The penultimate episode of Rubicon's first season is fast-paced and intriguing from start to finish. The episode shows glimpses of Kateb, or rather who he really is, and it never gives him any dialogue, which adds to the character's mystery. Along with that, there is some pretty brilliant cinematography in his scenes.
Since we have already found out the overall reasons behind Spangler's doing, we know that this episode is the key to figuring out the actual event that will take place. Since we know it is going to happen pretty soon, the episode is built around an atmosphere of dread and suspense. We are scared for every character's actions, every step they take, because we fear for them. This is especially true for Katherine Wheeler, who it seems that her days are ticking away. She is scared for her life, but she will not allow herself to be locked away.
There is a scene in the episode where Spangler gets a photo of Ingram and Maggie moving Katherine to safety, which then Ingram is sent to his office. This scene is among the best I have seen so far of the entire show, because it represents what these characters fear and stand for. One is not sure of what is actually being discussed, and one even gets the impression that Ingram is secretly working for him (he actually might be after all). However, both Arliss Howard and Michael Cristofer have given such, rich, meaningful performances that it is enough to congratulate them once and for all in this episode.
Ultimately, this is an episode that will surprise people who said it was always slow-paced, but that is the beauty of it. The show knows when to be slow-paced and when to leave things just as riveting and nail-biting as in this episode. When the reveal finally happens of what the secret plan is, it will give many goosebumps, and we know this is only the beginning of the end.