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Homeland “Game On” Review (3×04)

21 Oct

627-11Just a few quick bullets coming up…

-So, the show finally has a direction now. With the reveal at episode’s end, we can finally kick the season into high gear.

-I’m not sure how I feel about the actual reveal, though. It’s implausible and, quite frankly, ridiculous, and it reeks of the writers playing a game with the audience. They had to come up with something to kick-start the season, and it seems almost as if they expect the twist to justify everything that’s happened so far and the audience to completely like Carrie/Saul again, even if it shouldn’t. The dynamic between the two has changed, and we need to see that later on; this season held off far too long on the expanding on Saul and Carrie’s relationship.

-On the other hand, the plot twist is necessary. The writers wrote themselves into a hole, and it’s intriguing where we’re going next. I don’t buy this being the plan all along, as Alex Gansa implied in a recent interview, but we’ll see where we go next.

-I’ve seen grumblings that if Carrie knew the plan, why she acts like she doesn’t: banging her head, refusing to meet with the lawyer, finding out her accounts have been frozen. Some of these I find strange, but it’s also very realistic that if she’s placed in a mental hospital, she’ll lash out. She actually has to deal with all this crap even though she really isn’t dealing with it, and she eventually questions whether or not the plan is real. That final scene is one in which she tries to find reassurance.

-No matter whether you like the plot twist or not, I’m sure we can all agree that the final scene is wonderful just for Mandy Patinkin and Claire Danes alone. Fantastic work there for them both. The fundamental relationship of this show really isn’t Brody-Carrie at all; Saul’s the one that’s always been there for her, the one that’s necessary to her being. Brody’s more like a drug, someone Carrie gets pulled in by and can never escape from.

-I’m enjoying Saul and Fara’s dynamic, and I like how it’s incorporating the (not present in this episode) Brody into the proceedings. He’s connected to the home front, and it’s interesting to see where his character goes next.

-Saul’s using Dar Adal.

-Dana and Leo are now driving off to cemeteries to recite poetry. Jeez, this is terrible. I sense the writers are drawing parallels: Dana as Carrie, Leo as Brody to Dana and Saul to Carrie. However, Dana’s inherently more interesting when she’s interacting with those involved in the main plot. Hopefully she punts him off a bridge sometime in the season.

-Mike is here. Whatever.

Credit to Showtime and Homeland for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Homeland “Tower of David” Review (3×03)

14 Oct

627-3

Wherever you go, people die.

Nick Brody is the reason for Homeland, but does Homeland even need him?

I’m not sure yet. The character and the actor are magnificent, but would the show have been better off if it had killed him already? There’s no way of knowing, and while I’m sure the writers can come up with something for him to do, it’s all a matter of how well they do it.

As for this episode, it’s a nice digression from the normal episode organization. The episode cuts between Brody’s and Carrie’s stories, drawing parallels between the two, albeit a bit heavy-handedly. Still, this works as a fitting end to our two main characters’ journeys, but I’m not sure if it works as an episode of this show because it’s not the end of their journeys. The show can still surprise me later, but the writers have written themselves into a hole, yet it’s one that is necessary given the road the characters have gone down. There really was no other way this could all turn out if neither died.

It’s a nice character study, that’s for sure. It’s necessary to focus on both Carrie and Brody because they’re simultaneously parallels and foils. The Tower of David represents everything Brody does not want it to be: the end of the line. In reality, it represents everything that he is: a scar that can never heal. Much like Carrie, he can’t come to terms with the fact that he’s got nowhere to go; he’s come full circle from his captivity in Iraq, now in a situation that’s strikingly similar to those miserable years. There truly is no escape, and that is exactly why this storyline can’t really sustain itself much longer, however compelling Danes and Lewis are. It’s time to bring in the aliens.

There are some intriguing scenes in this episode, though, something that seemed to be missing from the first two installments this season. First off, we have Carrie meeting a lawyer that seems to want to help her, but in reality is trying to manipulate her. She sees right through this; Carrie’s never been someone that can be manipulated by strangers, bad guys, and the like; her sharp instincts are always on in regards to those kinds of people. Where her weakness lies is with people she’s supposed to be able to trust: her own government, Saul, and even Brody to an extent. Her need to please those around her holds up blinders, not allowing her to see herself falling deeper into the hole those very people have dug.

