First off Full Spoilers!!!! If you haven’t seen Homeland Season 2 episode 12 “The Choice”, go watch it and come back later. Seriously.
I’m 0-2 in predictions for season finales this year. So certain that both Tig and Brody would die in their respective finales. There was no other options for the writers. The characters had earned their deaths. The writers saw things differently, both Tig and Brody continue to breathe A whole bunch (especially in Brody’s case) of other people aren’t but they still are.
Carrie and Brody escape back to the cabin. Alone, finally free of Nazir, the CIA, Brody’s family. A blank slate for both of them is within reach. It’s all up to Carrie though. For some reason the CIA is still offering her a position. She has proved herself rather useful. The company wouldn’t take very kindly to her being involved with a known terrorist. Carrie has the titular choice to make. Choose happiness with Brody or what seems to be a fulfilling and happy job with the CIA.
They aren’t alone even with all the seclusion. It isn’t too far away for croissants after all. Mr. Quinn is keeping a watchful eye on them. Until our cold soldier turns out to be not so cold. Rupert Friend has done a good job as Quinn. Overshadowed by most everyone else, still holding his own as the slightly dicksih Quinn. All things are point towards more of him in season 3.
His scene with Estess as he refuses to kill Brody since he is a “guy who kills bad guys” is the best dialog he has gotten all season. Quiet and understated, not bothering to show the silenced pistol until it was nearly over. Brody kept his end of the deal why should they kill him now? There is no real reason beyond a cliche “he knows too much”. So Quinn refuses to be the trigger man and warning Estess to not harm Brody since Quinn is a “guy who kills bad guys”. With what happens in the second half of this episode it is surprising that Mr. Quinn dose not pop back up for some sort of reaction shot.
Dana finally calls her dad out on all the stuff that has been building up between them. It only makes sense that he was going to blow himself up last season. She has known for a long time his admission just confirmed it. This is probably the last Brody-Dana scene so it is nice that they went on a good one. Even if her reaction about never really knowing someone was a bit over dramatic.
All this doesn't matter when it blows up in everyone’s face. Mysteriously Brody’s car is moved in front of the CIA building, which is hosting a memorial for Walden. Than BOOM! Estess, the remaining Walden family and most other people are blown away. Carrie and Brody snuck away but not far enough to not be knocked out from the blast.
So what does this mean for Brody and the missing 12 hours? Was he in on it the whole time, exploiting his relationship with Carrie to get safe passage out of the country? Or was he being played by Nazir like everyone else? Initially I’m leaning more toward him being set up by Nazir. The bombing works with everything the show has said about Nazir before. You just can’t trust Brody right away.
After being convinced he didn’t plan for this, at least enough to not shoot him on sight. Carrie activates her insurance policy. A convoluted plan to get to international waters fast. At the same time the press gets the confessional tape Brody made back in season 1, linking him to this terrorist attack. All things point to Carrie and Brody running off Bonnie and Clyde style. Except, Carrie can’t, she has to find out who really planted that bomb. Was it an inside job, Nazir’s master or something else? The whole Carrie-Brody relationship has been something that never fully clicked for me. On one hand it is completely believable that Carrie dose love Brody. The Brody side of things is murkier, they have a connection no doubt I just hesitate to call it love.
Damian Lewis is my favorite actor on this show. With him on the run hopefully the writers will keep Lewis in the background and not an integral part of next season. It should feel important when he finally reappears.
With Estes out of the way it looks like Saul “The Bear” Berenson is standing atop the ashes of the CIA building. No more Estes to make life hard for him and Carrie. The relationship between the two is going to be very interesting in the next season. Saul is going to be keeping an eye on his protege, she really is the smartest and stupidest person ever. The character of Saul has largely been in the background this season but Mandy Patinkin can still grab you with his sweet beard and make you feel as he searches for Carrie’s body among the wreckage So imagine the relief and fear on his bearded face when he hears her voice just as the episode ends.
So that’s it for season two of Homeland. Overall still my favorite TV show of the fall, even if the skype via a Blackberry in “Broken Hearts” was one of the stupidest things the show has done. Even than Homeland continued to be the show I most looked forward to each weeki. The character moments are still great, “Q&A” is my favorite single episode of TV this fall. Whatever the heck Carrie and Brody are two eachother continues to be intriguing, if implausible. Blowing up the CIA is a good way to either bring the show down a couple notches or ratchet things up to 11 and not let go.
B for this episode I’d say B+ overall.
Looking at the Showtime 2013 preview Ray Donavan appears promising. Masters of Sex eh not so much but it could surprise me. Also did the DVR for anyone else say this was going 2 hours and 10 minutes? I was all happy for a super long edition of Homeland...and than it ended and I was confused.
