After last week’s explosive, hard-to-top chapter, Episode 17 arrives with a quieter but necessary shift in tone. “A Plan Deferred” plays like the long breath after chaos, a moment where characters step through the haze, wounded, unsure, trying to figure out what surviving the storm actually means. It’s less about action and more about the unsettling calm as everyone takes stock of who’s still standing and what their next move should be.
Even fans expected the tempo to drop, because how do you follow one of the best episodes of the entire series? Episode 17 doesn’t try to compete, it resets the board.
And yes, Crystal Stewart popping up was a nice little treat. But aside from that, this was an episode built around tension, contemplation, and the uneasy feeling that the “victory” of last week might have been premature.
Sharon and the Masked Man
One of the most intense beats comes early, when Sharon faces off with the masked intruder. Judging by her determination, she almost seemed ready to take him down—accidentally or otherwise. But instead of a dramatic takedown, the intruder grabs $400,000, insisting he wants no more and no less.
Sharon urges him to take the full stash, trying to wash her hands of the mess entirely. But he refuses, saying he only touched what he took from Kareem’s, then comes the bombshell he drops almost casually:
“They’re coming for you.”
Not “maybe.” Not “be careful.”
They’re coming.
Worse, he reveals that Sharon has been followed, meaning whoever wants that money knows exactly where she is right now. And as for Allan? He might be the next one dragged into her trouble. Sharon walks away with her life, but she’s carrying a target bigger than ever.
Eli and Simone: A Marriage in Ruins
Inside the Oval Office, the air is thick with resentment between Simone and Eli. Simone is still shattered by the revelation that everything she thought she was fighting for was built on lies, manipulation, and moral compromise.
Eli insists she always knew what their marriage required that they agreed to do “whatever it took” for power. But Simone refuses to accept that the price of the White House should have been her dignity and their relationship.
Then Eli reveals something, he hasn’t been happy for a long time.
Simone, blindsided, reminds him that she loved him, nagging wasn’t nagging, it was caring; their argument spirals until she finally walks away, realizing the presidency may have cost her not just her integrity, but her partner entirely.
Hunter and Victoria; Twisted Love in the Bunker
Down in the bunker, we finally get the return of one of the show’s most chaotic yet strangely magnetic dynamics; Hunter and Victoria. Their toxic banter brings back memories of Jim and Katheryn Cryer from The Haves and the Have Nots: two people who claim to hate one another but keep slipping into a rhythm only long-married enemies share.
Victoria teases him about almost hanging him. Hunter fires back about the time she made sure he couldn’t walk, their dark humor almost feels affectionate, emphasis on almost.
But when Hunter asks when her powerful father plans to intervene, Victoria’s hesitation hangs heavy. The episode slips in more hints that her father might already be dead.
Before that can sink in, Alonzo drags Jason into the bunker, placing him directly in Hunter’s cell. Victoria and Jason immediately go for each other’s throats and during their exchange, the show subtly explores the roots of Jason’s violent behavior. Watching Victoria attack him using the same posture he used while hurting Jean and his grandmother offers chilling insight; he may be a monster, but he was shaped by one.
The Plan After the “Plan”
The trio who helped engineer the takeover, Sam, Max, and Bobby, assemble to figure out what comes next now that the dust hasn’t quite settled. They discuss surveillance, the DOJ, and especially Alonzo. Is he trustworthy? Could they use him to monitor the bunker?
They’re asking the question everyone watching is asking too:
Now that they’ve pulled off the impossible… what’s the next step?
Dale, Allan, and… Complications
Over in Allan’s new office, complete with a promotion, a shiny car, and security, Dale gives him a congratulatory call. But Allan’s tone is distant and distracted. Understandably so he’s still carrying the weight of killing someone and now he’s caught in a web that feels too big and too dangerous.
Dale tries chatting like normal, but Allan cuts him short and urges him to get out of the apartment immediately. Whatever happens next, Allan knows Dale cannot be dragged into it.
Then Rachel pops into Allan’s office, wanting to make sure their intimacy from the night before won’t complicate work. Allan is barely emotive; he’s numb, traumatized, overwhelmed. Rachel senses his detachment but leaves hoping they’ll talk later.
Right after, Lily arrives, apologizing for her past attempt at seducing him and checking whether Donald has any secret leverage over him. If Allan ever wanted to come clean, now would be the perfect moment, with Donald imprisoned and Kyle out of the way. But Allan, unable to trust anyone, keeps everything bottled up.
It’s a choice that may come back to haunt him.
A Brutal Reality Check
At the police station, Sam gives Nancy a harsh lecture she sorely needs. She’s frantic and spiraling, but he tells her flat-out,
If she keeps talking, especially about Richard, she will ignite a disaster she can’t put out.
And if she opens her mouth again? She’ll be left in that cell for a long, long time.
Nancy promises to stay quiet, but her history and her drinking suggest her silence will only last until her next emotional flare-up. One thing is certain: once Priscilla shows up with the lawyer, the situation will get messy again.
A New Heavyweight Enters
A major new presence arrives at the White House: Constance Waters. A brilliant, highly respected psychologist with a sharp PR background, she immediately commands attention.
Eli offers her the press secretary position on the spot, she declines without blinking. She’s not here to join the team; she’s here because Priscilla asked her to evaluate the chaos and offer her services.
Her fee?
$8,000 a day.
Considering the dysfunction surrounding this administration, she might be looking at weeks of work, and a skyrocketing invoice.
Eli hesitates, but once she mentions she voted for his opponent, he instantly agrees to sign.
Jason vs. Victoria, Round Two
Alonzo later transfers Jason to Victoria’s cell. Jason panics and tries to escape yet again, but Alonzo has had enough, he locks Jason down in seconds. Once inside, Victoria pounces, throttling him in a way that mirrors his own past crimes.
This scene reveals the vicious cycle that shaped Jason’s distorted mind. Abuse made him a predator, and the show drives that theme hard in this confrontation.
Battered, Bitter, and Not Done Yet
Meanwhile, Donald and Kyle sit trapped in the bunker, licking their wounds physically and politically. Donald, surprisingly, praises Eli’s strategic brilliance. He admits he underestimated him. Kyle, however, is broken, convinced they’ve lost.
But Donald refuses to believe this is the end. He hints that he has leverage, insurance, even though they can’t use it yet. According to him, Eli’s circle is too soft to maintain control. Sooner or later, their side will crumble and Donald, even in chains, still sees himself as a player in this war.
Final Thoughts
Episode 17 wasn’t explosive, but it didn’t need to be. It’s the deep inhale before the next detonation. Every conversation, every warning, every emotional crack signals that the biggest battles of the season are still ahead.
Read more: BET The Oval
