In the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, many shows have postponed or replaced episodes this week that have terrorism storylines. But the main plot of ABC’s Quantico is a terrorist bombing at Grand Central Station in New York City and the flashback of the events leading up to that day. To acknowledge the terror attacks (kind of) without having to completely cancel their show, this message appeared at the beginning of last night’s episode, “Over.”
"In light of recent world events, the following drama contains especially impactful subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised."
For a show that easily throws around the word “terrorism” and “terrorist” to describe an innocent non-Islamist (as far as we know) Indian woman, it is interesting that they refuse to use those words to describe the “recent world events” or the “especially impactful subject matter.”
In light of recent world terrorist events, the speech by FBI Academy Assistant Director Miranda Shaw (Aunjanue Ellis) is especially eerie:
Miranda: My goal for each one of you is that you see the world with a new point of view, a point of view that we don't have. The tough part is figuring out how they all fit together. On 9/11, the FBI and the CIA had all the pieces they needed, but they couldn't connect them…
-Simon: [ Speaking Hebrew ] It’s been a long time.
-Man: [ Speaking Hebrew ] I saw the news. I’m sure you did, too. The violence is never going to end.
-Simon: [ Speaking Hebrew ] I shouldn’t have come here. I thought I could do good, but I’m not sure anymore.
-Man: [ Speaking Hebrew ] You know what you can do…-Miranda: And we see the world differently now. And we will stop it the next time... All of us working together.
As you can probably tell from the above clip, in the midst of all this, the episode also brings in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the beginning, Simon (who was IDF) and Raina (who is Muslim) are watching a newscast about fighting in the West Bank. Simon asks the twin, “You believe in a two-state system, right?” No, that’s her sister.
Later, Simon receives a call from a man about the violence (seen in the above clip). Based upon the episode when we first met this man, we know that he and Simon did not work together to bomb Grand Central Station. But it remains to be seen what other, if any, bomb plots they have been involved with together. Tonight’s scene certainly implies this is going to be another anti-Israel Hollywood storyline, but it could be a red herring for a big twist yet to come. Let's hope, in light of recent world events, they drop it.
