As the series begins, we learn that Carrie had previously been removed from the field after she bribed someone to get into an Iraqi prison to meet with a potential informant, causing an international incident in the process. A determined woman, Carrie is a loose cannon—willing to blur the lines of legality in the pursuit of justice. So determined to prevent another 9/11 type event, Carrie is determined to keep her need for anti-psychotic medication a secret (that revelation would get her taken off the case). As a result, her sister, a doctor, quietly doles out the lithium needed to treat her bi-polar disorder. Carrie though, isn’t above stealing medication from her sister if the need arises. Clearly, Carrie isn’t your typical heroine.
As Carrie obsesses over watching him, Brody struggles to readjust to life back home. His wife (Morena Baccarin) had been in a relationship with his best friend Mike (Diego Klattenhoff) for two years prior to his return, his sixteen year-old daughter (Morgan Saylor) idolizes him, while his younger son (Jackson Pace) hardly remembers him. Homeland does a commendable job exploring the issue of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as Brody experiences severe flashbacks and other associated symptoms, while providing us with enough twists to believe he may be working to harm his own country. Brody is both a pained protagonist and a potential villain of the highest order.
Part of the success of Homeland lies in the fact that everything appears laid out for the viewers, but Carrie, no matter her tenacity, remains in the dark about crucial facts. Take for instance, Carrie’s video surveillance of Brody’s home. The one blind spot is in the garage, were Brody has stored a bag of purchases from a Home Depot type store. Carrie panics when he goes to the garage late at night; not knowing what he’s doing is driving her crazy. When the audience sees what he’s actually up to—praying to Allah on the prayer rug he purchased—is still unsettling given its possible implications.
Mainly written by Alex Ganza and Howard Gordon (who both worked on The X-Files and 24) and Gideon Raff (Train The Killing Floor), the dialogue is tight and the scenes move along at a nice crisp pace. Claire Danes, perfectly cast as the troubled CIA agent, is as compelling as I’ve ever seen her. Damian Lewis displays the perfect mix of tension and anger—you never know exactly what Sgt. Brody is going to do next. Mandy Patinkin is believable as Carrie’s mentor and superior; Morena Baccarin (V) as Brody’s wife does a nice job as a spouse dealing with the mass of emotions that come when a spouse reappears after being presumed dead.
Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer features good detail, though there isn’t as much depth as one might have expected. Grain varies at times, but that’s to be expected here, given the various locations and sets. Colors in non-flashback scenes are bright and well saturated and black levels are good.
The English DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track is used largely for dialogue, which it delivers clearly and concisely throughout. However, it does offer a bit of punch when street noise, explosions and other sound effects come into play.
English, French, and Spanish subtitles are available.
The following special features are included:
- Audio Commentary on Pilot with actors Claire Danes, and Damian Lewis, and writers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa: Danes cracks jokes and laughs a lot, while Lewis seems reluctant to say much of anything. Danes provides some interesting tidbits about filming in Israel but her insistence at laughing at her own unfunny jokes and Lewis’ reluctance, make this a tough slog.
- Deleted Scenes (12:41) With no way to select them individually, the scenes run one after another. Several are worthwhile, because they provide some backstory. Others are simply alternate or extended scenes.
- Under Surveillance: Making Homeland (33:46) In this featurette, the cast and crew discuss their characters as well as the themes of the series. While this does have some interesting moments, it has a decidedly EPK feel.
- Week Ten: Prologue to Season Two (3:53) In this scene set three months after the finale, Carrie has a visitor in the hospital.
