Tom Kirkman and Hannah exchange exposition in his hospital room. Peter’s usurpation of the government has failed. Tom realises he and Hannah are toxically enmeshed in something big. Peter is all cynicism, opportunism and deviousness. How did the former Chief Of Staff survive the bombing? Tom has a moral commitment despite the political paranoia.

The Attorney General died in the attack and the new one may be Reed Diamond’s character. Tom wonders how he can rid himself of his turbulent VP. Aaron sulks and is a self-indulgent bore. The plot is all calculated lunacy. There is not enough evidence against Peter. Catalan the assumed big bad is dead (off screen). Jason gets out of his hellhole prison because his son is still missing.

Peter has lofty distain. Kimble is increasingly deranged and hugely unsatisfactory. Peter’s wife Beth (Freddie from ‘Hannibal’!) wonders if ‘they’ will try to kill Tom again. Who are they? Tom muses how he never beat anyone up. Tom’s kids sit by his bedside. Tom seems to have PTSD from you know, nearly being murdered. Emily has sad resignation, Tom has strong convictions and there is a question of duty. Tom’s liberal wisdom will save the day.

Kimble’s hair has changed. Jason learns what happened to his son. We are shown Tom Kirkman’s POTUS photograph. Everyone presupposes functioning institutions of government after the events of 1x01. This was okay if not deeply evocative. There is a showdown in a graveyard. Where is the light coming from? There is death, unexpected death. Tom leaves hospital to a wave of applause. Won’t more death upset social cohesion? What happened to Peter abroad?

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Tom has to walk with a cane and rants about wanting to know how the VP was shot. Everything is potentially fraught with conflict. Tom wants to tyrant proof his White House. Who is behind all this? Tom gets tough but reasonable. There are no domestic norms. Jason’s son, Luke, is buried. Rob Morrow pops up as a slob reporter into conspiracy theories. Adam is in default livid mode. Tom’s wife is cold and withholding. There is no moral certainty. Tom is disparaged, there is distain and ridicule. The reporter has a predictably hostile response to Seth. Alex and the kids leave. This was okay.

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Aaron is questioned. The former Chief Of Staff spews an unlikely story. What about the crazed former General? A former POTUS visits. Alex’s mother is Russian?!? Aaron has a pity party. Tom states things forcefully. He also learns he was deliberately chosen as the designated survivor because ‘they’ thought he’d be inept. The former POTUS seems to shrug off Tom nearly being murdered. There is a hostage crisis abroad. Aaron rage quits. This was ugh.

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The FBI is smug. There is moral sleaziness. I hate Liv. Ken Marino shows up as a lawyer. Major’s reduced status since 1x01 is all down to Liv’s crap. Blaine is useless. People are all vague threat and malice intended to motivate behaviour for selfish gain. Nobody has non-maleficence. This is profoundly flip as Liv is selfish. There are no norms and values. Poor Major, the campaign of persecution against him annoys.

People should take issue with Liv’s corpse defilement. This ep is all clumsy contrivances and there is a resultant problem with the coherence of the narrative. There are negative connotations for Major. There is no moral landscape. This has no connotations of earnestness or moral subtlety. Clive is the worst. Where are Liv’s family during all this?

Liv tells Clive the truth, Major gets out of jail, the FBI bitch bitches and this was mediocre. There are set ups for season 3 and why are there epi-pens in a morgue?

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