'COBRA: Rebellion' Brings in Acts of Sabotage

COBRA: Rebellion’s second episode lays bare the terrible tension between Robert Sutherland’s roles as Prime Minister and loving father and damages the fragile truce with his wife, Rachel. Their troublesome, beloved daughter Ellie is missing in the Godley Common disaster, where a massive sinkhole has destroyed buildings and left many people missing. The small village has been inundated with members of Planet Resistance, protesting the controversial construction of a high-speed intercity rail system, the Metro Ultraline.

Anna: You can accept she’s part of this which makes you part of it too. You will lead with strength because you stand with all those desperate for their loved and missing.

Robert insists he should stay at Downing Street, where he can do the best for his country, and that Rachel should stay with him – she is his rock and support. Rachel, frantically packing to travel to Godley Common, refuses and summons an official car. But the driver gently tells her he can’t drive her there and even locks the doors for a few minutes to reconsider her decision. He releases her, and then Robert changes his mind following a COBRA meeting.

Audrey Hemmings, Director of the Civil Contingent Secretariat, is already at the scene, operating search and rescue from the strategic command center at the community’s elementary school. She reports massive damage to the construction site and the village, with entire buildings and their occupants lost. The body count rises by the hour. Robert interrupts Audrey to ask whether it was “our” fault, but he doesn’t wait for an answer.

A beautiful friendship has developed between right-winger Joseph Obasi and superstar hawk Defense Minister Victoria Dalton, united by their determination to see Robert overturned. The press has already decided Ellie is to blame. Joseph and Victoria cackle together in the empty COBRA room like a pair of pantomime villains that she now will bear the “slings and arrows of his (Robert’s) poor decisions.”

Eleanor, Head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, receives a report that she shares with Archie, Foreign Secretary. Princess Yadira seems to have disappeared, and a frantic video call from her seems to confirm that she’s been kidnapped. Archie, probably still smarting from the Princess’s lack of interest in him at the races, decides that she didn’t report anything to the Embassy and that the footage is inconclusive, if not fake — besides, it’s family business. 

Robert is now on his way to the site, against advice from his Ministers, and this time, he, Rachel, and a very uncomfortable Anna Marshall drive up together. As they travel, Anna reviews the speech Robert plans to give and asks why every mention of Ellie has been deleted. Everyone knows she’s joined Planet Resistance and is now missing. Robert, worried about showing any favoritism to his daughter, refuses. Rachel accuses him of being unfeeling and asks why he isn’t ashamed. No, he snaps; he’s Prime Minister. (His standard response to marital conflict.) But Anna persuades him to reconsider his position on the speech, while Rachel, desperate to be of use, joins the search team. 

Francine Bridge discovers the leader of Planet Resistance, Henry Wicks, has been rescued and accompanies him to the hospital. He tells her the government is to blame because they knew drilling in unstable ground riddled with old coal mines was unsafe. Henry’s next visitor is Polly, who is far less gentle. She was supposed to be the one who went down the tunnel, not Ellie, and Nate accompanied her to show her how the radio worked. She tells the rescue workers about the radio. Deep underground, Ellie and Nate regain consciousness and find their radio antenna destroyed and their way out blocked. Nate is convinced there’s another way out, so they crawl through debris. They have no water, and breathing is difficult. It doesn’t look good. But when Nate panics, Ellie takes the role of leader and guides them to a speck of light ahead. They find their way to the drilling area, where Ellie finds some wire to use as an emergency antenna.

Francine calls Anna to tell them they have information on Ellie’s location and that she should have radio contact. Audrey has discovered that the collapse coincided with a methane spike in the subsoil, which, combined with a boring machine malfunction, created a spike in the power grid. The question is whether this was merely an unfortunate coincidence or whether it’s a cover for human activity. An attempt to make radio contact fails. Robert delivers his speech, promising his daughter’s involvement will have consequences. His primary goal now is to succeed in rescue efforts.

The police commissioner announced that the area should be evacuated and the rescue efforts suspended in case other incendiary devices were present. Meanwhile, although they have a working radio once more, Ellie and Nate both feel the effects of a low oxygen supply and know time is running out. Nate apologizes for his earlier panicky outburst and shares his thoughts on Henry, who he sees as a self-appointed leader. He’s a salesman, and his followers are commodities.

Anna has been sent back to London for a COBRA, leaving Robert and Rachel alone. They spend an evening grieving for their daughter, who is almost certainly lost, looking at photos of her and reliving fond memories. They are gentle with each other, and Rachel admits she feels guilty for entrapping Ellie in the role of the Prime Minister’s daughter. She doesn’t blame Robert, but she accepts the guilt of being his accomplice.

The COBRA meeting is one of the bloodiest so far. Eleanor and Anna don’t believe Planet Resistance is responsible for sabotage and argue with Joseph and Victoria, who do. Victoria accuses Anna of not being objective because of Robert, and while Anna is at a loss for words, she moves on to her primary topic. What will happen if Ellie doesn’t survive? She blunders on as the ministers listen, shocked. Would he take compassionate leave? But what if Ellie is rescued and is responsible for the tragedy ... until Archie, bless him, has one of his rare attacks of integrity (albeit with a side of snark).

Archie seeks out Anna after the meeting and asks her about Victoria. Why was she hired? Anna admits she approved the appointment. After the chaos of Season 2's Ruin Britannia, it was felt the government needed to take a more aggressive approach to defense, and Victoria, as a “full-taloned hawk,” fit the bill. He suggests they keep an eye on Victoria, although Anna is not entirely comfortable with plotting, unlike Archie, whose goal is now to protect Robert.

Finally, Ellie and Nate’s radio starts working. The rescue team, and then Robert and Rachel, talk to the daughter they thought they’d lost. At Eleanor’s request, Robert asks if Planet Resistance planted an explosive and if there are more in the area. Nate says there was only one device, and then the radio connection ended, and the rescue team got to work. Nate feels he’s revealed too much to Ellie and that Henry is planning an escalation. Nate is not going down for it. He deliberately cuts his hand, spreads blood on his face, and fakes unconsciousness to make sure he is taken to the hospital. He escapes from the ambulance and jumps out into the road to evade arrest.

The police tell Robert Ellie can return home with them for the night to await arrest, but he refuses. He will not allow her any special treatment, and for Rachel, that’s the last straw. She leaves him. 

Is it the end for Robert and Rachel? Will his daughter turn away from him, too? And why isn’t anyone considering that a foreign power, for instance, just based on recent attacks, may be responsible?

COBRA: Rebellion continues with new episodes every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on the PBS app, the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel, and (technically) on linear. However, most local PBS stations air it on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday as their schedule sees fit. (Please check your local listings!) The entire season is available as an early release for members on PBS Passport.