Up To Date: Homeland
UP TO DATE: HOMELAND
By Steve Wood
Let me preface this by saying this is a detailed description of the main plot of season 2, which contains major spoilers.
A lot of mystery surrounded this show, especially in the first season; this may be one of, if not the only show that kept its main character’s motive secret up until the last couple of episodes. Something about Damian Lewis’ performance as Brody is both haunting yet subtle. He has the ability to hide his emotions even in the toughest of environments; there is something truly special here.
After the stellar first season, we pick up shortly after the failed suicide bombing attempt by Brody. Already elected as congressman, and firmly situated in his position, we learn that he is still working with Nazir, but with different motives – the long game. His intentions are to be embedded at the highest level of government and influence change that could benefit Nazir’s cause. Or at the very least deter the current actions in the Middle East.
Carrie is now fired from the CIA, with no chances of reinstatement at least that is what she is told by Saul and Estes. But when her old informant turns up with information, she is needed to meet with this contact and find out about the new potential threat to the United States. What surfaces from this is the biggest hit we have towards Brody, at least up until this point of the show – the SD card with his confession.
The moment Saul viewed the SD card was the moment fans like me have been waiting for ever since we had the first inclination of Brody being a terrorist. We wanted the CIA to find out, yet we didn’t. That mystique held up so well, and when it was finally broke, I felt as if the show lost something. Saul’s reaction was priceless; he seemed to be in complete shock and instantly realizing that Carrie was right from the beginning.
With Saul, Estes and Carrie knowing the truth about Brody, the decision is to set up surveillance with a team operating outside of the CIA blanket. Enter Quinn, an awesome addition to the show; he will lead the team who will further investigate Brody. When the interrogation finally occurs we get to see Brody come to terms with his lies as Quinn drills him, getting every single lie regarding Nazir out of him, only to reveal the recording Brody made earlier regarding the attempt on the VP’s life. This causes Brody to reveal every single thing that has happened with him and Nazir, with the exception of the suicide vest.
Brody has accepted a deal from the CIA; which is for him to continue what he is doing, find out anything more about Nazir’s plan, report back, and in return disappear with his family and no formal charges will be filed against him. He cooperates, although reluctantly, but he doesn’t have a choice. It’s either be at the CIA’s beck and call or face a life sentence with a probable death penalty.
Brody is very conflicted, he will do whatever it takes to help Nazir’s cause, but when his own country is asking for help, he is reluctant. The turmoil he must be feeling is gut wrenching and impossible to imagine. There was still a glimmer of hope, though, at least for the first few days of him helping the CIA. Everything seemed according to plan, whether Brody liked it or not.
This season doesn’t pull any punches, especially in the later half. My only real complaint would be the side plot revolving Dana, that didn’t do anything to really further the overall storyline. Other than that, everything finally gets turned on its head regarding Brody – EVERYONE knows that he is a terrorist. Regardless of his own definition of the word, the fact of the matter is that he was going to kill the VP and all other high ranking officials, but decided not to at the last minute, but this time around he was successful at killing the VP in an awesomely dark way.
Most will agree that Saul is the moral compass in this show, although others will say that he may have his own motives. I can’t definitively say that “Saul is a mole”, but there certainly are signs of that, but even if he was, it could only lead into better television. When all is said and done with his story, you still don’t know for sure whether or not he is completely “good”.
The biggest moment of this season is easily when Brody is finally brought face to face with Nazir, and this is again the time where we start to question Brody’s agenda. Basically a new plot is constructed, and my interpretation of the plot is having Nazir die, in order to bring down the defenses of the CIA almost completely. This would be the perfect time for a sleeper cell to pick up the pieces that Nazir left behind, and finish the job. The question still remains whether or not Brody was the person who planted the bomb at the CIA, but we don’t know for sure.
This season wasn’t without its faults, but the pros outweighed the cons, at least for me. We’ll see what’s in store for the third season, and hopefully they can bring back the mystique that Brody once had. All I know is that this is the best show on TV, there hasn’t been anything even close to it.