User Reviews

Shortly after calling Brody to tell him that as part of his immunity deal he will have to withdraw his Vice Presidential candidature and step down from Congress Carrie is involved in a car crash. Not too long after that Brody receives another call; this time from Abu Nazir… he has Carrie and he will kill her if Brody doesn't go to the Vice President's house and get the remote code that will access his heart pacemaker! Brody manages to find the code but refuses to give it to Nazir until he frees Carrie. Meanwhile Saul learns a bit more about Quinn and confronts David Estes.

This episode started well with Carrie's crash; it came out of the blue giving a nice surprise. The tension then rose nicely when it was revealed that is wasn't really an accident and she had been captured by terrorist Abu Nazir. When Brody was given his mission by Nazir there was a tense will he/won't he moment where the viewer didn't know whether or not he would really give the code in exchange for Carrie's life. As always the acting was solid; I particularly liked the scene between Claire Danes and Navid Negahban, as Carrie and Nazir, where they talked about their commitments to their causes. The tension peaked at the end with more than one major character being in potential danger… I can't wait to see what happens next!

I think the point here is that, TV teaches us, there are at least two ways (so far) to deal with the "terrorist" plot line.

One way -- and I confess a fondness for this one -- is the series FIGHT BACK which has everything to do with the "buddy movie fighting crime" arc (think, Lethal Weapon, the original) and less to do with terrorism, except as an excuse to keep the action moving with generous dollops of sex, pretty women, and action.

The other way is HOMELAND, as a strange a brew as a I have ever seen. You can compare it to some of the "thinking man's" cop shows from the 70s, you can compare it to a daytime soap opera, you can, for all I care, compare it a Cocker Spaniel. But the one thing you cannot compare it to is FIGHT BACK, because they are oil and water, chalk and cheese.

So, you may ask, why did I wait until the almost-end of the second season to walk this road? Because this episode, strange and mispaced as it is, typifies everything that is right; and everything that is wrong, with the series.

The first Act is pure 1950s daytime soap, with much gnashing of teeth over infidelity, and secret plans, and the lost innocence of youth.

Would be a yawn unless you have seen the preceding shows, and of course most of us have.

Then in the Second Act the pedal suddenly goes to the metal and we abduction, threat, blackmail, a "caper" movie, a negotiation and ... the murder of the second most powerful man in the US. The fact that the last 50 seconds has one of the "good guys" getting arrested by his own team is a nice touch.

Two different series, two different approaches to the same story. Is one better than the other? Only the viewers can decide.

Saul meets with Dar Adal at a café having something to eat. The two talk and Saul starts to ask questions to Dar that could be seen as untrustworthy. At the apartment Jessica and Mike seem to be the only ones happy until Brody walks in causing some tension. Chris seems to be the only one happy to see Brody because Jessica and Dana do not seem to like him that much anymore. Brody wants to see what has been going on in his family after not being around but no one really feels like talking. Carrie then calls him happy to just hear him. Just after getting off the phone with Brody a car hits the side of her car. David thanks the CIA for all their work and Saul has to go talk to him. Saul wonders why Quinn is still around but David says nothing only for Quinn to come in saying Carrie is missing after being in an accident. Dana is told Finn wants to see her but she does not really seem into it. Brody then gets a video message that Abu Nazir has Carrie in his custody. Abu Nazir tells Brody what he is to do if he wants Carrie back. When Brody does not want to do what Abu wants him to Carrie has a gun put to her head. Carrie left lone try's to get lose from being kept prisoner by Nazir. While Carrie tries to escape Nazir comes in to make sure she is unable to move or get free while there. Saul goes to Carrie's car and nothing seems to be adding up to where she may be. Saul try's to call Brody to try find where Carrie is but he does not know either. Dana meets with Finn on the rooftop and he tries to apologize to her know saying he feels sorry for killing the women. He wants to start over but she does not want to start over with him. Nazir try's to offer Carrie some water but she wants nothing from him. She tells him to worry but he does not seem to have a care in the world even comparing himself to Carrie. Carrie tells Nazir all the bad things he has done over the years but he questions what she does as bad. Brody goes for his meeting with the Vice President so he can help free Carrie. Brody has to wait while the vice is in a meeting even though it is a long time. Brody is left alone and goes searching through the Vice's office looking for what Nazir asked of him. He then calls Nazir saying he cannot find what he is told to look for. He then begs for Carrie's life and safety. Carrie is let go but must find you way out of this dark building. She is set free in exchange for the number. Brody ends up sending the number sending in on to a man on a computer working for Nazir. Brody tells Walden he does not want to run along with him. When Walden starts to have a caused heart attack Brody tells the real reasons he is not going to run. Brody shows that bu killing the vice president he still cannot be trusted as a non terrorist. Carrie finally gets someone to stop for her using his phone to call for backup to try finally get Nazir. Brody finally calls for a doctor to help for the vice. Saul try's to get out of the CIA building but he is stopped at the door and wanted upstairs. Carrie decides to return to where Nazir was by herself. Great episode from the conversation with Saul at the start to Carrie being held prisoner. Brody killing the vice president know shows he has not been changed much.

EPISODE GRADE: A- (MVP: Damian Lewis)

In season 1 Brody's daughter was likable and acting nicely, but in season 2 she's overacting and it's bad. Plus, "like I said, you're a terrorist"... really? That's your witty answer? Sigh.