Last week's episode of ABC's political drama television series "Designated Survivor" sparks nostalgia to the movement "Pay It forward," represented in the novel of Catherin Ryan Hyde titled "Pay It forward."
In the fifth episode of season 2, titled "Suckers," President Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) faces backslash from the public. The issue ignited after Senator Alan Rouse (Christopher Cousins) revealed a statement made by the President calling the American people "Suckers" in an interview.
The episode ended with a conversation scene between Kirkman and Victim's Rights Advocate, Alice Rowland (Megan Gallagher). Given that Kirkman is the Designated Survivor, he shared his perspective of luck to the advocate. He said, "You know what people like you and I are supposed to do with that kind of luck?... Pay it forward."
The novel "Pay It Forward" is about a boy who managed to influence millions of people to help others after receiving help themselves. In the final chapters of the novel, the boy met the President of the United States and told him all about the mission of paying it forward. In 2002, the novel was adapted into the big screen.
There are no information from the writers and producers if the statement was inspired by the novel or the movie.
Entertainment Weekly also published a recap article of the episode and then linked it to the movie that included big names like Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment.
Season 2 of the "Designated Survivor" takes on new challenges after the death of season 1 antagonist Patrick Floyd. The series is taking a more direct threat to the family of Kirkman with his mother-in-law caught in a bribery scandal. Fans are expecting a new villain, either another spy inside the government or an anarchist from the outside.
New episodes air every Wednesday at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC.
The first season received an 85% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and 7.9 out of 10 from IMDb.
