Homeland: Razor Blades and Parking Lots

It taking more of an effort than normal to shed the news of the day and get back to writing good escapist musings, allow me to revisit where we left off on my retelling of the great love story of Carrie and Brody many months ago. I’ll pick up where this left off, next week, I promise.

Last we left our star-crossed duo, Brody and Carrie were standing outside a church and there was rain. Now, we’re continuing trying to get an answer for the question: Was it love?

Till this point in Homeland, we already know enough about Carrie Mathison to know that she uses sex, the same way she uses wine and music, as an escape from the restlessness, the constant spinning in her head. She wears a wedding ring when she goes out so there’s no confusion by either party about what the sex is about. Just sex, nothing more. We know she’s had a life full of risk-taking. We know she dated Estes and broke up his marriage. All of these tidbits of her back story are meant to establish the fact that Carrie believes in her soul that a life of coupledom, marriage, and children is not in her future. She can’t even dream about it, because of her illness, because of her job, or because she finds herself incapable of doing the work a real relationship would require, or withstanding the inevitable boredom of it. So she uses men for sex. And she uses sex for control. And then she gets back to work. It’s an arithmetic that’s worked brilliantly for her.

With Brody, it’s different. She’s working. But she’s also attracted to him. And it’s all very confusing and also quite intoxicating.

Is it obsession? Yes, okay. The magnet pull of a self-destructive force? Sure. But it’s real. Palpable, relentless, and necessary.
Continue reading “Homeland: Razor Blades and Parking Lots”

Somebody That I Used to Know

The minute we learned that Homeland would be filming in New York City this year, an image immediately popped into my head. I tossed it around back channel a few times, and found the idea just wouldn’t go away. It persisted, demanding to be fleshed out in a bigger space than a chat window. Believe me, I realize full well that it’s soapy as heck. Nonetheless, still super (bittersweet) fun to visualize and a relief to get down in words. So, here you have it: a short fictional encounter, a one-shot if you will, between Bobby Axelrod and Carrie Mathison. Enjoy!

Standard disclaimer: I own nothing, neither of these characters, nor their history, real or imagined, not the coffee they share, nor New York City, their current home.

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Continue reading “Somebody That I Used to Know”

Divergent

Obsession – the state of being obsessed with someone or something; an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.

homeland0107-2025 - Version 2

When we watch a TV programme we do so to get away from the reality of our own lives. This could be considered a tad ironic as we then become totally engrossed in and obsessed with the ‘reality’ in whatever programme we are watching. We start to react to what is happening on the show and talk about character’s problems as if they are real. One of the reasons for this is simply that, while this character is fiction, their problems may resonate with us and we start to root for that character as a result. We have the desire to see our favourites come out on top and get their way in a way that maybe we cannot. Continue reading “Divergent”

The Question, Part 3: Razor Blade and Parking Lot

Last we left our star-crossed duo, Brody and Carrie were standing outside a church and there was rain. Now, we’re continuing trying to get an answer for the question: Was it love?

Till this point in Homeland, we already know enough about Carrie Mathison to know that she uses sex, the same way she uses wine and music, as an escape from the restlessness, the constant spinning in her head. She wears a wedding ring when she goes out so there’s no confusion by either party about what the sex is about. Just sex, nothing more. We know she’s had a life full of risk-taking. We know she dated Estes and broke up his marriage. All of these tidbits of her back story are meant to establish the fact that Carrie believes in her soul that a life of coupledom, marriage, and children is not in her future. She can’t even dream about it, because of her illness, because of her job, or because she finds herself incapable of doing the work a real relationship would require, or withstanding the inevitable boredom of it. So she uses men for sex. And she uses sex for control. And then she gets back to work. It’s an arithmetic that’s worked brilliantly for her.

With Brody, it’s different. She’s working. But she’s also attracted to him. And it’s all very confusing and also quite intoxicating.

Is it obsession? Yes, okay. The magnet pull of a self-destructive force? Sure. But it’s real. Palpable, relentless, and necessary.
Continue reading “The Question, Part 3: Razor Blade and Parking Lot”

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis at 2012 Emmy Awards

“I don’t really believe in judging art. But I thought I’d show up just in case. Turned out alright.” – Damian Lewis

source: abc.com
source: abc.com

We have Prime Time Emmy Awards coming up this Sunday. As much as I believe it is a crime that we do not have stakes in this year’s Emmys, I will just keep calm and take us all back to 2012 Emmy Awards and re-live Damian’s BIG MOMENT!

Well, it all starts with the nomination. Homeland scores BIG in Prime Time Emmy  nominations  – it is not just a record number of nominations for Showtime and but also the highest for any freshman series that year!

Entertainment Weekly asks Damian how he feels about his nomination just after the Emmy nominations are announced.

“I’m really thrilled. Over the moon. I was asleep. So I was just getting some extra zzzzs and I woke up with my phone buzzing next to my head.”

Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis at 2012 Emmy Awards”