Director: Lodge Kerrigan
Writer: Alexander Cary
Breakdown: Carrie–- newly enthused – works on her report for the CIA hoping for a triumphant return at the 6pm briefing. This turns to anguish, and depression as she arrives in the middle of the briefing and finds she is not welcomed back in the CIA as she had hoped. Saul – following his magnificent discovery at the end of episode two – returns from Beirut. Accosted by ‘customs’ he is seemingly stripped of the SD card that holds Brody’s suicide tape; worry not the one taken is a dud and he has the original.
Brody gets himself in even deeper with Abu Nazir; charged with taking ‘the tailor’ (bomb-maker) to a safe house a flat tyre stalls them, and eventually leads to an escape attempt by and subsequent killing of ‘the tailor’. All this happens when Brody is meant to be making a speech at Jess’s fundraiser, instead she makes the speech and gets a standing ovation. Their marriage in tatters when Brody returns home it looks likely America’s golden couple could soon be apart.
The episode ends with Saul at Carrie’s – whose attempts at suicide resulted in a second thought – with the SD card and proof Carrie was right all along.
Opinion on episode: Episode two was the pinnacle of the shows 14 episodes so far; magnificent in every aspect. Whilst not as action packed, or tension-filled episode three is still supreme TV: Brody’s predicament, Jess’s saving of the fundraiser, and Carrie’s roller-coaster day mean the viewer isn’t allowed to rest for a second. It is laying groundwork for events in future episodes in a beautiful hypnotic way.
What will happen next: Carrie should be welcomed back with open arms, however the feeling is – as Saul showed Carrie the suicide video first – that they could go it alone in trying to expose Brody. Saul’s displeasure with how Estes treated him whilst in Beirut could have been a turning point. Brody and Jess will continue to play happy families in public but a separation is on the cards, particularly with Mike’s refusal to accept it is over between him and Jess. The fallout from Brody’s killing of ‘the tailor’ whilst necessary may not be welcomed by Abu Nazir, and could tighten his grip on Brody’s life. There are so many possibilities it would be great to hear how you, the THN community, see things shaping up.
Rating: 4/5 purely when measured next to last week; still magnificent, compulsive viewing.
