US soldiers ambush some enemy fighters in Afghanistan and one surrenders claiming to be American. Emily (Hayley McFarland) buys a Christmas tree for the Christmas party Cal (Tim Roth) will throw his staff and Gillian (Kelli Williams) agrees. Emily then introduces Cal to Rick (Carter Jenkins). Cal and Gillian meet with Lennox (April Grace) who works for the President regarding the detainee. Cal via satellite link asks the prisoner, Franco, (Michael Goorjian) some questions. He claims to know the location of two missing marines. He was an aid worker and his life was saved by the Taliban so he became one too. Cal can't have Franco brought here - he's needed to ensure the rescue of the missing two but Cal must go to him, which appeared to be his worst nightmare. Emily gets him to pick his Secret Santa and the expression on his face shows it's Eli (Brendan Hines) - well it has to be. He tells her he'll be in Florida.
The commander of the US outpost in Afghanistan, John Parkstein (Jason Gedrick) is about to raid the position and Cal must question Franco before the raid. Franco gives Cal the name of his aunt Wendy in Baltimore. Cal immediately believes he's lying and suspects he worked for some covert government agency - maybe CIA. Franco describes the location as the "safest" place where the Taliban can hide. Gillian via the satlink knows he's lying since he used the word "safest" meaning there is more than one place. The raid is aborted.
A man named Komisky (Mark Rolston) arrives from the Department of Defence. Cal asks if Franco led them into an ambush and calls him a coward. Gillian calls it a ploy to give Franco an opportunity to redeem himself. Franco agrees to answer Cal's questions if he answers his questions in return then points out the location of the hideout on the map. Ria (Monica Raymund) suspects Komisky who deliberately avoids being seen on the satlink and spills her drink on Gillian to get her alone. They are convinced Komisky knows Franco. Emily worries about Cal, she hasn't heard from him and Eli calls them back in, leaving her none the wiser.
Mohammad (Homie Doroodian) loses his temper at Franco for leading them into an ambush. Ria moves the camera to show Komisky's face and Franco recognizes him. Franco accuses Cal of getting high on war. Cal was in Bosnia. He tells them there's another way into the cave. Lennox doesn't know who Franco is as there's no record of him anywhere. Franco just wants his story told, which Cal has the power to do. Emily sneaks into the video room and sees Cal under attack from mortar shells. Franco's radio was used to find his location. Wouldn't that have been anticipated and made alternative arrangements? The marines are rescued but communication is lost. Mohammad tells Cal he needs to leave in 18 minutes if he's not back.
Cal worked in Intelligence - MI6 in Bosnia and they made a soldier walk into sniper ally to determine the locations of the snipers. Franco confesses his name is Glenn Welsh. He got into trouble and was sent to the brig for manslaughter. There he was stabbed in the back and was recruited to work here. Gillian and Ria meet with aunt Wendy (Myra Turley) and Komisky lets her tell the truth. She was "acting" for her country and wanted to help after 9/11.
Gillian says everyone wanted to help and gets angry at Komisky for leaving him out there. He replies his battery died in his tracker and when he didn't get back, they assumed he was dead. Franco betrayed after he was abandoned to survive. Cal uses pliers to pull a transmitter from his back, proving he was one of them. They need to evacuate and Franco used his code word 'aunt Wendy' when he was caught. Cal convinces John to let him stay and fight, providing him with a gun - to do what he came here to do. Franco gives Cal his address in Iowa, also showing he wasn't a coward as Cal accused him.
In Iowa, Komisky doesn't want Cal to tell his parents the truth. Cal calls Franco a hero and sometimes they have to take responsibility for their actions. Komisky has a quick change of heart and wants to tell his parents himself. Cal agrees as long as it's the truth. Emily was scared and doesn't want him doing anything like that again. Cal gives Eli his secret Santa present - see it was Eli. A paper snowflake from the outpost, which Eli places on the tree.
Some more insight into Cal's past this episode, but it wasn't that detailed, other than working for MI6 - he clearly isn't an advocate of war. It's a dirty business and wants the "past left in the past." Thus his reluctance to tell Franco about himself. But what he revealed wasn't heard by anyone else. Ben was missing this episode and from this party. Being a Christmas episode there had to be a happy ending - though not for Franco and his family. Komisky felt compelled to talk to his parents pretty quickly - a way to allay his guilt perhaps. Yet he maintained the lies for so many years and still didn't want to admit the truth.
Gillian: "You can't go to that place again."
Cal: "I've never been to Afghanistan in my life." Gillian: "You know what I'm talking about Cal."
Which suggests Gillian knows something about his past or his being in such a position before. "Place" actually meaning his state of mind or emotions, rather than the country. This episode aimed to show the ugliness of war and how those caught up in it react. Also shown by the sniper story from Cal's past.
Some flaws in the science here is revealed when Cal says he's only about 70% sure that Franco was telling the truth in the beginning, showing this isn't an exact science. Cal reveals he betrayed himself not his country and helped a soldier to his death. The irony being Franco can never return home after fighting against US troops. Even when he says he shot above their heads at first but had to shoot back. Cal once again found himself in "that place" where Gillian told him not to go - just as in his past, he now has to leave Franco to his fate: allowing him to do what he was sent here to do and redeem himself in those final moments.
Gillian and Cal once again show their closeness to each other as the hugs and kisses continue.
1 comment:
wow, thank you for this long review. it helped me to clear things about the episode.
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