Homeland: Season 4, Episodes 1 and 2 “The Drone Queen” and “Trylon and Perisphere” (B+)
I had to go back and look at my reviews from the beginning of last season since I had forgotten that I did actually like the way season three started out before it took a serious nosedive by sending Carrie to the loony bin and then getting bogged down with childish antics involving everyone’s least favorite character, Andrew Lockhart. The season finale’s shocking death paved the way for a complete reboot here, and I think that’s what we have in a very positive sense. The premiere matched the jarring nature of the season ender by introducing a major new character played by a well-known TV actor, Corey Stoll, and killing him off within that same hour as he was dragged to his death by an angry mob after Quinn and Carrie had come to his rescue just moments earlier. It’s a big deal for a show like this to enlist an actor like him only to dismiss him immediately, but it helps to show that anything can happen and anyone is vulnerable, which is important as this show revs up for its fourth season. The action antics were well contrasted by the slower moments, particularly Carrie considering drowning her baby daughter because she just isn’t equipped to handle motherhood – hardly a reasonable move, but not too surprising for Carrie. Talking Lockhart into sending her back into Pakistan was a bold move, and now things should get interesting. Quinn has returned as a prominent character, open to new possibilities but haunted by what he’s seen and done. Saul isn’t yet in a perfect position, but I’m sure the show will find a good role for him soon enough if Adal’s reports turn out to be true. I’d be happy to be rid of Lockhart, but otherwise I’m relatively pleased with what this show seems ready to offer this season.
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