State of Affairs Review 1×02 “Secrets & Lies”

There May Be Sinking Subs, But State of Affairs Remains Head Above Water

It’s never a dull day in Washington D.C. when you’re living the life as a “briefer” or analyst for the CIA. Following up on last week’s explosive premiere, State of Affairs takes us into the dangerous world of spies in “Secrets & Lies.” If the “Pilot” sets up the general premise then the second episode should give us a bit of heart—and boy does it. “Secrets & Lies” is a definite improvement from last week and pulls at the emotional heartstrings from the characters you’d least expect. With the arrival of Nick Vera (Chris McKenna), and the whole Omar Abdul Fatah (Farshad Farahat) connection at the very end of last week’s premiere, I wasn’t sure how far they would go into that plot point. Although they do explore the subject of Fatah briefly, the focus remains squarely on the imminent danger at hand, which creates less distractions.

Instead, we get a stand alone episode which reminds us “heavy is the head that wears the crown.” Our leading lady, Charleston “Charlie” Tucker (Katherine Heigl) once again finds herself in a precarious situation when she discovers that some of the country’s most highly sensitive information may fall into the wrong hands. We’ve already seen Charlie’s skills at dealing with hostage situations, but how will it compare to saving the life of one of their own trapped near the bottom of the Bering Sea? But that’s not the only problem at hand, new game player arrives and his presence could mean more problems for Charlie.

Charlie Tucker’s War

After an unsteady premiere showcasing an excess of characters and subplots, State of Affairs follows up with “Secrets & Lies” where emotions still run high and lives are on the line once again. And yet, it’s only when there are really great moments that the flaws becoming glaringly apparent. Take for example, the Scooby Doo story line with the Mystery Texter, who not only threatens to expose Charlie’s covert past but may very well be someone she knows intimately! It’s not a bad story line, but the problem is that it falls a bit flat. Even though it provides some continuity, it doesn’t really add anything significant to the plot itself. I think the plot surrounding the identity of the Mystery Texter serves as a means to connect with Nick who we don’t get to know any better than in the last ten minutes of the “Pilot” episode. But the real surprise is how well the episode leans more on the cynical qualities of its characters’ development and story lines.

“You won’t be working with me, you’ll be working for me.”

But no worries, if the suspense doesn’t catch your attention, the amount of new faces just might do it for you: Nestor Carbonell (Lost) guest stars as the handsome new CIA director, Raymond Navarro, who replaces Skinner (Dennis Boutsikaris). Courtney B. Vance (Revenge) makes an appearance as Marshall Payton, the First Gentleman of the United States. The team behind State of Affairs really know how to pair up the right people together. Carbonell has a certain charm in his approach to playing Navarro and the onscreen chemistry he has with Heigl really works for me. Even though Nick is being set up as a romantic interest for Charlie, I’m not quite sure if it’s something that’s going to last. I am keeping my eyes on Navarro and Charlie because the innuendo beneath their brief conversation speaks volumes.

Spy vs Spy

When an American spy on board a sinking Russian submarine makes a distress call, Charlie is forced to find a solution in order to save his life. If that isn’t bad enough, Charlie must work with Nick—who may or may not be an ally—in order to uncover the identity of the Mystery Texter.

While the emphasis of “Secrets & Lies” focuses on the crisis regarding the sinking submarine, the title seems to hint more towards the life of spies which also corresponds with Charlie’s burden of hiding knowledge about the terrorist Fatah from President Constance Payton (Alfre Woodard). Charlie’s position as a CIA analyst is a critical part of the series, yet it doesn’t feel like we get a true sense of where her duties rest. Sure, she is in charge of the president’s daily briefings, but her role in the CIA remains vague at best since we don’t see her report to anyone outside of the White House. It’s clear with the way her team and outside contacts treat her that there is respect earned by experiences in dealing with crisis situations. However, I think at this point that it’s important to backup Charlie’s status as a high power analyst with more than word of mouth. Maybe, as she pieces together the memories of her attack in Kabul, we can get a better understanding of what made her the woman we see now. Leading with the information regarding Fatah’s CIA connection to Charlie is a great start to opening up some origin material for what led to the tragic events that cost her fiancé’s life.

Be Our Guest!

The supporting cast and guest appearances in this episode really take the cake, proving to be the best part of the entire episode. State of Affairs has a charismatic ensemble of actors and characters, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see actor Alon Aboutboul steal the episode with the best performance of the night. Aboutboul’s portrayal of a Russian CIA spy, Anatoly Simonov (a.k.a. Nightfall), is heartfelt and provocative. Simonov’s fate comes across as a cautionary tale of the price you pay when choosing the spy lifestyle.

The Price for Peace

The tone and pacing for “Secrets & Lies” feels completely different than last week and maybe that’s due to the pairing of writer Edward Allen Bernero, and director Joe Carnahan. Bernero’s past projects include co-creating the series Third Watch and producing episodes of Criminal Minds; so crafting an episode revolving around the themes of life and death, in a highly politicize world full of violence, isn’t entirely new for him. Carnahan, who directed the pilot, is once again the director. What I really like about Carnahan this week is the way he sets up some of the scenes, and montages for a full emotional effect. A perfect example is in the last half of the episode when Lana Del Rey’s song “Ultraviolence” plays in the background while Simonov goes out in a blaze of glory; it’s a bittersweet finale for a man who served his country for 30 years.

