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Madam Secretary - Breakout Capacity - Review

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Before we chat about “Breakout Capacity,” I have some things to say about “The Statement” and “Tectonic Shift.” I was out of the country during the last two episodes, but I think there were some powerful scenes to discuss. Basically, this may be long. Grab a snack.

The terror bombing in “The Statement” is all too timely, specifically the reaction to Matt. Incidents like this are becoming more common and the backlash against Muslims in general is becoming more harsh. It’s a case of guilt by association that only seems to apply to people of that specific religion. Matt himself feels the retaliation the harshest from those he knows the best: his coworkers. Even though these people have spent virtually every day with him for years, they question his loyalty. Russell even refers to him by his full name, Matt Assad Mahoney, stressing the word “Assad,” as if it’s verification of a radical stance. It’s the same way people emphasize President Obama’s middle name, Hussein, like it’s a slur.

In what may be the episode’s most powerful moment, Matt bares his soul to the State Department staff. “When a white man shoots up a black church, no one demands that white men across the country denounce the attack. It’s understood that the perpetrator is on the fringe. But somehow when an Islamic extremist commits an atrocity, every Muslim is impacted.” That monologue needs to be printed, framed and sent to every household. Geoffrey Arend deserves a special nod for his performance.

Standing by Matt’s side the entire time is Nadine, the office den mother. She accompanies him to Russell’s office and encourages Jay to take him out for drinks. I truly enjoy their relationship.

“The Statement” brings a familiar face back to the screen: Dmitri. Clearly he has some issues. I guess I can’t blame him. I would’ve been perfectly fine not seeing Dmitri again, but I think it was cathartic for Henry. He’s able to right the wrong he felt he caused to Dmitri. Henry used Talia and her health to convince Dmitri to work with him last season, so bringing Talia to the United States brings the storyline full circle. Elizabeth is rightfully a bit wary of Henry visiting Dmitri, a nod to how emotionally enmeshed he became last season. I also appreciate that while Henry is the person to come up with the idea of bringing Talia to the United States, Elizabeth is the one to execute it. She has always promised she would do whatever she could to help that situation, and she did. I’m sure Henry will always wonder how the Petrov siblings are doing, but at least now he can look back and find a sense of fulfillment and completion. Now that we’ve put a nice big bow on that storyline, let’s move on. Forever.

One other thing about this episode: the unspoken words Henry and Elizabeth exchange while talking to Alison took me back to the stolen looks they shared when meeting with Stevie and Arthur in their living room. Exasperated McCord Parents are some of my favorite moments.

On to “Tectonic Shift,” which is the perfect title for this episode. We delve more into the lives of the Adams siblings, something I think every fan has been craving. We learn that Will watched helplessly as his parents died, which explains why he’s a doctor. Not just any doctor, a trauma zone doctor. He couldn’t save his mom, so he’s spent the rest of his life trying to make up for that, something that will probably never happen. He leaves his family for months on end to help strangers, chasing the mental peace he craves. It’s only after he stops and stays in one place that he’s able to face the demons he’s been running from his entire life. I love that it’s Eric Stoltz to play Will because he has such a familial relationship to the cast that it comes across as genuine.
The way he playfully throws something at Jason or jokes with Henry, it’s clear the actors have a formed bond, which resonates with viewers. Learning about the crash also gives us a look into Elizabeth’s mind. It explains why family is of the utmost importance to her and why she’s so desperate to keep Will from endangering himself. She almost lost him once, and he’s all she has left. New wounds are opened when Elizabeth learns the true fate of her mother. She has lived her entire life thinking both of her parents died instantly in the crash, so in a way, she’s been living a lie. The weight of hearing that her mother was alive for a few minutes crushes her, a scene played beautifully by Téa. It’s almost like Elizabeth lost her mother again. Will has spent decades keeping the truth from Elizabeth, both to protect her and to protect his guilt. The shared trauma and new revelation eventually brings the two closer. A side observance: teen Elizabeth and Will arguing sounded exactly like Alison and Jason. As much as we all say Stevie is her mother’s daughter, so is Alison.

During this episode, Nadine comes face to face with Mrs. Marsh. Because that’s not awkward. I like that we’re seeing more of Nadine, specifically the storylines that revolve around her personal life. It’s also fun to see the typically cool and calm Nadine sweat a little. Everyone goes to her for advice, but in this episode, the office den mother walks through her thoughts and emotions with Daisy. It was a nice little role reversal. I got the impression Mrs. Marsh either knows about the affair or suspects it. Does it matter? Not really. At least not yet.

