Summary
The Recruit moves towards the ridiculous, going for comedy over tension. It is still entertaining, but the plot points are starting to feel repetitive, and the romance angle feels terribly forced.
We recap the Netflix series The Recruit season 1, episode 4, “I.Y.D.I.A.A.C.,” which contains spoilers.
Owen (Noah Centineo) works fast, in under a week he’s managed to solve multiple problems and get the Attorney General to look into throwing out Meladze’s (Laura Haddock) case entirely. Unfortunately for the eager rookie, the CIA doesn’t want Meladze released so easily and sends Owen on another wild goose chase as he tries to find a legitimate way of freeing the criminal. Meanwhile, Owen’s love life takes a few meandering turns and Violet (Aarti Mann) takes on her own unsolvable case.
The Recruit season 1, episode 4 recap
“I.Y.D.I.A.A.C.” opens with Owen and Lester bragging to Violet about their work in Lebanon. Violet feels left out and is annoyed she hasn’t been given a challenge of her own. As if by magic, Owen is handed a new project, one that he is more than happy to pass on to Violet. This case involves torture robots and artificial intelligence if you can believe it. Owen takes this suspicious file to Nyland, who is busy entertaining.
Nyland is meeting with Dawn Gilbane, you know the woman who tortured Owen and yanked off one of his fingernails. Nyland has updated Gilbane on Meladze’s case. Owen has moved that particular case from state to federal jurisdiction. Teacher’s pet Owen adds that he has the Attorney General on his side, and will hopefully have the case thrown out shortly. Nyland and Gilbane agree that this is no good. It’ll look like the CIA has intervened. Meladze needs to have a clean release as they want to redeploy her as an asset again. Owen is shocked but accepts his latest challenge.
When Gilbane has left, Owen mentions the AI file he has been handed and passes the case onto Violet. Gilbane and her men move into the CIA headquarters, causing a ruckus on their arrival. Amelia spies Gilbane snooping around Owen’s office and then Gilbane takes over another office, pushing out the previous occupant.
Owen catches the Attorney General and informs him that they don’t need the case dropped any longer. The Attorney General is furious that Owen has wasted his time, and this mistake will not be forgotten. He does provide Owen with some important information though, there is an eyewitness, who saw Meladze murder Salvatore Kwitny (Kelly’s father). Getting the case thrown out now is going to be trickier than ever.
The Attorney General isn’t Owen’s only enemy at the moment, Violet is also angered by the rookie lawyer. She confronts Owen in the urinals, enraged that he has sabotaged her with this AI case. Owen admits that he was only trying to help her out, but she is having none of it. Violet travels to South Carolina, where she meets the murderous robot, TIM (Technological Interrogation Machine). This robot has ripped off an employee’s arm during a mock interrogation and Violet needs to make the problem go away.
Owen updates Meladze on the eyewitness but begs that she doesn’t go and have him killed. He needs to find the witness and sort the problem out without any bloodshed. Owen asks her to trust him on this one, something she may have a hard time doing. Meladze instantly speaks with Cora about the witness. And soon Cora has a name, the witness is called Danny Woodrow.
Back at the flat, Hannah talks about attending a fundraiser that night, which Senator Smoot will also be at. Hannah’s boyfriend Jeff (who works at the White House don’t you know) can’t make it and Owen desperately wants an invite. Hannah is reluctant to take her ex, but Owen sweet talks his way into going anyway. At the fundraiser, Hannah introduces Owen to some high-up individuals, which gets Smoot’s attention. Hannah’s parents and Smoot have a history, he quickly pushes back Owen’s hearing, buying the lawyer an extra two weeks to get the subpoena dropped. While Owen parties with his ex, Violet and Lester try to crack the AI case. They find a loophole, if the robot is never turned off then the test is technically never-ending and the case can be officially dropped.
In the toilets, Hannah and Owen nearly kiss. Owen decides to leave the party before doing something he may regret. Gilbane picks him up and interrogates the newbie further. Then Owen’s hectic night continues back at Amelia’s. He’s late for their date. They forgo the foreplay and skip straight to the bedroom instead. Later, Owen is handed the eyewitness’ name and is updated on the case. Danny Woodrow will be delivering a video testimony tomorrow before going into Witness Protection. Panicked, Owen asks Amelia for advice. She suggests getting the witness into the CIA’s own version of Witness Protection, but they’ll need to pretend Danny is a retired asset though.
Ending Explained
Owen travels to Flagstaff and interviews Danny in person. He makes up a story about recording the testimony at his home as his life is in danger. Funnily enough, it is, and an assassin starts to attack. Owen blockades the front door and then fights the hitman. Owen and Danny just about escape, although Owen is furious that Meladze didn’t listen to his advice and sent her own hitman anyway. Owen nearly died because of Meladze’s impatience.
The case is dismissed and Meladze is to be released that night. Owen confronts the criminal and tells her that he is done with her. Meladze says that no one else will help him, but Owen is through with her. Feeling guilty about everything, Owen calls Hannah for some positive encouragement, but she is brutally honest instead. Owen worries he’s a bad person and she calls him selfish – tough love indeed.
The episode ends with Gilbane phoning Xander about Meladze’s release. These two are clearly in cahoots together. What are they plotting? Gilbane tells Xander that Meladze will either be deployed back in Belarus or they are to kill her. Operations don’t really know which option to take just yet. Whatever the case, Meladze is released. The criminal is a free woman once again.
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