Homeland - 3.11 - Big Man in Tehran - Review

Tonight was Homeland’s next to last episode to its third season. “Big Man in Tehran” continued Homeland’s streak of awesome episodes. It had just the right amount of tension, doubt and drama.

Last week, part of the play was completed when Nicolas Brody asked for asylum in Iran. The rest of the play consisting of him getting close to Abkabari and killing him, so Javadi, the CIA’s newest asset in Iran could take his place was set in motion. Everything hadn’t gone as planned and if they wanted Brody to get out this alive, they would need a new extraction. Overly emotional Carrie seems to be the only one worried about that aspect of the plan. With the help of Farah’s sceptical uncle and 2 agents on the ground, she was able to find an escape route. Knowing how emotionally attached she is to this “mission”, I am not sure who thought it was a good idea for her, to be the one on location. Was I the only one quite surprised they spoke French in Iran? I guess I’m going to bed tonight, a little bit less stupid.

Brody is getting interrogated endlessly by the Javadi and his men, but no torture. “He’s been tortured enough for a lifetime” Abkabari knew what buttons to push to turn Brody. When Brody met with Abu Nazir’s widow, he really seemed to switch side. I then tended to disagree with Javadi’s thought about torture. It’s what Homeland does best; make us doubt the intentions of the main characters and flirts with the line between good and bad. Maybe he did. Was it Carrie who convinced him to come back, was he playing all along or did he change his mind at the last moment? I really don’t know for sure. I tend to go with the first hypothesis.

Brody became quite the star in Iran. He became a liability and kind of pushed his luck making it very hard for Saul to cover his ass. The president wanted Brody dead and even Saul can’t argue with that. But what does he do, he calls Carrie to tell her. Come on Saul! What were you thinking? Was he really surprised Carrie tipped him off? If he was, he really is stupider than they give him credit for.

Carrie gets Farah’s uncle to give Brody a cellphone. She calls him and they have one of their Carrie/Brody moments. She’s trying to convince him to leave. I feel like she still had a pretty big token she could’ve blurred out. I’m pretty sure it would have convinced him, but she chose not to. I feel this conversation was what pushed Brody back to the original plan. He realised he didn’t want to cause Carrie trouble. She would always be on her side and if he screwed the CIA over, she would be the one to pay. I am really eager to see how Carrie is going to get him out of this one.

On another note, Saul’s character seems to have taken a lighter side on life. He makes jokes and laughs. “Is that a head scarf you’re wearing?” “You’re kidding. Right?” “Yeah, I can’t see crap, it’s too dark.” I’m enjoying the character development.


Blond or Brown Carrie? I have to disagree with Javadi, I really like the brown hair.

Was Brody playing all along, or had he really been briefly turned?