Tuesday 30 April 2013

Homeland: Season 2 Episode 2

Having kicked off Season 2 with an enthralling opening episode last week, this week’s episode of Homeland is sure have you sitting on the edge of your seat screaming at the TV for more answers!!

After narrowly escaping last episode’s attack, Carrie is finally able to meet with her intel. Having been assured a $5 million reward as well as freedom from war-torn Lebanon for information on Abu Nazir, the woman reveals her husband is meeting with Nazir the following day.

At an official congress function back in the United States, Vice President Walden informs Brody that Israel’s attacks on Iran were not entirely successful. Within his religious beliefs still hidden from the public eye, Brody tries to stay as calm and focused as possible – however the news has clearly left shocked and distressed. Having been a militant officer, the Vice President asks Brody to use his experience to convince the President to allow for Israel to use U.S military weapons to finish off their job on Iran. Attempting to avoid bringing his beliefs into the conversation Brody looks at the possible decision from a holistic approach, claiming it would ultimately look as though the U.S were behind the attack on Iran. However his argument goes unheard, with an ignorant and arrogant Walden showing little sympathy for the Middle East. Absorbing what just occurred Brody is momentarily lost in time but eventually, after Vice President Walden questions his commitment, agrees to his requests.
 


 
 

Back in Beirut, Carrie returns to the safe house following her meeting much to the delight and relief of Saul. However after finding out that Carrie had already engaged in contact with the intel rather than the two of them going together, Saul questions Carrie’s ability to follow protocol but is more concerned about the source’s reliability. However after Carrie informs Saul of the information on Nazir, he is somewhat more accepting of her actions.

Estes on the other hand, back at CIA headquarters, is not as impressed as Saul. Having broken the agreement to meet the intel together with Saul, it seems as though Carrie is going back to old habits – basing her judgement off other people’s word and her own suspicions. Her inability to completely prove that the capture or death of Nazir is certain does not sit favourably with the head of CIA. Estes consults Saul for his judgment and a decision on the situation. Not realising that Carrie is on the verge of a mental breakdown, his demeaning comments about her presence in Beirut as well as her participation in the operation on a whole could not have come at a more bad time. However in justifying that the Carrie of old (at the time of recruiting her intel 8 years prior) was more trustworthy and reliable than her current self, Carrie manages to persuade Saul to go ahead with the operation.
 
 
 
 
 

For the first time in Season 2, Brody’s old mate Mike is reintroduced in to the story. Although having had their differences in Season 1, the pair seem to be making up for lost time. That is until Mike brings up Tom Walker’ death and the attempted assassination of Vice President Walden, claiming that the whole situation made no sense especially when Walker had the best sniper shot out of their whole military group. Having been made public that Walker acted alone, Mike asks Brody to use his authority to look further into the case. Trying his best to avoid the conversation and dismiss any conspiracies, Brody half-heartedly agrees to look into the case.

As the operation regarding Abu Nazir begins to unfold in Beirut Brody is informed of the major breakthrough for the first, joining other cabinet members to oversee the possibly historic event play out. Having had to eventually question who the prime target was, Brody quickly realises the seriousness of the situation for Nazir. Out of sheer desperation to save Nazir’s life, Brody sends him a sly message just in time to avoid being gunned down. Confusion and frustration begins to generate in the room as the operation fails to take down Nazir.
 
 

 
 
 
If the failure of the operation wasn’t bad enough, Carrie jeopardises the cover and lives of her colleagues as she flees from the escape car and ventures into the building complex of her intel looking for any more information. As the situation on the street begins to get out of hand and fearing for their own safety, Saul and the team are forced to drive on – leaving Carrie behind. Having had to momentarily fend for herself from the hostile local men, the team fortunately crosses paths with her and move on to their exit point.

Having agreed to look into Walker’s file Brody falsely claims there was nothing being covered up, much to the disgust to one of his former military partners who questions again the facts behind the attempted assassination. Again, as he does so well, Brody reverses the line of attack, cleverly using his experience as a prisoner of war to justify his actions and ease the burden of guilt.

The episode concludes with Carrie returning back to her sister’s suburban home whilst Saul is left to search through what she retrieved from the intel’s building complex. For those that remember, in Season 1 Brody made a video tape of himself (what it looked to be) confessing to his actions. However his actions at the conclusion of Season 1 were not successful. With Saul finding this tape stitched into the seam of a backpack coming from Carrie’s intel’s building, next weeks episode is sure to provide viewers with a few answer but many more questions!
 
Stayed tuned and be sure to check out next week’s posts for more Homeland material!
 
 
 
- Written By: Mike Duffy


Image Source: ten.com.au

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