Whiskey on the Rocks – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Episode 2

Episode 2 of Whiskey on the Rocks begins with Swedish Prime Minister Fälldin tending to his sheep, worried about their health. He decides to return a call since the lamb he’s cooking for breakfast needs a bit more time to become juicy and tender. It’s at this point that he learns about the situation and rushes to a high-level meeting of Swedish officials.

During the meeting, one of them comments on the Soviet vessel, saying, “They may have been driving wrong; no one is flawless.” This, unsurprisingly, does not sit well with the military commander, who is frustrated about not being able to launch an immediate attack. The Swedish president also decides not to engage in talks with either U.S. President Reagan or Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev.

Meanwhile, Reagan contacts Brezhnev, and sensing the escalating tension, the translators mutually agree to do what they usually do in the name of world peace—translate each leader’s rebukes and curses into more acceptable language. Despite their efforts, the talks bring no resolution, and an intoxicated Brezhnev orders an attack. The Soviet navy begins advancing toward Sweden, while NATO forces deploy fighter jets, and Swedish soldiers gather near the conflict zone.

Amidst all this chaos, the two brothers regret their decision to alert the government, lamenting that things have become “too noisy.”

At the same time, a commander bypasses the chain of command to speak directly with Fälldin, informing him about the situation and the imminent arrival of his superior, Commander-in-Chief Lagercrantz, at the base. Fälldin orders them to hold the line and avoid resorting to violence.

However, it’s revealed that Lagercrantz, hilariously, is more interested in avenging the murder of his grandparents by the Bolsheviks than in defending the nation. When Lagercrantz arrives at the base, he’s flabbergasted to learn that the prime minister has forbidden any attack.

Tensions reach a boiling point as Soviet vessels close in on the stranded Whiskey-class submarine. The Swedes make their presence known with a nearby submarine, only to be met with a dismissive “What cheeky bastards” from the Soviets. Finally, the Swedes switch to skip frequency, a tactic that successfully halts the Soviet advance out of fear of sparking a full-scale war.

The episode ends with Brezhnev screaming into the void, ordering the submarine’s captain to “burn in hell.”


The Episode Review

This is another excellent episode, packed with enough content to mock the absurdity of the situation—a “comic opera” that “everyone is taking very seriously.” From Lagercrantz’s hilariously misguided desire to avenge his grandparents by launching a full-scale attack on the Soviets, to the classic gag of translators sanitizing the crude dialogue between two of the Cold War’s most powerful leaders in the name of world peace, the humor is sharp and biting. Adding to the comedy are moments like the fishermen brothers regretting their decision to notify the government about the submarine.

The episode also seamlessly weaves in real-life news footage from the incident, poking fun at the melodramatic template of journalists declaring, “The world has never been closer to a third world war than now,” while also exploring the history and context of the jammed submarine.  So far, Whiskey on the Rocks has been a brilliant and witty political satire that’s worth a watch! 

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