The premiere of Hijack Season 2 was a cautious warm-up lap, however, Episode 2, aptly titled “Control,” finally steps on the accelerator. This hour doesn’t completely escape the structural limitations introduced by moving the action from a plane to a train, but it does something far more important - it restores the show’s confidence in tension built through intelligence rather than chaos. What unfolds here is less about explosions and more about systems, decision-making, and the terrifying power of uncertainty.
Episode 2 is a standoff not between heroes and villains in the traditional sense, but between professionals doing what they believe is necessary. The distinction matters, because Hijack works best when nobody in the room is stupid, reckless, or cartoonishly evil. “Control” understands this and leans into competence as its primary source of suspense.
Sam Nelson’s Calculated Line in the Sand
The episode opens by grounding us firmly back inside Wagon 2600, the missing train that vanished into maintenance tunnels at the end of the premiere. Sam Nelson remains the reluctant architect of the crisis, still operating under the illusion that moral clarity can survive inside an impossible situation. What changes in Episode 2 is that Sam finally articulates his objective.
His demand was to locate John Bailey-Brown, the unresolved threat from Season 1, whom Sam believes is now hiding somewhere in Germany. If the authorities fail to find him, people will die.
Crucially, Sam is careful with his language. He never says he will kill anyone himself. He lets the danger speak for him. It’s a subtle distinction, and one that goes largely unchallenged by the authorities, but it reveals Sam’s internal boundary. He wants leverage, not blood. Whether that boundary can hold is the question hanging over the entire episode.
Otto, still clearly out of his depth, remains Sam’s uneasy partner. Their dynamic is no longer about trust but necessity. Otto is useful, compliant, and increasingly nervous, which makes him dangerous in his own way.
A Control Room Full of Uncertainty
On the other side of the crisis sits the Network Control Centre, and Episode 2 smartly expands its importance. Clara, barely two weeks into her role, is thrust into an unfolding nightmare that would test even seasoned veterans. She’s not incompetent, just inexperienced, and the episode allows her to struggle without turning her into a liability.
The dynamic shifts with the arrival of Chief of Police Ada Winter, a commanding presence who immediately reframes the situation. Winter doesn’t rush. She doesn’t posture. She listens, assesses, and buys time - a skill as valuable as any weapon in this scenario.
She also brings in Peter Faber, a British intelligence agent whose quiet, observant demeanor suggests he’s seen this kind of psychological brinkmanship before. Played with understated precision, Faber becomes a sounding board for Winter, reinforcing the episode’s thematic commitment to professionalism over panic.
Meanwhile, Olivia’s suspicions begin to crystallize. Sam’s failure to show up for a critical meeting, combined with reports of U-Bahn disruptions tied to a British suspect, lead her directly to the control centre. When she finally identifies Sam, it feels less like a shocking twist and more like an inevitable convergence of parallel investigations, her presence gives authorities clarity, but not control.
The Stalemate That Defines the Episode
The central conflict of “Control” is remarkably restrained. Sam’s train is blocked by another locomotive, supposedly disabled and awaiting maintenance. The truth, of course, is that Winter has engineered a bottleneck, a strategic pause designed to slow Sam down without provoking immediate retaliation.
This stalemate is where the episode thrives. Rather than rushing toward violence, both sides use the delay to gather information. Sam and Otto sneak into a platform control room, gaining visual access to the station and the blocked train. Winter consults Faber, weighing the risks of escalation against the danger of appearing weak.
It’s a chess match where every move is visible, and that transparency makes it even more nerve-wracking.
When the Passengers Become Variables
While the series still hasn’t fully invested in individual passenger stories, Episode 2 wisely elevates one voice from the crowd - Freddie. Unlike the others, Freddie isn’t content to sit quietly while Otto stalls and deflects. His frustration feels earned, and when he confronts Otto, it’s less an act of heroism than common sense.
But curiosity becomes peril. Freddie overhears Winter referring to “hostages” over the radio, and suddenly the truth snaps into focus. Sam is forced to act quickly, pulling Freddie into the conspiracy rather than letting him expose it.
This is a turning point, not because Sam becomes more dangerous, but because the situation becomes less controllable. Civilians are no longer just stakes; they’re participants.
Fear as a Negotiating Tool
Sam’s next move is blunt but effective. He straps a briefcase to Freddie and sends him onto the platform, instructing him to comply without explanation. The implication is obvious: a bomb. Sam’s message to Winter was to move the train, or face the consequences.
It’s here that the episode’s title reveals its deeper meaning. Control isn’t about dominance; it’s about perception. Sam isn’t using clever wordplay or complex negotiation tactics. He’s relying on fear, the most reliable currency in any crisis.
Yet even as the tension spikes, the show invites skepticism. Sam’s moral code makes the existence of an actual bomb feel unlikely, and that undercuts the threat just enough to plant doubt in the audience’s mind.
A Visually Stunning, Emotionally Fraught Climax
The final sequence is Hijack at its most confident. The platform becomes a pressure cooker as GSG9 special forces quietly prepare to intervene. Sam begins a countdown. Winter calls his bluff, Cameras track every movement with precision, amplifying the sense that one wrong decision could trigger catastrophe.
The chaos escalates when an unsuspecting station manager wanders into the scene, an unpredictable human variable that no plan accounted for. It’s messy, tense, and gorgeously shot, the kind of sequence that reminds viewers why Hijack earned its reputation in the first place.
When the station’s cameras suddenly cut out and Sam mutters, “I didn’t want to have to do this,” the implication is devastating. Something has happened or at least, everyone believes it has.
A Season Finally Finding Its Pulse
Even with lingering doubts about the bomb’s authenticity, Episode 2 succeeds where the premiere hesitated. It reestablishes Hijack as a thriller rooted in psychological warfare, institutional decision-making, and the unbearable weight of responsibility.
“Control” sharpens the crisis by proving that Season 2 can still generate sustained tension without relying on spectacle alone, the episode justifies its own existence. Whether the show can maintain this balance over the remaining episodes remains uncertain.
But for now, Hijack is back where it belongs - balanced on a knife’s edge, daring everyone involved to make the next move.
Read more: Hijack 2026
