Homeland – “Still Positive”

Season Three, Episode Six

Grade: B+

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With all the silliness that Homeland has been getting into (notably, every single story-line involving Dana), Homeland as a whole is still positive (just like the title!). We get some nice CIA procedure suspense here with Carrie dangling like a pinata right in front of Javadi. She fails the truth test but is able to get the plan rolling once she’s alone with him. Still, having no eyes on Carrie throughout the operation is scary as hell, like how Carrie reacted when Saul casually asked her where she was taken. Would stuff like that really fly in the CIA? Probably not, but we have a very desperate Saul trying to bring the CIA back from the dust (while seeking revenge that we learn later about).

We get a lot of Saul in “Still Positive” and that’s always a good thing for Homeland. His morning conversation with Mira is tough to watch. She tries to calm him down by telling him nothing happened between her and her male-guest from the night before. Alain is just a guy that makes her laugh and feel good throughout the day, but Saul suspects she’s in love with him (which may or may not be true). Either way, what she wants from Saul is to just show any kind of reaction from all of this. “Get mad! Get mad at me!” she pleads, but Saul shrugs it off as if it means nothing to him. It’s something he’s been doing since day one and something everyone in the CIA is used to, but it’s certainly not something that goes over well in a relationship. It’s tough to see Mira and Saul in such a rocky situation.

Javadi ends up driving to his ex-wife’s house and murdering her before Carrie and Quinn bust through. They take Javadi away but leave the baby behind, which hurts Carrie very particularly. Why is that? Because she’s pregnant! Say what? Is this going to be the boiling point to where Homeland goes down the wrong street and gets lost forever? I sure hope not, but I’m not looking forward to exploring that story-line.

Talking about story-lines I hate, Dana gets some sort of goodbye here. After changing her name, she leaves with her friend without giving a heads up to her family. Is this the lack of responsibility she has and the selfishness she possesses? Or maybe just the understanding that her mom would never let her leave unless she simply just leaves. Either way, it’s a tearful scene when Dana says goodbye, but if this is the potential of writing her off the show for an extended period of time, then I’m still doing fist pumps.

So we get the face-to-face moment between Saul and Javadi, and it doesn’t disappoint. Saul hits Javadi down leaving him with a bloody nose as Saul stands over him, showing his dominant position. The episode also did a good job showing why tracking Javadi down means a lot to Saul, in addition to being responsible for the Langely bombing. It’s the Saul show ladies and gentlemen and it’s a breath of fresh air to be removed from Carrie’s madness and Brody’s loyalties for once. With Saul, we get a man who wants to get the job done, one who is under-appreciated within the agency, and one who is conflicted just as much as anyone else. If he leads the rest of the season, I don’t see too many people that should have a problem with that.

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Last but not least:

• Quinn and Carrie on the mission was really fun to watch. Too bad they didn’t get to kick some ass on the way of tracking down Javadi.
• When does Carrie stop taking pregnancy tests, since she’s apparently taken them 50 times and still isn’t convinced.
• I wish we got a little more interaction between Nora and Max. Those two could definitely have a few scene stealing moments if they just wrote them in.
• The arc involving Senator Lockhart and Dar Adal in the CIA is just beginning.

The Walking Dead – “Indifference”

Season Four, Episode Four

Grade: B+

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Most of The Walking Dead’s best moments, especially early on in the show, have been when the characters were on the road looking for food and materials, or just shelter to survive. For a while we’ve been dealing with well established communities with gates and barricades serving as protection against outside threats, but in “Indifference” we’re back on the road and this is a good thing.

Daryl, Bob, Michonne, and Tyreese continue walking along searching for another vehicle so they can grab some medicine in hopes to cure those sick at the prison. As they stumble across a van covered in vines near an auto-garage, we once again see the madness that has plagued Tyreese. He’s in that purgatory state where he’s become so reckless he seems to almost want to die, but still struggles and fights for his own survival. Michonne reminds him that being that stupid will get himself killed. I really enjoyed the short exchange between Michonne and Tyreese when he questions why she keeps on going out looking for the Governor even though she knows he’s long gone. They both open each others’ eyes that they’re going down a cold road and must put the past behind them to keep moving on.

Speaking about moving forward from lost loved ones, Rick and Carol go on a road trip to gather more food and supplies. During the midst of Carol explaining her actions for killing and burning the infected, they share a deep and sentimental moment talking about Lori and Sophia. Both Rick and Carol have come a long way since the beginning of the series, but as they stare at each other now, they’re both as distant as ever. They stand on different sides of what’s moral versus what’s necessary. What makes this issue so compelling is its controversy and how both sides truly believe they’re right and the other is wrong.

While I understand Carol’s mindset of preventing the virus before it spreads, those kind of actions just cannot exist within the community. That sort of thing might’ve been okay with a smaller group on the road, and if they weren’t anyone’s significant other/family, but that’s where Carol crossed the line. Rick knows it and mostly everyone else will side against Carol if they found out. Even though the world they live in are without laws, inside the community there are rules that must be obeyed to keep on living (and to feel “normal” again). So Rick banishes her from the prison and Carol drives away with enough supplies and food to last. The crushing aspect about Carol leaving is how she left the two girls behind that she’s been watching over. But this is certainly the best way to go.

In Daryl’s group, there is tension with Bob and his alcoholism and we’re reminded why you never want to cross Daryl (because he’ll chest-bump and head-butt you until you submit). This part of the episode feels uneven, mostly because we don’t really know Bob all that well. Sure, he has a problem and he’s guilty for getting Zach killed. But if Bob is to become walker-food I don’t think anyone would really care at this moment. We leave the episode with the group heading back to the prison, hopefully with enough meds to rid of the killer virus.

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Last but not least:

• For those worried about Glen’s well-being, no word from him this episode. I still believe he’ll be fine after all this.
• Tough to see Carol go. Will Rick replace her on the council?
• Maybe Tyreese will go out Michonne-style looking to kill Carol once he finds out.
• I was kind of looking forward for that young couple to join the group… oh well.