Fox’s Gotham concludes its best season since the series’ first with the finale airing May 17, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT. Cameron Monaghan’s been nailing it as Jerome/Jeremiah Valeska – the series’ version of The Joker – and in season four episode 21, Monaghan’s Jeremiah was particularly brutal. As Bruce and Selina shared a kiss and a rare quiet moment together, Jeremiah appeared and shot Selina in the stomach. The trailer for episode 22 shows her alive but in bad shape at the hospital.
Episode 21 also revealed Ra’s al Ghul is ready to team up with The Joker to take down Gotham.
The season four finale, which might be the series’ finale (Fox hasn’t revealed the show’s fate as I write this), is titled “No Man’s Land.” Guest stars include Cameron Monaghan as Jeremiah Valeska, David W. Thompson as Scarecrow, Michelle Veintimilla as Firefly, Nathan Darrow as Mr. Freeze, Shiva Kalaiselvan as Lelia, BD Wong as Hugo Strange, Larry Pine as Mayor Burke, and Malik Yoba as Major Harlan.
Season four’s main cast features Ben McKenzie as Detective James Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, Morena Baccarin as Leslie Thompkins, Sean Pertwee as Alfred, Robin Lord Taylor as The Penguin, Erin Richards as Barbara Kean, Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle/the future Catwoman, Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma/the Riddler, Jessica Lucas as Tabitha Galavan, Chris Chalk as Lucius Fox, Drew Powell as Butch Gilzean/Solomon Grundy, Alexander Siddig as Ra’s Ah Ghul, and Crystal Reed as Sofia Falcone.
The “No Man’s Land” Plot: Jeremiah warns a skeptical Gordon of more destruction coming Gotham’s way, and Gordon is forced to make a potentially devastating decision. Meanwhile, Barbara rallies together a team to secure her position, as alliances in the underworld shift and prove no one can be trusted. Then, Bruce is forced to come to terms with the future in the all-new “A Dark Knight: No Man’s Land” season finale episode.
NBC’s popular singing competition The Voice has named its panel of four coaches for the show’s upcoming season 15. Three-time Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson must be having a great time on the panel as she’ll be returning for a second season of coaching hopeful singers. Two-time Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson, a season 13 coach, will also return to do battle with original The Voice coaches Blake Shelton and Adam Levine.
In addition to her season 13 turn as a coach on The Voice, Hudson served as a coach on the U.K. version. (She won her first season in the U.K.)
“We are so excited to welcome back Kelly and Jennifer, two dynamic forces who bring undeniable soul, passion and inspiration as coaches,” stated Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment. “They each have a unique understanding of what it’s like to be in the artists’ shoes. Bringing these two voices together with Blake and Adam for season 15 is sure to make this one of our best seasons yet!”
The Voice ranks as the #1 alternative show on television. Season 14’s averaging 12.1 million viewers and has Levine, Shelton, Clarkson, and Alicia Keys as coaches. The next episode of season 14 is set to air on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT and will feature the top 8 singers competing in the semi-finals round.
More on The Voice Coaches, Courtesy of NBC:
KELLY CLARKSON – Kelly Clarkson, who recently released her critically acclaimed eighth studio album, Meaning of Life, is among the most popular artists of this era with total worldwide sales of more than 25 million albums and 36 million singles. The Texas-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter first came to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of American Idol. Clarkson’s debut single, “A Moment Like This,” followed and quickly went to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, ultimately ranking as the year’s best-selling single in the U.S.
Further, Clarkson is, without doubt, one of pop’s top singles artists, with 17 singles boasting multi-platinum, platinum and gold certifications around the world, including such global favorites as “Miss Independent” and “Because of You.” Clarkson has received a vast array of awards and nominations, among them three Grammy Awards, and was the first artist to top each of Billboard’s pop, adult contemporary, country and dance charts. Clarkson is also set to host the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, which will be broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC.
