After setting a historical event with the Cubans in the previous episode, Elizabeth McCord (Tea Leoni) will try to settle the pressing national issues in the home front in the next episode of "Madam Secretary" season 2.
In the episode titled "Lights Out," Elizabeth and White House Chief of Staff Russell Jackson (Željko Ivanek) will plot with her consultant Mike B. (Kevin Rahm) to oust National Security Advisor Craig Sterling (Julian Acosta) because of the growing tensions between the country and Russia. However, the three must ensure that their plan will not drag down the name of President Conrad Dalton (Keith Carradine) due to a scandal while removing Sterling in his office.
Craig had opposing views with Elizabeth, President Dalton, and Jackson regarding the Russian and Cuban situations in the previous episode of "Madam Secretary" season 2. In "You Say You Want a Revolution," Craig suggested to President Dalton that the White House should send a clear message to Russia after the attack launched on a Ukrainian plane so that Moscow will realize that the U.S. should be feared. But according to the president, they have to use a more civilized approach when dealing with the Russians.
The National Security Advisor also disagreed with Elizabeth's plans to reopen the trading relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. This led him to reopen the murder case against a woman named Afeni Rahim, who escaped the country and has hidden in Cuba for the past three decades. Craig will use the issue to prevent Elizabeth from getting all the votes that she needs to lift the country's embargo in Cuba.
But Elizabeth managed to sort out the situation and successfully relaunched the U.S.-Cuba trading relationship after convincing Rahim to return to the country and spoil Craig's plans.
Will Elizabeth and the other presidential staff members manage to oust Craig from his office?
"Madam Secretary" season 2 episode 8 airs on Sunday, Nov. 22, on CBS.
