Ep 6. The Assassination of Payton Hobart

Payton Hobart is a wealthy and ambitious Santa Barbara high school student with a clear cut goal in life: to become President of the United States of America. Up until this episode, he has won every election he has ever been in. Along with a group of friends and his girlfriend, Alice, Payton is determined to win the race for student president.

In this particular episode, Payton is under attack. Someone has made an attempt on his life, leaving him severely injured. With anxiety gripping him, Payton attempts to piece together who could have done this to him. He soon realizes this could be someone close to him, one of his own campaign team members, or someone from an opposing camp putting an end to his run for presidency.

Although Payton is determined to get back into the race, a pause button is pressed on his campaign by the school administration to take into consideration the severity of what has happened. In addition to his personal challenges, Payton has to deal with a school board that is debating whether the extraordinary measures he has taken in his campaign have violated school election rules.

Ultimately, Payton must deal with the aftermath of the assassination attempt, which has now rocked his campaign and his personal life. The episode showcases how vulnerable Payton’s entire campaign is and how much of a risk he is taking by putting himself on the frontline for a political campaign.

In his search for the assassin, Payton is willing to rifle through old contacts, revisit all the people he’s had run in with in the past, and follow all leads. He is supported by a close team that is as dedicated to finding the person behind this assassination attempt, as Payton is. It is a race against time, as the student council elections are quickly approaching and Payton is expected to be running for it.

The assassination episode turns out to be a pivotal moment of the school elections, which sets the stage for a very interesting and captivating political drama. The episode also explores how all the characters are going through their own challenges in their respective lives, whether they are Payton's friends, opponents, or campaign strategists. Their storylines weave in and out of the main plot, bringing an interesting perspective to their personalities and behavior, particularly in the high-pressure environment of a political campaign.

Overall, the episode is full of suspense and anxiety, keeping the viewer hooked until the end. The performance of Ben Platt as Payton Hobart is commendable, and every character in the series is well written and acted out. The script and narration keep the episode on track and leave the viewer eagerly looking forward to what will unfold next.