JENNIFER HUDSON – Jennifer Hudson, a true multi-hyphenate talent, won the Academy Award in 2007 for her performance in the smash hit Dreamgirls, an adaptation of the Broadway musical. Her breakout film performance also earned her a Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, BAFTA and NAACP Image Award. Hudson quickly followed with her self-titled album debut, for which she won her first Grammy Award for “Best R & B Album.” The RIAA Platinum Certified album entered Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2. Her sophomore album, I Remember Me, also debuted on Billboard’s Top 10, as did her third album, JHUD, which featured the Grammy-nominated track “It’s Your World.”
Hudson went on to receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Music and perform for such dignitaries as President Obama and the Pope. In 2015 Hudson won a Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theatre Album” for her performance in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. In addition to her continued film and television work, Hudson has served as a coach on both the U.S. and U.K. versions of The Voice.
ADAM LEVINE – As the frontman of Grammy Award-winning recording group Maroon 5, Levine has left an indelible mark on popular music. The primary songwriter for the band and a guitar player, Levine’s talents give Maroon 5 its signature sound. His heartfelt ballads and pop anthems have become part of the fabric of today’s pop music scene. The band has since gone on to have massive critical and commercial success worldwide, including a Top 40 record that boasts a total of nine #1 hits among pop groups.
Maroon 5’s discography features a succession of five multi-platinum studio albums that have resulted in more than 35 million in sales, three Grammys and 12 Grammy nominations, as well as gold and platinum certifications in more than 35 countries. It’s most recent album, 2017’s Red Pill Blues, debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, marked the band’s sixth top 10 album was certified gold.
BLAKE SHELTON – Country Music Association’s 2012 “Entertainer of the Year,” five-time Male Vocalist of the Year winner and Grammy Award nominee Blake Shelton continues to add to his superstar status. His latest album, Texoma Shore, became his sixth record to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and marked his 11th all-genre Top 10. Texoma Shore features his latest hit single, “I’ll Name the Dogs,” a romantic tune that boasts more than 30 million streams and became his 25th #1 single. In the week following the album launch, Shelton became the first artist in Country Aircheck / Mediabase history to have six songs chart simultaneously.
Texoma Shore follows 2016’s gold-certified If I’m Honest, the best-selling country album release of the year that spawned three chart-topping songs and earned him a #1 on both the Billboard Top Country Albums and the all-genre Top Album Sales charts. A member of the Grand Ole Opry, Shelton has earned a host of honors throughout his career, which most recently include Top Country Artist at the Billboard Music Awards.
Melanie Scrofano as Wynonna Earp in season 3 (Photo by: Michelle Faye / Wynonna Earp Season 3, Inc. / Syfy)
Premiere dates and plot descriptions have been released for Syfy’s lineup of returning primetime shows. The network announced 12 Monkeys will return on June 15, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT for its fourth and final season. Wynonna Earp‘s third season will kick off on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT. And Syfy’s Killjoys season four will air immediately after Wynonna Earp, also premiering on July 20.
Syfy also revealed the upcoming Sharknado will be the franchise’s final film. The untitled Sharknado 6 will air on August 19, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT at the conclusion of the annual Sharknado week.
Syfy’s Summer Lineup:
12 MONKEYS – In Season 4, James Cole (Aaron Stanford) and Dr. Cassandra Railly (Amanda Schull) set out on an epic quest, traveling further back in time than they have ever been before. According to legend, their only hope lies with a weapon capable of stopping the Witness for good. But they’ll soon discover that in order to win the final battle and save time itself, they will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
WYNONNA EARP – Based on the IDW Publishing comic book created by Beau Smith, Wynonna Earp follows the life of famous lawman Wyatt Earp’s demon-fighting great-great-granddaughter Wynonna (Melanie Scrofano), who inherited Wyatt’s mythic abilities and his famous gun in order to put an end to the Earp curse once and for all. In Season 3, reckless and reluctant warrior hero Wynonna and her team of outmatched outsiders return to face monsters, revenants and their biggest fears as they fight to take down the demon who cursed the Earp family before he destroys the Ghost River Triangle – and the world.
