The Day of the Jackal – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review

The Concert

Episode 4 of Day of the Jackal starts with the media scrambling after Elias’ assassination. A meeting is called at MI6, where the news about the Jackal being hired by Elias to kill Manfred is all the rage. They also know the reason for his death, and although the call itself was not recorded, Bianca thinks there could be something here.

The Jackal makes it to France, where there’s definite heat all round Europe. This is something made all the trickier when the Jackal ends up crashing into a truck when he’s not watching the road properly. He has a French ID, under the name of Anthony, and when the police show, he kills the officer and the truck driver too. The Jackal is definitely getting sloppy, but he stages the scene to make it look like the two killed one another.

Back at MI6, Bianca learns that the Jackal is on the move again. OC’s American contact has picked up chatter that there’s another hit going to happen but they need to find a lead – and soon. This could come in the form of an ex-Army operative called George Hans, but Bianca keeps Damian at arm’s length, believing that he could be their mole.

Bianca speaks to George, who brings up the distance and the time taken to make that shot. None of the names she currently has seem to be capable of making that shot, but Hans is adamant that they must be from the Army. There’s one guy at Sterling who was a legend, Alexander Duggan, who fits the bill. However, he was killed by an IED though.

Over in Spain, the Jackal rings Nuria and decides to invite her over to Paris so they can talk and spend time together. He knows he’s been busted and is clearly trying to save face here. Not only is he in danger of losing his family, but he may be forced into silencing her too.

The Jackal gets a room in Paris but when Nuria shows up, she slaps him across the face and demands the truth. The Jackal admits that he’s a “trouble shooter” and sent in around the world to solve problems. Industrial espionage to be precise, and sometimes it can be illegal.

It’s clever, because he uses parts of the truth and twists it, but he’s adamant that once this job is done, he’s finished with this line of work. After killing Elias, those in New York want the Jackal on a leash – and a tight one at that. They’re going to stick with him for now but it’s clear things are very tenuous.

Bianca wants to talk to Allison, but after a few back and forth retorts, it becomes clear that Allison is actually dead and Larry has her phone. He attacks her with a knife and Bianca calls MI6, needing assistance. However, when he sees the police approaching, he scrambles away.

Back home, Bianca heads back with her arm patched up. She refuses to talk to Paul about what happened and sends him off on his business trip with a nonchalant kiss and a hug. Bianca, finally after 4 episodes, shows some vulnerability. She looks in the mirror and handles her gun, worried.

Things at work aren’t any easier for her. There’s only so much Isabel can do to protect her, and they need to make progress on the case. Bianca wants Vince reassigned, a guy whom she has a lot of history with and someone who helped her out with Larry. Isabel agrees but wants constant updates on the case.

Larry phones Norman and obtains Bianca’s home address. While he gets to work, Bianca speaks to Vince and brings up what she’s learned so far. They need to figure out who this Rodin code-word is relating to – and fast. Vince turns the attention to Bianca’s marriage, which she claims is “good” in her most unconvincing voice properly. Of course we know that it’s not going well.

In Croatia, UDC happens to be off on a small, beautiful island swimming. He learns about the contract against his life but shrugs it off. His security intel don’t want him to leave the island but UDC is determined to forge ahead with his plan to announce River regardless of consequence.

The Jackal leaves Paris and heads to Estonia for a concert. The idea here is to scout the place, something which links directly into the announcement about River as this is where it’s going to take place. However, the sound canopy is opened, and the Jackal is caught unawares, dropping his phone on the concert floor. One of the workers, Rasmus, helps him out and he manages to get it back.

When Bianca heads home, she finds Larry holding Jasmine up at knifepoint. She doesn’t hesitate, hitting Larry in the leg and demanding he reveal everything or she’ll kill him. Jasmine though, happens to be watching all of this. She stops Bianca from going further, and lies to her that she wasn’t responsible for Emma’s death. The police though, show up to arrest him.

The Jackal heads back to his hotel room and finds his contact from New York there, waiting for him.

The Episode Review

The Day of the Jackal finally unleashes its best episode yet. I’ve been ranting about Bianca not having any vulnerability and we get to see that, properly, in this episode. Seeing the consequences of her actions jeopardize her family, coupled with that moment in the bathroom as she holds her gun in fear, are tiny moments but massive in the context of characterising this woman.

Yes she’s brash and arrogant, but she’s also got weaknesses so she’s not an outright girlboss, which only helps this show stand out. 

As for the Jackal, he too is showing weaknesses and scouting out this venue, and needing to try and keep his family life separate is something that’s starting to become harder to do. Not only that, but his dual-life plays parallel to Bianca’s, in a touch of irony that’s certainly not lost here.

And can we just take a moment to appreciate how good the soundtrack has been for this one too? Damn, man!

As we approach the midway point of this one, The Day of the Jackal is set up for a very dramatic set of episodes to come.