Apple TV+ 'Hijack' Episode 2 Review: Are Sam Nelson's remarkable negotiation skills a lifeline for all?
Spoiler ahead of ‘Hijack’ Episode 2
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Apple TV+'s latest thrilling miniseries ‘Hijack’ has skyrocketed the audience with a suspenseful storyline and intense character development. The series feature themes of a terrorist thriller as personal lives are intertwined with professional duties and the stakes are high. As ‘Hijack’ Episode 1 primarily focused on introducing suspense within the hijacked plane while Sam Nelson (Idris Alba) uses his professional negotiation skills to jack down the hijackers' terrifying plan, Episode 2 largely dwells more into Nelson’s attempt to save everyone on the plane.
In Episode 2 of ‘Hijack’, Sam Nelson’s trust hangs in by thread as Stuart (Neil Maskell) is almost influenced by Nelson’s powered fabrication, however, other hijackers don’t seem to trust Nelson. The episode explores more into the planning of the hijackers and how Nelson figures his way out by charming the hijackers and sidelining them, to protect the passengers. He uses his sharp-minded skills and somehow communicates with Captain Robin Allen (Ben Miles) despite all the communications being shut. He uses the captain as the bait to gain the hijacker's trust, particularly Stuart’s as he’s the master of the team and makes all the calls. Meanwhile, Abdullah (Mohamed Faisal Mostafa) is not convinced by the false alarm news and looks for answers. After reviewing the airport footage, Abdullah notices Neela (Nikkita Chadha) abruptly leaving her desk and looking for answers at her home. However, the situation takes a dramatic turn when it is unveiled that the hijacking is just one piece of a larger, more intricate plan unfolding both in the skies and on the ground.
Sam Nelson almost earns Stuart's trust
In the second episode of ‘Hijack’, Sam Nelson plots against the hijackers by being on their side and convincing Stuart that he’s there to help them. He uses passengers and the captain as the bait by admitting that passengers will wreak havoc in the coming six hours as two of the passengers tried to act against the hijacker, only to be left destitute and beaten. While Stuart had his doubts about Nelson, he managed to do exactly what Nelson wanted him and everything went according to Nelson’s plan.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Marsha (Christine Adams) is worried after Nelson’s text and asks for Daniel (Max Beesley) to look into it. Daniel calls Zahar (Archie Panjabi) for help, who then asks her friend in the UK to check out the status of the flight. However, it turned out that the call about the incident on the plane was a false alarm. Although Marsha and Daniel are relieved, Kai still has his doubts. Moreover, Abdullah was still doubting the whereabouts of the flight, he took the situation into his hand and watched the CCTV footage from the airport to figure out if there was anything odd. He suspects Neela abruptly leave her desk followed by him driving to her home.
'Pilot is the problem'
In a strategic move to gain the hijackers' trust, Sam Nelson sets a trap for the captain. He cleverly sends a note to Stuart, claiming that the “pilot is the problem," and convinces him to call the captain from the cockpit to the passenger seat. Fortunately, Stuart falls for the ploy and seats the captain near Nelson. Utilizing a game on the seat's monitor, Nelson finds a way to communicate with the pilot and they devise a plan to establish contact with the ground.
As the hijackers cut off the plane's Wi-Fi, the suspicious ground authorities make a call to confirm the captain's identity. Nelson seizes the opportunity to earn Stuart's trust further. When the hijackers attempt to send Anna as the captain, Nelson skillfully redirects the focus to the actual captain, claiming his intentional silence is a signal that something is amiss. Despite his efforts, Nelson forcefully makes the captain speak to the ground but fails to answer the security question, raising further suspicion.
Meanwhile, Alice (Eve Myles) grows suspicious of the call made to the UK, eventually realizing that someone is calling for help from the plane. The unfolding events intensify as the ground authorities inch closer to confirming their suspicions.
'Hijack' uncovers darker truths beyond plane hijacking
Upon arriving at Neela's home, Abdullah is confronted by two individuals posing as professional cleaners, who claim that Neela and her family are upstairs. Trusting their words, Abdullah ascends the stairs, only to discover the bodies of Neela, her husband, and their daughter in the bathroom, each with a fatal gunshot wound. In a shocking turn of events, as Abdullah turns away, he is shot by one of the supposed cleaners. This revelation exposes that the unfolding plan extends far beyond the hijacking of the plane, hinting at a much larger and more complex scheme at play.
‘Hijack’ Episode 2 is streaming on Apple TV+.