KILLJOYS – The end of Season 3 left our Killjoys scattered to the far corners of The J galaxy and beyond. Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen) is on a journey to face her biggest foe yet, while D’av (Luke Macfarlane) and John (Aaron Ashmore) are trapped in an elevator in deep space with a pregnant Delle Seyah (Mayko Nguyen). They are united by the knowledge of the name of their true enemy: The Lady, an immeasurable manifestation of evil without beginning or end. The Lady is making her play, and our trio has something she wants.
SHARKNADO WEEK – Sharknado Week returns to SYFY for its fifth annual week-long event focused on all things shark. This year’s lineup will kick off the first night with Deep Blue Sea 2 and continue through the week with more action-packed, shark infested movies including Nightmare Shark and 6-Headed Shark Attack. It all starts August 12 and culminates with the final movie of SYFY’s hit franchise, Sharknado 6.
SHARKNADO 6 – Our hero Fin (Ian Ziering) has battled sharks all over the globe, but in this last installment he will tackle the final shark-tier — time travel. In the ending moments of Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, Fin was seen wandering alone on Earth after it was destroyed. Now he must travel back in time to stop the Sharknado that started it all. Will Fin and the gang be able to set everything right and save the world once and for all?
The CW’s Riverdale sent fans into a frenzy with the possibility that Jughead is dead. Season two episode 21 found FP carrying what appeared to be the lifeless body of Jughead after he was attacked by Penny Peabody and the Ghoulies. But, would the show actually kill off one of the fan-favorite characters?
Cole Sprouse tweeted “Grateful, thank you Riverdale” after the episode, and fans have been going a bit crazy while attempting to figure out if Veronica, Betty, and Archie are standing in front of Jughead’s grave at the beginning of the season finale trailer. Oh, and the episode also revealed that Hal Cooper (Lochlyn Munro) is definitely the Black Hood, although it’s possible/likely there’s more than one killer committing murder under that name.
The Riverdale season two finale is set to air on May 16, 2018. Season two episode 22 is titled “Brave New World” (a world without Jughead?) and was directed by Steven A. Adelson from a script by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
The season two cast includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones, Madelaine Petsch as Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols as Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick as Alice Cooper, Luke Perry as Fred Andrews, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, and Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones.
The “Chapter Thirty-Five: Brave New World” Plot: ELECTION DAY – With Fred (Perry) trailing in the polls, Archie (Apa) steps in to lend a hand in his dad’s mayoral campaign. Veronica (Mendes) stays one step ahead after uncovering Hiram’s (Consuelos) latest scheme. Elsewhere, Cheryl (Petsch) finalizes her emancipation from her mother, while FP (Ulrich) makes a surprising announcement to Jughead (Sprouse) and the Serpents. Finally, Betty (Reinhart) confronts her darkest demons.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a fierce fighter for justice and the timely documentary RBG from directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West does a terrific job of touching on key moments in the career of the indomitable Supreme Court Justice. Ruth Bader Ginsburg permitted the directors access to private moments with her friends and family, and the result is a documentary that not only extols her ground-breaking legal career but also provides insight into what makes her tick.
At 85, Ginsburg’s one of the most admired Supreme Court Justices in history. She’s also become a pop culture phenomenon, and her decades of defending women’s rights in a male dominated system have, rightfully, made her a hero to women of all ages. Ginsburg admits to wanting to do everything the boys did while she was growing up, and RBG explores her life-long fight for gender equality.
A documentary series would be necessary to fully comprehend the impact Ruth Bader Ginsburg has had in the battle for women’s rights. However, RBG does touch on pivotal moments in her career over its swift 96-minute running time. Included in the documentary are brief summaries of a few of Ginsburg’s cases including those of a female Air Force pilot denied a housing allowance and a man who was denied his wife’s Social Security benefits after she died in childbirth.
