Homeland - "Tin Man Is Down" Review

by Lee Padrick, October 15, 2013

WARNING:  This review contains spoilers.


I apologize for my late, late review of the first few episodes of Homeland.  I'll admit, I've been trying to watch "Tin Man Is Down" for a couple of weeks, and I keep falling asleep.  So I'm not doing a good job of time management, or the writers aren't doing a good job of making me care.


There are many things going on with Homeland that I don't care about.  Let's start with Saul's (Mandy Patinkin) wife (Sarita Choudhury, a fine actress in her own right) becoming a regular on the show.  Nothing against the actress, but I like my Saul damaged and alone.  I don't want to watch extended scenes where he and his wife discuss the inevitable sexual moment.  Saul deserves to have his happiness, but he has a greater role to play.  I'll get to that in a moment.  So far, he and his wife are sleeping in separate beds, and I hope they continue this arrangement for all of Season Three.  If I want dysfunctional, separate bed couples, I'll watch Masters of Sex.

Another story arc that I'm struggling with is the Dana thing.  Yes, I get Dana (Morgan Saylor) is probably 18 years old now, but I don't want to see her with her shirt off.  Or playing grab ass with Leo (Dexter's protege, Sam Underwood).  I understand that your father being accused of a terrorist incident can really mess your life up, and a teenage mind is vulnerable to bad choices because of it.  But enough with the aftermath of the suicide attempt (unless you think of it in the light of Brody's suicide bomb attempt in the bunker in Season 1, then I think I get it).  I watch this show for the suspense of a thriller, not a teen romantic drama.  I have Netflix, I can watch The O.C.  Or if I want to watch mopey teenagers, there's a vampire movie series I can watch.

Carrie Matheson (Claire Daines, 2 time Emmy winner for Best Actress in Drama) is another gripe I have.  Over two seasons, I've seen Carrie when she's off her meds suffering from bipolar disorder and making bad choices.  I don't really want another season of unmedicated Carrie.  Give me the super talented, potty-mouthed CIA analyst/field op that I spent the first season with.  I don't need an episode devoted to Electro Shock 3.0.

To quote Michael Bolton, "And now for the good stuff!"

Saul is the Acting Director of the CIA!  And because of the limited talent pool that's left after the CIA attack, he's being advised by Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham).  These two dudes are owning it when they are on screen together.  So we know there's going to be plenty of bad advice and double-crosses!

Quinn is now the Jason Bourne of the CIA.  Extremely deadly, but with a moral compass.  Now that's how I like my black op assassins.  And he's working a Breaking Bad-style simultaneous takedown of the bad guys responsible for the CIA attack.  But poor Quinn, who we see making a bomb early in Caracus, Venezuela, decides not to use the bomb when he sees the target's son.  Unfortunately, the target's son gets caught in the crossfire of his up-close-and-personal alternate plan.

Saul tells Dar Adal that he won't throw Carrie under the bus.  But after an unmedicated Carrie flips out at the restaurant, Saul seizes the opportunity to give Senator Lockhart a scapegoat.  This is after Carrie sleeps with a Brody-like dude she met at the liquor store.  I can only hope that Saul has a master plan and hasn't taken a heel turn.  

Speaking of Senator Lockhart, I like how the writers are setting him up as a primary antagonist.

Homeland is back for its third season.  Maybe good things are ahead for this series, but I can't help but think that this show ended in the bunker with Brody and the suicide vest in Season One.           


Random Thoughts:

- Where's Mike? (other than on The Blacklist)

- I liked Carrie's dad (James Redhorn), hope he's a regular this season.  Carrie needs a father figure, and Saul doesn't look like he'll play that role.

- Here's hoping for an expanded role for Quinn

- No Brody yet!


What did you think?

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