Madam Secretary Season 1 Episode 20 The Necessary Art

During Season 1 Episode 20 of Madam Secretary, entitled "The Necessary Art," viewers are taken on a journey of international diplomacy and political maneuvering. The episode centers around Elizabeth McCord, the newly-appointed Secretary of State, and her efforts to resolve a civil war in Yemen.

As the episode opens, Elizabeth is being pressured by multiple parties to support a particular side in the Yemeni civil war. The government of Saudi Arabia, America's long-time ally in the region, is urging her to back the Yemeni government and help them suppress the rebels. However, Elizabeth is not convinced that this is the best course of action. She knows that supporting the government will only worsen the situation in Yemen and prolong the conflict.

Elizabeth is torn between her loyalty to America's allies and her commitment to diplomacy and peace. She understands that there are no easy solutions in the Middle East and that she needs to find a way to navigate the complex web of alliances and tensions that exist in the region.

To complicate matters, a high-ranking Saudi official arrives in Washington to exert further pressure on Elizabeth to support the Yemeni government. The official, Prince Yousif, is a suave and charismatic diplomat who tries to win Elizabeth over with his charm and wit. However, Elizabeth remains resolute in her conviction that the only way to resolve the conflict in Yemen is through peaceful negotiations.

Elizabeth decides to take matters into her own hands and travels to Yemen to meet with the rebels herself. She leaves her team behind in Washington, and against the wishes of her security detail, ventures into the dangerous and volatile country. Once there, she meets with the rebel leaders and begins negotiating a truce.

The negotiations are tense and sometimes volatile, with both sides accusing the other of bad faith. However, Elizabeth's steadfast commitment to peace eventually pays off. She manages to broker a ceasefire between the government and the rebels, much to the relief of the Yemeni people.

Back in Washington, Elizabeth's team is facing their own challenges. Her Chief of Staff, Nadine Tolliver, is trying to uncover the whereabouts of a plane carrying American citizens that has gone missing somewhere in the Middle East. She teams up with a young CIA analyst named Matt Mahoney to track down the missing plane and bring its passengers home safely.

While the main plotline of the episode focuses on Elizabeth's efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen, the subplot involving Nadine and Matt serves as a reminder that there are always multiple crises unfolding at once in the world of international diplomacy. Even as the Secretary of State is negotiating a peace deal in Yemen, there are other emergencies that require the attention of her staff.

"The Necessary Art" is a tense and gripping episode that showcases the complex and sometimes treacherous world of international diplomacy. The performances of the cast, particularly Tea Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, are outstanding. The episode illustrates how difficult it is to find peaceful solutions to conflicts in regions like the Middle East, where history and culture play such crucial roles. Ultimately, the episode highlights the importance of diplomacy and negotiation in resolving even the most intractable conflicts.