Ep 9. The Rebuttal

The Rebuttal is the ninth episode of the first season of Alpha House. The episode features the four Republican senators living in the titular Alpha House, dealing with a perfect storm of problems - their re-election campaigns are in jeopardy, a surprise television commercial airing across their home state, and a former military officer accusing Senator Guzman of allowing drugs into the country.

Senator Gil John Biggs is weathering criticism over his stance on gay marriage, while his aide Ceebee struggles to make an ad that will appeal to the conservative base. Meanwhile, Senator Andy Guzman remains calm despite the allegations, but when the team watches the accuser's press conference, they realize the situation has become dire.

In an effort to clear Senator Guzman's name, they land on the idea of a televised rebuttal, but are worried about Senator Louis Laffer's ability to stick to the script. Laffer is suffering from a bout of nerves and anxiety, affecting his ability to perform his duty on the senate floor.

As tensions rise and the clock counts down to the airing of their critical advertisement, the group must come together and pool their resources to ensure that Guzman's name is cleared, their campaigns don't lose all their momentum, and that the conservatives of their state will have a solid reason to keep them in office.

In the end, the group reconvenes at Alpha House, relieved and satisfied in a job well done. However, as they celebrate their success, one of the senators gets a call from a powerful donor that shakes the group's newfound confidence and throws into question what they know of their political game.

The Rebuttal serves as a thrilling episode with heightened stakes for the characters. Viewers get to see how razor-thin the line is between safety and failure for these politicians, and as they each grapple with their own political drama, the episode is a reminder that in politics, nothing is ever guaranteed.