As for the actress who plays Carrie Mathison, Claire Danes, the legendary C.I.A. operative, who with Saul, hopes to end the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and make nice with the Taliban, I'm sure acting roles will keep coming her way. Maybe there will even be a spin-off of Carrie and Saul getting their own show and curing not only malaria, but the coronavirus as well. We need positive role models.
That 'Homeland' hews to the real news is not itself news. This has already been noted in prior postings. The U.S. is actively trying to come to peace terms with the Taliban. The U.S. presence in Afghanistan is now clocked at 18 years, and everyone is tired. Tied chess games should not last 18 years.
The realism that the show brings is evident in nothing other than the name they tell us is the leader of the Taliban, Haissam Haqqani. Saul and the heavily bearded Turkish actor who plays Haqqani, Numan Acar, have come to terms in principle just by meeting each other in secret and taking each other seriously. Is it that simple?
There really is a Haqqani at the helm of the Taliban, deputy leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, and he's written an Op-Ed piece in the February 21, 2020 edition of the NYT that outlines in three wide columns, that after 18 years of war, they are willing to try again and make peace. The phrase "better call Saul" never had more meaning.
In Episode 2 Saul has been kidnapped by Haqqani who thought Saul betrayed him and set his convoy up to be attacked by ISIS. Not true, Haqqani's son has been back door dealing with ISIS to get rid of the old man. Jalal winds up being banned East of Eden, but gets picked up by the ISIS Uber.
Carrie's been trying at the ISIS/Pakistani end to gain diplomatic channels. But the Pakistani general is proving obdurate. Carrie fixes that by getting dirt on the General from a lead supplied by a Russian, no less, Yevgeny Gromov, played by Costa Ronin, who you should remember played a Russian embassy official, Oleg Burov in 'The Americans.'
As in 'The Americans', Costa's character skates very close to the line. In 'Homeland' there is a mysterious relationship eluded to between himself and Carrie when she was imprisoned at the end of Season 7 in Lubyanka prison. A very bad place. Like Roach Motel, prisoners check in, but usually don't check out alive.
Did Carrie sleep with Yevgeny? (she does get around). Yevgeny apparently saved her from hanging herself in her cell with bed sheets. And it seems Carrie has confided her secret emotions about Franny, her daughter, because Yevgeny repeats it back to her when they have a clandestine meet that turns out to be heavily suveilled by Carrie's colleagues at the C.I.A. without her knowledge. She knows, of course, because she's Carrie.
Carrie was so screwed up without her meds in prison that she remembers little. This has made her C.I.A. bosses (but not Saul) suspicious that she might have gone over to the Russians. In espionage thrillers someone is always going over to the other side. Or thought to be ready to go over to the other side.
Her colleagues at the C.I.A. in Kabul are wary of Carrie. Carrie, at the outset, told the station head (a former subordinate) that she "rolls alone." (I for one cannot believe Carrie actually said that. Who wrote that?)
It seems whenever a female character needs some quiet time to dig down and think, the writers have them going up to the roof, or somewhere outside where it is dark, and light up. Carrie is seen smoking. Elizabeth Jennings in 'The Americans' also pondered over nicotine.
I always wonder if the actress really does smoke, or just knows how to smoke since the part may call for it. Claire Danes certainly looks like she knows how to smoke, while Keri Russell always looked awkward doing it.
Joining Carrie on the roof in Kabul is the newbie C..I.A. agent who is tasked by the station head with "taking Carrie's temperature." The actress playing Jenna Bragg is Andrea Deck, who also needs some nicotine, and lights up one of Carrie's (she doesn't bring her own) and talks about the latest overture from Yevgeny.
There is a Kacey Musgraves song that they didn't use during this thought session, 'Blowin' Smoke,' where the diner's waitresses go out by the dumpster on their cigarette break and tell each other the latest. Musical opportunity missed big time.
So, will Saul and Haqqani come to terms that does/doesn't involve their shaving their beards? Saul has made it clear the Taliban has to lay down their weapons. (Saul, this seems as unlikely as the repeal of the 2nd Amendment.) Haqqani asks what does he get? Saul runs through a list of perks that all but include a spread in Scottsdale, Arizona an appearance on the 'Today' show, Jimmy Kimmel and Steve Colbert. (SNL host seems to be off the table.)
Will a flashback answer the question of whether Yevgeny and Carrie did the mattress rumba in a seedy prison cell?
I think there are 9 more episodes. There might even be time for the coronavirus and the 2020 presidential election. I have faith in Saul and Carrie. And the writers.
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