Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress

reviewing 3 Body Problem; Bosch; Citadel; Criminal Minds; Dark Matter; Fauda; For All Mankind; Foundation; Hijack; House of the Dragon; Luther; Outer Range; Outlander; Presumed Innocent; Reacher; Severance; Silo; Slow Horses; Star Trek: Strange New Worlds; Surface; The: Ark, Diplomat, Last of Us, Lazarus Project, Orville, Way Home; True Detective; You +books, films, music, podcasts, politics

George Santayana had irrational faith in reason - I have irrational faith in TV.

Monday, April 23, 2018

Homeland 7.11: Carrie In Action

Well, Homeland 7.11 was so good, and ended on a such a sharp cliffhanger, that it called out for next week's season finale to follow tonight, and make this a two-hour episode.

But as it was ... first, about the removal of President Keane from office: it was a strong narrative move, but why was no mention made of the fact that the 25th Amendment only provides for a temporary removal, with Congress required to make it permanent? Her Chief of Staff mentioned that in a previous episode, and he or someone should have mentioned it again tonight.

But Moscow was where the main action was, and it was good indeed to see Carrie at her best - not fighting to keep her daughter, or against her own inner turmoil, but out there in the field, as a highly effective, in fact brilliant, agent working in almost impossible circumstances, and managing to come close to succeeding, if not succeeding outright.

Fighting against all odds is her forte, and it was satisfying to see Saul back her up for once, almost immediately, after she calls Saul on some of the ups and downs he's put her through these past years. As an operative, she's a great talker as well as adept on her feet and with weapons, and I always thought the series was at its best with Carrie moving fast and effectively and blazing.

She and Saul are going to have some pretty tough going as they try to get Simone back to the US next week. I'm wondering, with the announcement that next year's Season 8 will be the final for Homeland, if we'll get another cliffhanger next week as set up for whatever resolution 2019 has in store for this series.

We'll know more next week, and I'll see you back here then.