• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Homeland: Season 3 - |Pledge Allegiance|

Status
Not open for further replies.

Weenerz

Banned
Anyone else skipping all the Dana sections? I did it last season and I did it this episode. God she is such a black hole in this series.
 
*sigh* looks like more Dana this season. Why can't we learn more about the enigma that is Chris Brody?

The season finale will reveal that he is the one that has Brody's confession tape. The politicians weren't the target of the blast at the funeral. Dana's boyfriend was. It's revealed that Chris is madly in love with his sister. And if he can't have her... NO ONE CAN. So he blew up the funeral, framed his dad (so his dad couldn't have a shot, also his dad's sort of a dick that ignores him) and then set about to make it so he's the only suitor out there for Dana. The combination of his romantic feelings and Brody's betrayal have driven him mad. In the finale of Season 3, he shoots Saul in the chest twice and is shot in turn by Carrie, and falls off of a bridge into the frozen river below.

The body is never recovered.

Cue Season 4. Where Carrie bangs Chris. It's several years later, so he's over 18 and alive and now plotting to nuke America.

The face of evil:

MV5BMjAzNjk1MTg3N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDE5NDg1OA@@._V1._SX640_SY444_.jpg
 

squidyj

Member
That was a pretty decent premiere. It was definitely more measured than anything that happened in season two. Nothing too crazy went down, basically, so that's a plus. I'm not fully back on board or anything, but the premiere episode was definitely a step in the right direction.

Other thoughts:

Whoa, Dana tried to kill herself?!
Why didn't she succeed? :/
Also, I like that the entire focus in on Dana. Like, Chris doesn't even factor into the equation at all. What is he feeling? How is he coping? "lol who cares moar Dana!!!"/writers

And, not to sound like a broken record, but I can't help but think that the Brody's troubles would have been significantly more compelling if Brody had blown himself up at the end of season one. Like, the stuff they're dealing with now should have been their storyline in season two.

Also, Jessica, sis, if money is so tight, you really should consider purchasing a different brand of salad dressing, because, Wishbone, is, like, one of the most expensive brands. The little things add up you know!

So refresh my memory - Carrie is on meds during season one and was a great agent, until she is hospitalized due to the bomb blast, which prevents her from taking her meds for an extended amount of time, resulting in a meltdown which requires ECT to correct. Then, in season two, the (new?) meds
not to mention the most powerful drug of all: love
for some reason dulled her senses to the point where she missed the bombing attack on the CIA headquarters, so now in season three, she's off the meds because she thinks not taking them makes her a better agent? I must have spaced something important because that doesn't make sense at all to me. Anyway, how much longer can they mine her illness for drama?

The bit at the end with Quinn was quite tense. In fact, it reminded me a lot of a live action Splinter Cell, especially as he was Mark & Executing shooting all the bad guys. Too bad he killed that kid. I'm sure that will mess him up for a number of episodes.

This show is so much better without Brody (post season one, obv), that I dread the day that he returns.

Also,

lol @ Carrie getting smacked down by the Congressional inquiry for being an idiot last season.

lol @ Carrie being thrown under the bus by Saul. I just can't feel bad for her. She brought all of this on herself.

It seems to me that the problem with a chris centric story is that they know that the kid who plays chris is a terrible actor, whereas they seem to be blind to that fact about dana. Really though, why couldn't Dana have just died? I'd love to see her on the other side of the Flynn phone call from Breaking Bad.

Pretty solid episode though, Quinn grabbed some intel and guilt, Saul got dirty like you've never seen him before. we'll see how it all plays out.
 

Bishop89

Member
just finished watching it, pretty meh episode imo. The only decent bits were with Peter Quinn. Also
not showing brody and the lackluster ending to the episode,
where was the cliffhanger dammit
 
Hmmm...I gotta say I thought this was a pretty weak opening episode overall to be completely honest.

Apart from Quinn being an absolute badass I thought it was pretty dull with really little plot movement.
 

sangreal

Member
meh.. wasn't terrible I guess. the preview looked good at least. I found other things to do during all the Brody family scenes, which helped.
 

Hari Seldon

Member
I thought it was a pretty sweet episode. Brody's family is meh, but exploring how a family can live with their dad being a famous terrorist is pretty cool. They are less annoying to me than the BB family crap.
 
What did you all think?

I thought it was fine, nothing special like the oping eps of S02 but overall good beginning and enough to keep watching for now.

[edit] I also though that at least one of you made a ,gif when she took her top off.
 

inm8num2

Member
Good premiere, albeit with a groan-inducing setup for more Dana drama involving the topless self-pic.

Also, Brody's son (I don't care about his name) is still an idiot.
 
- Showtime Releases the 'Homeland' Season 3 Premiere for Free on Multiple Platforms Now
NEW YORK – September 30, 2013 – Following last night’s highly anticipated season three premiere of the Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning drama HOMELAND, SHOWTIME is giving viewers nationwide an opportunity to sample the first episode of the series across multiple platforms now. The season three premiere episode can be seen on the SHOWTIME website http://s.sho.com/15qfiyA, on YouTube http://s.sho.com/169NW3p, via select television providers' free On Demand channels and websites, on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. The season three premiere is also available on SHOWTIME apps on iPhone®, iPod Touch®, Android smartphones and tablets, Nook® and Kindle Fire tablets, and for download as a free video podcast on iTunes http://s.sho.com/14XVhSW. HOMELAND stars Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Claire Danes, Emmy winner Damian Lewis, and Emmy and Tony® Award winner Mandy Patinkin, and airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT only on SHOWTIME.
 