RBG offers a fascinating look at the era in which Ginsburg attended Harvard Law School and then Columbia Law School. Upon graduating, not even the endorsement of a male classmate helped open any doors. At that time, law firms did not want to hire women.
The private life of Justice Ginsburg takes up a surprisingly large percentage of the film, given the vast volume of cases and key decisions she’s been the driving force behind. RBG delves into Martin and Ruth’s 56-year marriage, revealing how supportive and forward-thinking Martin was throughout their marriage. In footage provided for the documentary, the strength of their relationship and the loved they shared is evident and genuinely heartwarming. (Martin passed away in June 2010.)
Directors Cohen and West also provide a glimpse into Justice Ginsburg’s personality and sense of humor, with Justice Ginsburg even chuckling as she watched Kate McKinnon’s impression of her on Saturday Night Live for the very first time. RBG reveals Justice Ginsburg not only takes the Notorious RBG nickname in stride, but also believes she has a few things in common with rapper The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace). Additional footage shows Justice Ginsburg in her time away from the court appearing briefly in a Washington National Opera production (reciting lines she wrote) and working out while wearing a “Super Diva” T-shirt.
Justice Ginsburg’s a superhero and role model, a national treasure whose impact on America’s legal system cannot be overstated. This surprisingly moving documentary on Justice Ginsburg’s personal and public life is both enlightening and entertaining. RBG does a terrific job of spotlighting her accomplishments while also pulling back the curtain and allowing us a brief look at what drove her to devote her life to fighting for others and at the support system that keeps her going.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements and language
Directed By: Betsy West and Julie Cohen
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
A scene from ‘RBG’ (Photo Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)
Gerard Butler, Peter Mullan, and Connor Swindells star in the dramatic film, ‘Keepers.’
The action thriller Keepers starring Gerard Butler (London Has Fallen, Den of Thieves) has been acquired by Saban Films for distribution in North America. Keepers, directed by Kristoffer Nyholm (Taboo, The Enfield Haunting), was produced by Gerard Butler and Alan Siegel’s G-BASE, Andy Evans, Jason Seagraves, Maurice Fadida, and Mad As Birds Films’ Ade Shannon and Sean Marley.
Gerard Butler stars alongside Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake, Westworld season 2), and Connor Swindells (Jamestown). The cast also includes Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Emerald City, The Missing), Gary Lewis (Outlander, The Level), and Ken Drury (24: Live Another Day, Silent Witness). Phil Hunt and Compton Ross served as executive producers along with Brian Oliver of Cross Creek Pictures, Danielle Robinson for G-BASE, and Mickey Gooch and D.G. Guyer of Kodiak Pictures. The dramatic thriller was financed by Kodiak with Head Gear and Creative Scotland.
Keepers was written by Joe Bone and Celyn Jones and was inspired by the Flannan Isle mystery in which three Eilean Mor lighthouse keepers went missing in December 1900. The reason behind the disappearance of the seasoned keepers has never been explained and their story should make for a fascinating film.
Saban Films has not confirmed a targeted release date.
“Gerard brings a charm and tact to the grittiness of this action-packed film,” stated Saban Films CEO Bill Bromiley, commenting on the acquisition. “Keepers is full of tension, allure, and suspense. We absolutely love it.”
The Plot:Keepers tells the story of three lighthouse keepers arriving on a remote, uninhabited island for a six-week shift, who discover something potentially life-changing that isn’t theirs to keep. Soon the three are locked in a tense battle for survival, fed by isolation and paranoia, as personal greed replaces loyalty.
Universal Pictures has released a new behind the scenes video from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. The new Jurassic World film arrives 25 years after the original Jurassic Park, and in the video Bryce Dallas Howard explains, “The first part of this movie is classic Jurassic, and then you go into this far more dangerous world.”
