Review: 'Homeland' - 'Pilot': Tie a yellow ribbon
What did everybody think of the new Showtime thriller?
Damian Lewis in "Homeland."
I posted my review of "Homeland" on Friday, and I mostly want to use this post as an excuse to let the rest of you discuss the first episode, but I have a couple of specific thoughts on it that I'll give just as soon as I take off my engagement ring...
Specifically, what I was pleased about (and couldn't discuss in the earlier review) was that the pilot seems to - seems to, and this is important - give away the game by the end in showing us what really happened to Brody's partner right before he stops in front of the Capitol. It would have been very easy for Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa to say that they wanted to keep the audience guessing about whether Bordy had turned for at least a few episodes, if not the majority of the season. And I think that not only would have gotten annoying very quickly, but would have put them into a corner in terms of what they could do with the Brody character. Now, because we know - or think we know - what he's up to, they can delve much deeper into his head and let all his interactions with his family and friends be colored by that knowledge.(*)
(*) In hindsight, I think "The Killing" would have been very wise to reveal the murderer's identity quickly and set up a parallel narrative where the cops don't know whodunnit but we do.
And yet it's entirely possible that what we think we know isn't right: that Brody cracked in captivity but didn't turn, that he's somehow convinced himself that he killed his buddy, or actually did it but for justifiable reasons, that he only seems to have turned but is playing triple agent here, etc. I imagine the Occam's Razor explanation will be the real one, but there's enough ambiguity here that they could reveal something different about Brody in the final episodes without it automatically feeling like a cheat.
For now, though, I'll assume he's in cahoots with Nazir, and I look forward to seeing how all this plays out, particularly with Claire Danes and Damian Lewis at the center of it.
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupViginti
October 3, 2011 at 12:54AM EST Reply to CommentBest pilot of the season for sure; though lets face it, there hasn't been much competition thus far. I just wonder whether or not it will be able to live up to this standard for the rest of its life.
More thoughts here: http://deerinthexenonarclights.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/homeland-pilot/
Jeremy420lowe
October 3, 2011 at 2:12AM EST Reply to CommentExcellent first episode. But why can't we assume the Iraqis forced Brody to commit that murder, and that he feels just as bad about it as anyone? That seems logical to me.
Jason Possible but I think that he leaned into Nazir and was comforted by him after he killed his partner was telling. Of what I'm not sure but it seemed to show some sort of bond between them.
October 3, 2011 at 2:46AM ESTViginti I absolutely agree that the final flash of memory is not the smoking bullet that it may at first seem to be. The murder could absolutely have been forced, hell the memory itself could have been forged; who are we to know that what we've seen in those sections is entirely accurate?
October 3, 2011 at 3:37AM ESTThat he leaned on Nazir is telling but i'd say that at most it is telling of Stockholm Syndrome and at least, it was just him leaning on the nearest object, seeking any kind of avaiable comfort, as you would after an act like that.
Maybe I just like Lewis too much, but I'm still not convinced that he's the terrorist, or that it's quite as simple as him just turning all of a sudden. 24 had Jack acting strange plenty of times and I daresay any one of his reasons could easily apply here.
SlackerInc I'm just now catching up via Blu ray, and have only seen the first five eps, but I've been shocked by how many people are taking this line, that Brody may not be turned. That just doesn't strike me as what this show is, at all. How can you have cat and mouse without a mouse?
December 27, 2012 at 6:27PM ESTDan
October 3, 2011 at 4:34AM EST Reply to CommentA very intresting and promising pilot!
But finding out that it's the same people behind this as 24 makes me more than a little worried... I was never a big fan of 24 and even less of Jack Bauer. But since I'm from Sweden I of course have no clue how to be a proper "patriot". So that could have something to do with not seing the heroism of Jack...
Anyway, lets hope that Homeland can keep to the quality of its pilot and not have their characters act out of character in whiplash spins all the time as they did on 24.
Patriotic Not all americans liked 24/jack bauer
October 4, 2011 at 8:33AM ESTed w
October 3, 2011 at 7:42AM EST Reply to CommentIt definitely has good actors and an intriguing idea for a plot but the first hour seemed rushed and would have greatly benefited from introducing us to Danes' character and establishing her environment and friends before throwing her headlong into the mystery. And beyond just her character, the story seemed too rushed and telescoped.
Alf She has no friends. Saul is it.
October 4, 2011 at 8:34AM ESTJimmbo
October 3, 2011 at 8:56AM EST Reply to CommentIf he's not turned, how will the series be interesting...for even just one, let alone multiple, seasons?
October 3, 2011 at 1:38PM ESTwebdiva Jeremy, you obviously missed Lewis in PBS's remake of The Forsyte Saga a few years ago. Seeing that cured me of not believing he could ever play a brutal, cunning character. Oh, yeah.
October 7, 2011 at 5:56AM ESTosiskars
October 3, 2011 at 5:02PM EST Reply to CommentOnly thing I have to say is that this was 100 times better pilot than Person of Interest season premiere... So thumbs up for Homeland and thumbs down for Person of Interest....
Ou and I just love Damian Lewis it was so sad when they cancelled Life(tv series)
October 4, 2011 at 12:29AM ESTMike
October 3, 2011 at 8:02PM EST Reply to CommentDisappointed to see Angela's personal life is such a mess. Always knew it was a mistake to go for Jordan Catalano over Brian.
DAVE
October 5, 2011 at 1:27AM EST Reply to CommentWho is the actor who played the guy who is in charge of setting up the surveillance? I know I recognize him from bit parts in other shows but can't find it anywhere on the internet...
Shawn He played Billings in The Shield.
October 5, 2011 at 10:23AM ESTBen Kabak google is your friend
October 10, 2011 at 11:29AM ESTSick Bastard
October 5, 2011 at 2:22PM EST Reply to CommentI thoroughly enjoyed Danes' coochie cleanse! Had to ask the wife if women really do that.
DougMac
October 10, 2011 at 12:38AM EST Reply to CommentNo one has mentioned how lovely Morena Baccarin is? I though there was a lot of Whedonites here.
I'm all in after the pilot. Everybody was great in their roles and the story is a great premise. We'll see how it holds up over the course of the season, but the pilot was excellent.
Ricardo
December 19, 2011 at 10:48AM EST Reply to CommentThe kinda rape scene with Brody and his wife really irked me. Surprise no one talked about that.
December 21, 2011 at 12:18PM EST