Anatoly: “”Bury me under the sea, I’m burning. Carry me over my dreams, I am screaming. Bury me under the sea, erase all that I see…”

Even though State of Affairs is still new as a series, and while we shouldn’t expect drastic changes since last week, there’s a distinctively more severe look into the world. It’s interesting how the lines blur between war heroes on the front lines versus those who work undercover. When Charlie discusses Simonov’s fate with her fellow co-worker/bestfriend Maureen (Sheila Vand), it took me by surprise:

Maureen: “Well, he died a hero.”

Charlie: “No, he didn’t…he died a spy.”

Charlie’s response comes across as cold, considering she also deleted the message he left for his daughter. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this scene because we got to know Simonov beyond his call of duty; we learn about his daughter, his memories of Charlie with her father. Hell, I feel like I know more about him than Charlie at times within the episode.

Yet, the most revealing character is Constance (or as I like to call her now: Madam Cutthroat). Constance does not hesitate or stutter when she gives Charlie the direct orders for Simonov to kill himself in order to bury the secret intel within the submarine. What makes my blood run cold is the casual manner Constance approaches Charlie with in order to handle the crisis. Woodard is spot on perfect, showing the stern control Constance has over her emotions gained from an impressive military background.

Nick, however, is a different story. The man looks roughed up most of the time, and there’s never any clear explanation as to why he looks like he’s been through a few benders. In the “Pilot,” when he arrives with cuts and some bruises we don’t get any clarity to what happened to him. Are we supposed to just assume he’s been doing some Jason Bourne business?

Final Thoughts: Less Action With More Heart Does The Series Good

I have mixed emotions about “Secret & Lies,” mostly because the beginning starts off steady without much of a punch but then quickly evolves into this human tragedy that escalates near the end. Characters like Simonov, who we see beyond his work as a spy but as a father, the more it makes his interaction with Charlie interesting since she has daddy issues. It’s the human emotions that get in the way of one’s call to duty that makes State of Affairs an interesting series. Plus, the emotional scenes in State of Affairs’ “Secrets & Lies” cater to Heigl’s strength as an actress onscreen. It’s Heigl’s ability to show her character’s mixture of strength and vulnerability that creates a connection for viewers; it’s a big reason why her portrayal of Izzie on Gray’s Anatomy brought her a lot of acclaim. I really look forward to seeing her bring on the same caliber of work as the first season of State of Affairs picks up the pace.

The performances by all the cast members are great. Vance and Woodard are a great match to play the First Gentleman and President.First of all, for a woman with an extensive military background and political influence, we need a First Gentleman who has a quiet sort of strength, a man that’s more action than words. Vance fulfills that part, but it’s his onscreen chemistry with Woodard that sells the idea of them as a power couple. and the tearful scene Charlie gives near the end took me by surprise, in a good way. Aboutboul’s calm and cool performance of a man living on borrowed time really keeps your attention, it also speaks to his talents as an actor to take a minor role and in the end steal the show. As far as Nick and Navarro, despite the fact we don’t get much of them this week, I’ll admit, their scenes are loaded with snarky fun, which I love because it brings out Charlie’s fierceness.

Edward Allen Bernero writes a solid script that builds up the characters without the plot too much. Plus, he adds some wonderfully crafted dialogue fitting with the characters. The wardrobe by costume designer, Victoria J. Auth, stands out with Heigl’s crimson one piece taking the cake. She looks professional and sophisticated but still comfortable which for a girl on the go is essential. But Heigl isn’t the only one, Woodard’s cool shades of blues matches Constance’s rather cold tactics.  Special effects by John Lindstein as well as the production design by Loren Weeks looks great onscreen, especially the submarine—I felt claustrophobic just looking at Simonov.

Overall, despite some of the parts I find problematic, “Secrets & Lies” isn’t a bad follow up to the premiere. I think we just need to give it some time to grow because there’s just enough intrigue to make you curious for what lies ahead.

Comments, Thoughts and Questions

• The way Nick is introduced into the series is problematic because there’s a difference between writing a mysterious character and one that is completely vague.
• I absolutely love Nestor Carbonell as the new CIA Director, Raymond Navarro! Even though Charlie seems less than impressed by Navarro’s innuendos, his smug reaction to Charlie has me seeing sparks between them. So, whether they end up in-between the sheets, at each other’s throats, or both I’ll be kicking back with some popcorn watching the drama.
• How much does the President know? I find it strange that Constance would not have seen or have some kind of awareness of Fatah’s CIA connections. Also, wouldn’t the President make sure she knew all about Charlie since she was about to be come her daughter-in-law? Again, there’s a lot we’ve been told as viewers but it doesn’t seem to clarify much.