“Jurassic World was a celebration of something that we all love. This movie is different. This movie is pushing something that we know forward into the future,” says Colin Trevorrow, director of Jurassic World and co-writer/executive producer of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
Director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible) describes the film as claustrophic. “It has this kind of gothic element and you start to build up the tension in a very different way,” offers Bayona.
Chris Pratt reveals that in the new action adventure film audiences will learn more about Owen’s special relationship with Blue, the Velociraptor. The new footage drops further hints about how that relationship plays into the action in the 2018 visit to the world of dinosaurs.
In addition to Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard the cast includes Jeff Goldblum, BD Wong, James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, and Isabella Sermon. Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow executive produce, and Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, and Belén Atienza served as producers.
Universal Pictures is set to open Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in theaters on June 22, 2018.
The Plot: It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles.
When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Pratt) and Claire (Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.
With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs—along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. Welcome to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
The CW’s The 100 season five episode three finally reunited Bellamy and Clarke. However, before they were reunited the episode packed a trip to the prisoner ship, the discovery of hundreds of prisoners in suspended animation, and the capture of Clarke by Diyoza (Ivana Milicevic) into a riveting 50 minute reunion lead-up.
Faced with the possibility of these armed aggressors killing Madi, Clarke revealed what’s been taking place on Earth while Diyoza was in space. Unfortunately, Clarke had no idea Bellamy and others from the Ark had just made it down to Earth. After her people discovered this new group, Diyoza had Clarke tortured for lying about the number of people in the area. The torture only stopped once Bellamy put in an appearance and threatened to kill the hibernating prisoners if Clarke wasn’t released.
Up next, season five episode four titled “Pandora’s Box” airing May 15, 2018. Season five episode four was directed by Dean White from a script by Charmaine DeGrate.
The season five cast includes Eliza Taylor as Clarke Griffin, Paige Turco as Dr. Abigail Griffin, Bob Morley as Bellamy Blake, Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia Blake, Lindsey Morgan as Raven Reyes, Christopher Larkin as Monty Green, Henry Ian Cusick as Marcus Kane, Richard Harmon as John Murphy, Luisa d’Oliveira as Emori, Chelsey Reist as Harper, and Tasya Teles as Echo.
The “Pandora’s Box” Plot: HELP — Our Heroes are forced to rely on the help of Shallow Valley’s dangerous new inhabitants in order to save some of their own, with surprising results.
The Season 5 Plot: Over the last four seasons The 100 have fought to survive against unimaginable odds, only to see the world end for a second time. Season five begins six years later, with our heroes still separated: Bellamy’s team in space, Clarke on the ground, and hundreds trapped in the bunker below. But when a massive prison ship descends upon the last survivable place on earth, The 100 must come together to reclaim their home.
As two armies converge on one valley, alliances will shift, friends will become foes, and the march to war threatens to destroy all that’s left of the human race. Can our heroes break the cycle, or is humanity doomed to repeat the past? In this epic battle for survival, one thing is certain: there are no good guys.
Dramatically upgraded Predators arrive on Earth in the first teaser trailer for The Predator. The Predator franchise springs back to life with the 2018 addition to the franchise from director Shane Black (Iron Man 3). Black also co-wrote the screenplay with Fred Dekker.
The cast of the sci-fi horror film includes Boyd Holbrook (Narcos), Trevante Rhodes (If Loving You is Wrong), Jacob Tremblay (The Book of Henry), Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn (Office Christmas Party), Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones), Thomas Jane (The Expanse), Augusto Aguilera (Chasing Life), Jake Busey (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series), and Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale).
20th Century Fox is set to release The Predator in theaters on September 14, 2018. The original Predator opened in 1987 followed by Predator 2 in 1990 and Predators in 2010.
The Plot: From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black’s explosive reinvention of the Predator series. Now, the universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a young boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the human race.
Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan Michael-Key, Thomas Jane and Augusto Aguiliera in Twentieth Century Fox’s ‘The Predator.’Olivia Munn, left, and Jacob Tremblay star in Twentieth Century Fox’s ‘The Predator.’
