The plan was for Kirkman to be assassinated and MacLeish to become president. So he is now wondering whether his wife was involved in the entire evil scheme. Hannah realized that Kirkman was the target at the big event and rushed to try and save him.
During the ceremony, a sniper prepared to aim his rifle at the head of state. Hannah attempted to stop the sharpshooter and the latter pulled the trigger.
At the end of the episode, a lot of questions remained, such as who took the bullet, what became of Hannah, and how Aaron Shore is involved. Peter MacLeish may slowly change his motives when he realizes that there are huge consequences for becoming vice president of the US.
As compelling as Sutherland is in the role, it’s disappointing and perhaps significant that viewers were faced with yet another white male as president, especially in a post-Obama election cycle.
And it’s fascinating that while currently mired in one of the most racially inflected elections in modern history, “Designated Survivor” presents an accession without identity politics, where a hero, who is humble, brilliant, and deserving, with a chiseled profile ready-made for stamping onto dollar bills and marble monuments, is chosen by fate.
It’s a tragedy for the characters; but for the audience at home, it’s a reprieve from the endless, draining news cycle. The messy process of choice, and what it means, has been taken out of the critics’ hands.
Update: Check out the latest Season 2 news here.