Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Homeland: Season 6

 

+++Warning, this will contain the spoiler for the cliffhanger at the end of season 5, but no major giveaways from season 6+++++

The 12-episode 6th season of Homeland aired in winter and spring of 2017. This season brings the show back to the United States. It is specifically set in New York and has a few different intertwined storylines, the main one being an attempt at taking down the President-elect. It is heavily influenced by the political climate and events of the past few years. The stories are well done, the acting is top-notch, and I do not think the show is overly preachy with the political elements as some shows can be. It did incorporate an Infowars-like radio show and a social media troll farm into the story and definitely used the real-world political divisiveness and hatred that exists to tell part of the story.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set. The A/V quality is very good, and the discs have a season-play mode that allows you to stop during any episode and pick up where you left off. For extras, there are a couple of behind-the-scenes featurettes (each only a couple minutes long) and then an almost hour-long roundtable discussion with some of the cast and showrunners.

Ultimately, the season is very good. Rupert Friend as Quinn is really the standout this season. We learn in the first episode that Carrie did not end up pulling the plug on him, and when he comes back, he is a shell of his former self, dealing with, among other things, PTSD. He has to go through a range of emotions with the character and does it very well. While he is (in my opinion) the show's "backbone" this season, all the main and supporting actors did a great job with their material. Homeland is definitely a show that has had its ups and downs. I do think they struggled to end the Brody storyline, but now, being a few seasons removed from it, I think the show has recovered quite well. It could have easily gone in the tank after the first two seasons when all was revealed (and there are definitely some out there who think it did). But if you gave up on it during season 3 or 4, I think it has recovered nicely the past couple of seasons and is well worth taking a look at again.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Homeland: Season 5

 

The 12-episode 5th season of Homeland aired in the fall and winter of 2015. This season, most of the show is set in Germany and finds Carrie out of the CIA, working for a private company. Saul and Carrie are barely talking, and Quinn is taking out terrorist targets for Saul while falling apart more and more. I will not go into any more detail than that to avoid giving anything away, but the season involves Russian infiltration into the CIA, a major terrorist threat, chemical weapons with a Syria tie-in, and an Edward Snowden-like hacking angle.

I think the show is holding its own well now that it is a couple seasons removed from getting itself out of the Brody storyline (although there is a good easter egg-like reference to Brody, which happens in an episode that flashes back to Carrie's time in Iraq). The writers packed a lot into the season and had a lot of thought-provoking and almost clairvoyant angles (given what has been going on in the US political scene in recent years. The acting was again top-notch notch, with Rupert Friend, Claire Daines, and Mady Patinkin all standing out at different points. Miranda Otto is a good addition to the cast this year as a character who has ties to almost every character and plays a large role in the season.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set, and as with the prior season releases, the show looks and sounds great on blu-ray. Thankfully, there is still a season-play mode for the discs, so you can stop and catch back up where you left off, even in the middle of an episode. There are only a couple extras. A feature on the evolution of Carrie as a character and a behind-the-scenes feature on using Berlin as the setting for the season. They each run for about 10 min. For die-hard fans of the series, it is a must-get. I think even the people who got sick of the Brody story arc in season 3 will find this one enjoyable.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Homeland: Season 4

 

++WARNING: This will contain spoilers from the prior seasons and hints, but no major giveaways from season 4. If you have not seen the prior seasons, skip past the first paragraph. +++

The 4th season of Homeland included 12 episodes that aired during the fall and winter of 2014. This season, the main cast includes Claire Danes, Rupert Friend, Nazanin Boniadi, Laila Robins, Tracy Letts, and Mandy Patinkin. 

The season starts off months after the events of season 3. Carrie is still dealing with the death of Brody and being a mother. Most of this season's story is set in Pakistan and plays off the very real-world scenario of they do not trust us, and we do not trust them, and it mainly involves a Taliban leader's grab for power. After the Pakistan CIA station chief is killed, Carrie ends up stepping in for him and begins making dubious decisions. Quinn really steps up to the number two character this season. Saul's role is somewhat reduced, especially since he works in the private sector. While he is still involved in major parts of the story (especially toward the middle to end of the season), he is on the sidelines a lot. Carrie calls many of the shots this season despite being unwell, and Quinn sometimes helps her and sometimes on his own. There is a very good storyline within the season of Quinn trying to get out of the CIA but finding himself drawn back. Because of Brody's death in season 3, we do not see any of his family this season. Although they did find a way to get a nice Damien Lewis cameo in one of the episodes.

The Blu-Ray set is a three-disc set that includes the episodes and a handful of extras. The A/V quality is very good, and the shows look and sound great in the HD format. The discs have a season-play mode that allows you to stop in the middle of an episode and pick up where you left off. The extras include deleted scenes for some episodes, a few script-to-screen features that detail specific scenes during the season and how they were done, and character profiles. It's good for what is there, but not extensive. Ultimately, the season is good. It is not as good as the first season, but better than the third season. The show definitely had to pivot with the end of the Brody storyline, but that had really played itself out by the end of season three. Even though it could not recapture the feel of season one, it is still worth the time to watch.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Homeland Season 3

 

+++WARNING This will contain spoilers from the prior seasons and some hints, but no major giveaways about season 3.+++

Season 3 of Homeland included 12 episodes that aired during the fall and winter of 2103. In this season Rupert Friend and F. Murray Abraham were promoted to series regulars, and Tracy Letts was brought on as a power-hungry senator named Andrew Lockhart. The third season is good but kind of disjointed. The plot lines seem to jump around until you get toward the end of the season where everything comes together. The first half of the season was really about the aftermath of the CIA bombing at the end of Season 2 that was pinned on Brody. An elaborate plan between Carrie and Saul was hatched to get the person responsible out in the open, but if you think about it too hard it was a plan hatched to catch someone they did not really know was involved with 100% certainly, relied on information they did not have when the plan was set in motion, or that the bait would be taken. So it takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to buy into the whole thing. If you can put that aside, however, the rest of the season is compelling and dramatic, much like the prior seasons were.

