Shalwar Kameez is all about finding out what the f*ck happened with Sandy Schaefer. It explores the parallels and how it affects in different ways the core characters. The episode clearly marks the direction, the new mystery the show will be taking this season, in Pakistan.
The last images we got from last week’s Homeland was Carrie aboard the jet, direction Islamabad, and that’s exactly where we find her in the first moments of Shalwar Kameez. She’s the new chief of station, but everyone there isn’t happy about her coming, you can expect a bumpy road. They know she didn’t get that promotion simply by saying, “Please” and they aren’t happy about it. One of her new co-workers has a complicated past with Saul, that I’m sure will be brought up again in later episodes. If you've missed the Carrie and Saul interactions, like I did, you'll be happy with them in this episode.
This episode is about trying to make sense of what happened, and for Carrie, that starts with finding out what the only survivor of the botched air strike knows, but she can’t trust anyone out of the Islamabad Station just yet. This episode marks the beginning of a new operation and we get the return of some familiar faces. Carrie wants to know what Aayan knows, know who he’s terrified of, but it’s proving to be harder than they anticipated.
Quinn, on the other hand, is still in the US, and he’s taking more and more place in the show with Brody gone. He’s not in a better state of mind than we left him last week, he’s trying to make sense of what exactly is wrong with him and why what happened with Sandy is affecting him the way it is. Everyone has their theories, but it gets down to this, “This isn’t about PTSD. It’s about your feelings for Carrie Mathison!”
For those of you, that though the last episodes were a bit slow, I though this episode was a more fast-paced. Expect a bit more action, a bit more tense situations.
Quotes
“It's the tyranny of secrets.”
“Nobody should have to get through what you’ve went through, nobody.”
“Don’t tell me you pocket dialed me.”
(Who said what?)
Be sure to tune in to Homeland on Sunday @ 9pm ET/PT on Showtime.
