Homeland

[jasonf]

Anyone else watch this? Last night was a great start to the season. Claire Danes is truly remarkable. I'm still amazed Damien Lewis is British - his American accent is perfect!

[strummergirl]

Good start. I did love Dana Brody (my favorite TV kid after Sally Draper) saying her piece at that 'debate' or whatever her expensive Quaker school had going. Rules be damned, that kid deserved to be called a douche for what he said (and also corrected which Dana did at first).

[gustof777]

literally screamed at the end of this weeks episode!!

[iflip4musicals]

Last nights episode was ridiculous!

I just finished season 1, and caught up with season 2, not sure how I'll make it a whole week!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

This show is absolutely amazing. Claire Danes gives an absolutely nuanced, intense and completely believable performance as Carrie, Damian Lewis is perfect as Brody, he brings so much complexity to a role that could have easily been misguided and darker (though credit to the writers for making this character so multi-layered in every way).
I think it's one of the best (or the best? ) shows to deal with the state of things post-911. To avoid spoilers I'll just say the I completely agree the last episode was insane! I gasped during the big reveal towards the end, it was so good! One of the best episodes the show has had, it's so great that it's as good as the last season.

[Mildred Plotka]

I just watched Season 1 in marathon form (which I'd highly recommend if you haven't started watching) and am obsessed. The first two Season 2 episodes have been edge-of-your-seat television.

I've never been a huge fan of Claire Danes, but she is giving a genius performance. She was amazing in this last week's episode, and if she doesn't win a 2nd Emmy for it, I'll be shocked.

I literally screamed at the television when Brody *SPOILER*
sent the text to tip off Abu Nazir.

It's also nice to see Mandy Patinkin on series television again. I hope he doesn't jump ship as he did with Criminal Minds.

[strummergirl]

I can understand Mandy jumping ship from Criminal Minds taking a pretty gratuitous turn. This show would really have to do something dramatic for him to leave on his own terms, which would be shocking given how sensitive the show handles and maneuvers around a lot of sensitive avenues in television that other, lesser shows are often not as caring.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

I know Patinkin got a lot of backlash for the way he left CRIMINAL MINDS but I thought his recent comments on why he left made complete sense and actually made me respect him a lot more. He's great in HOMELAND, I was shocked he didn't get an Emmy nomination (I assume since a lot of TV people were not pleased with the CRIMINAL MINDS thing).
I screamed at the TV during that moment, Mildred, the entire episode was great. It's the rare show where I cannot say what's going to happen next at any point, "edge-of-your-seat" TV is a perfect description.

[jasonf]

I do genuinely think this is the best show on TV. As someone else said, you NEVER know what's coming next. Saul saw the video Brody made? Come on - who saw that coming?? The revelations that can lead to are mind-boggling. That sets up an incredible range of possibilities for the rest of the season.
I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Mildred Plotka]

I loved the moment when Saul realized Carrie wasn't so crazy, after all. The transformation Patinkin made when he put all the pieces together was spellbinding. I can't imagine he'll be ignored for an Emmy nomination this season.

[strummergirl]

Just watched the episode. Danes had Emmy moments and we're only in episode 2. Hell, the direction in that Carrie retrieves her bag sequence was incredibly tense and well-directed within an inch of its life. And oh yes, seeing the cuts of Saul actually seeing the Brody video made me scream in thrill and glee. Somebody else knows! Now hopefully they tell other people because I am now scared for Saul for some reason.

My only issue is Brody conveniently getting to do a lot of stuff that in places of high security seem impossible. Going through the files last week and now having trans-continental cell service in the basement of the Pentagon? I thought at least make him so transparently tense it would force him to go into the bathroom or some place that could realistically have better cell service. Plus even if Nazir got taken out, could Brody be blamed? Nobody would have known he was 'there' when it happened. That said, I enjoyed Brody's speech about Walker to his Marine buddies. So many double-meanings of his own self in those words but that is his character- like at that gala at the beginning when he told derided the hosts as bomb-builders yet totally saved the terrorist mastermind.

