*SPOILERS ALERT!*
Picking up roughly six months after the events of the first season, Carrie Mathison’s (Danes) life seems to be going well, living with her father and sister, tending her late mother’s garden and teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). That quiet life comes to a screeching halt when an operative she me mentored a few years earlier turns up on Saul’s (Mandy Patinkin) watch, claiming to have valuable information, but refusing to talk to anyone but Carrie. Whisked off to Beirut, Carrie is back in the hotbed of the CIA.
With Carrie back in the fold, most of us likely thought it would take much of the season to find out what happened to Brody’s (Lewis) confession tape. Instead, Saul (Patinkin) found it in just the second episode, which convinces people that despite her difficulties, Carrie was right from the start.
The discovery of the tape gets things moving. Carrie and Saul start running surveillance on Brody, and it’s not long before Carrie gets a chance to put Brody in his place, though even though he ruined her life, Carrie still loves Brody big time. Brody in CIA custody is by far the season’s high point, Danes and Lewis have chemistry to spare on screen, and watching her question him is good stuff. The electricity between them is palpable, no matter the situation.
when it seemed as though the series might go over the edge. Now a Congressman and potential Vice Presidential candidate, Brody is still in the pocket of Nazir, is involved in the abducting and accidental-but-on-purpose murdering of a tailor, the appearance of Nazir on U.S. soil, remote-controlled pacemaker assassinations…It just felt like things were suddenly moving into a potentially murky area, leaving the arena of the believable.
Thankfully, the performances, and their characters were strong enough to bring things back into focus, and pull viewers back in. Claire Danes ability to convincingly convey Carrie’s highs and lows continues to be stellar, and Damian Lewis shows some real acting chops in “In Memoriam.” Watch him when he learns that Nazir is dead—the reaction on his face as he fights back tears, yet forces a smile is amazing. That’s one of the reasons Homeland is such a quality show; the cast is a talented bunch whether it’s a main, supporting or guest player.
To the writer’s credit, they have left fans wanting more. As we await the start of the third season, will the show keep up its fast pace? Will Brody return? If he does, in what capacity? After all, it wasn’t entirely clear that he’d given up Nazir’s cause. There are so many unknowns; but along with the performance, that’s a strength of Homeland, you never know what’s going to happen next.
Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, Homeland looks fabulous on Blu-ray. Colors are accurate and detail is utter perfection. An occasional hint of noise in the very dark is the only issue in a transfer that otherwise boasts perfect contrast.
The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio presents the series with a lossless audio mix that gives the proceedings a nice level of surround activity and bass reproduction. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout.
French and English SDH subtitles are provided.
The following special features are included:
- Deleted Scenes (HD): four deleted scenes are spread over the three discs.
- Return to the Homeland: Filming in Israel (HD, 7:52) series producers, director Michael Cuesta, and actors Mandy Patinkin and Navid Negahban discuss filming the season premiere on location in Israel.
- The Border: A Prologue to Season Three (HD, 1:40) a brief prelude to the new season featuring Brody in an action sequence far from home.
- A Super 8 Film Diary by Damian Lewis (HD, 11:05) a behind-the-scenes look at members of the cast and crew as they work and relax during production, filmed by series star Lewis.
- “The Choice”: The Making of the Season Finale (HD,15:41) members of the crew and principal cast discuss the final episode of the season including location shooting, decisions about the life and death of characters, and where season three seems to be heading.
