Homeland

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As anybody watched Homeland yet on Channel 4 (sunday nights)?

I have Sky + the first 3 (?) episodes so far but so far havent got round to watching them. I have only heard good reviews so far so will deffo try and catch up this week.

Without any spoilers what are your thoughts on it?

I've got to agree, removing Abu Nazeer kind of just ruins the show........I was left surprised and slightly disappointed. Agree, thought it was a poor episode. Too much was obvious and the interrogation was unrealistic for an important aide to Nazeer.

Basically this is my opinion of what might happen now. Surely there is going to be some kind of mass revenge for the killing of Nazeer, either through other terrorist cells or through Brody. His reaction to Nazeer's death told alot. I think he will probably become a terrorist and continue Nazeer's cause and objectives. Also, he now knows his family want to be with Faber, therefore freeing Brody into replacing Nazeer. Brody will try and coax along Carrie through her love for him and that's probably why the next episode is about Carrie's choice.

I'm sure Quinn will attempt to kill Brody and consequently Quinn will end up dead, it's the only way a third season can continue if Brody remains. Saul will go after Estes as another story but in reality anything could happen and I'm usually wrong. Just feeling a bit disappointed but I've felt like that before earlier in the series and the show turned around, so I'm hoping for the same.

Carries choice? What do you mean?

I didn't agree with Nazeer dying, they could've teased it a bit more, maybe have Quinn save her instead?

Agree on Brody, you could see the look in his eye when he went to Carrie's house. Something tells me you're right about Nazeer. The Roya interrogation was too similar to Brody's, in the sense that Carrie got too emotionally involved. It was obvious that Roya wouldn't sell Nazeer out.

Something tells me Quinn is going to end up dead and Brody is injured in some way, with Carrie possibly killing Quinn. Leaves the 3rd season with Carrie torn over what she did, waiting for Brody to heel and Saul going after Estees.

Yer, I can see that storyline unfolding at Carrie's house but would Quinn go and risk taking out Brody with Carrie in her house. I actually thought while watching the episode that Quinn would blow Brody's house up and make it look like a revenge attack for the killing of Nazeer. While Brody and Jess talked in the car, their kids go into the house and blowing them up would of made Brody's reasoning for turning into a terrorist a valid one and gaining revenge on the government in a third series.....follow my idea and thinking?????

I believe the final episode is called, 'The Choice' and is referring to Carrie, that's why I presumed that Brody would try and brainwash Carrie into believing in his right to follow Nazeer's cause and objectives and would she work with him in gaining revenge. Carrie will do anything for Brody and her career of tracking Nazeer is over, therefore it's a possibility.

I thought the house was going to blow up as well, and when it didnt and he slumped back in his seat i expected him to get shot.

Stupidly, i googled that 'The Choice' thing, thinking that the finale airs in America tonight, and i now know what happens! Believe me, you will NOT be disappointed.

How much did you read, have you properly ruined it for yourself. I'm expecting something quite special and exciting, seeing as it's the season finale.

Unfortunately yeah.

I googled 'Homeland 'The Choice' and got a big ass spoiler, so decided to read on. To me it reads brilliantly, and there are a few things i really did not see coming, and i doubt others will.

Yer, I'm expecting some fireworks and a few deaths. I can see Quinn being killed by Brody.....just seems inevitable.

Must be annoying that you read the spoiler, it's all about self-control. I hate reading spoilers or watching any kind of trailer that will undoubtedly ruin my experience. I'm sure you will still enjoy the episode and it's not exactly the end of the entire show, we've got many series to follow.

I downloaded it last night, didn't see the point in waiting.

I won't discuss anything, but look forward to going over it next week mate!

You two have whetted my appetite for the finale ...though I have been awaiting the next twist anyway with keen anticipation...love this show.

Decided back in the first series I wasn't going to try and guess the next move too much (as I usually do ) and find I am happier just sitting back and watching it unfold. Agree bumping off Nazeer was a bit of a surprise , but am fairly sure they know what they are doing...

Actually wasn't sure how well a second series would come up , but they have certainly delivered in spades , and I am fairly confident the third will do the same. Roll on Sunday...

Saw the finale last night. You weren't wrong when you said we wouldn't be disappointed Beer! Won't say anything until its aired in ENgland but cracking episode

Saw it last night. Indeed not disappointed. Who needs Nazir ?

Roll on series three...

It took a while to get going and the first 45 mins was a slight let down but obviously they had to set the story up. I was expecting an action packed ride from start to finish but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I already have two differeing scenarios playing out in my mind for series 3.

Just to recap. The bomb in Brody's car was put there when he visited that car wash???? or is that wrong. Also surely there would have been video evidence of who drove that car to it's final destination before leaving it. Evidence like in real life that was released that showed that Breivik in Norway driving his white van to the outside of that building. Also who is the mole inside the CIA?

