Colony Episode 2.04 Panopticon

Jennifer watches the Bowman house; when Charlie returns home, the family faces unexpected challenges.

In a particularly emotional episode, Will (Josh Holloway) and Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies) try to learn how to trust each other again and rebuild their family. Charlie (Jacob Buster) has a hard time re-adjusting to life off the streets, and takes particular exception to Grace's tutor, Lindsey (Erin Way), and her propaganda. At Homeland, Jennifer McMahon (Kathleen Rose Perkins) watches every scene inside the Bowman house as she wrestles with the fact that the entire family's fate is in her hands.

Global Assembly considers 'total rendition' for the L.A. bloc

As the new Governor General of the L.A. bloc, Helena Goodwin addresses the Global Authority to discuss her territory's issues, including the abduction of a RAP. Goodwin assures the Authority that she's utilizing "advanced security measures," and implementing the same surveillance used in Seattle. Her goal is "total information awareness," a test case for a new better way forward. The Authority is unimpressed and calls for a vote on whether the bloc should face "total rendition". We don't know what it is, but it doesn't sound good. Helena breathes a huge sigh of relief when the vote comes in "no" - for now.

McMahon binge watches the Bowmans

Homeland Security has video and audio surveillance in every room of the Bowman house, and outside the house, too. Jennifer McMahon (Kathleen Rose Perkins) can't stop watching the feed. Her boss, Dan Bennett (Christian Clemenson), demands to know who her source on Broussard (Tory Kittles) is, then says he thinks there was something "illicit" going on in her unit. He assigns someone to investigate her. McMahon tells Detective Burke that she never had a source, and lied about it to keep her job. She says she's been watching the Bowman house because Will, her former colleague, just returned. Burke doesn't believe her and promises if he finds out she's been lying, he'll send her to the Factory. Despite the threat, McMahon can't stop watching the Bowmans. But why?

Katie and Will struggle to find a way forward together

The Bowman family reunion is short-lived when Will asks where Bram (Alexander Neustaedter) is and Katie has to tell him their oldest son was arrested. When Will learns the details, he realizes it was his own trap that ensnared his son. McMahon watches as Will angrily confronts Katie about her work with the Resistance, accusing her of being selfish and tearing their marriage and family apart while he was fighting tooth and nail to keep them safe. He tells Katie that her former Resistance cell leader Quayle (Paul Guilfoyle) was ready to turn her in, but instead Will killed him in cold blood. McMahon is stunned, but also seems moved by the depth of Will's feelings for Katie.

Charlie shows contempt for The Greatest Day

After a year spent separated from his family and fighting for his life, Charlie doesn't quite know how to act at home. When the doorbell rings, Charlie's instincts kick in and he hides under a bed with a knife. His suspicions are raised when he talks to Grace's Greatest Day tutor Lindsey, who attributes Charlie's return to their "benevolent hosts." Charlie sets her straight, saying his dad saved him. Charlie's unwillingness to talk about his year away frustrates his parents, who struggle to get through to him. When he tells his mom that she should "get rid of" Lindsey, Katie has a brief moment where she questions her son's meaning.

The Bowmans strategize how to handle McMahon, as she watches them on surveillance

McMahon continues to watch as Will and Katie bare their souls to each other. Katie confesses that McMahon has the goods on her, but then tells Will exactly what she told McMahon: that she has no way to contact Broussard (Tory Kittles), and he wouldn't trust her anyway after she turned on him to save Will. She promises Will she's done with the Resistance, but agreed to turn herself in to McMahon. Will assures his wife that while McMahon is a good person, she is "weak", and he can handle her by making McMahon think they are friends. McMahon is hurt and angry as she listens. She knows as well as they do that the fate of the Bowman family lies in McMahon's hands.

McMahon makes her choice

After hearing what Will thinks of her, McMahon storms into her boss' office, seemingly ready to turn over the Bowmans. But as he commends her for learning to make Homeland Security her life, she seems to decide it's not the life she wants. Instead, McMahon lies again and says her source was Simon Eckhart, a member of Broussard's resistance cell (the cute British guy from the season one finale). She says Eckhart called the tip line and just happened to be transferred to her, ruining any possibility she had of seeming like an agent who could cultivate an asset. Bennett tells her she lacks the skill set and the constitution to be an officer and transfers her to the general surveillance pool.

Charlie acts out against the Greatest Day and Will makes an important discovery

When Lindsey's Greatest Day book goes up in flames on the stove, Katie realizes that the kitchen accident was a deliberate act by Charlie. She and Will put out the flames and Will briefly wonders why the nearby smoke alarm didn't go off. When Will invites Katie into the shower to help him clean up, it seems like he's reaching out to her, but he has another purpose - masked by the noise of the shower, he whispers to her that they are being watched.

McMahon makes another choice

McMahon continues to watch the Bowmans and is touched when she sees Gracie join Charlie to sleep on the floor, the child happy her brother is home. McMahon further helps the Bowmans by deleting footage from inside their house. Worn out and resigned, she goes home and takes out hidden cell phone video of her husband. As she cries watching the simple scene from her old life, we understand that she envies the Bowman family for still having each other. She ultimately decided she wasn't going to be the one to take them away from one another. McMahon opens a bottle of wine and another of pills. Tears stream down her face as she starts to take the pills; the person who is supposed to be watching her on surveillance has disappeared. Is this the last we'll see of McMahon?