Homeland Season 1 (Spoilers)

[Jas_lov]

Saul would have to be some kind of Super mole. I guess he did gain the most from the blast as he now has Estes job and his wife is even returning to him. It would be a big twist and it would of course be Carrie that would sniff it out, but it's just too big of a stretch. They did plant that seed though with him talking Hebrew at the end, conveniently missing the bombing and the leaking of the Brody confessional which he had access to.

[jeff061]

It's Quinn, why and on behalf of who, not sure. But I'd just about bet money he planted the explosives and parked the car. Then he or the group he's working for circulated the video.

[Noop]

I also want to point out that someone got Nazir in America. So... who was it?

[chinaski]

Just finished season 2, woah. Inception of terrorist plots. The guy in the terrorist response video at the end, wasn't that the same guy from the chicken diner and the bus talking to Quinn?

[stevew]

No. He was F Murray Abraham. The terrorist leader was some other guy.

[Toddzilla]

Anderson Cooper knows who the mole is

[Toddzilla]

[Toddzilla]

According to Alex Gansa - co-creator - it was absolutely Abu Nazir who orchestrated the attack, using his death as the ultimate "confidence game" so the CIA would let down their guard. He pointed out that had Quinn killed Brody while at the lake house, it would have ruined Nazir's plan (using Brody's car to carry the explosives to the service).

[stevew]

If it's the Grantland podcast interview, I'm also pretty interested in the fact that he mentioned that they backed off a bunch of Galvez story. Galvez as the mole would have been horrible.

[kingfc22]

Bravo to that finale.

I thought Saul was more likely to be a mole after season 1 but not after this season.

The Quinn as the mole angle is interesting however.

[stevew]

There's a new "Showtime Anytime" service out. I'm gonna check out season 1 again (I missed an episode)

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by stevew

There's a new "Showtime Anytime" service out. I'm gonna check out season 1 again (I missed an episode)

How sucktastic is this app. Only two providers get it, and it doesn't work with Nexxus 7, google TV, or Xbox 360. HBOGO kills this.

[Bad-example]

They cast F. Murray Abraham in a role with what...10 minutes of screen time for the whole season. My money is on him being the mole.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

How sucktastic is this app. Only two providers get it, and it doesn't work with Nexxus 7, google TV, or Xbox 360. HBOGO kills this.

It works with DirecTV...good enough for me.



HBOGO was a pipe dream for TWC for like 2 years.

[DanGarion]

Hehe...

[mckerney]

No real spoilers, but thoughts from watching next unaired episode

Spoiler

Good episode to start the season. A bit Dana heavy, would say I disliked those parts, though it's not nearly as interesting as everything else that's going on. Would prefer more Saul, really looking forward to seeing what path he's headed on now.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by mckerney

Good episode to start the season. A bit Dana heavy, would say I disliked those parts, though it's not nearly as interesting as everything else that's going on. Would prefer more Saul, really looking forward to seeing what path he's headed on now.

Wait, what!?

What am I missing, Season 3 starts the 29th, correct???

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

Wait, what!?

What am I missing, Season 3 starts the 29th, correct???

It does? I watched what seemed to be first episode of the season last night.

[mckerney]

Oh, the episode was leaked early. Saw it up last night and just assumed the season had started.

It apparently is missing visual effects which I didn't notice since I watched it while going to need without my glasses on. Did notice some weird audio parts but thought it was just me being half asleep.

Well damn, guess that means its a month till there's a new episode.

[kingfc22]

Can the writers please stop with the Dana storyline. Nobody cares about that character.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Can the writers please stop with the Dana storyline. Nobody cares about that character.

This.

Major yawn. In fact, Brody's whole family is pretty major-yawn at this point since he's nowhere around them.

I found most of this episode to be a yawner. And a good portion of last week too for that matter.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

I found most of this episode to be a yawner. And a good portion of last week too for that matter.

Totally agree. Disappointing after the first two seasons to start this one so mediocre at best. Hoping the storyline gets going soon.

[Logan]

The sole highlight of this episode for me was my agency getting a shout out from Saul for placing that bank under a cease-and-desist for the Iranian wire transfers.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

Can the writers please stop with the Dana storyline. Nobody cares about that character.

A thousand times this.

I'm also a little disappointed they've gone back to the "let's institutionalize Carrie" crutch.

I'm obviously willing to give this show the benefit of the doubt as they pulled last season together, but they haven't really hit the ground running so far.

[RainMaker]

I am sorry to say but this show is bad now.

[DaddyTorgo]

I didn't watch yesterday's episode yet...

[Jas_lov]

I didn't think the 3rd episode was that bad. Better than the first two but that's not saying much. Masters of Sex is the better show right now.

[RainMaker]

I guess I shouldn't say bad now. It had an amazing 1st season and slowly went to crap last season. And now it's sitting in some weird purgatory where it has good moments and terrible moments.

I'm not sure why Brody's family is given such a big roll this season. I still don't know what this season is even about yet. The show should be a smart CIA themed show with great characters. I don't give a shit about high school teen drama, I don't give a shit about Saul becoming a "suit", and I really don't give a shit about Carrie's mental issues. It's not even a CIA/terrorism show anymore, I don't even know what it is.

[Logan]

I fully supported the idea of keeping Brody alive at the end of season 1, and felt it was very justified during the beginning of season 2. But basically ever since "Q&A" it has been a disaster.

I agree with RM. Literally have no clue where they go from here with each character in such a horrible place. I'd even be fine if they gave us some kind of enormous plot hole/Macguffin that snapped everything back to where it veered off if it meant getting back to delivering the tension like it used to.

[Subby]

This show has completely gone off the rails.

[Jas_lov]

Well at least they've got it somewhat back on track with the twist. Was the entire thing pre-planned or once Carrie was in the asylum did Saul come up with it? I am now interested again in the season to see where this goes. They still need to kill off Dana, Jessica and Mike. Chris can live.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Well at least they've got it somewhat back on track with the twist. Was the entire thing pre-planned or once Carrie was in the asylum did Saul come up with it? I am now interested again in the season to see where this goes. They still need to kill off Dana, Jessica and Mike. Chris can live.

As I was watching it, I though I saw a little smirk on Carrie's face when the "partner" mentioned her meeting the Big Bad Terrorist in person, and figured she was going to use this to get back in the CIAs good graces. I was cool with that approach being the way to get the season back on track (as written above, it seemed like they had no other way to keep it moving up until this point). She obviously can never work there again given her past, so this was a way around that, going rogue.

When the "twist" was that this was a plan all along with Saul, I lost my shit. It wasn't a twist, they just fucked with the audience. There were way too many instances where Carrie was completely alone and had no need to keep up with the charade, and yet there she is looking into her empty wallet, she goes looking for her car and can't figure out what happened (this was even before that neighbor showed up), or is crying hysterically watching Saul throw her under the bus in that hearing. It was just a massive cop out.

And the showrunner said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that this plan was set up immediately after the Pentagon bombing. If Saul came up with it somewhere along the way, it would be slightly more believable.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Not terribly surprising when you step back and realize the two showrunners brought us Season 7 of 24. Should have seen this coming, but they managed to fool us for a little over a season.

[Solecismic]

The first 3 9/10 episodes of this season were simply the grape-nehi-fueled dreams of a bipolar adolescent.

I've been struggling with this almost since the beginning, but it seems more apparent than ever. I have a hard time believing any of these people could have any responsibility at the CIA. Sometimes I wonder if Charlie Sheen and Janeane Garafalo are on the writing team.

[Jas_lov]

It's still a decent show but they keep going back to the same things over and over - Whose side is Brody really on, Carrie always looks to be wrong but at the last second she's proven right again yet nobody ever believes her. Brody should not escape in the finale and they should end that plot, hit the rest button.

I still contend Masters of Sex is the better show. Not sure how many seasons they can keep it going but I look forward to watching it a lot more than Homeland right now.

[Logan]

It's just not anywhere near the show it was for the first season and a half, which is unfortunate. It's basically 24 with less action and better acting. The contrivances and level of implausibility are just way too much.

[panerd]

Hmmm....

Well this season seems to have been split into three parts. The first was the tower nonsense and Carrie in the nuthouse. Rating: F. Then came the Iran mission plot. I love '24'-like storylines like this show and Sons of Anarchy. Rating: B+/A-. Then last night's pile of dogshit. Rating: F.