Speaking of holes, both characters end the episode in both literal and metaphorical prisons. Brody’s been beaten down physically and emotionally; he’s the guy that always seems to survive, but hurts those around him. Now, all he can turn to is heroin. I’ve seen some grumblings around the Internet about this scene, but I believe it works; he can’t hold on any longer because he’s been holding on for years. As for Carrie, she still has a flimsy support group, but she’s only going to allow herself to work with Saul. She thinks that everyone else is out to get her. The thing is, Saul can’t risk working with her, and rightfully so.

It’s a beautiful closing shot, that’s for sure, but it’s one that suggests finality. I’m not sure where this is going. What is finality but a prison? We can always look for an escape, we can always move on, and we can never be satisfied.

GRADE: B

OTHER THOUGHTS:

-Henry Bromell was a fantastic writer, and this is the last episode credited to him. RIP.

-No Dana this week, who’s probably off banging her boyfriend in the middle of a restaurant somewhere.

-No Jess or Chris, either. Nothing feels different. No Saul, either.

-I appreciate and respect the ambition of this episode more than I actually like it.

-Esme is like an Issa replacement. Of course, “Take me with you!” got a big groan out of me. She’s cute, though.

-I think the time with each character gets shorter as the episode goes on. It’s an interesting stylistic choice that culminates in a final quick shot of the two, and it creates a nice constricting atmosphere throughout.

-I enjoyed Brody’s captors.

Credit to Showtime and Homeland for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Homeland “Uh… Oh… Ah…” Review (3×02)

7 Oct

homelanddThe writers have written themselves into a corner with Carrie Mathison, but what an intriguing corner it is. She’s deluded herself into thinking she needs to save everyone, yet also is wary of anyone that shows one inkling of kindness toward her. It’s truly a fascinating look into a case of paranoia, and like I said last week, it’s not an imitation of what she’s been through before. I’m interested in seeing how Brody factors into all of this next week.

The episode closes with a devastating shot of Carrie, mumbling a simple epithet at Saul before turning away and squeezing her eyes shut. It’s a quiet moment, unlike the previous 45 minutes of her going bonkers. It’s clever what the show is doing here, making it seem more and more deserving of our main character to receive the accusations that have been piled upon her. There are no villains in this season; there may be assholes, but what’s interesting is that they’re justified. There’s a tug-of-war battle going on between Saul and Carrie, as well as the CIA and Carrie, and it’s hard to fully sympathize with her because what she did really is unforgivable.

These effects continue to reverberate throughout the show, starting with Saul and his always magnificent beard. I feel like the show goes too far this week, as he berates a Muslim aide in his office. The xenophobia is understandable, but Saul’s never been the kind of person who gets angry over these kinds of things. Not to mention, it all makes him look like a complete jerk.

On the homefront, we devote tons of time to Dana and her boyfriend. Now, I think I appreciate the Brody family more than I enjoy it. The family was always more compelling when it was a foil for Brody, and now that he’s gone, I appreciate the show exploring the fallout. However, Dana’s boyfriend is annoying, and the fact will always remain that they were all more interesting when Brody was around. Still, an extremely powerful moment comes when Dana lays it all out in the bathroom to Jess. Dana’s turning elsewhere because she feels like she can’t trust the people around her, especially those she used to be close to. Jess is extremely frustrated because Dana’s boyfriend is becoming the very thing she wants to be: Dana’s emotional savior*. That’s expected, of course.

Dana’s storyline ties into Carrie’s really well, although the two characters haven’t crossed paths much. They’re both lost and emotionally drained, and there’s no way out.

GRADE: B-

Other thoughts:

-*That does only work for Jess’s side, though. I’d say Dana’s boyfriend is more of a crutch; he’s holding her up, but it’s pretty flimsy. Dana’s afraid that if he leaves, she’ll have to go through what she went through all over again. She fancies the idea of him more than she does the actual person.

