I have been excited about 'Homeland' for months. It just seemed like a very fresh idea for a drama and it was on premium cable, so that's always a plus (creative freedom and all that). Howard Gordon is at the helm as executive producer and showrunner, having '24' and 'X-Files' on his resume. My one worry was the week to week progression of such a complex story, and how it would play out in the long run. 'Grace' alleviated these worries, without a doubt.
There is a certain un-easiness in the fact that we don't know who we should be "rooting" for: Carrie or Brody? That's a very good thing. The whole point of a drama is to evoke emotions from its viewers. If there's an emotional investment, you're coming back week-to-week to find out what's happening to these characters.
It appears that 'flash-backs' are going to be a crucial storytelling tool. I don't know about you, but I am a fan of this particular trope. Obviously, it was a technique made famous by 'Lost', but 'Homeland' is different enough thematically that there should be no such comparisons ( 'The Event' failed miserably at trying to be "Lost-ian").
This time, we see Brody digging a grave for the partner whom he was forced to savagely beat to death. He begins to speak Arabic. Brody and Carrie simultaneously awake from a dream, in a very peculiar scene. Is it possible that Carrie is also a sleeper agent? She spent considerable time in Iraq. She's on anti-psychotics, so we know she's not the most stable person. It's too early to tell, but this scene definitely planted seeds of doubt in my mind.
"I really need to get a life."
Damian Lewis is amazingly convincing as a man suffering from a traumatic event (one that lasted 8 years!). Once again, there was shades of Jack Bauer as Brody chopped the pushy reporter in the throat and retreated into the woods. We then watch as he peruses various items at a hardware store (this comes into play later). Slowly, but surely, there is a dangerous tension building between him and "Uncle Mike." I shudder to think about how that will turn out.
As for Carrie, we learn that her father suffers from the same mental "affliction" and that she is getting her pills from her sister. Carrie seems to have a tendency for using those around her, whether they be friend, family, or colleague. Suffice to say, that eventually has to come back and bite her in the ass.
At the climax of the episode, we see that one of the items Brody purchased was a mat to pray on, revealing that he has converted to Islam. Of course, this in no way means he is guilty of anything. It merely suggests that his time over there (8 years is a long time!) has changed who he is in some aspects. That doesn't mean that he's definitely been turned. Overall, the plot thickens, and we have ourselves a great new series.
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