Kiefer Sutherland in a scene from ‘Designated Survivor’ season 2 episode 21 (ABC/Sven Frenzel)
“If you really think that’s what’s best for the country, you shouldn’t be sitting in that chair,” says Cornelius Moss (Geoff Pierson). “But I am,” replies President Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) as he’s having Moss investigated to see if he should be prosecuted for leaking classified information in season two episode 21 of ABC’s Designated Survivor.
As the episode begins, Hannah Wells (Maggie Q) goes to the house where she believes Valeria is and ends up in a fight with a guy staying there. The police arrive and arrest her for breaking and entering and assault.
Over at Kendra’s (Zoe McLellan), she’s just waking up after spending the night with the President’s brother, Trey (Breckin Meyer). She’s a little embarrassed and he’s all smiles.
At the White House, Kirkman meets with Emily (Italia Ricci) and Aaron (Adan Canto) about passing a bill when Boone (Paulo Costanzo) turns on the television showing Moss telling reporters he believes Kirkman isn’t fit to be President. On another channel, Ethan West (Michael J. Fox) is lying as he claims to reporters he was the one who got the kid freed from the foreign jail and Kirkman almost sabotaged it. Kirkman suggests to his staff they appoint West to investigate Moss.
Kirkman meets with the Democratic senators about passing his bill. They’ll back it if he’ll stop being an independent and switch over to being a democrat. Kirkman gets fed up with them for playing politics and gets ready to meet with the republicans to help push the bill through.
Trey heads back to Kendra’s house to pick up his wallet that he accidentally left behind. When he arrives, he sees her front door open and a hole in a window. He searches the house and finds Kendra hiding in the bathroom.
Back at the White House, Trey and Kendra are telling the President, Ritter (LaMonica Garrett), and Detective Perreta what happened. Kirkman informs everyone he considers what happened to Kendra to be an attack against the White House which means Secret Service Agent Ritter will investigate it alongside Detective Perreta. Kirkman pulls Trey aside and, knowing that he spent the night with Kendra, reminds him it’s improper because she’s the White House legal counsel. He needs to end it.
Boone meets with West to let him know he’s being appointed special investigator to look into Moss. West agrees but says he’ll only look for the truth.
Aaron bails Wells out and tells her she’s being played by Valeria. He reminds her she can’t go rogue again because she’s on leave from the FBI. He also tells her she has to meet with West for the investigation. When Wells meets with West, he seems much more interested in her investigations and what she did for the President than looking into Moss.
Kirkman meets with the republicans about the bill and they do exactly what the democrats did, telling him he needs to pick a side and stop being an independent. The election is 16 months away and they want to know where he stands and if he’ll run. Frustrated, Kirkman ends the meeting.
Kendra’s in her office when she gets a call from a mysterious person threatening her and telling her to look into a case of an unsolved murder years ago or a broken-into house will be the least of her worries. Kendra fills Ritter and the detective in on the call, and they begin to look into it.
Chuck Russink (Jake Epstein) gets into his car and Wells is already in the back seat. After startling him, she says she needs a sounding board and goes over what happened at the house. Chuck points out that it’s obvious Valeria wants Wells out of the way.
West meets next with Aaron to go over everything that’s happened at the White House in the last few months, especially anything involving Agent Wells.
Chuck gets a call from Wells who tells him her apartment was ransacked. She knows that Valeria is after something and Chuck reminds her that all Rennett’s belongings are locked up at a secure location. Wells heads out to try to get access to Rennett’s things.
Kirkman has Seth put out a press release slamming both parties for playing politics and putting their parties over doing what’s right and passing the bill.
West meets with Moss who’s cool as a cucumber. Moss admits to passing along certain information but insists nothing he passed on was confidential. Afterward, Moss meets with Kirkman and warns him that if he does try to prosecute him, he’ll lay the blame for everything on Kirkman’s shoulders.
