10/21/13
View Logs: Homeland S3 Episode 3
Episode 3: Tower of DavidYou know... cable drama fans are a super tough bunch. So here I was getting all pretentious and criticizing the people who are enjoying Agents of SHIELD for being unaware that TV is so much better than that and I hop that cable/network border and suddenly run into everyone criticizing Homeland left and right. So, you could say that my logs on Homeland will have the polar opposite attitude that I've had in Agents of SHIELD. It's funny when you think about it. But on to the actual episode, this one isn't as bad as people on the internet are making it seem. Sure it's not perfect, but it's still a hell of a lot better than anything in Homeland late season 2 and that's a reasonably good accomplishment at the moment.
One of the most common complaint that I've seen tossed at the show is that it was too obvious. Actually, I agree. It is a little obvious. I understood the parallels between Brody and Carrie after the first Act and the rest of the episode was really just me waiting to see how far they are willing to push this comparison. Unfortunately, it turned out to be pretty dang far as the ending shot of the episode had both of them in very similar blocking.
Yeah... yeah Alex Gansa... we get it... your Showtime... not Fox, don't underestimate your audience. Although, this isn't even the weakest moment of the episode. The weakest is probably her...
I understand the point of her character. It's to show that not everyone associated with terrorist groups are terrorist or bad people. The problem here is... the way she's played off it seems like she's following Brody because she has a thing for Brody... maybe it's her acting more than her writing? But either way this came across kinda lame. It would have been better if she was written (and acted) as if she saw Brody as an opportunity rather than a kind of savior to look up to. I really don't think this is just me, I think it's pretty obvious that the way this whole scenario played it she's either...
- Sees him as the one guy who can "save" her
- Wants to jump him.
- Both
Any one of these three writing choices just suck. Again, this isn't network... this is cable... please don't be lazy with your side characters Alex.
But... despite all this, I still found the episode to be reasonably well written (and thus liked it). Really, if there's one thing Homeland is very very good at, it's pushing irony in a way that doesn't feel forced. It might be a little over the top, but it doesn't really break the logic or progression of the story (which is my line for judging whether something is "over the top in a good way" or "so forced it's hamfisted and blunt".) Homeland Season 1 was a great example of being the former. Homeland Season 2 was perfect at being the latter. The reason why I liked this episode was because the way the plot unfolded was more akin to Season 1 than Season 2. I'll explain.
So the show is very good at playing with perceptions of Islam especially from an American perspective. This sounds dumb... but you'd be surprised how badly people can handle religion in fiction even if it's their own perspective they are writing. But Season 1 played a lot with the dramatic purpose of showing Islam being practiced. A good example is in Episode 2 of Season 1 where Brody, after being built up that he's this world weary veteran who just wants to have some peace, is suddenly praying to Allah. It's a nice way to put doubt in your mind that Brody isn't all that he seems but it leaves you a very uncomfortable feeling because you're judging him for practicing Islam which is highly Islamophobic. I can't do that section of Season 1 justice, you'll have to watch for yourself and see how uncomfortable it can make you about yourself.
This episode was more of that. Notice how the Islamic family who decided to shelter Brody, turned him in because they thought he was a terrorist (and he is... but not in ways that they think he is). So, essentially they were being good Muslim citizens. Yet... what was the thanks they get? They all get brutally gunned down. No seriously, that scene was so uncomfortable to watch and left me with that same highly uncomfortable feeling that made Homeland Season 1 dramatic. I can bash the weak side characters and I can bash the blunt symbolism between Brody and Carrie. But, at the core of Homeland, is how it manages to play with you though very unfortunate circumstances and scenarios. That is what really made Homeland great and I'm happy to see elements of that in this season this early. That bodes well.
