Bollywood sensation Priyanka Chopra's debut television show is already out and the ABC series has received mixed reviews from fans. Regardless, we believe "Quantico" has succeeded in continuing ABC's trend of casting female leads from varying ethnicity.
The premiere episode of "Quantico" laid out the complex plot of the FBI series, in which protagonist Alex Parish (Priyanka Chopra), a fresh FBI recruit, finds herself in the middle of an investigation into a 9/11-esque explosion. She tries to help the authorities by remembering events from her past, but towards the end, realises that if she doesn't find out which of her classmates is behind the crime, she will be held responsible for the same.
While most viewers felt that the pilot was too contrived and that it would be better to watch a show about the lives of a group of FBI recruits than put terrorism into the mix, many think it deserves a fighting chance of another couple of episodes. In fact, "Quantico" is among the better pilots we have seen this season.
Moreover, the amazing portrayal of strong women, not just in dialogues, but in action, is what sets "Quantico" apart from most shows on air right now. One particular scene that was prominent in the promos too, was the interaction between Ryan Booth (Jake McLaughlin) and Alex:
Ryan: "Nice to meet you."
Alex: "We had sex in your car six hours ago."
Ryan: "I didn't think you'd want everyone to know about that."
Alex: "Why not?"
In this minor yet significant scene, Alex takes control of her sexuality and her actions, refusing anyone else from having an upper hand. The statement also highlights that a female lead can be defined by her work and not a love story or even a heart-break.
Chopra is joined by strong women like Aunjanue Ellis, who plays Asst. Director Miranda Shaw -- who helps Alex escape during her prison transport and advises her to find the real terrorists: Johanna Braddy as Shelby Wyatt and Yasmine Al Masri who plays Nimah Anwar.
Thus, "Quantico" does not have a solid male presence. In fact, it comes from Tate Ellington, Jake McLaughlin, Josh Hopkin and Graham Roger.
Watch out for episode 2 of "Quantico" at 10.00 pm (EST) on Sunday, 27 September, on ABC.
