'COBRA' Brings Out the Guns in Episode 4

Things just aren’t going well for Robert Sutherland in COBRA. In the Red Zone, things are falling apart, with inadequate services, looting, and an ominous consolidation of local powers under the name of People’s Justice, led by the charismatic Scott Minett (Charlie Carrick). Even the reporter covering the story, Manish Patel (Danny Ashok), seems starstruck. The movement has enormous appeal to the beleaguered inhabitants of the Red Zone. It voices what many in the north have felt for years: they are marginalized and derided by the elites in Westminster. Minett’s followers have branded themselves with armbands, a slogan, and a three-fingered salute (CCC — country, culture, community).

At a fractious COBRA meeting, MI-5 director Eleanor James reports that Minett enjoys enormous popular appeal — he’s a poster boy for diversity with several mixed-race children, and he’s been in the military, undermining the morale of troops sent to keep the peace in the Red Zone. Worse, People’s Justice has high-jacked a fuel tanker, leaving the driver badly injured and hospitalized, bringing an additional element of tension to scheduled talks with Harry Rowntree, leader of the lorry drivers’ union.

Archie tries to trick Robert into authorizing General Edward Pickering (Angus Wright) to order the use of lethal force by the troops. Anna recognizes it as a ploy and scribbles a note to Robert, who advises restraint. But that and his refusal to allow Archie to speak at the meeting lead to a vicious verbal exchange; the gloves are off. However, as Robert points out, his political fall does not necessarily mean Archie’s ascendence.