Re: Mandy, I doubt Criminal Minds (that seems to just be maligned as a procedural show that gets ratings and not even a procedural show with the prestige of a Grey's Anatomy or a Law & Order) pissed off Emmy voters. However, his overall reputation (he also left Chicago Hope on shaky terms and is generally considered too difficult to work with) may have done some damage to him getting an Emmy nomination.

[Scripps2]

Series 2 started on UK television a couple of days ago (interestingly scheduled directly opposite Downton Abbey on another channel) and the first episode was both riveting and excellent - no faltering here.

[violet72]

I literally screamed a my tv at the end of this week's episode...did NOT see that coming...best show on TV

Also loved the first episode this season when he was going through the files and I was worried he was going to get caught but then I was like wait a second he is dong this for the "villian" of the show, why am I rooting for him to not get caught? It was like the end of season 1 I wanted the vest to go off to prove Claire Dane's character right but then that would be wrong too....best show on TV

[Scripps2]

Another riveting and very intense episode last night (the one in which Brody has to move an informant to a safe house when he's due to make a presentation) that had me screaming at my TV.

"why am I rooting for him to not get caught"

I think I kind of hope he'll turn away from being a grass and actually become the hero everyone else believes he is - even though it's way too late for that! And it's also the smart individual against the dehumanising political machine that is also far from being the ideal that it should be.

There was also some very bold, errrrrr, profiling of him that I didn't think they would dare show.

[bobs3]

That final scene last night in the hotel room was brilliant writing, directing and acting. Just when you think you are expecting one thing to happen on this show, something completely different happens.

[strummergirl]

Best episode of the season so far. Excellent back to back episodes. Carrie's interrogation with Brody ought be Danes and Lewis' Emmy episodes.

[javero]

Easily the best sexual-pyscho-political-spy drama on US TV. Danes, Lewis, Patinkin, and Harewood have brought their A-games to this series. And I have to give Morena Baccarin credit for delivering the goods as Brody's wife Jess trying her damnedest to keep that family together after his lengthy absence and return as "someone else". The love triangle between Carrie, Brody, and Jess makes for very gripping storytelling alone.

SPOILER: Brody's disclosure to Jess in last night's episode gives the writer's license to revisit Carrie-Brody's intimate relationship whole hog.

My biggest fear is that Jess will become collateral damage which she doesn't deserve. Arguably, Brody and Carrie were made for each other but their union nearly destroyed her the first time out. Another stab at it will most likely destroy him.

I just hope that Carrie doesn't exploit the situation for personal gain. Her confession to Brody last night left me gutted. Of course she was "working" him but it was so raw it shook me to me core. I shouted at the tv set "no...don't say that to him, Carrie" Those were two tortured soul mates who will have to give up everything dear to them in order to be together. It's a riveting take on the notion of "sleeping with the enemy".

[henrikegerman]

Last night was almost too intense. On top of the election and Sandy it was making me crazy.

[iflip4musicals]

As someone who has been hit by a car, I did not appreciate the Dana/Finn storyline. That being said, I wish they could have had a happy relationship for a whole episode before something so tragic happened.

I adored the Carrie/Brody scene. I thought it was done beautifully and can move into a nice storyline. Of course Homeland won't do what we expect it to (part of why I love it) so I am excited to see where it goes next!

Did anyone else think Claire Danes sounded like she was wearing a retainer or something? She sounded a bit funny to me.

[strummergirl]

I think the 'Finn hits somebody with a car' and that it could ruin him and his family was a play on the Kennedy-esque scandals of yore in today's political climate. Finn, reckless youth, getting in trouble, knows he's in trouble, and he can only walk away and hope for no consequence of it. His father has probably gotten away with that and if we are making blunt comparisons, Finn is not the only person with blood on his hands in the family. Dana's not used to being around those people.

The Dana-Finn romance already had taken a sour turn with Finn thinking Leone's Once Upon a Time in America was a good date movie for Dana.

[javero]

"I think the 'Finn hits somebody with a car' and that it could ruin him and his family was a play on the Kennedy-esque scandals of yore in today's political climate."

Yep, that was the first thing that came to my mind as well. However, a couple of the other scenes were so intense that I was numb by the time the accident occurred. I'm just not invested in the youngster's budding love story. And I can't even remember the name of Brody and Jess' son.