Shooter season 2 episode 1 review: The gala attack and the aftermath
For Bob Lee Swagger and his wife Julie, they had a chance to join some of his former colleagues in Germany at this gala — there were moments of celebration, but also reminders of everything that he went through in season 1. It’s not easy dealing with someone who has the history that he does, even if he was exonerated, and being one of the most famous snipers in the entire world. There may be certain people who still don’t know who he is, but there are plenty who do.
In getting back to the attack itself, seeing it play out across a number of different perspectives only served to amplify further just how scary this was for everyone involved. This was also a little unnerving to watch just because of the accuracy in which it was present. This wasn’t one of those shootings where you had people jumping over tables at every turn. It was violent, visceral, and fearful. Even some of the people equipped to handle this still struggled with what they were going through.
Julie really framed the aftermath of this attack perfectly — this isn’t normal for her, and it doesn’t quite matter that it’s something that Bob Lee is a little more accustomed to. They survived, and now they have to figure out what to do from here. He did get a quick look at one of the shooters who fired at Kevin, and he wanted to use some of that information to aid in the investigation. While he did this, Julie struggled with the reality that she wasn’t able to leave, and despite Nadine Memphis’ new position, she wasn’t able to help her friend from the other side of the country … at least at first. Luckily, that eventually changed because of a phone call and a meeting with Gregson. This offered up a chance for her to be able to help out, but there could be a cause for it.
The end result
The big cliffhanger at the end of tonight’s episode is that whoever attacked Kevin and others knew exactly what they were doing, and had specific targets in mind. It wasn’t just about going after military men; it was these military men they wanted.
Oh, and then there was that “hospital transfer” scene at the end of the episode, which really wasn’t that at all; instead, it was an opportunity for another murder. These attacks are methodical, and it puts Bob Lee in grave danger.
Overall Take
Shooter is not a show for everyone, mostly because it does take on such subjects as PTSD and violence in a way that is too much for some. It’s unflinching, and that’s probably one of the reasons why its fans do appreciate it. The gala scenes were extremely well-done, and that sets the stage for everything that could be coming next. Grade: B+.
What’s next on Shooter?
If you do want to preview some of this further, we recommend that you head over to the link here for a look ahead! All signs point to this being a pretty incredible season. (Photo: USA.)