‘Homeland’ season 3, episode 6 review: Carrie Mathison, ‘Still Positive,’ and a few negatives
Was “Still Positive” in some ways a stellar hour of television? Sure, but it was just as much maddening as it was great TV. “Homeland” continues to do so many things right, but for whatever reason, whether it be the lost trust with their early-season twist or just some predictable decisions, the show is running the risk of becoming what some people think of “The Newsroom” as: TV that is occasionally great, and mocked by critics the rest of the time.
What the writers did right tonight was pushing the accelerator on the whole Javadi story, and not drawing this whole ordeal out when they very well could have. This is a story that could have been tremendous, had the right cards went into play, but it was not surrounded with the greatest of supporting casts. There is little doubt on this end that his capture was the highlight of the episode, since it was handled with such skill and precision that you felt along for the ride. It is the inner workings of the CIA that the show feels at home, and then it hits bumps when it tries to go elsewhere.
Take, for example, this simple question: Why is Chris Brody alive? Why is he on this show? Despite Dana leaving this week in order to try and start a new life where she would no longer be Dana Brody, America’s #1 teenage victim, Chris said almost nothing. Dana can be someone new with a different name and a new situation, but Chris is still stuck with his mom. Is there zero confidence in this actor, or they don’t know what to do with him? Given the perceived connection between father and son, it feels like this is a story worth exploring that never gets it’s due; Chris is just around, cooking dinner or staring awkwardly while something interesting happens around him. The Dana story was actually believable, but we were so distracted by Chris that we could not really enjoy it.
Then, you have the shocker that Carrie seems to be pregnant, and for whatever reason she is keeping all of the tests like some sort of terrible trophies. Why must every show go this route these days? There is hardly anything interesting that comes from this in our mind, or anything original. Carrie’s not going to be a good mother based on her behavior patterns, and it feels like someone pitched a way to make her even more stressed and they just ran with it. Maybe this is another crazy trick, but we doubt it. The parallel between the pregnancy and the baby Carrie left behind is too strong.
We cannot say that “Still Positive” is an episode we are going to remember months from now, mostly because it took a major step in the wrong direction in Carrie’s life, even if it did something fantastic with the CIA in having Javadi in custody. Also, with still no Damian Lewis, we do hope to see him turn up in time. Grade: C-.
Want to take a look at what is coming up on “Homeland”? Then just click here, where you can watch a full promo for next week.
Photo: Showtime