Manifest Season 1 Episode 16: Estimated Time of Departure Review

For our review of last episode of Manifest, click here.

Synopsis: Ben and Michaela must confront a dire threat to the passengers’ safety when Griffin schemes to take the callings public. Meanwhile, tensions between Jared and Zeke reach a boiling point, and Ben, Grace, and Olive make a devastating discovery. (TVGuide)

Writers: Jeff Rake & Amanda Green

Director: Dean White

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 43mins

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

“Estimated Time of Departure”starts off with a flashback to Jamaica where the Stones are enjoying their last time on the beach. In the present day, they watch the news reports about Griffin. They are fearful of what may happen when Griffin goes public with the Callings. They become distracted when Cal starts tearing apart his room and reveals he can only tell Zeke what’s going on. Meanwhile, Zeke is buying alcohol from a convenience store and Griffin is being released from prison.

Jared brings Zeke’s wrap sheet to Michaela and is concerned about her getting too close to him. She reassures him that she can protect herself and that there is nothing between them. Jared approaches a colleague, Diaz, and asks him for a favour. Michaela confronts Griffin on his way out, but he believes himself to be above the law. As he gets in a cab, Michaela, Ben, Zeke and Saanvi all receive the same Calling: Stop him. They reconvene at the hospital and discuss the Calling believing that Cal may have the answer. When Michaela leaves, Ben asks Saanvi if she is alright, but she brushes it aside and continues with her day.

Michaela returns home to find Zeke, who hides his drink, where they discuss the Calling and his mom. He says he tried to see her, but she wouldn’t let him in. He feels like he is getting what he deserves and she brings up his past. Turns out he beat up a guy for mistreating his girlfriend and didn’t want Michaela to look at him differently. They share a long, embracing hug before Zeke brings the Calling up again. Zeke comes by the Stone house to talk to Cal. He forces Zeke to promise him that he won’t tell anyone else. When he finally caves, Cal shows him the drawing. It’s three gravestones of Cal, Michaela and Ben.

He tells Ben that Cal has no information regarding Griffin, but things aren’t working out for them. They see that Griffin is preparing to appear on national television to talk about the Callings. Zeke doesn’t agree with this and heads to an alleyway where Diaz catches him buying something suspicious. Olive and Grace relate over feeling useless in this mystery, but as long as they stick together they will be fine. Griffin prepares to enter the building when Zeke pulls a gun from the package he bought. He moves towards him, but Michaela and Ben confront Griffin first. They are unable to convince him as he heads towards the news crew.

Suddenly he turns around and starts to shoot water out of every orifice. The initial report is death by drowning, but Michaela notices Zeke and chases after him. They talk and make sure he’s okay, but Jared notices and is definitely not pleased. At the precinct, Jared confronts Michaela about Zeke’s package and his concern. He hasn’t given up on them, but she needs to be there for Zeke right now. Michaela heads to Zeke’s mother’s house and questions why she turned him away. He told her the truth about the cave and the Callings, but she believes it was the drugs talking. Michaela opens up about her similar experience and convinces her that Zeke is going through the same situation.

At the hospital, Saanvi is confronted by Troy Davis, a colleague, who brings up the similar blood markers in Griffin and Cal. She realizes that things are getting too serious and quickly runs off having a panic attack. Another colleague comes up to her and helps to calm her down. He suggests a therapist he has been seeing and gives Saanvi her card. She heads to the morgue and grabs Griffin’s autopsy to figure out what happened to him. The Major is informed of Griffin’s death and asked if she would like to move in on Cal. She believes that they need a little more information and advises her team to stand down for now.

They learn that Griffin died of secondary drowning and it’s unexplainable. However, there are bigger concerns with Cal’s blood work being brought into the spotlight. Ben and Michaela are obviously concerned, but Saanvi has to run to get to a therapy appointment. As Ben looks over the files, Michaela receives the Calling again and believes it has to do with Zeke. Ben notices that the time of death was 10:49 and that it may have some significance.

At home, Grace is throwing up when Ben comes home. He’s looking into the file and makes a shocking discovery. The amount of time that Griffin was submerged underwater is the same amount of time he returned. He believes that this is no coincidence and that the passengers may also have an expiration date of June 2 2024. Enough for five seasons. They don’t want to tell Cal, but he reveals he always knew and didn’t know how to tell them.

Saanvi arrives at her therapy appointment where it is revealed that the doctor is an alias for the Major. Ben suggests that they just go back to the beach and be together, the four of them. However, Grace reveals the news that she is pregnant and that the timeline may make it his or Danny’s. Jared follows Zeke home and loads his weapon, ready for whatever may happen.

Michaela tries to call Zeke, but he’s interrupted when Jared bursts into the apartment. He tears it up and finds Zeke’s bottle. He admits he never took a drink. Jared believes he bought drugs and wants to protect Michaela. They get into a shoving match that turns into a fistfight. When Zeke gets back to his feet, he pulls his gun. He reveals he bought the gun to protect Michaela. Jared decides to jump at Zeke and try to grab the gun from him. As Michaela enters the apartment she sees the two men fighting off screen when a gunshot erupts.

Captain’s Log

• Are Fiona and Captain Daly really dead?
• Are the passengers all going to die?
• Will Zeke die first?
• What does the Major plan to do with Saanvi and Cal?
• When will Danny return?
• Who’s the baby daddy?

Overall, Estimated Time of Departure was a decent finale to this freshman drama. The story managed to reveal more information than most of the back-half of this season. Unfortunately, some of it was at the cost of contrived twists and turns that felt a bit convenient to rush another cliffhanger into the finale. The characters reeled with the information dump they received this week with some dealing with it better than others. With so many questions posed, it would be a shame never to learn more about these characters and the mysterious situation surrounding Flight 828.

Score: 7.5/10

What did you think of “Estimated Time of Departure”? Was the finale as good as you hoped? Let me know in the comments below!

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