"Marine One", "The Choice", and "The Star" tore up the viewer's hearts and minds with its emphasis on the emotions and more importantly the massive moments of action. "Long Time Coming" is being maligned by those with their hearts set on the big "BAM" moment that never came last night. I was expecting something to happen, but what we got instead is a perfectly good replacement for the blockbuster moment. After a run of episodes where the suspense drove the episode's arc, the writers toned it back so far to exclude all the action that most of the season relied upon.
Instead, the writers proved and reaffirmed the soul of "Homeland" is about—Carrie—and spent an hour probing her. "Long Time Coming" reminded the fans that none of the terrorist plots matter if we do not care about the person driving them. Carrie's development centers around two areas: 1) being a mother to Frannie and how she sees her own reflection in her estranged mother 2) how the men in her life are changing in what they mean to her (her father's dying, her disappointment in Saul, and the possibility of a future of with Quinn). It's an excellent piece of writing from a character viewpoint, and a courageous path to take for the finale.
While I was absorbing the finale, I realized the strength and weakness of season four. "Homeland" was able to have these, at times, amazing episodes that are adroit in their own time and space, but the cogency across the season does not come off with clarity. "Kreig Nicht Lieb" and "Long Time Coming" were both terrific hours of television, yet the do not unite evenly like pieces of a puzzle. That's where the season is weakest, besides utterly misfiring with some early episodes. Those two big mistakes are not enough to abate this great season of television. Though season one and two are better, the tonal identity the show, at this very moment, is the best it has ever been. Once it found its groove this year, "Homeland" season four rammed its audience like an angry bull.
Instead, the writers proved and reaffirmed the soul of "Homeland" is about—Carrie—and spent an hour probing her. "Long Time Coming" reminded the fans that none of the terrorist plots matter if we do not care about the person driving them. Carrie's development centers around two areas: 1) being a mother to Frannie and how she sees her own reflection in her estranged mother 2) how the men in her life are changing in what they mean to her (her father's dying, her disappointment in Saul, and the possibility of a future of with Quinn). It's an excellent piece of writing from a character viewpoint, and a courageous path to take for the finale.
While I was absorbing the finale, I realized the strength and weakness of season four. "Homeland" was able to have these, at times, amazing episodes that are adroit in their own time and space, but the cogency across the season does not come off with clarity. "Kreig Nicht Lieb" and "Long Time Coming" were both terrific hours of television, yet the do not unite evenly like pieces of a puzzle. That's where the season is weakest, besides utterly misfiring with some early episodes. Those two big mistakes are not enough to abate this great season of television. Though season one and two are better, the tonal identity the show, at this very moment, is the best it has ever been. Once it found its groove this year, "Homeland" season four rammed its audience like an angry bull.