Not sure how they continue next season. This show's first two seasons bought a lot of leeway from me but I wonder if they even have a 4th season in mind. More Carrie doesn't seem to be the answer to anyone I know who watches the show. (especially with her wanting or not wanting the baby)

[DaddyTorgo]

I haven't really watched much at all this season. All the episodes are stacked up on my DVR, but I just don't have the desire to plow through them yet. I want to, but then I remember the issues I was starting to have with implausibility and all (and also the fact that Brodie is still alive - knowing Showtime now I'm sure we're giving him the "Dexter" treatment so he's untouchable, which is ridiculous), and I'm just turned off.

[Logan]

Alex Gansa might be the luckiest man alive, having either stumbled upon or having been selected to adapt the original miniseries that Homeland was based on. He clearly stepped in shit there, and once he and the rest of the writers were left on there own, they had no clue what to do. But he has surely made a ton of money doing it, and will likely make a ton more considering the ratings of this finale and the likelihood for many more seasons.

[Toddzilla]

No way - Homeland is done and done

[Subby]

As usual, Alan Sepinwall breaks down what a mess the show is better than anyone:

Season finale review: Homeland - The Star: Dont leave me hanging

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

No way - Homeland is done and done

Do you mean creatively, or as in actually getting more seasons? Season 4 is already a go and this show will still put up ratings even if it just sticks to the 24 model. Showtime sticks with shows forever...do you know that Californication is still running? This will get to 7 seasons, guaranteed.

[Johnny93g]

Boggles my mind homeland gets hate for this season, while the Walking dead, GENERALLY, is regarded as great TV.

Yes, this season was not as strong as the previous two, but I still enjoyed it, and it kept me guessing. Season 3 of Homeland > any season of walking dead.

The show has fundamentally changed now, and the original concept is gone. What they do next probably won't please many, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what they come up with. I love the pace and how quickly they move. It keeps me guessing.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

Boggles my mind homeland gets hate for this season, while the Walking dead, GENERALLY, is regarded as great TV.

Yes, this season was not as strong as the previous two, but I still enjoyed it, and it kept me guessing. Season 3 of Homeland > any season of walking dead.

The show has fundamentally changed now, and the original concept is gone. What they do next probably won't please many, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what they come up with. I love the pace and how quickly they move. It keeps me guessing.

See I love all types of shows and rank Sons of Anarachy, Homeland, Game of Thrones, and Walking Dead as among my favorites. I see no reason to try and compare any of them and realize that all four of them take some serious liberties with what is realistic. How fun would watching a bunch of people at the CIA/NSA analyze computer data and phone records be for an hour each week? Rubicon (which I also enjoyed) was probably more realistic and moved much too slow at points. That said I do worry that there will be a lot of Carrie/baby which I don't look forward to. Hopefully there is enough side Quinn/Saul/Senator guy sidelines to keep me interested.

[Solecismic]

I think it's all about Carrie being believable. And she isn't. She's just always right, like her magic 8-ball works better than everyone else's.

Problem is: no one would continue to give her responsibility without sharing her world of magic.

I still like the show, but I want more intrigue and out-witting and layers of mystery. Less babies and magic 8-balls. The show is probably headed Turkey-bound and Saul will be some sort of consultant. I'd imagine we're in for some Iran/Syria/Israel conflict. I think they shot part of season 3 in Israel, I may be wrong.

I am glad we seem to be done with the entire Brody family. The writers dug that hole when they had Brody wear the suicide vest. There's no redemption from that.

[Logan]

I believe they shot in Morocco.

[chinaski]

Anyone catch the premier of Tyrant last night? New FX show from the creators of Homeland. I really liked it, cant wait for the next one.

Tyrant | Tuesdays 10pm | FX Networks

[Logan]

Originally Posted by chinaski

Anyone catch the premier of Tyrant last night? New FX show from the creators of Homeland. I really liked it, cant wait for the next one.

Tyrant | Tuesdays 10pm | FX Networks

I DVRed it but wasn't too optimistic after seeing a bunch of negative reviews. But there's not much on these days so I'll give it a shot at some point.

edit: And it's funny you wrote about this show just a couple posts after Jim saying how thankful he was about finally being done with the Brody family. Read in a few places that they went back to the well with the annoying teenage kid of the main character on Tyrant.

[Lathum]

Oddly enough wife and I decided to watch Homeland during the lul in summer shows. Loved the first season, second season we have just the finale left, decent but the daughter and her story line feels stupid and forced.

[stevew]

The 3rd season gets even better with her.