Episode Title: “Big Man in Tehran”
Writers: Chip Johannessen & Patrick Harbinson
Director: Daniel Minahan
Previously on “Homeland”:
There were two moments in “Big Man in Tehran” where I realized how deeply ‘Homeland” has managed to pull me back into the story this season. The first moment came when Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) became aware that his mission to assassinate Danesh Akbari had gone unexpectedly sideways.
The second moment came shortly thereafter as Brody received applause and reverential treatment from the people of Iran for his assumed role in the bombing of the CIA. My gut response to that was disgust, as it should be. But that means that it had the intended effect.
However, “Homeland” had a minor stumble when it came to making the audience believe that Brody’s motivation had changed. Senator Lockhart (Tracy Letts) was correct, Brody does change his mind. But this time, it was a little too obvious which way Brody was going to go. And when his target dismissed his bodyguards, that was the kiss of death for him.
But a good cliffhanger is a good cliffhanger. And this is a pretty effective hook to lead us into next week’s season finale.
There are full spoilers ahead for “Big Man in Tehran,” so if you missed last night’s episode of “Homeland” then you should probably skip this review or else Brody will pick up a little Farsi.
As I’ve mentioned previously, “Homeland’s” increased focus on the Iran storyline and Brody’s potential redemption has done a great job of making the show exciting again. Does anyone miss watching the Brody family’s misadventures? Although, I would have accepted a brief check in with Brody’s family this week, as Brody’s infamy rose once again. If Dana (Morgan Saylor) was actually listening to her father the last time that they spoke, she may realize that this time his betrayal is a deception.
Although I have to add that it’s a little weird that Brody cares so much about what Dana thinks about him, considering the fact that his wife and his son have been hurt just as badly as Dana was. Brody always gets it wrong, even when he feels empathy for others.
The first half of this episode was masterfully done as Majid Javadi (Shaun Toub) laid the groundwork for Brody’s assignment and Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) attempted to support the operation by coming to Iran herself. This was the first time that we’ve really seen Javadi sweat since his introduction. Javadi’s worried reactions over Brody’s actions made him seem more human. However, Javadi is still a monster and he can’t be trusted. Even if Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) achieves the regime change he’s been dreaming of, Javadi is the wrong man to see it through. Unfortunately, Javadi is also the only choice.
It’s kind of amusing to see that Carrie bosses around Mossad agents (whom she doesn’t even know) the same way she treats most of her CIA colleagues. Carrie also treats Fara’s uncle like his cooperation was a foregone conclusion because his niece, Fara (Nazanin Boniadi) is already working for the CIA. When Carrie is this wrapped up in her mission she doesn’t have much empathy for anyone but herself or Brody. I suspect that Fara’s uncle may be collateral damage by the time that this season is over.
But it’s much harder to see how Brody can survive after this mission is finished. If Brody was infamous before, his dubious fame has been amplified by his Iranian PR appearances. Brody was correct when he told Carrie that there’s nowhere he can run. And Brody can’t exactly return to America, can he? Because Brody’s freedom would mean having to explain to the American public that not only was he not the CIA bomber, but he also carried out a sanctioned hit on an Iranian official… which would jeopardize their whole operation in Iran. It’s just not going to happen.
Brody receives two surprises in Iran: an unexpected reunion with Nassrin (Naz Deravian) — the widow of Abu Nazir, the man who broke Brody — and the revelation that Nazir had boasted about breaking Brody within Akbari’s office. That’s a fairly plausible retcon that makes Brody’s story come full circle. His future was determined in Akbari’s office and his life may come to an end once the Iranians figure out that he killed Akbari with an ashtray and a pillow.
The reason that I never thought Brody had betrayed Carrie and the CIA was because he remembered something that his spymasters seem to have forgotten: the truth can be used as a weapon against their mutual enemies. Everything that Brody said to Akbari about Javadi was real and it was just the thing to give Brody another chance to carry out the mission. Unfortunately, that may leave Brody with a loose end that he hadn’t considered: Nassrin. She knows that Brody came to her with a warning about Javadi’s treachery. If she tells the Iranian government what she knows then suspicion could fall on Javadi and this operation will have been for nothing. But then that would be kind of fitting for “Homeland’s” circle of violence. It all comes around and around and never really stops or changes. If we believe in Saul, this is the cycle that he wants to change.
Yet even Saul signs off on the attempt on Brody’s life when it looks like his mission is a failure. Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham) and Lockhart stress that the President wants Brody to be killed without actually saying the word. Their meaning is implicit and it looks like Saul’s last days with the agency are upon us. I’m sure that there will be some kind of swerve to keep Saul on the series for the fourth season. But anything less than an improbable victory and Javadi in power would probably push Saul into retirement.
But Saul still has espionage in his blood. He even blackmails his wife’s lover, Alain Bernard (William Abadie) to get Carrie and Brody some Mossad support in Iran. And the Mossad agents were conveniently willing to assassinate Brody when his value to the Americans had greatly diminished. The hilarious thing is that the men who were ordered to kill Brody may be the ones to save his life, if Carrie secures their help in providing him with an escape.
The parallel between Brody’s murder of Vice President Walden and the way he killed Akbari is unmistakable. The first time, Brody killed Walden under Nazir’s order, to avenge Nzir’s son and to save Carrie’s life. Now Brody has killed to avenge himself against Nazir and to prove Carrie’s faith in him. And Brody’s got a lot of faith in Carrie if he thinks she can get him out of this one alive.
Looking ahead to next week’s episode, Brody’s death seems to be a foregone conclusion. But maybe that’s just another misdirect from the “Homeland” creative team. My prediction is that Javadi will assume power in Iran, but he’ll take Carrie captive to use her as leverage against Saul. Perhaps Brody will survive to rescue Carrie next season.
But that’s just a theory. The endgame has arrived, and who can really say how it will all play out in the end? As long as they don’t make Brody into a lumberjack, I’ll be fine with it.