I'm glad that Saul will now be the new top man and while Carrie will take on her new role (that's if Saul believes her story), she will secretly try to gather information about Brody and the bombings and try to clear his name. It's an interesting direction they've gone in but will Brody leave the county or not........I doubt it seeing as the that fake passport wont get him far, as he'll be the world's most wanted man and border security on full alarm.

quick season 3 but dependent on whether or not they think Brody is alive.

As Saul begins to hire and build his new team at the 'newly formed' CIA after the explosion, he begins to suspect Carrie may have been aware of the bomb before hand as video from an external building shows and image of what could be her and Brody departing moments before the bomb. It is not clear but clear enough to warrant a quiet further investigation into Carrie his co-worker without her knowing. Matters get further complicated when Carrie herself begins to suspect that Saul is the person behind the bombing, a possible deep cover terrorist and the mole all along. As she is attempting to clear Brody's name she finds documents which suggest Saul arranged the burial of Nazeer to coincide with the event at Headquarters. She refuses to believe it but becomes more suspicious as Saul distances himself from Carrie to further his own investigation on her. To further complicate things, a new department deputy decides he wants to investigate Brody's family, convinces they must have known something about his plans before hand. He does illegal surveillance and somehow figures out that Dana must know more, indeed she does when confronted by him in a casual conversation, and she reveals the circumstances surrounding the first attempt on the vice president's life. Now he goes to Saul with information that allows him to make his surveillance official. Foolishly, Brody in a moment of weakness while on the run or in a hideout sends a text message saying, 'I love you' to his daughter and the message on her phone is read by Mike Faber at their house after he moves back in. Puzzled he follows her around for two days just to be sure she has no boyfriend, to further his conclusions that Brody must be still alive. Now he's in a pickle, does he protect his army buddy? his new family? his country? Does he leave things as they are and maintain the status quo? Tough choices. Turns out at the end of season 3 that Saul was the mastermind of this whole thing, to kill over 200 CIA associates, and he succeeded, now its up to Carrie to prove it without alienating Saul. She developes a relationship with Saul's wife (you know the indian one who's coming back) so she can fish around his house and this puts his wife in a precarious position etc

thoughts on this scenario.......

A bit of an odd coincidence that there's an alleged terrorist named Abid Naseer in the news today (to be deported to US, but suspected over in the UK of plotting to bomb Manchester). Well, I presume it's a coincidence...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20902387

On other matters relating to Homeland, there's a clip doing the rounds of Anne Hathaway doing an exaggerated impression of Claire Danes/Carrie - one of those lampoon sketches on a recent Saturday Night Live which Ms Hathaway hosted. Should be easily accessible via youtube. Pretty funny.

Do you guys know where the cheapest place is to buy season one on DVD, would rather watch on TV as opposed to my laptop, and can't for the life of me find it anywhere where it's under 20 quid.

Cheers!

Season 3 trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXOUIsu-E0Q

Don't like watching trailers, never have and never will - just ruins the excitement for me. When is the new series expected on Channel 4?

6th October apparently, but TBC at the moment.

Just seen the first episode. Just need time to get back into it really, their setting up the series quite nicely. Looks like Carrie will be jailed or something & then they will need her again, when Brody re-enters the picture. Thought they would of just shown more of the lead up to the explosion & checked surveillance/CCTV etc. God, that daughter annoys me.

We are evidently running a couple of weeks ahead here in Australia so I really cannot say anything about what is going to happen...

But sorry, John , you are going to see a lot of the daughter  

You must be getting it before the states then Alfie as episode 2 only aired last night there. We get it Tuesday in Ireland

SirJohnnyEnglish wrote:You must be getting it before the states then Alfie as episode 2 only aired last night there. We get it Tuesday in Ireland

Time machine ?  

No , of course I mean just 1 week (was getting Carried away there ..., sorry) We actually get the episodes same day as in the States. And time differences mean that is always likely to be ahead of screening in Europe.
Promise not to come on too early and give spoilers.

Episode 2 - Quite frankly boring. I'm fearing this might be one series too many for Homeland. The daughter scenes are mind-numbingly boring, pointless & predictable. She should be seen & not heard, like her brother. Still early in the series, however without Brody, as of yet, it just hasn't got the excitment for me.

John wrote:I'm fearing this might be one series too many for Homeland.

That is my fear as well. It appears that the success of the first series has almost forced the hands of the production team to stretch it out. The writing is a bit ham-fisted and clunky at the moment and I fear that it is getting too far away from what it work so well in the first place. I'm not going to give up on it just yet and hopefully the appearance of Brody might improve things.

