Tyrant – “Meet the New Boss” Retrospective. Surprises and More Surprises.

Season 1, Episode 8

Airdate: Tuesday, August 12, 2014, 10:00-11:04 pm ET/PT on FX Network

Rating: ★★★★★

“I tried to help him but he’s…it doesn’t matter. I can’t get him through this; he’s not capable. At some point, in a day, in a week, or a month, he’ll snap, and never mind your election. There will be no peace in Abbudin with my brother in power. He has to be removed.” – Barry “Bassam” Al-Fayeed

Strong words coming from a man who supposedly loves his brother. But, after killing Sheik Rashid (Mohammed Bakri) for Jamal (Ashraf Barhom), Barry (Adam Rayner) finally realizes his brother is too unpredictable to run a country. You know it’s only a matter of time before Jamal uncovers Barry’s treasonous plan. What do you think will happen then? And how about the opposition—the Rashids, Ihab (Alexander Karim) and his brother Namir (Doraid Liddawi)? They certainly won’t go quietly into that good night. So just who will be the next President of Abbudin?

The Inner Circle

The inner circle puts their heads together.

In his quest to oust Jamal from power, Barry seeks U.S. Ambassador John Tucker’s (Justin Kirk) help. So far this season, we’ve seen Kirk only a handful of times so I am excited for him to have a bigger role in Tyrant. I have enjoyed his acting for a while now and am anxious to see what he will bring to this powerful political series. On their way to the soccer field Jamal is dedicating in honor of Barry, Yussef (Salim Daw) takes Barry to a secret meeting place where Tucker and a woman named Lea Exley (Leslie Hope) are waiting for them. Yussef, really? I’m not exactly sure what Lea’s official position is because when Barry asks if she’s from the State Department, she responds with “Well, whatever makes you sleep at night.” These four are now the inner circle for the planned coup, although later in “Meet the New Boss,” I am shocked by who else wants to join the group.

The Devoted Wife

Hah! Somehow, Leila’s (Moran Atias) words to Jamal don’t ring true. “I only want the best for you. Can you say the same thing about Bassam?” Since when is Leila such a devoted wife? Leila is all about Leila, and what the power of the presidency can do for her. She is no more interested in an open election than Ihab is. In America, she’d be called a gold digger. She seems to change her mind about Barry, though, once Jamal tells her how the sheik died. I wonder whether Leila will side with Jamal or Barry once she learns of Barry’s plans. She’s a money hungry, power-driven woman, and I won’t be surprised if she leaves Jamal in the dust.

Poor Ahmed

Something tells me Lea is a force to be reckoned with.

After several weeks off from Tyrant, Jamal’s son Ahmed (Cameron Gharaee) and daughter-in-law Nusrat (Sibylla Deen) return in “Meet the New Boss.” Nusrat is still pushing Ahmed away and Ahmed is doing his best to understand why. While he knows she was violated, he doesn’t know his father is the guilty party. You can’t help but empathize with Ahmed when he confides in Jamal but I don’t think Jamal’s advice—“Give it time, Ahmed. Things will work out”—is very good. I guess Jamal doesn’t like his advice either as he attempts to patch things up with Nusrat. My jaw is still on the floor where it dropped when I saw and heard Nusrat’s response. I never saw that coming, and now I feel even worse for Ahmed.

Not the Candy

Surprise, surprise…NOT. General Tariq (Raad Rawi) knows in order for him to maintain his military command, Jamal must remain in office so he seeks out Walid Rashid’s (Waleed Elgadi) help to that end. While Ihab may think he is his father’s natural successor, Tariq has other ideas. What Tariq doesn’t know is the inner circle is plotting to take him down before ousting Jamal. Although, they’re going to need “M&Ms”—“military, media, and money”—for that, which Yussef plans to ask Nusrat’s father Hakim (Yussef Abu Warda) for. After what Jamal did to Nusrat, it seems to me Hakim should be more than willing to help.

A Pissed Off Molly

There’s no love lost between Jenna and Barry.

Barry’s wife Molly (Jennifer Finnigan) is unaware of what’s going on around her. With her being a doctor, I can just imagine what she would say if she were to learn about Barry’s role in the sheik’s demise. While Barry knows he can’t possibly overthrow the regime without telling Molly why he wants to do so—something he is loath to confess—he also knows he can’t have Molly and his family stay in Abbudin during the anticipated weeklong coup. While there are many surprises in “Meet the New Boss,” Molly’s reaction to hearing Barry tell her she, daughter Emma (Anne Winters), son Sammy (Noah Silver, and sister Jenna (Wrenn Schmidt) must go home to America is not unexpected. Finnigan hasn’t had much of an opportunity to spread her acting wings this season, but she certainly does so during Molly’s conversation with Barry about their going and his staying behind. The raw emotion just bursts out of Finnigan as Molly reminds him of the promise she made to make sure everyone returns home. It seems like forever ago that things were so much simpler, doesn’t it? While Molly eventually acquiesces to Barry, you can’t help wondering whether the family’s return to America will be a permanent one. Just what is Barry risking, and why? Has the power really gone to his head?

This and That

I haven’t spent a lot of time commenting on the royal residency or the clothing and jewelry seen throughout the season, and I am remiss in not doing so. Opulence abounds in the furniture, carpeting, and overall decorative appointments throughout the castle, and the clothing worn by Leila in particular is just gorgeous…to say nothing of her jewels. I’m sure the serpent necklace she is sporting is pure gold and probably has precious gems as eyes. Also, kudos to Charlotte Sieling for her exceptional direction of “Meet the New Boss,” especially for setting Barry and Tucker’s initial conversation beneath the statue of Barry and Jamal’s father, as well as for the statement she makes by positioning the two men so that the huge portrait of Jamal hanging in Founders Square is directly between them as they stand talking.

Overall

I know in my review of “Preventative Medicine,” I said the episode was a huge turning point for Tyrant, but that’s because I hadn’t yet seen “Meet the New Boss.” There are so many twists and turns, and surprise revelations I never saw coming. What a game changing episode! People’s allegiances are changing willy-nilly, as are personalities. As the freshman season of Tyrant draws to a close, “Meet the New Boss” does an excellent job of setting up the remaining two episodes. Will Barry succeed in his quest to become the new president, or will he change his mind altogether given the dramatic transformation in Jamal’s personality. Or, is Jamal’s new peaceful demeanor just a façade? Could Jamal be ignorant enough to be oblivious to what’s going on around him? Won’t he wonder why Molly and the kids are going to America and Barry isn’t? I’m beginning to question just who the tyrant in this series really is.

What do you think of “Meet the New Boss?” Leave me a comment below or tweet me @SeasideTV. Do you agree with my assessment of the episode? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!