Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 12: The Final Frontier Review

Keith NoakesMarch 7, 2018n/a7 min

If you would like to read my review of last week’s episode, click here.

Synopsis: After a missile intending to bring water to the stranded astronauts in space is hacked, the President must work with the Russians to help save their lives and find the culprit. (IMDB)

Writer: Jeff Melvoin

Director: Sharat Raju

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 45mins

Another episode, another crisis. They are what this show does best and most often. Compared to other crises, this one didn’t quite stand out above the others but it connects to the new conspiracy this season which is interesting with the season nearing the end.

The last episode ended with Rennett confronting Wells in her apartment so this episode continued from there with Wells not being in the mood to talk. The space program got the focus here as a hack led to a malfunction on the international space station has left several astronauts stranded without food or water. Meanwhile, Rennett revealed that he obstructed the Icarus investigation for the Russians because Icarus’ connection to Russia may suggest that they were involved. He also warned them about a supply rocket that was about to be sent to the space station which was subsequently self-destructed after heading off course.

Rennett later revealed that the Russian space program was also compromised. In order to put pressure on the Russians to cooperate, Tom called for a press conference. Rennett had possible intel on the people responsible for the hack and found a way to join Wells. Their first contact wasn’t exactly happy to see him, let alone with an FBI agent, but he pointed them towards another hacker who may have been responsible. Once they were in pursuit of him, Rennett convinced Wells to hand him her gun and he took the hacker down and didn’t shoot Wells. This hacker gave them valuable information about the hack that could be used to stop it.

The cabin on the space station was beginning to overheat but luckily, Dr. Andrea Frost (Kim Raver) was there with a solution. Chuck figured out that the hacks were manual and found the person responsible, a plumber who was simply a mark and was now dead. Wells found the swipe card the plumber use to install the hack. As she brought Rennett back to prison, she asked what he was reaching for back on the bridge and didn’t answer.

Tom was upset with Moss after he made a deal behind his back with the Russians to allow for their software to be patched so the supply rocket could dock into the space station. Moss also shared his thoughts about Tom’s actions since his wife died. He admitted that he had been doing more things behind his back to make up for this which led to Tom letting him go. The supply rocket docked successfully into the space station thus saving the astronauts.

A few other subplots lingered throughout the episode with Lyor not being over finishing in second place at a competition as space camp when he was a kid but the bigger one involved Penny who was getting into fights at school. Tom believed this was because of Alex’s death, however, Penny was protecting other children who were being bullied. She did not want them to hurt like she was.

The episode ended with Tom’s team learning that an unflattering video of Tom speaking to Alex’s murderer was leaked online.

Overall, this was a good episode with an interchangeable crisis that Tom was of course able to overcome. The more important point about this was the group of hackers responsible and whoever they were working for, if they were working for anyone, as they have been responsible for just about everything that has gone on this season. It’s pretty safe to say that we are well past Lloyd so who can it be? It will definitely be an exciting second half of the season.

Score: 8/10

If you liked this, please read my other reviews here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, and also like me on Facebook.

Blog Stats

  • 1,857,788 hits

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 690 other subscribers