That brings us to “Breakout Capacity.” Finally. There’s a lot going on here, but the main underlying storyline is the election. It’s Election Day and everyone is abuzz. Well, DC is abuzz. Russell is just trying to ease his heartburn and the throbbing vein threatening to burst in his head. So basically it’s a day that ends in “y.” I have to admit, this was a bit hard to watch, given how the United States is just a few weeks out of the presidential election. It’s a bit of “Too soon! Too soon!” Being an Ohio native, I appreciate the intense focus on that state. “As Ohio goes, so goes the nation” isn’t just a saying, and the writers acknowledged that. It makes the reel election feel a bit more like a real election.. which, I guess, is a double edged sword for me these days. This Election Day doesn’t result in an immediate winner, which is actually the point for the Dalton Administration. Basically that means Phase 1 is finished and Phase 2 is just starting. Elizabeth again finds herself in the uncomfortable position of campaigning for votes, this time to members of the House who will ultimately decide the presidency. How much longer will this storyline arc play out and will Dalton win re-election? Good questions.

While Americans are voting, Elizabeth and Co. are trying to determine if Iran has defied its part of the nuclear deal. Nothing like pressure when you don’t need it. Elizabeth is tipped off by the name of an Iranian banker she recognizes from her time in the CIA, another nod to the unique experience she brings to the job. Despite deals with Russia, the storyline ends in a bit of a question mark, as the inspectors become surrounded by Iranians. I like that there wasn’t any definitive answer to their fate or the future of the Iran deal. I’m not saying Elizabeth can’t garner another win for her column. For once, it’s just nice to not have something wrapped up perfectly within 42 minutes. Related, Russell’s jab at Elizabeth, calling her “Pandora,” was actually kind of accurate. I laughed.

Jason McCord stays the rebel of the family. He’s pushing his parents’ buttons, wearing a Fred Reynolds t-shirt and rallying for one of the candidates whose name doesn’t sound like “Dalton.” Had the real election turned out differently, I’d probably find him amusing. Watching him, though, I kind of just wanted to punch him.. even though technically, Conrad is the third party in this situation. Jason is proud to be the self-proclaimed anarchist and his parents are tolerant of him, but he crosses a line with his Reynolds love and Dalton hate. I get that he wants to be like any other teen, and his parents want him to have as normal of a life as possible, but he’s not and he can’t. To me, he comes across as rebellious just to rebel. (I say all of this as a huge Jason lover.) He doesn’t realize how good he truly has it compared to at least 95% of the population, and he doesn’t yet know what he doesn’t know. In other words, he’s good at being 15. Elizabeth and Henry let him play the role of Ragey Teen until it gets out of hand. Even then, they don’t just ground him or take away his X-Box. Henry turns it into a loving, teachable moment. Sure Henry is hard on Jason and makes him take down the rally video, but he actively discusses the situation with Jason, sharing stories from his own life and giving the teen a nugget of knowledge to contemplate. My favorite line was “Either educate yourself or stop talking.” Henry, we could’ve used this before November 8th. Henry and Jason bonding scenes always bring the feels.

Heeeeeey, Sam Daly. Yeah, I don’t really have much to say about Win, but Sam Daly deserves his own mention. Can we get more appearances, please? Bi-weekly? Monthly? Anything?

Nadine. Oh, Nadine. Get it, girl. I have no shame admitting that when I saw Gordon run into the bedroom, I gasped and then screamed. I did not see that coming, which is what made it so fabulous. I’ve always liked the possible pairing, but for some reason, I wasn’t expecting it to happen. The icing on the cake: when Mike B. asks if he can call her, she responds with, “You’re welcome to try."


Other things:

--Elizabeth and Henry’s first date was voting. How a-dork-able.

--Patina and Erich belting it out never gets old. I just wish Bebe was in there for a few songs… but Nadine was otherwise occupied.

--Matt was drinking Pedialyte to nurse his hangover. Someone in the props department is an all star at hangover remedies.

--“Isn’t right about now when you’re supposed to inspire me with some great religious quote,” Elizabeth asks as she looks expectantly and longingly at Henry. He’s set the precedent. This time, however, she has to setting for a snuggle session. I’d say that’s a worthy consolation prize.

--“The couple that gets fired together stays together." Again, a-dork-able.

--Elizabeth: “Did you and my chief of staff…” Mike B.:” A gentleman never tells. YES.”

--Every time I see Gordon, I think of Téa and her “love” of working with that dog, yelling “Cookie! Cookie!”

What did you think about the last few episodes? Did you like Matt’s speech? Was the backstory about Elizabeth’s parents what you expected? Do you think Dalton will win another term?

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