David Fury wrote 17 episodes of 24, and it shows in his first writing credit on Homeland. Our Man in Damascus is full of moments that call back to the real-time drama, but that’s certainly not a bad thing given how effectively they’re used here.
I mentioned in my preview last week that it feels like the season is coming to a head, and while that is true, this episode again provides that split in pace experienced in New Normal. However, unlike last week, things really ramp up towards the end and it’s a lot like last year’s There’s Something Else Going On in that regard. Unsurprising, given that Seith Mann directed both episodes. There’s a real intensity to the last 15 minutes and Mann’s directorial choices certainly help that, using some nice establishing shots combined with a range of close-ups so that you can feel the tension building.
In fairness, the first half of this episode, while still building up to the big climax, does put you somewhat on edge, and the plot keeps itself moving quite nicely. My biggest concern with this is that things turn around in an instant, and while this was something that 24 did really well, Homeland generally rises above that and succeeds in doing so. Again, There’s Something Else Going On did a similar thing but with a pretty seamless transition. I just wish that we’d had that again here.
Allison’s story has been arguably the most interesting thing about this season, and it continues to be so here. Since the reveal at the end of episode four, she’s developed into a really complex and compelling character, and Our Man in Damascus builds further on that. I won’t divulge exactly how it does that, but it makes for great viewing.
Equally as interesting of late is Laura Sutton, who began the season without really making an impact on me. The fact that she sticks to her ideals is one of the most admirable and enjoyable things about her, and that really comes into play here. I’m impressed with how they make her relevant and tie it back to what we’ve seen over the course of the season.
Saul once again has one excellent scene, breaking from his business as usual style and it’s great for many reasons. Particularly, the contrast between his behaviour in the scene and Astrid’s, whose reaction is the kind of unrealistic that 24 frequently employed. Saul has a much more believable reaction to an event, Mandy Patinkin does a great job of showing it and it’s a fantastic scene overall.Carrie spends much of Our Man in Damascus trying to follow up various leads, and it’s certainly a slow build. That being said, this isn’t a bad thing as the other threads are far more interesting, given that all of her story this week is nothing but a means to an end to put Carrie in the position she’s in by the climax. The episode does, however, give us a chance to see Claire Danes play Carrie as desperate once again, and that’s always fun.
Two elements of this episode bring it down. Firstly, Quinn. While him being alive is something I’m not necessarily opposed to, given that I like both him and Rupert Friend, keeping him alive last week was a bad move, given that all logic suggests that he should have died. Our Man in Damascus spends the first ten minutes with Carrie and Saul, in true 24 fashion, deciding it’s a good idea to try and wake Quinn up from his coma despite the risk of him dying as a result. Because that’s what friends are for, I guess? I get why this happens - the information he may or may not have might be important - but Quinn’s storyline hasn’t been worth watching since the fourth episode, and that doesn’t change now.
Also less than stellar is the terrorist plot, mainly because of Qasim. While I appreciate what the show is trying to do by giving us a moral element within the group who we can perhaps not hate, the justification for keeping him around is pretty lazy, despite the episode’s attempt to bolster that reasoning. It’s not a major issue, particularly given that there’s some solid material for Qasim this week, but it continues to frustrate me that he’s even still a part of this cell. Those complaints aside, this is a great episode. While it does continue to set things up for the season finale, there’s a lot more payoff than in last week’s instalment. We get some good development in most aspects and everything is coming to a head as we approach the end of another season of Homeland (also: the show got renewed for another season this week!).
Our Man in Damascus airs Sunday 13th December at 9pm on Showtime.
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