"The First Day" is the second episode in the American political drama series Designated Survivor. It was aired on ABC on September 28, 2016, in the United States, CTV in Canada, and Netflix worldwide.

Plot

In the wake of the Capitol attack, Michigan Governor James Royce imposes martial law and rounds up the Muslim population in Michigan. He dismisses Kirkman's orders to stop the violence against the Muslims, and claims he has the highest authority and does not accept their legitimacy of his authority as president. Kirkman meets Republican congresswoman Kimble Hookstraten, who is revealed she was selected by the Republican Party as the other designated survivor. She discussed with Kirkman about the situation and offers her support in reforming the federal government. Kirkman plans to visit the Capitol site to thank the first responders of the bomb site and in an attempt to reassure the nation, where Hannah Wells, an FBI agent, had already suspected that the second explosive was meant to be found.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Harris Cochrane obtained FBI analysis results pointing to an Algerian-based Islamic extremist group Al-Sakar led by Majid Nassar, but Kirkman needs to be absolutely certain of their responsibility and refuses to name them as the perpetrator, while demanding the FBI to investigate further. As Tom and Alex visits the Capitol, while being briefed by Atwood, news headlines surfaced of a 17-year-old teenager Danny Fayad, brutally beaten by Dearborn police officers. As journalists demands answers, one man was spotted attempting to get closer to Kirkman. Secret Service agents tackles him to the ground and fires the warning shot, spurring the security detail to evacuate Tom and Alex out from the site.

Kirkman brings in the Attorney General's lawyers requested by Rhodes and Shore, Wynbrandt and Massey, and asks them their opinions on how to deal with Governor Royce; Massey suggests issuing an executive order or martial law to force Royce to step down, Wynbrandt suggests a presidential proclamation, which either were respectively seen as too hostile or too weak. Alex suggests that Tom can federalize the Michigan National Guard to force Royce's hand, but he insists on going with the political solution; both he and Alex are informed that Fayad died of his injuries.

Tom manages to regain contact with Royce thanks to Hookstraten, who she and Royce are board members of the American Enterprise Institute. Tom then orders him to stand down all police forces, threatening to arrest him ostensibly for obstructing the federal investigation as Tom claimed the police have picked up undercover operatives working for the Department of Homeland Security, to which Royce, buying his bluff and pressured by the death of Fayad, reluctantly complies.

Seth visits one of the temporary funerals on his way back home. Upon being asked by the Metropolitan Police officer if he had lost someone, Seth replies "I've lost everyone." At the bomb site, search teams found a sole survivor underneath the rubble.

Reception

One review of ShowbizJunkies reviewed the second episode as fast-paced and emotional, able to show the vulnerabilities of the main protagonist as Kirkman. ^[1] The New York Times reviewed the episode with its dialogue "still being wooden, but the compelling moments are adding up", also noting the use of historical references and the title sequence. ^[2]

IMDb rates the episode 8.0 out of 10 stars. ^[3]

References