Patriot 1.01

Milwaukee, America

John is a disgraced former intelligence operative. He killed the wrong person once and has been in a funk ever since. He’s married and he's from Texas but he’s been living alone in Amsterdam. John takes a job working for his father, who also works in the intelligence arena. All John has to is take some money from Milwaukee to Luxembourg and from there to Iran. The money is supposed to facilitate the purchase of an election.

John gets a job working for a construction firm based out of Milwaukee, with work in Iran. The job is his cover. He seriously injures the top candidate for the job. John loses the money after he checks the bag when flying to Luxembourg. Someone inspecting bags took the bag. John gets it back but a couple people get killed.

Dennis, one of John’s coworkers at the construction company. tries to be helpful but John doesn’t want his help. A detective, from Luxembourg who is investigating the murders that John committed, contacts Dennis and tells him that she is planning to fly to the United States to meet with him.

John hands off the money to the wrong person. He doesn’t find out about the mistake until after he returns to the United States.

Thoughts

I’m feeling kind of lukewarm on this show after watching this episode. The show definitely takes some short cuts and doesn’t explain everything. I’m not crazy about any of the characters. There are some things that don’t make sense, like the way John’s brother helps him out. His brother is a congressman. Why is he running around the world helping his brother the intelligence operative if he is a US Congressman?

I can see how this show might appeal to some. I wanted to give it a try and I have. I'm not sure if I will be watching anymore. 

Notes

Dennis is played Chris Conrad, whose brother, Steve Conrad created the show, co-wrote and directed this episode.

John’s brother is a Congressman from Texas. He is played by Michael Chernus who was also in Orange Is the New Black, in which he played Cal Chapman, Piper’s brother.

John’s father is played by a Terry O’Quinn whom I know best from Millenium but he’s also been in a number of movies I have seen.