Wednesday, October 23, 2013

What I’m Watching: Homeland


Homeland: Season 3, Episode 4 “Game On” (C+)

This was the first truly disappointing episode of this show that I’ve seen. We finally got a chance to see Brody last week, and now he’s gone just as abruptly as he entered back into the show’s universe, and we’re left with Carrie back in the mental hospital. It’s all supposed to be worth it because of that final scene in which everything suddenly makes sense, and Carrie is actually back in the field. It’s hard to believe, however, that this really was anyone’s plan all along, and it’s a far cry from battling terrorism and trying to figure out who is on the wrong side of things. I’m always pleased to see Martin Donovan on a show after his memorable performances on “Weeds” and “Boss,” but I don’t quite comprehend his character, who seems all too smooth and definitely too smart to be deceived by Carrie’s grand plan. Carrie being deemed crazy and subjected to horrible sleepless nights like the one depicted in this episode just so that she could have the perfect cover seems like a long way to go just to create the off chance that she’d be approached by Bennett’s people, who in turn can connect her with Javadi. We had the chance to see two former cast members in this hour, and neither’s appearance was particularly satisfying. I am glad that David Marciano’s Virgil tipped Carrie off to the trap he had set for her, and I’d love to see him at his most sarcastic again soon. Diego Klattenhoff, currently enjoying success as an FBI agent on “The Blacklist,” was back as Mike, who was probably the most reliable part of an awful plotline that now subjects Dana to something infinitely more boring than terrorism: a murderous boyfriend. This show seems to have lost sight of what it’s supposed to be about, and I do hope it regains a sense of itself soon.

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