State of Affairs - Ghosts - Review: "Confusing"

In its second episode of the new year, NBC's State of Affairs left me scratching my head on more than one occasion.

Titled "Ghosts", written by Linda Burstyn and directed by Emmy Award nominee Félix Enríquez Alcalá, the episode was paced nicely, but the storyline developed in all the wrong areas. The creative team took the option to open several new doors just a little bit, instead of opening one or two much wider.

Last week's episode left me hoping the creative team would begin to merge the two primary arcs - the offshore Nick Vera arc and the US based national security arc. This was always going to be a big ask especially given tonight's episode broke away from that for a reasonably large period of time to focus on the rescue of Jack Dawkins. The rescue wasn't really a rescue in the end - I guess I have become inclined to expect a somewhat greater level of action, but not in this case. In an attempt to thicken the plot, the creative team have ended up confusing me more.

Adding more headscratching moments was the revelation that President Constance Payton's husband, Marshall, is siding with one of his wife's more despised political opponents, Senator Green. The reasons for this remain over my head, though I'm hesitating a guess that Marshall is perhaps trying to force his wife out of the political scene. Either that or he's digging into his son's death, but he's looking in the wrong place.

Back on the seventh floor, Maureen's time as the President's Briefer was over before it began. In fact, Charlie hardly left the role, leading me to think that mini-storyline achieved nothing in the end. Maureen further wedged herself in between Lucas and Kurt, with Dashiell still static on the sidelines of this office (insert word here that isn't as serious as 'romance').

In the deserts of the Middle East, Nick Vera achieved bugger all. He knows his jewels though - I guess you never know when a terrorist organization will want to test that out. But more promisingly, on home soil, the CIA finally has a tangible target, a college student named Stacy Dover. At least the hour wasn't entirely wasted - the bald patch on my head could have been a lot bigger if it wasn't for that revelation along with Dawkins' rescue.

Nevertheless, a storm is brewing, according to next week's episode promo. I'm hoping it's a bit more severe than one you'd find in a teacup.

Thanks for reading, remember you can follow State of Affairs' ratings on my TV ratings website, www.seriesmonitor.com/stateofaffairs. Tell me the size of your bald patch in the comments below.

Jimmy.