Homeland has consistently been one of the better shows on television. After a great first two seasons or so, the quality had taken a dip after it spent several seasons overseas but now things are looking up after a great season 6 ending with an unexpected twist. It will definitely be interesting where this season will go from there.
Synopsis: Carrie has left her job in the White House and moved back to D.C. and is living with her sister Maggie to take on the Keane administration. (IMDB)
Writers: Deborah Cahn and Alex Gansa
Director: Lesli Linka Glatter
Rating: TV-MA
Running Time: 59mins
Every new season seems to pick up from somewhere else and this season is no different. Now, Carrie lives with her sister Maggie and her family while continuing the fight against President Keane. The level of discourse has remained from last season but was even higher this time around as Keane’s administration continued to trample over civil liberties in her attempts to get justice over those responsible for the failed assassination attempt on her.
Meanwhile, Keane made a visit to General McClendon’s, one of the men responsible for the assassination attempt, sentencing hearing to advocate the death penalty. Wellington wanted her to tone it down but she wanted to send a message. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t get the result she was looking for with McClendon getting a life sentence instead of the death penalty.
On the run from the authorities for months, O’Keefe and his team were scouting a new location to broadcast his next show. Shortly after they broadcasted their latest show, they were greeted by police. While it looked like O’Keefe would finally be caught, these police were fans of his who saved him from the incoming U.S. marshals. His partner Sharon (Lesli Margherita) was getting worn out being with him but he convinced her to stay.
Carrie spoke with Sam Paley (Dylan Baker), a senator on a committee investigating Keane to try to arrange a meeting with one of her sources who had evidence exonerating the second wave of officials connected to Keane’s assassination attempt. It was definitely fun to watch Carrie sort of be a spy again while she was preparing for the meeting, wigs and all. Kudos to her take down of a man who was watching her.
Carrie’s source for whom she had history with, Dante Allen (Morgan Spector), had a tail so their meeting would have to be in a new location. She had to ask her niece Josie (Courtney Grosbeck) for keys to her sister’s office. As the niece drove away, she couldn’t help but to notice what was going on in her side-view mirror which could come back at some point. We then learned that Allen wasn’t as willing to cooperate as Carrie made him out to. She was desperate. Things deescalated quickly once Paley showed up and was no longer willing to listen to her which should make her more desperate.
Unbeknownst to Keane, Wellington attempted to recruit Saul from prison for the position of National Security Advisor but first they would have to release their second wave of arrests. Their conversation began and ended there as releasing them would be unlikely. Wellington then returned to his home being searched under orders from Keane, however, he would have none of it. Max was there so we know he did something.
Maggie and her husband were not thrilled about what happened, however, the conversation quickly shifted to Carrie’s mental state for the umpteenth time. She tried to defend herself to Maggie who thought this all was happening because she was off her meds. Using kids was a moot point. Carrie retreated to her room to watch Wellington watch McClendon be brought into prison. He was then submitted to a cavity search. It was during this search that he was somehow poisoned.
Overall, this was a good episode and a good start to the season. It started to show us all the pieces and gave them a direction. Carrie continues to be the most compelling part of the series and this was still the case here as mostly a lone wolf. Keane is sort of supposed to be a villain, however, it’s easy to empathize with her to a certain extent. I am definitely looking forward to learning more about her psyche and if she’ll be redeemed. Lastly, Saul is not going to be in prison much longer. However these story lines will converge remains to be seen but if they can keep last season’s level of excitement, this looks to be another great season.
Score: 8/10
If you liked this, please read my other reviews here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, and also like me on Facebook.
The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
