Tyrant: Season 1, Episode 2 “State of Emergency” (B-)
This episode didn’t intrigue me the same way the first hour did, mainly because it was in many ways just as expository without accomplishing as much. Its themes are also hitting a bit too close to home, with the on-camera execution of three boys by government forces feeling all too reminiscent of disturbing real-life events currently transpiring in the Middle East. Bad timing shouldn’t determine the quality of a show, but I think that this series has other faults that it has yet to address. I do think that there is something strong about Barry as a character, since he is such an understated figure who is completely unafraid to walk into a tense hostage situation without a weapon and begin negotiating with people whose ideologies differ greatly from his own. The other members of his family, on the other hand, are far less compelling. Molly could be if she had the chance to truly show some personality, and Sammy and Emma have yet to come out of their shells, though Sammy is coming close with what is sure to be a regrettable indiscretion. I do find Justin Kirk’s character to be very interesting, and I’d love to see more of the eccentric actor going forward. I suppose killing off Jamal in the first episode would have robbed the show of a truly seedy and meaty character, and the notion of a world leader who has been literally rendered impotent is certainly a blunt indication of how he’ll surely try to compensate.
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