‘Quantico’ episode 17 review: Shelby’s parents, Alex’s search, and the border crossing
For the first time in weeks, we have to say that we actually enjoyed the “Quantico” story in the present! Typically when we see the adventures at the academy, it leads to us eliciting a groan. It’s all because the story in the future timeline, as we’ve said time and time again, is much more interesting.
Luckily, there were a few quick corrections to the present dilemma, starting with a clever mission for the NATs: Try to find a way to cross the border illegally without getting caught, and if they are able to do so, they have a chance to get the best assignment possible. Many of our main characters did find ways to do it, albeit using some very interesting methods. Some people stripped down, while others worked to cross at night. Alex and Drew opted for more of the latter, and it ended up leading to quite the moment between them as a result (#toomanyromances). Was it awkward for anyone else to go from this directly into Alex telling Ryan that she could not handle his new assignment working at Quantico once more?
In the midst of this mission, Shelby had a chance to meet her parents for the first time in years! While it all started okay, it quickly took a turn for the worse. As you would expect when you’ve got more than a decade of secrets, they were not quite who they were advertised to be, and Caleb eventually was the one to push them off and promptly lie to Shelby about what happened. Compelling, but we felt for Shelby once more … at least temporarily.
This is where we get back to the future and the big twist: Shelby was driving the car Simon was ordered into by “The Voice”! Is she the terrorist? Not necessarily, but this makes it clear that maybe she’s either been threatened this whole time, or is working alongside them. What an episode for this character, and while this is just another token “twist for shock value,” at least it is believable in this world and concluded the best “Quantico” episode in ages in good fashion. Grade: B+.
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