Episode Title: “Still Positive”
Writer: Alexander Cary
Director: Lesli Linka Glatter
Previously on “Homeland”:
One of the more impressive aspects of “Homeland” is the speed at which the creative team burns through plot before the audience can get used to the new status quo. Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) was wrong about Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) and there was a second Marine working for Abu Naziir? That lasted for all of one episode before Brody’s true loyalties came out in the first season. In season 2, Carrie was back in the spy game and undercover to trap Brody… for only one episode before she had him hauled off and interrogated.
By this point in season 2, Carrie had already turned Brody into a CIA asset. Keeping that tradition alive, “Still Positive” finds Carrie quickly turning the tables on Iranian intelligence officer, Majid Javadi (Shaun Toub) by informing him that the CIA knows all about his embezzlement back home… which would lead to his death if the Iranian government ever found out.
It feels like we were robbed of the chance to see Carrie trying to maintain her cover while working for the Iranians. But after Carrie was literally stripped of her power and her clothing in the previous episode, it seems like the creative team went out of their way to make Carrie seem imposing again when she told Javadi that he had no choice but to turn.
While Brody was emotionally unstable at times, he was far more predictable than Javadi. Forced into a corner by Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) and Carrie, Javadi reflects on his position and then he commits some of the most shockingly violent moments in the three seasons of “Homeland.” Javadi is a monster. There’s no other way to describe him. His actions were unspeakably cruel as he took his personal revenge and used it as a way to say f*** you to Saul.
There are full spoilers ahead for “Still Positive,” so if you missed the latest episode of “Homeland” then you should probably skip this review or else Carrie will show you her new collection that she keeps in the bathroom drawer.
I don’t remember the last time I gasped while watching this show, but Javadi’s heartless murder of his daughter-in-law and his ex-wife was genuinely shocking and brutal. Years before, Saul smuggled Javadi’s wife and child out Iran as revenge for Javadi betraying Saul’s trust by murdering four of his assets. Now we know why Javadi was spying on this family in the previous episode. He was always going to get his revenge. Saul just inadvertently pushed up Javadi’s timetable.
Only Javadi’s grandson is spared from his rampage, which seems to tear at Carrie because she is pregnant. That’s right, Carrie is not only with child, she’s got a drawer full of positive pregnancy tests in her bathroom. Because why do something once or twice when you can do it 50 times?
Unless the father of that baby is Carrie’s one night stand from the season premiere (and I highly doubt that), then we’re looking at the potential child of Carrie and Brody. I’m not thrilled with that development, especially if the pregnancy drags through this season and into the next. Potentially, “Homeland” Season 4 can begin at some point after Carrie’s had her kid, but thrusting Carrie into motherhood doesn’t seem like the right play for “Homeland.”
Meanwhile, Dana (Morgan Saylor) had some of her best scenes of the season as she legally had Brody dropped from her last name in favor of taking the maiden name of her mother, Jessica (Morena Baccarin). The problem with Dana’s storyline with Leo (Sam Underwood) was that it was so over-the-top that it felt like the most unbelieveable plotline on the show. This was much more effective because it was underplayed by Saylor and Baccarin and consequently, easier to emotionally relate to.
Of course, “Homeland” takes a step or two backwards by immediately springing Dana’s next CW-inspired storyline upon us: she’s moving out of the house to live with Angela (Kimberley Drummond)… a character I’m relatively sure that we’ve never seen on the show before. That puts the audience in the same position as Jessica, who is completely blindsided by Dana’s plans. And in all honesty, Dana’s ill-fated road trip could have been time better spent on exploring her decision to fully break away from her family.
So we’re either going to get stories about Dana’s misadventures with Angela or watch Jessica and her personality free son, Chris (Jackson Pace). If we’re truly unlucky, we’ll get both.
A far more intriguing story is circling Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham) as he gleefully takes the chance to ingratiate himself with Senator Lockhart (Tracy Letts), the man most likely to be running the CIA in two week’s time. There’s such an obvious turn towards Adal completely betraying Saul that it feels like another long con engineered by Adal and Saul. That would be the better choice than simply letting Adal be another antagonist. But as presented here, Adal seems to relish the chance to unleash his old school skills while making the CIA feared once again.
While setting up one of the biggest assets of his career, Saul’s personal life is falling apart. His wife, Mira (Sarita Choudhury) tells him that she prefers spending time with another man and he completely chokes down his anger even though she wants him to explode with rage or passion. Ever since the first season, Mira has treated Saul more like a roommate than a spouse. If there was real love between them it moved out long before Mira did. Saul doesn’t even try to fight for her heart.
The only thing that can move Saul to anger is the massacre left behind by Javadi, who smugly mocks Saul when he’s brought before him. Having poked the bear one too many times, Javadi seems legitimately surprised when Saul floors him with one punch. But right now, Saul is still playing Javadi’s game rather than his own. And the stakes are too high to let the murder of Javadi’s ex-wife and daughter-in-law get in the way.
“Still Positive” was one of the more entertaining episodes of the season, but there’s still an entire half a season to get through. I’m not sure if “Homeland” knows where it’s going, but I’m trying to trust the creative team again after some missteps earlier in the season. “Homeland” doesn’t have to be perfect, but I’ll settle for good.