Ritter, Kendra, and the detective meet with the father of a suspect they’ve come up with looking into the unsolved murder case and believe he may be the shooter. The man tells Kendra she ruined his life and his family’s with the way she handled the case. She notices a photo of a bait and tackle store and later outside his house she and Ritter talk about how his son Mickey – their suspect – might be laying low there. Ritter and the detective go to check it out.
When Ritter and the detective arrive, they see Mickey using a chainsaw to cut logs. They flash their badges and he smiles and says, “Just a minute.” He bends down, puts the chainsaw down, and rises up firing a gun at them. Mickey runs into the woods and Ritter and the detective give chase. Mickey runs out of ammo and tackles the detective. He grabs her gun and is about to shoot her when Ritter shoots Mickey. He falls to the ground, dead.
Ritter and Kendra meet with Kirkman and bring him up to speed. Kendra believes the case to be closed and that Mickey blamed her for how she handled the case, broke into her home, and threatened her.
Boone meets with Kirkman and advises him that it’s time for him to pick a side and to decide if he’s going to run for another term as president. Instead, Kirkman says he’ll be staying an independent and to bring in senators from both parties.
Kirkman meets with the same leading senators and promises them if they do not sign off on the bill, he’ll tell the press and the public that both parties are putting partisanship over soldiers, the people, and what’s best for the country.
Later, Trey admits to Tom he has real feelings for Kendra and would find any excuse to be in the same room with her. Tom believes Trey should tell Kenra what he just told him and wishes him luck.
Kendra feels bad about how she prosecuted the case and how it led to the family’s downfall. Emily tries to cheer her up and tells her she can crash at her place since she doesn’t want to go home.
Wells meets with Aaron and pushes to get access to Rennett’s belongings. She says it’s about getting closure, and Aaron pulls a few strings and gets her five minutes. She finds a piece of paper about a rendezvous point among Rennett’s belongings and heads to the location. She sits on a bench and then examines it closer and finds a hidden flash drive. Later, she puts it in her computer and a video comes up of Rennett telling her if she’s watching this he’s probably dead. He gives her an address where he says his 16-year-old daughter is living and he’s convinced that Valeria will try to kill her. He begs Wells to keep her safe. Wells calls the airport and prepares to head to London.
West meets with the President and explains that although Moss might be arrogant, he sees no proof of leaking confidential information. However, he does believe Wells’ actions are suspect and there might be enough of a case to bring against Kirkman for political conspiracy.
Trey visits Kendra and is happy to hear they caught the guy. He begins to tell her how much he enjoyed the other night and Kendra closes the door and apologizes to Trey. She admits she doesn’t usually date and is worried that because they moved way too fast, she ruined it. She confesses she does like him. They agree to go on an official date.
Ritter rushes in and tells Kendra the killer who was put in witness protection was murdered. Mickey and his father used the whole scare tactic to flesh out the killer and murder him. Ritter says Kendra can’t go home, and Kendra remembers that Emily went to her home to pick up a few things for her while she stays with Emily. Kendra calls Emily who’s in Kendra’s house picking up her things. Emily starts to talk to Kendra when she’s shot by a sniper through a window.
Designated Survivor Season 2 Episode 21 Review:
Dramatic and occasionally surprising, episode 21 titled “Target” sees President Kirkman once again about to be investigated all too soon after the last investigation…yawn…and the possible death of one of the main characters of the show. (No, not Emily!)
There was a feeling of redundancy about the episode that overwhelmed the few surprising twists. The quick and unsurprising turn of events with West turning his investigation into another witch hunt to go after Kirkman plays out like a been-there-done-that repeat episode. The reveal of Rennett having a daughter who might be in danger is really not that interesting of a storyline for Agent Wells.
Perhaps the best scene in the episode is the one in which Moss and Kirkman face off and threaten to bring each other down. Even that scene, though, felt a little forced and contrived.
With Emily’s fate unknown and Moss about to throw his hat in the ring to run for the Oval Office, President Kirkman has an uphill fight ahead of him.
