Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 15 Review: Summit
Jasmine Blu
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Tom and Andrea make a fantastic team.
Kim Raver's guest starring role doesn't disappoint on Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 15, and let's keep our fingers crossed that she will stick around for a while.
She and Kirkman have a natural chemistry, and she may be able to get through to him in a way that no one else can because she's a widow, too.
The hour was mostly dedicated to negotiations between two countries with a long-standing feud. East and West Hun Chiu were damn near impossible to work with, and it was nothing short of frustrating.
Both countries had leaders obstinate in their beliefs, and Kim was downright insufferable.
The man was a dictator through and through, but it was interesting to draw parallels between him and Tom.
Kirkman is not a blood-thirsty dictator who would nuke other countries he disagrees with or kills his own family members who defy him, but it has become abundantly clear that Kirkman has dictator qualities.
Related: Designated Survivor Review: In the Dark
If he's on the opposite of the spectrum compared to someone like Kim, it doesn't detract from the fact that he's nowhere near the middle ground where he should be. That's why it was disappointing when he fired Cornelius on Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 12.
Moss operates differently than Kirkman, but he always called things as he saw them, and Kirkman needed that. So when the WH Staff realized that they would need his services if Tom had any hopes of salvaging his treaty, I was beyond pleased.
What I dislike, however, is that Moss turned out to be the leak. Designated Survivor Season 2 is dizzying in the number of side plots they present us at random. The leak in the White House has barely been on the radar as of late because of the hacker plot and other plots that have consumed the season.
It took a moment to recall whether it was something that had been prevalent or not.
Related: Designated Survivor Review: Grief
Kirkman schmoozed the two leaders, and he was able to rely on the skills of Dr. Frost to help dupe them into reaching an agreement by giving the impression that he was screwing her over by taking over her contract and exploiting her services.
Again, Frost and Kirkman made a great team. For a moment, they had me convinced. The fact that it was so convincing, however, speaks to how shaky Tom has been as a leader, though.
All was finally right in the world, and the summit was on the brink of being deemed a success, but then, someone leaked to the media that a deal was reached, and neither country took that well.
They blamed one another for the leak, and they certainly didn't trust Kirkman after that.
What's interesting is the lack of faith displayed in Kirkman. It's not the way it was in Designated Survivor Season 1 where Kirkman had to prove he was capable of running America and win over the country. He did that, but now he's backsliding something fierce.
Related: Designated Survivor Review: Original Sin
His approval ratings are slipping, and that's something that has been referenced multiple times for a while.
It seems the American people aren't the only ones who disapprove of their President though because according to Simon the journalist, there are many people working in the White House who feed him information.
If the president is so obsessed with loyalty, he might want to inspire a little more in his administration so his people aren't calling me with dirt on him.
Journalist
The investigation into this journalist and the White House leak is what finally brought Chuck out of whatever hacker dungeon he's always left in, and to the White House. The guy spends too much time away from the actual inner workings of the White House for someone who is relied on so heavily.
He discovered that Moss was the one who leaked the initial treaty agreement between the two countries. All I can say is, do we have to do this again?
Why does it always go back to Moss? Why does he have to be the shady one all of the time?
Related: Designated Survivor Review: The Final Frontier
They alluded to him being the bad guy before, in this same season. It feels like they're recycling this storyline and trying to convince us that this time he really is an antagonist, and I don't care for it.
The problem is that Moss isn't wrong in his assessment of Tom. It's starting to feel like Tom doesn't want to answer to anyone at all. He doesn't want input whatsoever. He does surround himself with "yes men."
They're trying to make this antagonist out of Moss (again) when Tom is floundering as a protagonist. I'm not saying that Tom has become a horrible person, and it's true that he means well and has pure, good-hearted intentions, but the US Government has a system for a reason.
As much as he hates it, Tom does need someone like Moss around to balance him out more, and since Alex's death, Kirkman needs it more than ever. Moss, Frost, Trey, the shrink, everyone has pointed out how isolated Tom is in his role. They can't all be wrong.
I will leave you with one piece of advice from a subordinate. If you come from me, come hard. Because I fight back, and I know how to win, Mr. President.
Cornelius
Let's hope Jun is wrong about his father because if he isn't, there really is a dirty bomb somewhere in the United States, and no way to get to it in time.
They can't catch a break for anything in the world on this series, can they? Another potential explosion? I wonder how this will pan out.
There is no sympathy to be had for Jun because he spent the entire hour sitting on this valuable piece of information long after he found out his girlfriend was safe, and it was absurd. He knew his father already had nuclear weapons, and he knew about the bomb, honestly, Jun? Why is the US saving your ass again?
As for the other minor plots barely worth mentioning; the bromance between Seth and Lyor is at its very best. Seth defended Lyor's honor to that English wanker who was uncannily similar to Lyor. They also roomed together, and that made for some amusing moments.
It looks like Seth's relationship with Lyor is infinitely stronger than the one he has with Emily. Is anyone surprised by this though?
Emily about lost her mind at the idea of having to sign paperwork and put their relationship on record to cover bases (and asses). Everything Seth told her, in the end, is exactly why they should never have progressed to anything beyond friendship.
I don't do things halfway, and you won't go all the way, so, this sounds to me like a textbook irreconcilable difference.
Seth
Seth was always more into her than Emily was into him. Their relationship never felt equal. I'm glad he was the one to press pause on it because he was the one most inclined to end up hurt as a result of it.
Alright, Designated Survivor Fanatics, how do you feel about the latest installment? Do you like the friendship developing between Andrea and Tom? What's your reaction to that Moss reveal?
Hit the comments below, and don't forget that you can watch Designated Survivor online via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You'll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on X.
