Zero Day Recap: Confession Booth

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In the narrative, Zero Day abruptly transitions from Act Two into Act Three at a fast pace. Following Roger’s demise, the plot takes a dramatic turn, especially in light of the crucial information he has bequeathed. The character Evan Green, who had been under the microscope of the commission for several days, is eventually freed after enduring torture and brutalization with no answers to provide. However, before he can return to Oyster Bay, news outlets are already disseminating stories about the commission’s use of torture on detainees, many of whom, including Green, are later released.

As the break of day approaches on the day of Sheila’s hearing before the House Oversight Committee, George gently stirs his wife from sleep to reminisce about a past moment. They recalled their son performing skateboard stunts outside George’s office window in Albany. When their son successfully executed the trick, George intended to praise him for his persistence – but his responsibilities intervened, and he missed the opportunity. This unfulfilled moment of pride served as one of the more poignant instances of sorrow shared between George and Sheila; he urged her not to hesitate during the hearing. Indeed, she didn’t need his encouragement. Sheila effortlessly dispelled Richard Dreyer’s arrogance, dismissing it as if swatting away an annoying fly. Her masterful move, beyond flawlessly answering all of Richard’s questions without a hint of nervousness, was to highlight that every member of the House, who were in front of her, had previously voted in favor of the commission’s increased powers. Although Sheila is George’s wife, they are equally his partners in the political upheaval of the nation. She unmasked their hypocrisy – they aim to oust George so they can take his place – with a clarity that suggested an unblemished conscience.

Despite the strong impact of Sheila’s testimony, there seems to be little that can salvage George’s tarnished image. Cunningly, Richard Dreyer is preparing for his resignation and aiming to replace George as commission head. A variety of factors – including Sheila’s statement, the revelation that the images they received were deep fakes by Roger, and Dreyer’s manipulations – all culminate at Roger’s funeral. In a poignant moment, George recalls his son Nick’s struggles with drugs and decides to take one last look at Roger before he is buried, something he wishes he had done when burying Nick. It was perhaps during a conversation with Alex on the porch that George acknowledges he may have bitten off more than he can chew, choosing to accept his circumstances instead.

However, the investigation takes an even more critical shift. As he sifted through his notebook for his resignation letter, he stumbled upon an envelope labeled “boss.” Inside was a stack of notes titled, “I merely thought you should know…” These were the notes Roger had jotted down while receiving transmissions from Leon over the AM radio. They also shed light on Lyndon’s relationship with the Reapers, specifically his funding of the group. Roger understood that his choice not to betray George would be his undoing, so he provided his former boss with a crucial advantage. With the information Roger had shared, the commission could not only link Lyndon to the Reapers but also tune their radio to the same frequency to intercept their analog communications.

After a brief slowdown, Zero Day gains momentum once more as the commission makes headway in cracking the Reapers’ code. Though I won’t delve into the method they used, they manage to identify two primary communicators – Blue Hawk and Red Rooster. With George set to resign that very night, the mounting pressure adds to the suspense as the team races against time. It’s intriguing to witness their attempts to unravel the mystery. Valerie and George hasten to the White House to inform Mitchell of their impending breakthrough. In response, Mitchell gives George an additional 24 hours to bring the case to a conclusion. However, it isn’t sufficient knowledge that the Reapers had discussed the American Homestead attack beforehand or reported a problem at the Idaho farm location. What they need now is to find out who is communicating, and quickly.

At base, the team acquired a voice-changing device for direct conversation. Seeing that Lyndon was out of reach and unlikely to interfere, George adopted his codename over the radio channel. He organized a meetup with Blue Hawk at Roger’s place, pretending there was evidence to eliminate. By the time Blue Hawk, or Leon, arrived at Roger’s apartment, two hours remained before Richard Dreyer took office. Their facial recognition software identified Leon as Blake Felton and revealed he worked for Monica Kidder’s company. Upon arresting Felton with a warrant, George dispatched Carl to Kidder’s estate to apprehend her. This time they decided to “follow the rules.

