Homeland – “Tower of David”

Season Three, Episode Three

Grade: B

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This is certainly not the episode anyone was anticipating from Homeland. Known for its high-tension and fast-moving pace, Homeland has dramatically slowed down its third season and “Tower of David” is the most memorable thus far. We finally see Nicholas Brody and for the first half of the episode, that is all we see (out of the main cast). He’s in Caracas and is treated for a bullet wound by a very creepy doctor who wants Brody to be addicted to heroin. He’s healed back to health and has some conflicts with El Nino, the one who says knows Carrie and insists Brody stays in the tower. None of this is what Brody wants, but he soon realized he doesn’t have a choice.

It’s noteworthy that this small arc with Brody doesn’t make for great television. But it’s an approach that Homeland has apparently decided to take on this season. First, the tedious depositions against Carrie, then the concern for Dana with suicidal tendencies, and now Brody who is the most wanted terrorist on the planet. This intrigues me because of the obvious reason: where else does Brody go from here? When Brody escapes with the help of Esme (though that was a bit of a stretch), I figured this was the start to Brody on the run, something we could tune into every week and see how he’ll somehow become relevant again. But he’s captured and thrown into a cell with the doctor leaving him heroin and a needle. Is this the end of the line for Brody?

Interesting enough, we get some Carrie during the episode as well. She’s just as captive as Brody is in her psych ward and is desperate to break out (or at least talk to Saul, whom she claims is visiting her). But she’s just as hopeless as Brody, still loyal to Saul but still relentlessly passionate to get back to work. The cuts between Brody and Carrie are carefully executed such as the two of them seated on the floor in the dark of their loneliness and hopelessness. While Brody’s on heroin, Carrie’s on her meds. This is where the bombing has taken them to. Are we supposed to be rooting for them to one day meet again? Because if there is any sense of realism, that seems impossible.

The plus side from this episode is that we didn’t get to see Dana this week (score!). But we also didn’t get to see Saul and Quinn. I honestly don’t know where Homeland is going to go from here, and that’s a good thing. Will Homeland introduce new characters while leaving Carrie and Brody behind? It’s doubtful. But Homeland is one show that seems the most reluctant to expand its cast of main characters. While I actually liked this episode, I’m not sure how many more of these episodes I can actually take. Is the mystery of why El Nino isn’t collecting the reward for having Brody good? Yeah, but not good enough for me to be invested in when there are better story-lines on the homeland security front.