“Alaska Daily” Episode 3 showed Senate candidate Frank Moses’ campaign in jeopardy after Austin’s article was published. On the other hand, Stanley greenlighted the Gloria Nanmac story involving the negligence of the Meade Police Department and Chief Durkin. Meanwhile, Eileen’s “concerned citizen” was still at large. “Alaska Daily” Episode 4 brings a new story to light after The Daily Alaskan decides to cover the State Fair. And at the centre of it all is The Daily Alaskan’s junior-most member, Gabriel Tovar.
Spoilers Ahead
‘Alaska Daily’ Episode 4: Recap Summary
At the State Fair, Stanley distributes work to the reporters, one event to each of them. And for the first time, Gabriel Tovar also has a topic to cover, i.e., the Giant Cabbage Competition. Everyone congratulates him, and he is overjoyed to work on his first assignment. The Durkin story has been published and has resulted in the suspension of Durkin pending an investigation. Eileen and Rosalind are looking up Oren Conners, the Meade police Chief prior to Durkin, but there is hardly anything available. Eileen intends to work the weekend, but Rosalind says that she is busy with the basketball tournament. As much as Eileen wants Rosalind to work with her, she decides to work by herself that weekend.
Later on, Gabriel gives Eileen a box with her name on it. It was left at the front desk. On opening it, Eileen finds a bullet inside a ring case along with a note that says, “Go Home”. It seems that someone doesn’t want her in Alaska. While Eileen is unmoved by it, the others are quite shaken up as it is a potential threat to her life. They decide to notify the police and their lawyer.
While driving Eileen to her hotel, Gabriel tells her about his first story. Eileen offers her tips. After she gets down at the hotel and Gabriel leaves, her phone rings; it is the “concerned citizen” who warns her of what she is doing and threatens her, saying that the next bullet she receives won’t be in a box. Eileen has apparently gotten on the guy’s nerves. This means that one way or another, she is getting closer to the truth.
The next day arrives, and along with it, the weekend and the State Fair. While Eileen struggles to write the book she intends to, other reporters get busy working on the stories at the fair, including newbie Gabriel. He has to interview the young Erica Block, winner of the Giant Cabbage contest. They meet but aren’t able to talk much. Gabriel tells her that he’ll be there for her award presentation the next day, where they’ll be able to talk better.
Eileen has been breaking her head over the missing girls when she gets a call from Gabriel. He needs help with his story. Eileen pumps him up and tells him to look up Erica Block’s address and go talk to her and not to wait for the next day. Back at the fair, Claire asks Yuna about whatever is brewing between her and Austin. But Yuna mentions how he has a lot on his plate with his ex-wife and son. Basically, there’s not much to expect. Claire tells Yuna not to overthink it and take the call. Later on, she gets a voicemail from a friend at The Vanguard, where she used to work, in New York. It triggers her, and she decides to have some air. As she enters the elevator and waits for it to descend, she has trouble breathing. Eileen is about to have another panic attack.
Gabriel arrives at Erica’s house. Her father, Brandon, lets him in, and Erica gives him a tour of their farm. But what’s intriguing is that before the tour, Erica’s father asks Gabriel to place his phone in a box as a house rule. He believes that it allows people to be “present” at the farm. Technology does more harm than good.
Eileen somehow manages to bring herself out of the elevator and rush outdoors, even overlooking Aaron Pritchard, who was in the lobby. He had come to meet her. She comes out of the hotel and falls, hitting her head hard and passing out. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself in an ambulance with Aaron sitting in front of her. She is being taken to the hospital. Eileen is then admitted, and she finds out that she has to be under observation for a few hours. Sometime later, Aaron goes to get some Jello for her from the cafeteria.
During the farm tour, Erica tells Gabriel that her mother’s death due to a brain tumour resulted in her father’s hatred towards cell phones, which he held responsible for his wife’s death, and technology in general. They moved to the farm after Erica’s mother died. And now, the only time Erica sees people is when she goes to church. Erica is grounded without being grounded. She reveals that her father has been going to “anti-technology” meetings and has become moody and secretive. He even tells her to stay away from the barn where she spent her entire childhood playing. Gabriel finds a lock on the barn’s door. After the tour, as Gabriel is about to leave, Erica hugs him and whispers something in his ear. The door of the barn has been unlocked.
Gabriel discreetly makes his way to the barn. After much searching, he finds pallets of fertilizer different from the ones Erica said they used for organic farming. On the way back, he calls Eileen to help him with the story. Eileen, meanwhile, is glad that Gabriel called and tells him to pick her up from the hospital. She gets out of bed without anyone noticing and leaves. Aaron returns home and finds Eileen missing. Meanwhile, Eileen calls Stanley, assures him that she is alright, and joins Gabriel in his car. After Gabriel tells her about the fertilizer, which is basically ammonium nitrate, a potential bomb, she tells him to talk to Erica and find out more from her without making her feel insecure. Gabriel has to allow Erica to open herself up to him without forcing her. Eileen gets off at her hotel. Gabriel calls Erica and tells her that he will see her at church the next morning. At the church, Erica gives Gabriel a manifesto that her father brought home from one of his meetings. The name at the bottom of the doc says “Genesis”.
Gabriel shows the manifesto to his seniors at The Daily Alaskan. Stanley, Bob, and Eileen are all present. Bob reveals that Genesis is a legit eco-terrorist group. But while there is a story behind it, it will be tough to pose a question as to why a farmer is stockpiling fertilizers. Stanley tells Gabriel to follow up directly with Brandon as they need to be certain of his intention and connection with Genesis. In other words, they will have to ask Brandon if he is indeed making a bomb.
Eileen and Gabriel meet Brandon at the State Fair and question him about the documents. Brandon is taken aback when he finds out that his daughter has given his personal documents to the reporters. But all that Erica wants is for her father to be safe. She is worried about Brandon’s involvement with Genesis. But Brandon states that whatever he is doing is for his daughter’s safety. Saying this, he walks off. Eileen asks Erica if she wants to come with them, but Erica says that she needs to be with her father. She thanks them and leaves. Back at The Daily Alaskan office, Stanley and Bob notify the FBI about the ammonium nitrate fertilizers, the farmer’s affiliation with Genesis, and the anti-tech manifesto. They also inform the FBI that they are considering running a story on it. Eileen and Gabriel return, but despite all they have, Stanley tells them that the story isn’t ready to be published yet as they do not have enough strong intel to prove the situation as a threat. Gabriel is angry. Eileen tells him to “stay mad” and make them pay who is standing between him and his stories.
‘Alaska Daily’ Episode 4 Ending- Who Is Eileen’s New Source?
Eileen receives a call from former Meade police Chief Oren Conners, who tells her that he has something for her and asks her to meet him at a restaurant, River Grill. Meanwhile, Stanley promotes Gabriel to the post of a reporter for The Daily Alaskan, citing that the info he provided about a potential threat helped the FBI to save a man’s life (Brandon’s). Eileen and Rosalind arrive at River Grill to meet Oren. He tells them how grateful he is to them for reopening the investigation into the Gloria Nanmac case. He then gives them the unredacted police report of the case and leaves quietly. Inside the police report, they read the names, Ezra Fisher and Rega Horne, which can be people of interest in their investigation.
We have to wait to find out if Gabriel is able to fish out any more info about Genesis from Brando and Erica. Meanwhile, the two people of interest will shine more light on the darkness surrounding the death of Gloria and perhaps even the deaths of other native women of Meade. The Pritchards have also yet to answer questions about their relationship with Moses and LH Mining. Eileen’s “concerned citizen” remains at large.