'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 Episode 3 review: 'Orinoco' sheds light on Venezuelan politics and an ISR mission that goes south
This review contains spoilers for 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 Episode 3 'Orinoco'
Having a position of power may sometimes be addictive. Maybe you have been in that control for so long that the real reason for being in-charge is purely forgotten. Maybe the under-the-desk perks are worth more. Maybe, just maybe, it's hard to be normal again.
The season opener establishes Venezuela as a failing state and its President Nicholas Reyes (Jordi Molla) is a slick customer. While he works to project a peaceful looking country, the ground beneath his feet is shrinking.
He has a formidable opponent in Gloria Bonalde (Cristina Umaña), a woman who believes in Simon Bolivar's ideology, and is intent on rebuilding a glorious Venezuela that once was.
The people too are torn. While one group still firmly believes in Reyes for the man he was when he took the chair, the new generation is looking for a change — and it was out there in the form of Bonalde.
'Orinoco' may have been the title owing to Jack (John Krasinski) and the Special Activities team's clandestine ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) mission, but the better part of the episode sheds light on politics.
There is a fair bit of cheerful banter between Matis' (John Hoogenakker) team comprising Allan Hawco's Coyote and Jovan Adepo's Marcus who finally agrees to be part of the mission.
That humor trickles down to Jack and Greer (Wendell Pierce) which comes as a welcome change owing to the grim and high-octane action that has been the highlight of the series so far.
While Bonalde and Reyes have traded verbal blows, Jack and Co. look at investigating the arms shipment believed to have been stashed at a camp on the banks of the Orinoco.
They look to investigate when Ryan finds more than what they're looking for (This one's a secret). The mission though goes full-tilt sour and the team ends up leaving Marcus behind.
'Orinoco' is pivotal as it gives a better picture of Reyes' intentions. It's not hard to see why he wants to be in power while his friend and advisor, Miguel Ubari (Francisco Denis ) is a crusader who still believes there is moral bone left in Reyes.
Umaña is a show-stealer with her charismatic and bold speeches that stir up patriotism in people while Reyes' eyes speak volumes. Hoogenakker's presence and the confident smile will surely bring some smiles for the fans.
The action element ensures it's not generic in season two. The dense plotline that follows the season one template of explaining itself over time evens the action sequences. For the audience, it is 'Orinoco' that starts tying up the loose ends.
'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.