The other main point this season was the wrap-up of Brody's storyline. For much of the first part of the season, Brody was not even around or only appeared for most of 1 episode and a few minutes in a few others. Then his story converged on the other storyline. The one unfortunate part of ending that story is that the great story surrounding Dana's response to finding out her dad was a terrorist was also wrapped up, and it was pretty clear that his family will not have a large role in the show anymore. That said, it was definitely time to bring that story, as good as it was for the first season and a half to a close.

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set, with the episodes and extras spread across the three discs. As far as extras go, there is a behind-the-scenes feature on filming the final episodes, deleted scenes, commentary on the final episode, and a feature on Brody's story from the first part of the season. Not a ton, but okay for what is there. All in all, it is not as good as the prior seasons, but does an adequate job of resolving some storylines and moving the show forward.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Homeland Season 2

 

Fair warning, this will contain spoilers from season 1, and hints (but no major spoilers) from Season 2. If you have not seen season 1 proceed at your own risk.

Season 2 of Homeland consisted of 12 episodes that aired during the fall and winter of 2012. All of the main cast members return, including Claire Danes, Damien Lewis, Many Patinkin, Morena Baccarin, and David Harewood. The show also adds several recurring cast members, including Rupert Friend, Maury Sterling (both of whom would get larger roles in subsequent seasons), and Timothee Chalamet (in one of his early roles). 

The first season of Homeland was very original and told a very good story. Brody (played by Damien Lewis), who had been a POW in Iraq, was turned into a terrorist and a part of a plot to execute a terrorist attack in America, which he backed out of. At the end of season 1 only the viewers knew the truth. That changes very quickly in Season 2. The tape he made confessing to the bombing he backed out of comes back to haunt him in multiple ways in the second season. I cannot say too much without giving away a lot of what happens, but there is another terrorist plot in the second season that we don't know the full extent of until about 3/4 of the way through the season finale. Many of the characters and relationships in the show change, and there are a couple very big twists. The season ends with some things resolved and other questions left open. It definitely leaves the show to go into a very interesting direction in the third season and will hopefully keep Brody's storyline from getting worn out.

The A/V quality of the blu rays are very good, as you would expect. There is not a ton of bonus material. There is a very short prologue to the third season, a short film by Damien Lewis, a making of the second season feature and some deleted scenes. There are also commentary tracks on selected episodes. The blu-rays also have a true "play all" mode that allows you to stop in the middle of an episode and pick back up, and when you finish with one disc and insert the next one, it immediately starts playing the next episode in the sequence. The acting and writing of the show are both again top-notch. I do not think there was a downturn in either from season 1, even though there are some far-fetched moments. All in all, if you liked or loved season 1, this one is absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Homeland: Season 1

 

The twelve-episode first season of Homeland aired on Showtime in the fall and winter of 2011. The series stars Claire Daines, Damien Lewis, Mandy Patinkin, Morena Baccarin, and David Harewood. The story centers around two definitely "broken" people: one, a Marine named Nicholas Brody (played by Lewis) who is rescued and returns home a hero after being held captive by terrorists for 8 years, and the other is a mentally unstable CIA analyst named Carrie Matthison (played by Daines) who is convinced that he has been turned and is now working for those same terrorists.

The story has a lot of twists and turns, and at least for the first half, the season it takes you on a is he or isn't he ride. You do find the answer before the end of the season, but there is still a lot of suspense in the final few episodes and the season ends on a cliffhanger. I will not go into any more detail than that, so as not to spoil those who have not seen it yet. I think many shows where there is such a focus on a central mystery like that (see Twin Peaks) really fizzle once you know the answer. At least in this season that did not happen. I have not seen the second season yet, so I am not sure if that is still the case.

The best part of the series is the great ensemble cast. Damien Lewis and Claire Danes are definitely the focus of the series, but everyone from Mandy Patinkin, and Morena Baccarin, to David Harewood do a great job in their roles. Fans of the series Due South will also recognize David Marciano, who is an ex-CIA officer that helps Danes' character run surveillance. The show is very fast-paced and packs a lot into the 12 episodes. I think this works a lot better as a cable series with a shorter season than it would be on broadcast TV where they would have to stretch everything out into 22+ episodes.

The blu-ray set is a three-disc set. The extras include a commentary track on the pilot episode, deleted scenes, a "making of" feature with the writers and showrunners, then some character features, and a prologue to season two. Outside of the commentary track, the extras total about 40 minutes. So, while you do not get hours of content, what is included is good. And, you can play the episodes in a play all mode that allows you to pick up where you leave off.  

I bought this series, having never seen one episode, just on its reputation. I am very glad I did. It is well-written and very well-acted and is absolutely worth the time to watch.