Director: Michael Cuesta
Writers: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon
Breakdown: Reacquainted with the lead characters: Carrie, working as an English teacher; Brody, congressman and soon to be possible running mate for the Vice President, and Saul in Beirut working a lead. The episode opens with a glimpse into each of their lives and doesn’t stop for breath from there.
Carrie is brought back into the CIA fold by Estes when Farimah Ali – a former contact in Beirut – refuses to speak to anyone else. A new Carrie: nervous, forgetful, and unconfident is shown through the episode. Abu Nazir uses an Arab journalist to get direction to Brody – his mission to obtain a code and aid a ‘retaliatory attack on the US’. The journalist also seems happy to get to know Estes better with dinner arranged. Saul waits for Carrie in Beirut before things go bad and the ‘old Carrie’ reappears – a chase followed by a knee to the groin of her assailant, the wry grin tells us everything. Shockingly Brody’s family learn he is Muslim after Dana blurts it out in a disagreement with VP Walden’s son at school sending Jess into a frenzy of mistrust, and fear. The episode ends with Brody, and Dana burying his Quran after Jess desecrated it by throwing it on the floor.
Opinion on episode: Following up 12 episodes of consistent excellence was always going to be a difficult task; fortunately Gansa and Gordon are well equipped following their work on 24. Episode 2.1 is a perfect start to the season. Carrie is segued back into the CIA beautifully – the emotional pull of her work in Beirut, and Saul make it impossible to turn down, and the initial call between Carrie and Saul is intense, emotional, and gripping. The Arab journalist is another string to Abu Nazir’s bow and it will be fascinating to see how her relationship with Estes develops. Brody is still the main attraction though. Played with subtlety by Damian Lewis it is impossible to know where he will go next, or whose side he’s on.
What will happen next: Well, lets see. Nazir’s journalist will canoodle with Estes, taking his eye off the game and enabling Nazir to attack. Brody, who knows? Our guess he will continue to do Nazir’s work, and constantly wrestle with his conscience over what is Terrorism and what is reasonable retaliation. Carrie, she’s back and it won’t be long until she is in deep with the CIA again. Loath as Estes will be to admit it, they need her as much as she needs them. Expect her and Saul to be side by side in the next episode in what is surely going to be an emotional reunion.
Rating: 4/5 A tremendous start to the season – it asks more questions than it even tries to answer. Episode 2.2 can’t come soon enough, but whilst we’re waiting let us know your thoughts below.
Dan Bullock
Oct 7, 2012 at 10:13 pm
Perfect opener, picking up the reigns of a tremendous Season 1 and keeping the tension going, the questions and all the time answering the odd one (Brody admitting being a Muslim to Jess) but still raising more.
I just love how it makes you look differently at situations, like no other show/tv series or writing I’ve seen at this level and that’s so important on many levels.
Also, that smile from Carrie at the end? She’s insane/brilliant but just tremendous.