‘Designated Survivor’ Recap: ‘#identity/crisis’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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If there’s one particularly antiquated saying that I find still applies in this day and age, especially when it comes to television, it’s that; when it rains it pours. Because when a television series finds its stride and its voice in a particular episode, it tends to just let loose in the weeks to come storytelling wise and for proof, look no further than the current season of Designated Survivor. Because the next episode in this magnificent series, ‘#identity/crisis’, turned out to be quite the powerhouse tale, one that assembled a bevy of stunning and thought-provoking storylines that related to character growth and our world, and it also took the time to remind us that Kirkman really is a true hero through and through, since he was faced with another incredible crisis in this story.
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For in this particular tale, a stray Russian bomber was veering off course, to the point where it was beginning to flirt with American airspace, and the lack of communication from the plane, and the frosted over windows made it clear that something had happened aboard the craft and if something wasn’t done soon to intervene, there was a chance it could crash land on American soil and potentially release deadly radiation from the nukes it was carrying. Which meant that Tom was faced with quite the conundrum, either shoot the plane down and risk an international incident or get crafty and use a home-grown computer virus to alter the plane’s course and risk exposing this fancy new tool to the Russian Federation. Thankfully, he chose the latter option and it worked like a charm, and it was just nice to see Kirkman back in action in this story, since the character truly shines when complex problems are put in front of him.

But, while that was thrilling and intense in its own right, I made mention of some intriguing storylines that helped some characters grow and all of that was accomplished by Aaron and Sasha’s respective journeys in this tale. For Aaron had quite the problem laid out before him, in that, his immigration indiscretion was finally made public and he could either walk away in shame or stand up and speak to his decision and thankfully he chose the latter and in a rousing speech, explained why his decision was more American than people give him credit. As for Sasha, well she was given the opportunity to speak out regarding that ugly bathroom incident, but chose to stay quiet instead, preferring to keep her privacy above all else. But an opportunity to hear from other transgender individuals changed her mind, because she realized that her path helped to insulate her from some of the everyday issues that others face and that prompted Sasha to join the campaign and speak out for transgender rights, and this really was lovely to see on screen, and why exactly, we will come back to in a moment.

Because I made mention of a stunner in this story, and well, the finale of this tale really was jaw dropping to say the least. Because Hannah and Eli were working on learning more about a brewery that possibly received some of the genetic soup needed to create this super virus, and upon investigating further, Hannah came to realize that something fishy was going on this place, especially after meeting the awkward manager of the facility and that led to a little late-night walkthrough of the place and what she found was terrifying. Because hidden behind the bottles of beer was a craft virus brewery and unfortunately for Hannah, this discovery led to the shocker in question. Because our mysterious villain, a man named Wouter Momberg, knew Hannah was prying into his business and he gassed her with a dose of VX Nerve Gas before revealing his intentions and setting the building ablaze, and just like that…we had to bid farewell to a series original, and one of the toughest intelligence agents out there since Hannah Wells, did not survive this encounter.

Which quite frankly, was about as unexpected a twist as they come, and its one that fundamentally changes the fabric of the series going forward, since Hannah has been a part of this tale since day one and honestly, I don’t know how Kirkman and company find this guy without her help because she was so intelligent and so resourceful. So, for now, it’s best we just look at the uplifting highlights of this story, since it really did offer up some incredible moments, especially the ones involving Sasha. Because the group she sat down with was made up of everyday transgender people, who spoke without a script about their life and their struggles and that’s powerful and brilliant, and I’m so glad the series is finding ways to integrate something so important into the story. But alas, I’m certain that kind of wonder will need to be on hold for just a little bit. Because Momberg is out there, ready to strike and he has to be dealt with ASAP. Until next time. 

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