"Salesman," the second episode of Sleeper Cell's sophomore sortie, may also be the best installment of the entire series. Why? Well, for starters, the episode is a brilliantly crafted character piece about this unique fella named Hasani. He's someone we haven't seen on TV before; or at least not very often.
Hasani is an Americanized muslim, whose son is a U.S. marine that served proudly in Iraq. Hasani's history is checkered, however. He was an armorer for the mujahadeen in Afghanistan during the war with the Soviets in the 1980s. In fact, Hasani claims he single-handedly won the war for the resistance in that conflict. Now, however, he runs a butcher shop in Los Angeles and drives a cab by night. He was a rich man in Pakistan, but is a poor man in America and now...well, he just wants to feel important. He wants his son to be proud of him again.
Which is the reason why he agrees to do something stupid: broker an arms deal (coming out of retirement...) for Darwyn, who has been tasked by his terrorist superiors to acquire a surface-to-air missile for a future jihad operation. Unfortunately for him, Hasani has fallen under the watchful eye of Uncle Sam, whose agents believe he is a big-time arms dealer. They want to nab him making the deal with Darwyn.
What happens to Hasani - a rather pitiful loser type, and his family - while becoming caught in the War on Terror, makes for emotional drama. Hasani is a man who lives "in a fantasy world," and the cost to him and his son for his deluded belief in himself is high. By turns, the episode is harrowing, brutal, sad, and funny. Consequently Sleeper Cell has never proven more affecting emotionally because of it. In fact, "Salesman" is eminently Emmy-worthy in terms of regular and guest performances, writing (Alexander Woo) and direction (Charles Dutton).
Also in this episode, Jay Ferguson (from NBC's Surface last season...) joins the Sleeper Cell cast as a wet-behind-the-ears FBI agent who takes over as Darwyn's case manager. Wearing a shit-eating grin, he makes a number of gaffes that cost Darwyn (and others...) dearly, but he's a great and welcome addition to the show. Sleeper Cell works best with Darwyn trapped between a rock and a hard place; forced to manage and out-think both the terrorists and the American bureaucrats who arrogantly believe they know better than a soldier on the battlefield in the War on Terror. Ferguson's clueless character is a great foil.
Also in this installment: Farik gets a Muslim chaplin who encourages him to tell the U.S. captors everything he knows, lest he be remanded to a CIA prison overseas...where the gloves will come off. Farik gives up some information in exchange for a video link-up with his wife, but as usual, the terrorist has a surprise or two up his sleeve...
Just two episodes into the second season, Sleeper Cell is poised to top its impressive season one story arc. Can't wait to see where this is all headed...
Hasani is an Americanized muslim, whose son is a U.S. marine that served proudly in Iraq. Hasani's history is checkered, however. He was an armorer for the mujahadeen in Afghanistan during the war with the Soviets in the 1980s. In fact, Hasani claims he single-handedly won the war for the resistance in that conflict. Now, however, he runs a butcher shop in Los Angeles and drives a cab by night. He was a rich man in Pakistan, but is a poor man in America and now...well, he just wants to feel important. He wants his son to be proud of him again.
Which is the reason why he agrees to do something stupid: broker an arms deal (coming out of retirement...) for Darwyn, who has been tasked by his terrorist superiors to acquire a surface-to-air missile for a future jihad operation. Unfortunately for him, Hasani has fallen under the watchful eye of Uncle Sam, whose agents believe he is a big-time arms dealer. They want to nab him making the deal with Darwyn.
What happens to Hasani - a rather pitiful loser type, and his family - while becoming caught in the War on Terror, makes for emotional drama. Hasani is a man who lives "in a fantasy world," and the cost to him and his son for his deluded belief in himself is high. By turns, the episode is harrowing, brutal, sad, and funny. Consequently Sleeper Cell has never proven more affecting emotionally because of it. In fact, "Salesman" is eminently Emmy-worthy in terms of regular and guest performances, writing (Alexander Woo) and direction (Charles Dutton).
Also in this episode, Jay Ferguson (from NBC's Surface last season...) joins the Sleeper Cell cast as a wet-behind-the-ears FBI agent who takes over as Darwyn's case manager. Wearing a shit-eating grin, he makes a number of gaffes that cost Darwyn (and others...) dearly, but he's a great and welcome addition to the show. Sleeper Cell works best with Darwyn trapped between a rock and a hard place; forced to manage and out-think both the terrorists and the American bureaucrats who arrogantly believe they know better than a soldier on the battlefield in the War on Terror. Ferguson's clueless character is a great foil.
Also in this installment: Farik gets a Muslim chaplin who encourages him to tell the U.S. captors everything he knows, lest he be remanded to a CIA prison overseas...where the gloves will come off. Farik gives up some information in exchange for a video link-up with his wife, but as usual, the terrorist has a surprise or two up his sleeve...
Just two episodes into the second season, Sleeper Cell is poised to top its impressive season one story arc. Can't wait to see where this is all headed...
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