By the time they arrive, Kidder is already there, unwilling to let them inside the house. Instead, she broadcasts the search as a potential attack that could happen to any civilian. Meanwhile, one of her subordinates attempts to contact others via radio but fails. As they realize that they’ve been cut off by the Reapers, Kidder insists on immunity, although she knows it’s unattainable. When George denies this demand, she threatens to reveal that George is Lily’s 12-year-old father – a revelation made through genealogical data submitted on her DNA app. This revelation would not only strain the relationship between Lily and Valerie, but it could also destroy George’s reputation irreparably.

As Valerie and George deliberate their next move, Carl stands by, waiting for additional orders. Just as he’s about to turn his attention elsewhere, he barely perceives a figure on the rooftop. Suddenly, Kidder’s security breaks protocol and begins firing at the commission’s soldiers. In the ensuing gunfight, Carl is hit in the neck, leaving him critically injured but stable. By the conclusion of the battle, several deaths are confirmed. Before the episode ends, Valerie comforts George by telling him that Carl will recover.

In contrast to Kidder or Alex Mullen, it’s not the case for George. He shares the recent updates about their investigation with the media: They’ve uncovered proof at Kidder’s compound that connects her to Zero Day and portrays her as the mastermind behind the attacks, responsible for obtaining and releasing the malware causing power failures; however, they didn’t find any ties to Proteus there. With Kidder absent, George returns home. He sits with Sheila and praises her testimony, but their peaceful moment is interrupted when Valerie calls with disturbing news: Kidder was discovered dead in her cell, hanging. The surveillance footage was repeated continuously, so the security team is unaware of what transpired.

In the upcoming episode, we’ll discover what information Kidder had about Richard Dreyer and Alex Mullen, a twist that seems to be the most unexpected development in the series so far. I started to suspect their relationship when, at the beginning of the episode, he called her again to ask for help because George wasn’t resigning as planned. Although she appeared genuinely outraged about the lack of briefings to the committee regarding the torture, it was already apparent that she owed Richard something. She doesn’t hesitate to tell others to take a hike, but why does she comply with all of Richard’s requests? Towards the end of the episode, just before we learn about Kidder’s death, Alex urgently calls Richard and begs him to stop. It was all a terrible mistake, she implores him. However, he refuses to listen over the phone; if she wants to discuss it, he tells her, she knows what she needs to do. Interestingly, Alex retrieves a long-range AM radio from one of her desk drawers and starts tuning it. It’s a significant find, folks!

In my perspective as a movie reviewer, the conversation between Alex and George on their porch, following Roger’s funeral, takes on a different resonance given the revelation that Alex could be involved in Zero Day. Their disagreement over Nick’s death – with Alex believing he took his own life and George attributing it to drugs – adds a layer of complexity to their relationship. At this moment, George awkwardly offers a half-hearted apology for falling short of her expectations. Alex expresses her wish that he had heeded her advice and stayed home writing his memoir instead of accepting the commission. This scene appears to underscore the inability of father and daughter to connect: it’s as if an unscalable wall of emotional distance separates their vulnerabilities. However, with the new information, one can’t help but ponder: Did she warn him not to get involved because she knew whoever did so would be targeted by Proteus?

President’s Daily Brief

It’s puzzling me what Monica Kidder was wearing, particularly the leggings. It seems they were trying to emulate the tech-bro style with sweatshirts and flip-flops, but I fail to understand how leggings are a suitable replacement for that look. The baseball cap and long sweater fit perfectly well, and perhaps she could have worn jeans instead of leggings …

As we approach the last episode of the series, several unanswered questions linger. Among them are:

1. Since Alex was involved, just how deeply implicated was Roger in the conspiracy, beyond his known corruption links with Lyndon? Was he aware of Richard and Alex’s association with Kidder and the Reapers?
2. Speaking of Richard Dreyer, does he hold sway over Proteus? If so, is his animosity towards George purely personal, or is it part of a larger plan to seize power as a dictator?
3. What role does President Mitchell play in all this? The same goes for Jeremy Lasch. How much have they been privy to?
4. In the grand scheme of things, how much did George’s Deep Throat, Natan, know about this entire mess? And on that fateful night, how much did he share with George?

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2025-02-20 23:56