Hot Zone Premiere!
The Premise
It’s 1989 and the Ebola virus has arrived in DC and there’s only a hand full of people that are capable of stopping it before it rips through and kills millions.
And the scariest part? It would’ve never been found if it weren’t for Colonel Nancy Jaax (played by Julianna Margulies) a veterinary pathologist in the U.S. Marine Corp.
How it happened
Her co-worker Peter Jarhling (played by Topher Grace) had asked a monkey lab name Hazleton to send them samples if they found any showing signs of SHF, a monkey virus.
But they got a lot more than they bargained for and Nancy knew it right away, but Peter (who seems to be a complete ass) just assumes she somehow messed up the sample.
Taking matters Into her own hands
With her lab assistants, Peter and a guy named Ben Gellis (played by Paul James), thinking she’s paranoid – She enlists the help of Sgt. Kyle Ormon… An officer studying to become a pathologist like her.
Taking him to level 4: The Hot Zone
It’s not all fun and games getting to the lab that holds all the various ‘killer’ diseases held by the military. There are a lot of levels to get through before just putting on a fancy HAZMAT suit.
It was actually very cool that they showed all the precautions they take and not just “throw it on and go.”
Once there, she tests the filovirus she thinks it is and the Marburg virus. But it tests negative for both of them, so she pulls out Ebola Zaire.
But just as she’s about to test it, Ormon let’s her know she has a tear.
And unlike in most shows about viruses – she actually hurries to do protocol.
Not sick…
Though she tests negative for the virus and is let go. She is banned from level 4 by Col. Vernon Tucker (played by Robert Wisdom) for going in with a cut already on her hand.
Not a happy husband
Worried about his wife, her husband Lt. Colonel Jerry Jaaz (played by Noah Emmerich) tries to talk her out of pursuing it. He tries to use the children to make her feel guilty – Which is a total jerk move.
But he does finally gives in.
Getting another sample
Since her samples got ruined by the cleaning in the lab, she goes to Hazelton and is greeted by the lab caretaker Frank Mays (played by Nick Searcy). She asks a number of questions and asks for a sample.
At first he refuses, but she talks him into it and meets her offsite with two dead monkeys.
Following her
As he just brought them in trash bags, she had him follow him in case they thawed and started dripping blood. Good thing she did that because they did start to drain.
When they find out (in the middle of a highway no less) she pulls a hose under his hood so his car looks broken down and runs to the nearest store for garbage bags and bleach.
She’s a good runner because it didn’t take her too long to get there.
When she got back, the clock ticking with an officer pulling up to investigate, they put the dead monkeys in the new trash bags and bleached the blood off the streets just before the officer arrives.
Going back to the hot zone
Carrying the samples in, she tries to get to the hot zone, but is unable cause she’s banned and her access was revoked. Luckily Peter has been getting paranoid and shows up and let’s her in – And even goes with her.
It’s Ebola
The paranoia
Throughout the episode we’ve seen Peter get more and more paranoid as he realizes that she was right about it not being what he thought it was.
He also seemed not to be feeling well. After finding out what it really is, he decides not to tell anyone and learns how to draw his own blood at an aids clinic.
(Since he had him and Ben smell the samples earlier since he still thought it was SHF and she had ruined the sample.)
Telling Ben
He tells Ben everything after he gets back from a trip with his wife and kids and talks him into not saying anything. Not very smart, but he listens. And when Ben tells his wife she’s even pissed he said nothing.
Back to Nancy
As Peter is being super sneaky, Nancy and Colonel Vernon Tucker go see Walter Humbolt (played by the infamous Robert Sean Leonard) at Hazelton.
(Who we saw earlier talking to idiot Peter. And is now being an idiot too.)
He tells them that they can’t go into the facility, and he has people above him that won’t allow it. But finally gives in and says he will get them into Cell H where the infected monkey is.
Meeting up with an old friend
Before going to Hazelton, she tries to call her former teacher Wade Carter (played by Liam Cunningham). She has been trying to get a hold of him the whole show but he finally shows.
Though not to the enjoyment of Tucker, who seems to hate him.
Getting rid of the last monkey
Going in the side door, the only way Humbolt would let them in. They put on the maximum gear he allows them and goes and kills the last monkey and cleans the place.
But it’s already spread
After Nancy goes home to a not-so-happy husband, after he found out she had dead Ebola-carrying monkeys in the car, he even went as far as to take the kids to their cousins house and put her on the couch.
Carter goes back into the facility and finds out the other monkeys have it too.
Humbolt pulls a Peter
Going to talk to the workers, he tells them nothing about the monkeys having Ebola. But decides not to eat anything they touch.
Though it might have been a smart move so as not to cause panic – But I might be a little bias as he’s played by Robert Sean Leonard.
Seeing the past
Throughout the two episodes we see parts of Carter’s past. That included him bringing a scholar Trevor Rhodes (played by James D’ Arcy) to Africa with him to trace the Ebola virus.
My finally thoughts
Loved the show and can’t wait for the other four episodes. So far, this is a fantastic 6 part mini-series.
I love how realistic it is – Which makes it even scarier!
Though, I do hope we see more of Robert Sean Leonard’s character in upcoming episodes.
We’ll also have a quick question and answer session included in the next review with a scientist to discuss the accuracy of the show – so stay tuned!
The Hot Zone airs on the National Geographic Channel at 9/8c. Watch the next episodes TONIGHT!
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