After playing the strong and independent Alicia Florick in CBS's "The Good Wife," which earned her primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe, Julianna Margulies makes her small screen comeback via "The Hot Zone," a six-part miniseries from National Geographic focusing on the ebola virus.
"The Hot Zone" which premiered last May 9, is based on the book written by Richard Preston that explores the events behind the outbreak of the ebola virus in Zaire in 1976. The first two episodes were met with positive reviews, heaping high praise on Margulies' portrayal of the lead character Lieutenant Colonel Nancy Jaax, who sounds the alert to stop the virus from spreading to millions.
A review from the Collider lauded the show for its faithfulness to the science and procedure, all the while balancing the politics and the jurisdiction war between the Center for Disease Control and the US Army. According to the site's reviewer Allison Keene, The Hot Zone is also a wake up call for the audience, especially for Americans about their own preparation for a similar pandemic should it happen in the US.
Episode 3 of "The Hot Zone", entitled "Charlie Foxtrott" will find a multi-agency meeting to discuss and act on Dr. Nancy Jaxx's discovery wherein it becomes evident that the US is ill prepared for dealing with a virus this magnitude. While it becomes apparent that there are no set protocols to deal with a pandemic, an employee in the monkey research facility shows signs of contracting the disease.
Meanwhile, TV Guide has also posted the synopsis for Episode 4 which has the title "Expendable." The Hot Zone episode confirms the suspicion that an employee within the facility has contracted ebola which alerts Dr. Nancy Jaxx to the possibility that the disease will endanger the human population if not contained immediately. While she seeks to save the public from the potential spread of the disease, her husband does his best to protect his wife from exposure. Meanwhile, Dr. Wade seeks to go public and warn citizens against the existence of ebola which could cause massive panic.
Apart from the award-winning Julianna Margulies, the cast also boasts of a strong cast of veteran actors. "Game of Thrones" actor Liam Cunningham stars as the level headed Wade Carter, while Topher Grace takes on the role of virologist Peter Jarhling. Noah Emmerich plays the role of Margulies' husband Jerry Jaxx. "The Hot Zone" airs on the National Geographic and Hulu.
