'Designated Survivor' Recap: 'Home'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

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​At some point or another in our lives, we’ve all pondered on just how far we would be willing to go to achieve a particular goal. Would we lie, would we cheat, would we put ourselves at risk, all in the name of getting what we want? They’re solid questions to ask, because they challenge our character and what we are capable of and it’s never a bad thing to ponder on such matters because there may come a day where we are faced with a scenario where we have to make those kinds of decisions in our lives and oddly enough, that tough scenario came forth for several characters on last night’s episode of Designated Survivor.
 
In fact, ‘Home’ managed to explore both the good and the bad of going the extra mile to achieve a particular goal by way of two key characters, Seth, and President Tom Kirkman and unfortunately; Seth’s storyline explored the darker side of all of this. Because in this particular tale, Seth found himself under arrest after a routine traffic stop for carrying narcotics, meaning that Kendra had to find a way to get him to evade the charges to keep a mess like this out of the news cycle and well…if this seemed like an out of left field moment for Seth, you’d be right. He was covering for his little brother the entire time since the younger Wright had just passed his MCAT’s and a drug conviction would ruin his future prospects and while it was noble for Seth to cover for his baby brother and do whatever it takes to keep his future safe, his is now at risk. He’s in hot water with Emily and it’s only a matter of time before the President hears about this little mess as well.
 
As to why exactly the President doesn’t hear about Seth’s indiscretion right away, that’s because he’s tied up exploring the other side of this story’s philosophical coin in Afghanistan, as he tries to broker a deal with powerful Tribal leaders to accomplish what many think to be the impossible…and make peace happen in this troubled land and this…this was vintage Kirkman through and through. Because despite the trouble surrounding him, and the danger that his life was in, Kirkman refused to back down and leave the area and for his troubles and his dedication to getting this task done above all else, he was able to uncover which of the two Tribal leaders betrayed his trust and had a bone to pick with America and one has to admit, it’s pretty badass to see a President on screen stand in harm’s way like that and get to tell the bad guy off before taking him into custody.
 
But really, what made this storyline so incredibly memorable, was the fact that it found a way to take the time to put Tom’s humanity back on display and really, this season hasn’t featured enough of these moments, wherein the President sheds the title and everything that comes with it and is just a man who wants to know more about what makes people tick and I loved every single scene that he spent with Harry. Because those moments, just go to show that Tom has never forgotten where he comes from, and that he fully understands that he has been afforded an incredible opportunity in life and rather than bask in the power of the office or the wonder of the title and let all of that go to his head, he understands what the Presidency means to the people he serves and that once in a while, a private conversation with someone as respected as he is, on how to improve one’s life when things are rough, can do far more good than a Tax Bill.
 
As far as transitional episodes go, this one wasn’t too shabby. It’s always a wonderful thing to see Kirkman do his thing and it was neat to throw a hint of Columbo and Air Force One into the mix when it comes to this episode as well. But while it was great to see Tom continue to do the right thing, I have to admit, I’m genuinely concerned about Seth and his future in the White House because none of that stuff reflects well and there are people beyond the walls that know about his indiscretion, and while I imagine that President Kirkman will likely be forgiving of Seth, it’s the Chief of Staff he ticked off that is of far more concern because violating her trust is never a good thing. Either way, this episode was just plain entertaining and it looks like next week, we are getting back into the thick of it since the trailer hinted that trouble awaits in paradise when it comes to Patrick Lloyd’s lasting legacy. Until then.  

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