The best thing about it so far is Quinn. He really has that menacing 'I might just stab you in the throat for no reason' look down to perfection.

Think the problem I have with the show is I could not buy the ending to the last series. When the explosion happened Brodie was the only sensible suspect, the explosives were in his car and they knew he had been turned previously. However the show wanted you to believe the most brilliant CIA agent of her generation not only allowed him to escape but assisted him in doing so, sorry but it just stretches credibility too far.

Am still watching it but am losing patience, just don’t really know what this series is actually about yet. As Tina and others have alluded to the story had a natural arc that would have lasted a series or two at a push but because it was a success they have tried to milk it and drag it to a length it cannot really carry at the cost of plausibility.

Yeah, the series had a shelf life of two seasons max, it was Brody, Carrie & the mystery of Abu Nazeer. As soon as Nazeer got disappointingly turned into a terrorist hiding in a warehouse, eating take-away & then shot, everything has just gone bad. The beginning of the series, in my opinion, just doesn't seem to get across the feeling of another 9/11 moment just happened. They've just rushed into creating this Javid or whatever his name is and these bank accounts, which I really haven't understood yet, mainly because i was losing interest throughout the episode, having to watch that stupid daughter. I really dont know where they are going with her, she's boring, irritating...you name it. I want to see less of her, not more of her wrapped in towels, acting out some stupid relationship with another pointless character.

Brody coming back, could be the game changer. I'll stick it out but not expecting much. And what's happened with the whole mole thing? Is that just finished or is the mole still their, leaking the information about Carrie to the press? Quite frankly, i'm lost at the minute with parts of the story due to the long time difference between series.

John wrote:Brody coming back, could be the game changer.

Saw episode 3 last night. Brody took up most of the show, can see the direction the producers are going down. Both characters isolated, reliant upon drugs etc. Interesting to see what the Venezuelan guy's connection with Carrie is, maybe a rogue agent or an inside man down in the drug territories? Was an okay episode, probably because the daughter was nowhere to be seen, thankgod. Think I'll stick this series out.

Like you John will stick it out but mainly because I have nowt better to do on a Sunday night. Have to say though it is not gripping me as the first series did and the second to a lesser extent. Find myself caring less and less what happens to the main two protagonists, to be honest last night I would have been quite happy if they decided to leave Carrie in the asylum for good.

Also find some of the plot leaps increasingly ridiculous. Cannot accept a psychiatric nurse would let a patient who cannot have visitors have one simply because she asked really desperately.

I nodded off a couple of times last night. Finding it more and more of a struggle to watch.

The first season was so well written, and there were plenty of interesting peripheral characters, such as Virgil, Walker, Galvez and the drunken wheelchair vet who hated Brody. Now there are hardly any.

Apart from Quinn I'm finding it hard to be invested in any of the characters, and he's been made a bit two dimensional as well.

OK , it is probably fair to describe series three as a slow burn...

But : having seen episode four I think you will all find perseverance rewarded very soon.

Can't help you with the daughter storyline though , John  

No spoilers. But keep watching.

The twist at the end has kept me intrigued. I was pleased to see Virgil back as well.

Dana needs to die though. I don't even want an on screen death, just to disappear from the screens and never to be heard of again, similar to Mandy in the West Wing.

So it was all staged by Saul, interesting. Before the twist though the episode was pretty boring, i understand they got to set the story up but it's been painful to watch so far. I'm not even truly understanding all this story about the new terrorist 'javadi' from iran & his dealings in venezuela/ football stadiums n false names etc. they throw around all these long, complicated names & it just goes over my head, probably because im not truly captivated with the series as of yet.

I'm expecting the show to kick on now, need some action now. good to see mike n virgil back. dana's scenes  truly horrifyingly, excrutiating & pointless. someone in america must be thinking of killing her in real life.

Just got round to watching the last episode, great twist at the end didn't expect that! Should get interesting again like first season.

A nothing sort of episode, was obvious they needed to get Carrie to a private meeting. Kind of status quo. Expecting it to ramp up significantly from now on, we've waited enough & the story has developed for some action to unfold now.

I only watched Sunday's effort last night but actually thought it was the best one.

It felt more like a real Homeland episode with some political maneuvering, some real espionage and Quinn looking on the edge of stabbing someone in the face. For me, it was by far the best episode of this series and the reason I will watch the next one.

Really can't talk about this since I am one week ahead. But it does keep getting better...

Is that the end of Dana? Please say it is.

As for this season, pure dragging for me. I just can't seem to get excited about this series.

Saul & Javadi ex-mates from the 70's but then he shot his agents & double crossed him. Basically he's the CIA's bitch now & will be turned because he's an enemy of his own state for the money embezzlement. I guess he'll tell them about Venezuela or whatever's going down there, Brody is in Venezuela, there will be a big mission to go get Brody & then that's the series over.  

