Episode Report Card M. Giant: A- | 170 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Day 8: 4:00 PM -- 5:00 PM
By M. Giant | Season 8 | Episode 1 | Aired on 2010.01.17
4:17:22. At the front of the press briefing area at the UN right outside the Council Chamber, Taylor's Chief of Staff, a youngish guy named Rob Weiss, takes the podium to explain to the assembled reporters how this is going to work, and to let us all know that security is tight. "So unless you've been dying to know what a chokehold feels like, keep your credentials visible at all times, all right?" I think a more urgent question is why Taylor doesn't seem to have a press secretary any more, because this seems more like it would be that person's job. Or maybe she just has too much trouble keeping the position filled, given their tendency to get themselves shot.
Speaking of press credentials, here's a set of them now. But the woman attached to them -- played by Jennifer Westfeldt from Kissing Jessica Stein -- isn't having any luck getting through the security checkpoint with it. Apparently her clearance has been revoked, and that's all the guard knows. And he's kind of pissy about it, too.
Hassan's brother Farhad approaches him in a conference room to tell him that Ethan has agreed to IAEA inspectors, as long as the head inspector is an American. Hassan's fine with that, but his brother is less so. "We've already surrendered too much in the name of peace," Farhad whines. Hassan points out that their nuclear program wasn't doing anything but making their country broke anyway, plus now Taylor is revoking sanctions against their country and offering a huge aid package, so they're getting everything they want. "As long as it's not a trick," Farhad sulks. Hassan's cell phone rings, and it's that reporter who was just turned away outside. Apparently she's on good enough terms with Hassan that she doesn't even have to identify herself when she calls, let alone do much to convince him to get her credentials taken care of. He says he'll still have time for their planned interview after the press conference, and they hang up. Hassan tells Farhad to get "Ms. Reed" back in. Farhad starts to explain why he tried to shut her out in the first place, and says that people are starting to talk. Hassan, possibly naively, says being "friendly" with her won't hurt anything, but Farhad says it could kill Hassan back home. "The mullahs will say that you've been corrupted by the West." Or by the Westfeldt, as the case may be. Farhad admits he doesn't agree with the mullahs on that score, but reminds Hassan that he's married. "Dalia hasn't been a wife to me for a long time," Hassan says, which is probably the worst argument possible. He insists he's done nothing "reckless," and once again, that this Reed chick get her credentials back.