What I’m Watching: The Politician

The Politician: Season 1, Episode 7 “The Assassination of Payton Hobart: Part 2” (B)

Everything pretty much blew up in this episode, in a way that was entertaining but also just as over-the-top as this show has tended to be in the past. After being completely obsessed with his wife earlier in the season, Keaton was ready to dismiss her – and Payton as a result – because of her near-departure to run off to Wyoming with her lover. Payton got to see River while he was in his coma, and fortunately Infinity rushed over there to save his life by explaining precisely what it was that Ricardo had shot him with, but Payton doesn’t have much left in his life following the reveal of his secrets. Principal Vaughn was all too satisfied to be able to angrily demand his resignation, and his mother’s departure leaves him even more alone, supported only by McAfee, who he’ll still probably choose not to trust even after she called the police to turn Skye in for trying to kill Payton. Payton’s question of whether he can bounce back from this felt all too unrealistic, but it’s certainly possible he’ll set his aims on something higher with a real comeback narrative going for him one day. Dusty accidentally shooting Ricardo while she was trying to shoot herself was a misstep that she probably can’t take back, and while Ricardo hardly comes off as the most reliable witness, there’s just too much going against Dusty now for her to be able to crawl back from it, left with no one to support her. Astrid’s father being proud of her for calling the FBI on him shows how much he valued their relationship, and she seems to be headed on a one-way trip out of this show’s narrative. I have no idea what to expect from the finale, but I’m sure it will be enthralling to say the least.