Summary
The series continues to intrigue, with just enough action and espionage to keep viewer’s interests. The action sequences are well choreographed, although the finale edges closer to the ridiculous, threatening to ruin the show’s authenticity.
We recap the Netflix series The Recruit season 1, episode 2, “N.L.T.S.Y.P.,” which contains spoilers.
Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo) is in too deep; he’s been chased by assassins on the streets, and CIA colleagues are gunning for him in the office as well. His first job resulted in a subpoena and his first major assignment involving Russian spies has led to torture and death threats. All this has happened in a matter of days and things are only going to get worse for the rookie lawyer. In “N.L.T.S.Y.P.” (Never Let Them See You Pucker), Owen searches for more information on Max Meladze (Laura Haddock) in Vienna, while the murderer is attacked in prison.
The Recruit season 1, episode 2 recap
The second installment begins with a flashback to five years earlier. Meladze is dressed for the opera in Minsk, Belarus. She mingles with the top brass and then receives a phone call from an American official, her life is in danger. Meladze is chased through the establishment by crooks and battles them in the bathroom. The trained spy removes a hidden gun and shoots both killers dead. The American, Xander (Byron Mann) invites her to the States, where she will be safe. The asset reluctantly accepts.
Back in the present, Owen discusses the subpoena with his flatmates: Hannah (Fivel Stewart), who happens to also be his ex-girlfriend, and Terrence (Daniel Quincy Annoh). They’re worried about their friend and advise him to do his homework. Knowledge isn’t power, knowledge is leverage in this world.
At work, Owen takes a trip to the Records Department, hoping to get some info on Meladze. He finds himself filling out endless pieces of paperwork though and impatiently leaves without much luck. Lester and Violet ask to help, before inundating him with advice on dating in the workplace. These two snakes are not to be trusted. Then, Owen attends his first staff meeting. Everybody talks in cryptic codes and vague statements, although Owen naively reveals too much about his own case. Nyland orders Owen to not ‘overshare’ in the future. Owen visits Janus for some assistance and the anxious colleague tells him to target a case officer.
Meanwhile, in prison, Meladze is attacked by a fellow inmate wielding a knife and just about escapes with her life. This little incident is then reported back to Nyland. Owen’s boss doesn’t want these petty updates, he needs hard facts instead. Owen decides to fly out to Phoenix and visit the prisoner in person. He tries to reassure Meladze that it wasn’t his side that instigated the attack. She knows exactly who it was, the Spanish crooks, specifically Talco, whose face was sprayed with acid in the last episode. Meladze needs a peace agreement with Talco, or else she’ll always be fighting off wannabe assassins. Owen agrees to solve that dilemma if she can help with his subpoena. Meladze advises him to get dirt on Nyland, then the subpoena will be dropped.
The Spaniards are waiting for Owen in his hotel room and swiftly tie the rookie up. He finds himself under hostile interrogation once again. Talco and his sidekick pull out a drill to show they mean business. Owen quickly relinquishes all details, giving them the location for the bag of money. He drives them to this specific spot and they ditch him after retrieving their cash. Owen hopes this brings an end to the feud between Talco and Meladze.
A conversation with Hannah provides Owen with a new lead. What if Meladze’s name was misspelled in the files? He returns to the Records Department and has them check for misspellings. This brings up one redacted file, with one error. A case worker’s name is on this particular file, which will take Owen all the way to Vienna. Before leaving, there’s just time for Owen to meet with Amelia. He needs to move the gray-mail case into the federal system and Amelia may be able to help. Amelia will only assist if she can take Owen out on a date though. Again, Violet and Lester are playing their twisted games, setting their new colleague up with another unfair prank.
Ending Explained
In Vienna, Owen arrives at his hotel under the fake identity of Lance Millerman. He meets with Xander and the two discuss Meladze. As we have seen from the opening scene, Xander is intrinsically linked to Meladze, but here he plays dumb, lying to Owen. It looks like Xander is Meladze’s case officer, but he won’t admit it. The rookie detects dishonesty almost straight away and pushes Xander for answers. Xander admits that Meladze knows a lot, she was eventually put in charge of other assets. Owen asks for files on the asset before he leaves.
Owen then departs for the airport and speaks with Meladze on the phone. He refuses to supply her with any names but notices the taxi driver’s ID photograph doesn’t match her face. Meladze warns him that this is probably a trained assassin, he needs to kill her now. Owen ends up fighting the driver and escaping into traffic. A chase ensues and Owen jumps off a bridge into the river to avoid an untimely end. What will he do now?
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