Wow. That was a great episode and exactly what Homeland needed after the disastrous back half of season two. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but a few more episodes like tonight's premiere and I think the show will have righted itself.

A great Breaking Bad finale, the wonderful Masters of Sex pilot, and optimistic about the future of Homeland?

Damn, tonight was a good night for television.

Don't worry, I'll be back to my usual negative asshole self by tomorrow or so.

Watch Sleepy Hollow for the fun.
 

Omzz

Member
I actually liked the episode because of the focus more on spy stuff.

Totally saw the fucking scene with look-alike Brody as soon as she saw him at the store.
 

Quidam

Member
Yeah, good start, and I have to agree with a lot of posters in here that I'd be quite happy if we had an entire season without Brody. I love Damian Lewis, and his arc in the first 5 episodes of the second season made for brilliant TV, but everything after that just was not as enjoyable.

Give me more of the internal politics and glamorous spy stuff happening overseas, and I'll be a happy camper.

EDIT: Ooooooh, he did look a bit Brody-esque, that guy in the store.
 
My wife loves this show. We watched the first two seasons, but we got rid of showtime. I will probably buy season 3 when it hits on DVD for her. I do that with Downton Abbey as well. Those are her two favorited shows.
 
Really enjoyed this first episode. I don't understand why all of you seem to hate Dana, I like the focus on as synechdoche for the rest of the family, a realizing demonstration of the personal consequences of Brody's decisions and a simultaneous goal/conscience for Brody. Plus I think she does a good job, and the show benefits from the ability to use her to provide punctuation marks in between Carrie/Saul/etc. advancement.
 

inm8num2

Member
http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/09/30/homeland-season-3-ratings/

Sure half the episode was about teenage Dana’s angst. And sure, half the Internet already saw the leaked premiere. And yeah, it aired against the record-smashing finale of Breaking Bad. But that didn’t stop Showtime’s Homeland from returning to its best ratings yet.

The third season premiere of the espionage drama had 1.9 million viewers at 9 p.m. and 2.6 million viewers for the night. That’s up 26 percent from last year. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this number is that for the first time Homeland didn’t have Dexter for a lead-in. Homeland broke its previous record while standing on its own.

New show Masters of Sex didn’t fare so well. The sex research drama had only 1 million viewers at 10 p.m., a number that climbed to 1.4 million including its repeat. Showtime noted this was the same as the first season premiere for Homeland.
 

nynt9

Member
just finished watching it, pretty meh episode imo. The only decent bits were with Peter Quinn. Also
not showing brody and the lackluster ending to the episode,
where was the cliffhanger dammit

How is that not a cliffhanger ending? Carrie's
fucked, and now her career and relationship dynamic with Saul is ruined.
It puts her into a really tight spot and "what will she do next?" is a huge question.
 

ivysaur12

Banned
God, what were they thinking with the topless photo bullshit? I'm not opposed to the other focus on Dana, that's more organic. This? Not so much.

Everything else clicked, even if it was a bit slow at the start. Good episode.
 
A teenage girl sending a topless photo of herself to her boyfriend seems perfectly normal in this day and age. Was there supposed to be drama in that scene?
 

Dysun

Member
I enjoyed the premiere, but why is Brody's family still in this show? It's like an F-tier drama mixed in with the CIA intrigue. So awful, I'm tempted to skip everything Dana/Brody's wife
 

hamchan

Member
Seriously, who really cares about Dana and her boyfriend dramas? Season 2 already wasted so much time on her and that hit and run story.
 
I'll give it a few episodes to get back up to speed but my interest is rapidly fading. The back half of s2 already practically lost me.
 
A teenage girl sending a topless photo of herself to her boyfriend seems perfectly normal in this day and age. Was there supposed to be drama in that scene?

Teenage girls never sent topless photos to me in high school :(

Then again, I was never anyone's boyfriend.

I wonder if Jessica is still banging Brody's friend.

Psh yeah. Your best friend/lover's husband being a terrorist IS NOT gonna get in the way of nailing Morena Baccarin
 
Solid start to the season. I have a couple minor quibbles, but on the whole it worked. I hope we get more Saul, Dar Adal, and the other active CIA folks.
 
Watched it earlier today and I don't think I can stick around to even hate-watch this thing anymore. It wasn't bad enough. It was just eye-rollingly contrived and bland.

This show needs a serious formula shake up.
 

Bishop89

Member
How is that not a cliffhanger ending? Carrie's
fucked, and now her career and relationship dynamic with Saul is ruined.
It puts her into a really tight spot and "what will she do next?" is a huge question.

Eh, a cliffhanger to me is something you would go "Oh FUCKING SHIT!! OMG GIVE ME THE NEXT EPISODE NAOOOOOO!!!"

This ending was pretty average, though I guess im expecting a lot of '24' type cliffhangers in this series.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom