refugees having links to terrorists and refuses to let them off the plane. Aaron tells Tom to give it time but he disagrees. Alex offers to make some calls about it.

Tom meets with the governors again. Missouri’s Governor Mennuti (Murray Furrow) knows him but the rest want to get to know him better first. They need their minds put at ease. They refuse to comply unless he tells them what they want to know. Aaron is worried about Tom seeing that no president should have to answer to them but Tom tells him to pretend like he isn’t the president.

Seth doesn’t have anything new to provide. Lisa knows about about Tom and the governors. She approaches him and asks him out on a date. Aaron approaches Alex and asks her to stop looking into the refugees. She tells him that she will brief Tom and that he would have to take care of any political repercussions.

The camera cuts between Atwood,Wells, and Nassar along with Tom and the governors. Wells threatens to ship Nassar back to Pakistan but he claims that they can’t break him. Tom gets grilled about his time as HUD secretary, his firing of General Cochrane, and his relationship with governor Royce. They believe that he doesn’t like those who disagree with him. Wells tries to push Nassar. Mennuti tries to stand up for Tom. When Nichols asks him why he should be their president, he tells her that he doesn’t have an answer and walks off.

Aaron wants Tom to fight back but he says he doesn’t have an answer. Aaron tells Tom that he has faith in him and believes in him and so does Seth. Alex tells Tom that one of the refugees on the plane is pregnant and about to go into labour. Wells confronts Nassar with the details of the bombing and his account contradicts what happened which leads her to believe that he is taking credit for something he didn’t do.

Alex tries to push Rivera to let the refugees off but it is still no. Nassar took credit so the real culprits can stay anonymous. Wells threatens his family and he reveals that the person responsible is named Catalan. Tom comes back to the governors and tells them that he should be their president because he can affect change and promote unity. The governors agree to help but in return, they want immigration suspended until they figure things out.

Atwood and Wells try to find information on Catalan and they can’t find anything. They think that it all might be bigger than they think. Aaron’s other investigator found some promising information on MacLeish. Alex tells Tom that Mennuti is willing to accept the refugees. Tom tells Alex about the other governors’ plan. Alex is disappointed that he picked them over her.

Aaron and Emily brief Tom on their findings on MacLeish. Tom wants to know more than what’s in the file and get to know him personally so he wants to invite him to dinner. Tom calls Mike and thanks him for what he did earlier. Mike says he just did his job.

Seth doesn’t have time to go on a date with Lisa but offers her a drink upstairs. She tells him that she has a source that claims Leo isn’t Tom’s real son. Once Atwood and Wells arrive at the prison, they are told that something is wrong with Nassar. Alex is okay with what happened earlier and wants to go to Tom’s dinner. Nassar is dead.

Overall, this was another good, topical episode that may not have treaded any new ground with Tom still having problems with the rest of the government but we are closer in the Capitol bombing investigation. Their may be some friction developing between Tom and Alex. I hope they deal with the Leo subplot sooner rather than later.

Score: 8/10

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*Note: These may come later on certain weeks as this show airs on the same day where I attend advanced screenings*

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.