The Debriefing: Nicholas Brody has resurfaced in Caracas, Venezuela. Bloodied and with a bullet buried in his stomach, he is saved by a surgeon (Erik Todd Dellums) and in the custody of El Nino (Manny Perez). However, things are not as Brody seems — while Nino is in the debt of Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), he’s pretty much holding Brody captive. Is it for his own good? Meanwhile Carrie is also being held captive, in a mental institute. She’s then visited by an attorney (Jason Butler Harner) who is promising to get her out of the asylum. However, will she fold?
America’s Most Wanted (Best Overall Performance): Damian Lewis is pretty boss in his return to the series. He brings his vintage bat shit craziness back to a show that’s actually done a solid job of evolving in his absence. The air of desperation Lewis brings to the table in this episode is so jarring and so powerful. His best moment was when the doctor tells him he’s nothing more than a cockroach and he deserves to be in the Tower of David. The look of defeat in his eyes spoke more volumes than any of his paranoid rants.
The Sleeper Cell (Best Supporting Performance): Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison. Danes was not the primary focus of tonight’s episode, but she remains such a powerhouse. Her scene with the mysterious attorney who offers her a way out was the highlight of her performance tonight. It’s crazy (no pun intended) but she won’t turn her back on the CIA even when they have turned their back on her. Although…maybe this changes next week?
A “BOO” Nazir (The Worst Part of the Episode): Brody’s new found addiction to what I’m assuming is heroin. As if this guy didn’t have enough baggage, now we’re going to make him a junkie? I think they may gone a bit too far with this new added detriment to Brody’s condition.
The Key Evidence (Best Part of the Episode): The mosque scene was great. Brody gets tuned up, then gets rescued by El Nino’s men then thrown back into hell of The Tower of David. It’s almost Shakespearean in its tragedy.
The Analysis (Overall Thoughts on the Episode): What an episode. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the parallel between Brody and Carrie’s situations, but that’s the beauty of Homeland — it knows how to take the most tried and true plot devices and make them something special.
Photo Credit: Kent Smith/Homeland
