Represent – Season 1 Episode 4 “Under Threat” Recap & Review

Under Threat

Ble is being taken to the hospital after getting shot in his testicles at the start of Represent episode 4. He will be fine, although this puts into doubt his plan to become a father.

Yasmine confronts Crozon about his intentions and funding. The experienced campaign manager reacts in an unconvincing manner, unable to hide his guilt or justify his actions. Eric too arrives to offer his sympathies to the camera and feigns expressing solidarity with Ble’s condition.

The momentum from his candidacy is certainly taken out and Eric’s mission is successful. But when Crozon approaches him to hold up his end of the bargain, the politician ditches him and shows his true, ugly side as a person. Ble can still donate sperm but the chances are less likely. He talks to Marion about dropping out of the race and focusing on the family. This decision makes her happy and the two rejoice.

Crozon tries talking to Etienne about a job but is turned down by him as well. Ble goes ahead with donating sperm as promised. With him dropping out, Eric regains his numbers. Even though Ble looked satisfied with his decision, he is unable to sleep, still thinking about it. He goes to his HQs, where he finds the boys chilling and hanging out. He dismisses them and all of them listen, except Lamine.

The young boy stands up to Ble and is angry with him for letting Lamine down. By dropping out, he has splashed water on all their hard work. Ble has selfishly chosen to think about just himself and not the larger community, as he earlier professed.

Ble has a think about it and the next morning communicates to Marion that he will be continuing his contention. She is reluctant but accepts his decision, as long as he is present for the IVF.

Ble’s campaign gathers pace once again as the volunteers are in full flow this time. They make all the effort to cover up for the lost time. The voting day is very close. Ble also has an appearance at the police station, where he vouches for the security of France.

On prompts by a police officer, he changes his slogan to “liberty, equality, and security”, making his impression that of leaning towards the right. Eric is unhappy with these developments and contacts Desiree for another scheme. This time, they want to trap Lamine with a drug charge and get him thrown into jail.

They send two men with drugs but Lamine quickly dismisses them. In the ensuing chaos, he accidentally pushes Lofti, one of the men, who hit his head hard and falls unconscious. Lamine makes a run for it. He calls Marion and tells him about the incident. Ble waits for her at the clinic but she never shows. The nurse tells him that it is either now or never.

Ble gets a call from Marion who calls him to a hotel, where she has Lamine. She is of the opinion that he should surrender as it would be the best thing for him. But Ble feels he should run so that the campaign can go on. Lamine too agrees with Ble but Marion isn’t happy about it.

Her opinion changes when the news flash reveals sensational news. A Russian hacker group has leaked email conversations that have left all of Ble’s opponents in the lurch.

All of them, barring Corinne, drop out, ensuring that Ble makes it to round two. The episode ends as the first episode begins, with Ble’s name being taken on the news.

The Episode Review

Convenient choices have completely destroyed this show. It was so easy for the makers to write out the established veterans with one swoop of a malware attack by a Russian hacker group. How could they have written that with a straight face?

Ble dropping out and joining back within a week’s time and still not losing momentum defied all logic. A lot of things in the show and especially this episode did not make sense. Represent’s inconsistencies in storytelling are glaring and it does not help the show’s cause.