Seem to be very mixed views on this series : personally I think it is truly excellent television. True this third series started slowly - and yes Dana is very annoying - but the characters of Carrie and Saul , on which the focus is primarily directed at the moment , are both fascinating , superbly acted. Not really missing Brodie at present , though I expect him back sooner or later.
I wouldn't like to predict exactly where this is all going over the next few weeks , but I remain hooked.

Didn't know what to make of last night's episode, whether it was great or just a mis-mash of them throwing things into the mix & seeing what happens. The Carrie of old would never allow the mission to be jeopardised, but now this lovesick version we have to watch seems determined to rescue Brody over helping the CIA. Glad they shot her!

Did Saul pay off the 10m, I missed that part n how did he know Brody was their...Javadi? As for all the Bennett banking stuff, it's getting all abit to farcical for me & then the geezer been bugging Saul's computers at home. You'd think the director of CIA would have better security.

John wrote:Didn't know what to make of last night's episode, whether it was great or just a mis-mash of them throwing things into the mix & seeing what happens. The Carrie of old would never allow the mission to be jeopardised, but now this lovesick version we have to watch seems determined to rescue Brody over helping the CIA. Glad they shot her!

Did Saul pay off the 10m, I missed that part n how did he know Brody was their...Javadi? As for all the Bennett banking stuff, it's getting all abit to farcical for me & then the geezer been bugging Saul's computers at home. You'd think the director of CIA would have better security.

Oh don't be a grouch , John  

Sure it is stretching the old suspension of disbelief thing in parts (wait 'till you see the next episode !) but it is pumping up the action ...few weeks ago you were grumbling about nothing happening ...

Just keep praying Dana stays out of sight  

Yeah I'm glad there is some action but it's just getting all too crazy. Basically Saul has planned all this from the beginning. Saul intends to use Brody to get the CIA director job, to further phase two of the Iran op I assume? Still don't trust Dar either, to shady & deceiving a character.

It's getting interesting for sure. Really, anything could happen & it wouldn't surprise me.....

I am to a certain extent with John on this. I don't care how brilliant an agent Carrie is I struggle to believe a top CIA agent who disregards her orders with the frequency she does would remain in a job. My guess is there policy is pretty zero tolerance around that whole area.

Basically only reason they tolerated Carrie`s behaviour at first was because of her connection with Brody, then Saul used her as bait. Really now she isn't needed, hence got shot.

Saul got word of the Brody capture from that spider tattoed geezer he knew n basically told them to hold Brody until Saul had turned javadi n sent him to Iran, otherwise he would of scuppered the plan. Now Saul can use Brody as a proof of progress under his leadership to further his operation into Iran n stop lockheart taking over I assume. I don't really understand fully the whole Bennett banking thing but we'll see what happens. Also pretty sure the wife of the CIA director has official bodyguards at all times, like the first lady.

Also is Brody the father of Carries baby? Load of stuff going on, too much to compute really. Can see this Homeland show going to at least five series minimum!

Now that's what I'm talking about. Homeland is back in my opinion, good episode, feels more like the old series we loved. Definitely exciting n intriguing what happens next.

Only poor part was Carrie taking Brody to see Dana. Would never of been allowed to happen in a million years!

John wrote:Now that's what I'm talking about. Homeland is back in my opinion, good episode, feels more like the old series we loved. Definitely exciting n intriguing what happens next.

Only poor part was Carrie taking Brody to see Dana. Would never of been allowed to happen in a million years!

ah you are just bitter at Dana surfacing again , John  

Wouldn't have happened , but then neither would a lot of what is going on ... By the way one of the more unbelievable things lately is Brodie going from a strung-out drug addict barely able to stand up to running around with an elite special forces unit and apparently back to full military fitness in a couple of weeks...

But never mind. As John says , exciting again...

Thought last weeks episode was better, when setting the whole scenario up. It was pretty obvious an episode where Brody would survive, everyone else supporting him basically would die n then they end it with, 'we're off to Tehran'. I can't stand Carrie nowadays, this constant love story n the smile she put on when Brody survived was just annoying. Also, I know Saul gave over operational control, when it went wrong, however, would he really just walk out & miss what happened? Don't think so.

Should be interesting a finale anyway.

Should have been studying but the season's penultimate episode just finished in Ireland! Going to be an interesting finale great episode Brody burning alot of his bridges!

Indeed looking forward to the finale !

Come on scriptwriters : get him out of this one   

Interesting episode. Carrie will help him escape, Javadi is still in play n not exposed n the plan is back on.

So. Finale has ...finaleed ...

Must confess I felt a bit let down by the ending. Be interested to hear what others think when you all see it.