Tag Archives: Saul Berenson Homeland

Homeland “Still Positive” Review (3×06)

4 Nov

627-22So, we’re finally back on track? Yes and no. I’m happy the show is going back to its good old fashioned spy roots and trying to milk tension out of that, but I also can’t help but worry Javadi will go down the Abu Nazir villain path, especially considering the events of this episode. Hopefully there’s some more nuance and buildup for him rather than have his whole character be destroyed in one fell swoop (a la Abu Nazir late last season). I think the connection to Saul might help with making him more interesting, but I also feel like the whole “murdering the ex-wife and daughter in law” scene is a bit unnecessary.

Still, I like the focus on Saul this season; it’s not just the Carrie Mathison adventures now, and the show’s exploring his marriage problems and how he overcompensates with his job. Add on to that his ties to Javadi and you’ve got a boiling pot of Angry Beard.

As for Dana, I’m glad she’s starting to take control of her situation, but then again, this all makes her seem like an asshole and Jess an awful parent. It’s better than Dana and Leo frolicking through cemeteries and reading each other poetry, but it’s not particularly great; still, hopefully this means we’ll pull back on the Brody family for a bit.

And of course, Carrie’s pregnant. This is a really frustrating storyline already because 1) Watching Carrie Mathison, CIA agent is a lot more fun than watching Carrie Mathison, Mom. Her interactions with Javadi in this episode prove that point….and 2) The fact that she has that many pregnancy tests suggests that she’s known for a while now…you know, during that time in which she had sex with random strangers, drank a lot, and got shot up with lithium while in a mental hospital. Yes, she’s self-destructive, but come on, show; this is extreme.

Still, I enjoyed this episode; it’s a well-constructed, fast-paced episode that paves the way for some intriguing storylines.

GRADE: B+

OTHER THOUGHTS:

-Chris Brody did nothing in this episode.

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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