Song’s latest host is sort of an early Jack Ryan. He has a background as a desk analyst, not a field operative, but somehow, he figured out Nomad was interested in a meeting. The local station chief Shepherd Barnes (a very CIA-sounding name), does not have much confidence in him, which was warranted in the original time-line. However, with Addison Augustine back as his holographic guide, Song makes his host much more resourceful this time around. Indeed, he quickly discovers Nomad is a native Egyptologist, who used her travel to archaeological sites throughout the Middle East as a cover.
Having grown disillusioned with the Stasi, she wishes to defect. Unfortunately, once he identifies the mole in the embassy, Barnes is reluctant spend the local capital necessary to save her, so it will be up to Song.
How did Song get all the way to Egypt this time? Maybe it had something to do with Hannah Carson, his kind of-sort of new girlfriend, with whom he is possibly “entangled.” She too is in Cairo for a scientific conference. Even though it has been several years from her perspective, they immediately pick up where they left off.
The developing relationship between Song is Carson has turned out to be surprisingly well-written. It is romantic, but it is driven by the circumstances of time-travel, sort of like Somewhere in Time, but without the sentimentality. On the other hand, the Song-Augustine melodrama is getting a little tiresome.
This episode is a solid time-travel adventure and it also addresses the implications of leaping in smart, very personal ways. It is definitely one of the best episodes of the season, so far, along with “This Took Too Long,” “Secret History,” and “Lonely Hearts Club.” Recommended for franchise and time-travel fans, “Nomad” premieres tomorrow night (12/13) on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
