Madam Secretary - Collateral Damage - Review: "The truth is out there"

Various secrets came out on Sunday's Madam Secretary as a gunman outside the State Department caused a lockdown of the Department. During the lockdown, an Iraqi delegation meets with Elizabeth to discuss Isis.

Elizabeth is trying to form an alliance with the Iraqis to make a move against Isis. However, when a gunman outside the building makes trouble, the entire State Department is on lockdown. Everyone is OK, including Stevie who came to ask for money to buy a new blouse. But Elizabeth is stuck with the Iraqis and things heat up when one of the ministers has arrested a Shiite. Also, one of the translators recognizes Elizabeth as the one who took his cousin Safeer away some years ago. Elizabeth lies and tells him she was never in Iraq, but through flashbacks we learn that she was, and that she ordered Safeer to be tortured for information. However, the translator threatens to reveal the information unless she doesn't interfere with the Shiite arrest. In the end, Elizabeth confirms she had Safeer tortured but she also tells the translator he doesn't know where he is. In the meantime, Bess told Stevie about this as well, who is stunned to learn the truth and subsequently leaves the McCord house. Elizabeth also visits the gunman in the hospital.

Also during the lockdown, Matt gets stuck with Daisy's fiancée Win. When the two chat a little about Daisy and smoke marijuana, Matt reveals his and Daisy's affair to him. After the lockdown, Win breaks up with Daisy and Matt and Daisy kiss. Elsewhere, Nadine is stuck with a State Department employee who is transferred to Angola much against her wishes. As the employee complains that she is transferred due to her being a single woman, Nadine has Bess transfer her to Europe instead because that's what she wants.

Earlier, Elizabeth told Nadine that she was investigating Marsh and asked if his sudden change of flight plans were due to him running for President. Nadine says she had no idea he was running, and feels betrayed by Marsh. In the end, Nadine passes info about Marsh's Venezualan bank account to Elizabeth.

This episode was solid, but in my opinion too busy. I'm not even sure what the A-story was this week. Was it the negotiations with the Iraqis? Or the gunman outside? Anyway, the gunman seemed to be completely random and unrelated to the other stories. It would have been nice if there was some connection between the gunman and Elizabeth or the Iraq story. They could have also left out the gunman or focus completely on him instead, because now it all felt rushed. Also, Nadine and the other employee could have been explored further, as I think it raises quite an important issue whether or not single people are more expendable. Perhaps in another episode. As always, the epic (uhum) romance of Matt and Daisy is not a preference of mine either. All in all, the storylines in this episode could easily have been stretched out over two or three episodes instead of having it all cramped up in one.

What did you think of the episode? Did you find it too busy as well? Was the reveal that Elizabeth had someone tortured, shocking to you? What do you think Stevie will do now? And how do you feel about Matt and Daisy potentially getting together again?

Sunday's episode, "Game On", seems to focus on the Marsh storyline again. SpoilerTV has received a screener of the episode, so look for my preview of the episode to be published in a few days. Here is a promo:

About the Author - Daniel

Daniel is a Dutch university student studying Psychology. On SpoilerTV he is a reviewer of NCIS, The 100, Stalker, Madam Secretary and the upcoming shows Battle Creek and Odyssey. He also enjoys LOST, Arrow, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, Nikita, The Blacklist, Scorpion and How To Get Away With Murder.

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