Director: Lesli Link Glatter
Writer: Henry Bromell
Breakdown: Following Brody’s capture by the CIA, it’s interrogation time as Peter begins questioning Brody on his involvement with Abu Nazir, and his attempts to assassinate the vice president. Rebuffed by Brody at every turn Peter ‘loses his temper’, stabbing Brody in the hand, and Carrie takes over. Appealing to his softer side, the side Carrie fell in love with, she is able to coerce admittance of complicity with Abu Nazir’s plans to attack America. With the threat of a trial, possible death, and his name in ruins Brody agrees to work with the CIA and help them learn Nazir’s plans. Naturally Carrie and Brody having an affair is the cover for their meetings.
Dana goes on a date with Finn which ends disastrously when, speeding away from Secret Service assigned to him, Finn hits a pedestrian and drives off leaving her to be attended by another driver whilst Dana pleads for him to go back. The camera pans away, slowly scrolls down the screen to reveal the injured party as someone who looks suspiciously like Roya Hammad.
Brody returns home and explains to Jess – who has been told he has the flu – he is working with the CIA. Cue a happy son, a disheveled daughter, and a ‘happy’ couple. Things are back to normal.
Opinion On Episode: Watching great TV is a privilege, a treat, but ultimately it will lead to disappointment. Watching episode 2.5 this feeling appears for the first time with Homeland: poorly written and dare I say formulaic, Q + A is the poorest episode in Homeland’s brief history. For 16 previous episodes we have been pummelled with stories of Brody’s interrogation at the hands of Al-Quaeda: brutal, unforgiving, and never-ending, yet 15 minutes with some Doris holding his hand crying and he tells her pretty much everything. I know Carrie’s a good-looking girl but bloody hell. The story-strand with Finn and Dana seems unsteady, and even a little unnecessary, but the Roya Hammad twist could make it interesting.
What Will Happen Next? It is hard to see anything other than Brody working with the CIA, some near misses on being caught out, and more family strife as Carrie becomes involved. What is difficult to see is how the series that had everyone guessing is going to surprise us going forward – what have you done Homeland?
Rating: 2/5 Hopefully a misstep but there are signs the deck of cards Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon have so lovingly built could be about to collapse.