-The episode is once again pretty slow, although it’s too slow for me. I get what they’re trying to do, but Season 1 proved that the show could deliver high quality intensity without falling into the thriller/action tropes.

-Quinn’s the moral center of the show now. I don’t know how to feel about that.

-Chris is just all “Hey, what’s up. Dana not eating? Chill, Mom. Loss of appetite sure has nothing to do with suicide; let her go sulk in her room. Dana disappearing? Chill, Mom. She just attempted suicide a few weeks back, let her run away into the rain at night.”

If there’s anyone that needs therapy, it’s Chris. Hopefully Brody’s first action back is to rid us of this kid.

-Nice title.

Credit to Showtime and Homeland for all pictures. I own nothing.

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Homeland “Tin Man Is Down” Review (3×01)

30 Sep

627-1Consequence is a tricky subject to tackle. What exactly should we be punished for? How should we be punished? To what extent should a government that has let a terrorist slip out under its nose be punished? Homeland asks all these questions in a contemplative, melancholy season 3 premiere that completely scraps the frenetic pace of Season 2.

This is no doubt a good route to take, as last season descended into a world of plot contrivances that soured many peoples’ opinions of the show. We left off with Brody on the run, the CIA in pieces, and David Estes and Abu Nazir dead. The premiere, naturally, deals with the fallout of this mess; there are Congressional hearings and detrimental effects abound.

On the CIA front, Carrie is now the scapegoat, taking the full brunt of the blame for Brody’s escape. Danes is still magnificent here, conveying so much pain and guilt in just a few looks. Mathison’s own government has now turned on her; she’s not fighting for some hidden cause, and she can’t ever have the hope of being the hero anymore. This is Carrie’s biggest fear: having nothing to fight for but herself. She can continue to protest Brody’s innocence, but not even her closest ally has the luxury of listening to her. She’s truly trapped.

We also see the effects of the bombing on Saul, who’s now been promoted to head of the CIA. He’s now a much harder character that is slowly descending into a pit of darkness. Whereas before, he was mainly motivated by a sense of loyalty to his institution, he’s now spurred on by revenge. He seems defeated and determined all at once. There’s a wonderful dichotomy between Saul and Dar Adal, an intelligence operative that pressures Saul to cut ties with Carrie. Saul’s being backed into a corner here, much like with Carrie.

On the home front is where the episode mainly stumbles. Jess, Dana, and Chris were absolutely essential in season 1, as they represented one side of Brody’s moral dilemma. It was fascinating to watch the family slowly succumb to the pressures of his occupation and ultimate decisions, but now, the question arises of how interesting the family is without Brody. Sure, showing the aftermath is important, but we don’t exactly feel a connection with Dana or Jess (no one cares about Chris), and more importantly, we don’t feel their connection to Brody. Baccarin and Saylor are great actresses, but they don’t have much to work with. Still, I’m not going to be one of those people that blasts the scenes dealing with the consequences because they’re as much a part of the show as the juicy stuff.

a_610x408This is a show about how personal relationships are affected by a impersonal problems. Last year, like it or not, the Brody-Carrie relationship was essential to the show, both thematically and plot-based. Season 3 smartly removes Brody from the equation early on, but the question of whether he should still be on the show remains. Still, if season 1 suggests anything, it suggests that the guys behind Homeland can create a compelling character piece with spy undertones. Season 3 starts off slow, but hopefully it’s on the right track.

Grade: B-

Other thoughts:

-So Quinn is still here. His scenes feel a little shoehorned in, and I hope his character is expanded on later.

-Dana tried to commit suicide, and she now has a new boyfriend. I really hope we don’t go down another hit and run type storyline this season.

-Oh, how I miss the Carrie-Brody “The Weekend” dynamics.

-There’s an interesting new CIA agent played by Nazanin Boniadi.

-So, how’s Brody going to return? Hopefully he jumps out of Saul’s beard or something. Speaking of, nice beard-off between Saul and Adal.

Credit to Showtime and Homeland for all pictures. I own nothing.

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