Manifest Season 1 Episode 9: Dead Reckoning Review

If you would like to read my review of last episode of Manifest, click here.

Synopsis: Ben and Michaela put everything on the line to save the other missing passengers, but the mission goes horribly awry and not everyone makes it out alive. The devastating result pushes Ben and Grace to a traumatic brink, while pulling Michaela and Jared dangerously close together. (TVGuide)

Writers: Laura Putney and Margaret Easley

Director: Paul Holahan

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 43mins

Airs: Mondays at 10pm on CityTV (Canada)/NBC (United States)

“Dead Reckoning”starts off with the typical flashback to the plane as various passengers talk to Vance at the staging facility when one, Autumn Cox, is found to have some outstanding warrants and is arrested. In the present, Ben wants to rush into the warehouse they found, but Vance wants more information on the head of The Singularity Project, Belson. Michaela goes to work, trying to dig into him while Vance tells Ben to go home and act like it’s a normal day.

At home, the Stones are planning a surprise welcome back party for Ben so the kids have to keep him out of the house for the day. First up, Laser tag! He gets called by work, but ignores it to spend quality time with his kids. He learns that Cal plans to tryout for the basketball team at school, but Ben hasn’t been around to help so they postpone laser tag to shoot some hoops. Ben notices an injured Autumn Cox walking towards his house and talks her in. She reveals a voice told her to find him showing that the Calling brought them together as the way to take down UDS.

He calls up Michaela about Autumn and suggests they take her to the boiler room while meeting Fiona and Saanvi there. Ben postpones plans with his kids and heads off. They learn that Autumn has been going through electrotherapy that is completely unethical, but they realize this is the perfect reason for Vance to infiltrate the warehouse. Back at the facility, UDS is prepping their patients for the next round of experiments. They read Vance in on what’s going on, but he needs more information before risking his career. Ben explains that something happened on the plane and reveals the Callings to Vance.

Vance is still skeptical, but Ben also explains that Cal is connected to one of the missing passengers and the longer they wait the more danger it poses for him. In one of the experiments, Marko receives a shock that networks to two other patients showing the connectivity of their systems. They increase the charge as it affects Cal, Michaela, Autumn, Saanvi and Ben. Ben calls to check on Cal, and Olive says he is fine, despite having a bad nosebleed and drawing the warehouse. Vance decides he’s going in, with Ben and Fiona forcing him to let them join.

At the house, Grace and Olive entertain their first guests while Cal continues to hide in his room. As Grace continues to try to reach Ben, some men come to the house looking for him. Meanwhile, Michaela receives the rendezvous point for their team and Jared decides he is tagging along. They breach the warehouse where they again find it empty, but Cal arrives explaining that the missing passengers are still there. The team finds a secret entrance with Cal explaining to Ben that he is the only one that can save them. With Michaela staying behind with Cal, Ben and Fiona enter the facility.

They slowly enter the facility, but the team quickly engages in a firefight leading the scientists to dispose of their patients and lab equipment. They find the main lab, but Fiona is blown back by an exploding panel before shutting down the equipment. They manually detach the leads from them as Jared and Vance go after the UDS mercenaries. Vance chases down Belson, the lead of The Singularity Project, but as he grabs for his pocket Jared quickly stops him. With the lab on the brink of exploding, Ben is able to lead Fiona and the missing passengers out of the facility, but without his guidance Vance, Jared and Belson are trapped walking in circles. As Michaela goes to search for them, the entrance blows up.

Ben awakes to see a peacock before checking on Cal and Michaela. He wants to leave, but Michaela can’t go without finding Jared, races into the burning building and finds him unconscious. Meanwhile, Ben returns home with Cal to a distraught and distant Grace. Grace berates Ben for his actions and putting Cal in harm’s way, but he tries to justify them by saying everything he does is to protect his son. Grace feels like she no longer knows him and decides that the relationship is over. Ben asks to take Cal with him to protect him, but Grace will never agree to that.

At the hospital, Michaela talks to the captain about Jared’s condition and that Vance didn’t make it leading to the first casualty of this war. Michaela begs to the Callings to help save Jared because she can’t lose him and he magically awakes. She plans to go get Lourdes, but he wants Michaela to stay with him. Later, Michaela finds Ben at the boiler room as they mourn Bobby Vance and discuss the fate of people who are aware of the Callings. She says that she pleaded with the Callings to save Jared and it worked meaning that their communication with this ominous presence is a two-way street. The episode ends as Saanvi returns Autumn to the boiler room, but upon leaving she reveals a burner phone that has allowed her to stay in contact with Belson showing that they have a snake among them.

Captain’s Log

• Who or what is the mysterious shadow figure?
• What are the Callings?
• What did the light do to Cal?
• What will happen to Marko?
• Will Director Vance or Jared get caught in the crossfire?
• Can Michaela, Ben and Vance stop UDS?
• Who else will we meet from the manifest?

Overall, this was a great midseason finale. Not only did we get a lot of action and plot with the main story of the passengers, but there was a ton of emotional and heartbreaking moments for the characters and their relationships as well. The strain on the Stone family and their relationships are at an all-time high and until this mystery is solved it seems it will stay that way. With the loss of Vance, the investigation into The Singularity Project comes to a halt for now putting the pressure on the passengers to find out for themselves the truth behind what happened to Flight 828.

Score: 9/10

What did you think of “Dead Reckoning”? Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips