Madam Secretary Episode 1.12 Standoff

It's always hard to leave the kids for the first time. What if they get into trouble? Fight? Or worse, break a leg? But for the Secretary of State, her "kids" are her staff and she's worried there'll be an international blowup when she leaves Washington for a long weekend to celebrate her twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

Things abroad are stable, but not calm. A Texas border patrol officer was recently killed by a Mexican citizen trying to enter the U.S. illegally. Madam Secretary convinces the officer's wife to agree to a U.S. trial even though that means the death penalty would be off the table. Better to get the killer off the streets than leave him to Mexico where he may get off scott-free. The officer's wife agrees and the accused is set to come to U.S. for a trial.

Unfortunately, Madam Secretary's plea deal wasn't loved by everybody. Governor Lockwood of Texas argues with his former protege, Jay, now one of Madam Secretary's staffers. When do we ever let foreign countries dictate our judicial terms? The Governor is upset. And in Texas, when you're upset, you do something about it.

Meanwhile, Secretary McCord and her husband Henry try to have a fun weekend in New York for their twenty-fifth anniversary, the same city where they celebrated their first. But things have changed. With the Secretary of State's security requirements, they are forced to take an upgraded, grand hotel room rather than the same cute room they shared on their first anniversary. On top of that, the quaint French bistro they ate at 25 years earlier has been revamped into swanky hip restaurant and they can't stop fighting about their three kids. Madam Secretary sends her assistant, Blake, to her house to check on her two youngest in her absence.

Back in Washington, Madam Secretary's staff are upset to discover that the Governor of Texas did not back down about the border patrol officer's case. Desperate to get the accused killer on American ground for his trial, the Governor had the accused illegally abducted from a Mexican prison. The accused is now illegally in Texas, where he'd be sure to face the death penalty. Jay and Nadine wonder if it's time to call Madam Secretary now?.

In New York, one of Henry's former colleagues, Klaus, shows up at what should be their anniversary dinner. Trying to be nice, Madam Secretary invites Klaus to join them. But Henry suspects that Klaus' appearance at the very same restaurant where they're eating is no accident. When Klaus reaches to open his briefcase, Henry panics, calling his security detail to take Klaus away. Security doesn't find anything of concern in Klaus' briefcase. But later, Klaus admits that their meeting at dinner was no accident. Klaus is in trouble. He wants protection and was hoping that Henry and Madam Secretary could help provide it. Henry's not sure whether to believe his former colleague or to keep his guard up.

Back at Madam Secretary's house, a fun game of indoor football leads Secretary McCord's son to the ER. It's just a sprain, but Blake can't hide this one from his boss. He calls her and with her son injured and Texas in a standoff with Mexico, she decides to cut short her anniversary trip and head back home.

But first, Madam Secretary must take care of business. She heads with her staffer, Jay, to Austin, where she confronts the Governor of Texas. Luckily, Jay let his boss in on some inside knowledge, so Madam Secretary is able to use that in her negotiations. Secretary McCord confronts the Texas Governor, telling him that an abduction would not look good on any Presidential hopeful's record. Put in a corner, the Governor backs down, releasing the accused back to Mexico and hopefully to a fair trial.

Finally at home, Madam Secretary rejoins her life of international standoffs and domestic disputes. Hopefully, now that she's back, things will return to normal. But when you're Secretary of State, "normal" might never be the same again.