'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 Episode 6 Review: 'Persona Non Grata' sees Jack and Co on the mat after Reyes lands a triple blow
This review contains spoilers for 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 Episode 6: 'Persona Non Grata'
Let's cut straight to the chase here. The action shifts to the Venezuelan jungle where the Matice (John Hoogenakker) and his team are under hot pursuit by President Reyes' (Jordi Molla) men. They come under heavy fire despite managing to rescue Marcus (Jovan Adepo) and in what comes as a heroic sacrifice, Matice is the man to lay down his life and that's the first punch that Reyes throws.
When he realizes Ryan (John Krasinski) and Greer (Wendell Pierce) are getting closer to unmasking him as a traitor, he slams the US for tampering with Venezuelan elections by using a photograph of Greer and Gloria Bonalde (Cristina Umaña). He declares them 'persona non grata' and this sees all members at the US Embassy immediately evacuated as mass riots threaten the safety of the US citizens in Venezuela. Punch two.
The final nail in the coffin is when Greer is captured alive by Reyes' men.
We aren't delving into the details here as some things are best explained when viewed. Five riveting episodes mean you're practically binge-watching and this episode sets the tone for the final two episodes where just about anything is possible. 'Persona Non Grata' is all about playing dirty and Reyes does so without a sliver of guilt. His greed and insecurity push him to a corner prompting an all-out assault to permanently silence any accusations.
John Hoogenakker has been a fan-favorite. His sharp wit and his role in season 1 saw him walk away with enough plaudits and his death comes as a shock and is equally saddening. However, this is also a sign that the show is getting its character arcs perfect. In Adepo's Marcus, there seems to be a new addition to the Special Activities Division and he is definitely a worthy successor.
Five episodes have been leading up to this. And now, Ryan finds himself caught in a web of lies, corruption, and danger. The episode is crisp and pacy. Gone are any traces of humor and the tone is grim. This works well considering the situation the characters are put in.
'Persona Non Grata' is a riveting watch.
'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
