Homeland consistently continues to bring it, week after week. Once again, “Andante” was nicely paced and the intrigue continues to captivate. The episodes give us just enough information to keep us engaged, without spoiling anything too soon.
The episode starts right were the last one ended, with Carrie and her team going through Dante’s apartment. When the man starts to wake up, they decide to wrap it up, not having finished, and not having found anything.
Realising it’s almost breakfast time, that their operation took all night, Carrie rushes home, but it’s too late, the damage is done. Carrie’s mental state continues to be questionable, and her actions seem more and more debatable as the hour progresses. She knows she’s late, she knows she messed up by staying out all night and not letting anyone know, yet when she gets home, she acts as though her sister is overreacting. Carrie was demonstrating very teenage-like behavior, with a very short fuse, and a lack of thought through responses.
Pissed off, Carrie takes off with Frannie, not knowing where to go. “Andante” was an episode where we got to see a lot more of the red head, as Carrie pulls her along wherever her investigation takes her. Once again, I felt like Frannie’s wellbeing was not Carrie’s priority. I felt extremely bad for the child during this whole hour, being bounced everywhere. The poor girl even felt the need to step in when her mother picked fights with strangers. She doesn’t know what’s happening, and it has to be scary for her. Her mother doesn’t look like she’s gotten it more figured out than she does. Her mother looks lost, without direction, and a child can sense that.
Her credit card getting declined at the motel, they end up staying with Dante, the man she was told not to trust, the man she was told to steer clear of. It’s not like she has many options, but she could have gone back to her sister’s. She simply is too stubborn for that.
With their housing situation, both Dante and Carrie are working angles, trying to find more information on the other. On Carrie’s side, it’s not her team that finds her angle on Dante; it’s her daughter. The little snoop finds an old album of his, with information on his ex-wife, under the living room table. That was definitely not a thorough search guys, she’s like 8. After questioning Audrey, Carrie gets more information on Dante’s state of mind after what happened in Kabul. Dante was very angry at the organization, especially at Carrie. She also learned that everything that he had told her about his life was a lie. He wasn’t an alcoholic, and she wasn’t bipolar. He is a liar. On Dante’s side, he doesn’t learn much from his visit at Carrie’s sister’s house. Only that Carrie has a file on him on her desk, which means she’s probably onto him. While it’s not much, this could have been dangerous for Carrie.
During their previous unsanctioned mission through Dante’s apartment, Max had found the time to download the entire computer’s content. Now, Saul wants that information. He wants Max’s help. What I found bizarre was Saul’s need to kidnap the ex-CIA analyst. Why all the cloak and dagger? Why not simply ask for his help? And Carrie’s help? Why all the secrecy? The threats, I don’t understand them.
Saul was incredibly hard on Carrie during the whole episode. I couldn’t understand properly why that was, until the end of the episode. Yes, Carrie got duped by a man she thought she could trust, but so did Saul, once upon a time. Why was he so hard on her now? Was he mirroring? Then, by the final scene of the “Andante,” I finally understood why. Carrie lacks judgement. I’m not sure she should be trusted.When Frannie tells you to stop picking a fight, she doesn’t mean for you to have sex with the guy. I found the end of the episode extremely hard to watch. It was incredibly awkward and I was living second hand embarrassment when Saul walked in. That silence was extremely telling. She was warned to stay clear, and she didn’t. That is what disappointment looks like.
After finding similarities between Dante’s travels and Simone’s, Saul’s team decide Dante is going to be their way in with the Russians. With less than three days before the hearing, Saul and his team learn that Simone’s foundation is a Russian front. While, Saul goes to the judge with this information, but it’s not enough. Dante has to be their way in.
Homeland continues to impress me every week and I have yet to be let down by this season.
What was your favorite moment of the episode?
How awkward did you feel watching that end scene?
Does Carrie deserve to keep Frannie’s guardianship?
