Citadel (1×06) Secrets in Night Need Early Rains Review

For our review of the last episode of Citadel, click here.

It was only a matter of time that Citadel would produce a semi-competent episode of television and what better time than the season finale? It is a season finale because the series was officially renewed for a second season following an announcement yesterday. The incompetent leadup to this episode essentially saw it twiddle its thumbs until it finally decided to actually start. Suffice it to say that the finale still had a few tricks up its sleeve, including a surprising turn. At least this time, those tricks worked even though that turn also meant undoing some of that leadup as it sets up its now second season but that was only the beginning of its issues. Though it is certainly going in the right direction now, some changes will have to be made as the series still has some work left to do to right the ship. Maybe a change in direction, with Joe Russo directing all the season 2 episodes, will help. However, it’s hard to be confident about it doing the right thing based on its history of consistently doing the wrong thing.

Still obsessed with flashbacks, a boy went from a tragedy in Serbia 30 years ago to living with his grandmother in Oregon 6 months later and missing his mother and father. Meanwhile, in the present, Mason, Nadia, and Carter embarked on a mission to retrieve nuclear cores from an autonomous Russian submarine for Dahlia on behalf of Manticore in exchange for Mason and Nadia’s daughter Asha (Serafina Tarafdar). Mason was the only one who could access the sub as a flashback to a Citadel mission explained why that was the case. Assuming control of the ship back then was merely chip in a failed ploy for the whereabouts of a then Nadia who was missing. Mason believed that Citadel was withholding her location from him. Jumping from a plane with Davik Silje which was obviously set up for a double cross but that double cross was followed by another double cross. However, Dahlia was more than prepared for Davik double crossing her. This still left Mason and Nadia to retrieve the cores which they did. The subsequent exchanged resulted in the safe retrieval of Asha’s without losing the cores, leading Dahlia to make sure to cover her tracks. Lesley Manville was especially vicious and slippery here.

In the past, Mason found Nadia’s location and learned of the baby but chose not to pursue her. As Carter devised a solution for Mason to get his memories back, the story finally started to come together. The boy from the cold open was Mason and he got Nadia’s location from Dahlia who was revealed to be his mother. Mason was the double agent who took down Citadel. Reverting back to an English accent (though Richard Madden did it a few times early on), Mason was finally his true self as Dahlia revealed the truth behind her revenge plot against Citadel. She wanted him to find evidence of their crimes so she could expose them for the death of her husband and his father. This set in motion the events of the beginning of the series. Now saddled with the truth, the season came to an end with Mason trying to hide it from the others. However, Madden does not have the range to pull off that kind of depth as the series adds yet another dimension to Mason. Changing the dynamic between Mason and Nadia once again, the series is setting the stage for what can be a promising season 2 as there is plenty of unfinished business left to contend with.

Hopefully, Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas will have better chemistry come next season and that it doesn’t forget about Manville and Stanley Tucci either.

still courtesy of Prime Video

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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.