Wow. Just as I was about to give up, Tyrant raised its game to an exceptional level. Between this week’s episode and the preview for next week, all of the things I’ve said it needed are coming into the picture. Last week, Jamal attacked Sheik Rashid in the bathroom just before the new election system was implemented. At that time, of course, I’d written it off as another crazy Jamal thing to keep the audience for one more week. But with this week’s episode and the promise of the next one, I finally figured out what this show did wrong: too many episodes.
Tyrant has always had elements that worked. Barry’s haunted past, including his history with Leila, was a high point of the early episodes. The background of the conflict in Abbudin (which I have been spelling incorrectly until this week, I realized) is essential, but they could’ve used the flashback motif even more to their advantage. Barry’s family is mildly interesting, but if they had relegated them to the background, they could’ve saved themselves an episode or two. A lot of the early episodes felt like set up, and episode 7 is just in time (borderline too late) to start bringing it together, but they do.
Early in the episode, Barry and Jamal’s mother drops a bomb on Barry. The conflict from 20 years ago that’s causing all this tension? It was all their uncle’s (General Tariq’s) doing. General Tariq was responsible for both attacks that caused the people to uproar, AND the military strike back. Barry had wasted his entire life (okay, 20 years of it) hating his father, which turns out to be for no good reason. Jamal, of course, doesn’t know this either, and has become ruthless like his uncle. Barry, of course, is reminded of the man he killed when he was young (to protect Jamal) and works hard at making amends for his actions, but he can’t do that, he fulfills his brothers request and kills Sheik Rashid. Game. Changed.
Jamal kills someone else in this episode (apparently because he can’t deal with disappointing people) but that’s probably the least interesting thing he’s ever done. His tension with his wife is unreal, and he remains the most interesting character on the show, but his brother’s betrayal at the end of the episode will really make or break the character for the rest of the season.
Obviously they still have work to do, but Tyrant has improved immensely. I honestly am excited to see the remainder of the episodes. I’m finally going to get my wish to see the tension between Barry and Leila play out, and the impending war in Abbudin is actually starting to excite me. The actors have all stepped up their game and I can’t wait to see them continue to improve.
What did you think? Are you still with us? Was this episode an improvement for you?
[Photo via FX]
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