The Bullpen

How exactly was Stabler's cover blown? Did the guy in the beginning of the episode just get a hunch about him?

Good episode. It was obvious it was the grandfather, but that didn't take away from the storyline IMO. Yes, St. Olivia is as tiresome as ever, but it was fun seeing her clash with the Major Case detective.

Aww, Geoffrey is fine! I don't really mind Alton Brown, just not on Chopped. There have been soooo many tournaments and themed episodes in recent years - I get it, but I'm good with a straight-up episode featuring chefs who know what they're doing. I agree with @xaxat that the concept for this latest one was silly. Cute, but kinda dumb.

Yeah, I get why they've opted for a larger, more spread-out space, but I would've liked them to acknowledge that after having used the same indoor set since Episode 1. Also, I guess it feels less cozy and intimate to me. I always complain about changes and usually get used to them soon enough, though, lol. James is indeed a good judge, but am I the only who thinks that's a pretty boring name for a dog??

I haven't caught many recent (new) episodes. Is this the first episode with a new set?? It's taking some getting used to.

I liked the episode - it was definitely exciting. But the conversation between Bell and Morales at the beginning about his family being a bunch of criminals completely telegraphed that he'd end up causing problems. I liked him and Washburn, too. They had been portrayed as refreshingly competent before tonight. (Curbside pickup - really, dude??). Bummer. My other gripe: can Wheatley just die already? So annoying (as in, not very realistic) that he successfully had a cell phone smuggled into his new room. He and his kids (either the storyline or the characters themselves) best be dealt with early on next season. ETA: was there discussion about the task force having a mole in prior eps??

Jesse IS very likeable, huh? Happy he literally gets a seat at the table this time around. However, the camera angles with him and the judges all sitting at a rectangular table were odd. And it seemed like they all felt a bit awkward having to turn their bodies so much in their chairs to face the bakers. It certainly looked awkward, anyway!

Any source for this?? I had assumed it was travel restrictions when I started seeing commercials for the new season. I too like Lorraine and her matter-of-fact forthrightness. I will miss her. But I don't mind Carla; I think her critiques are smart. And she may be "A Lot" at times, but she's not hosting here. Agreed that there are some fun, cute contestants this season!

I also thought "yellow brick road" and that the hedges were a middle finger! Question: what were the answers for "Mud ______"? I know the $5,000 answer was "pie," but what were the other two?

I've always liked Anthony Mason, and I was one of the people who thought he was the obvious replacement for Charlie Rose. He was great on the Saturday program, though. I also had hoped he would have taken over Sunday Morning after Charles Osgood retired. But I came to really enjoy John Dickerson on CBS This Morning. He is witty and not as bland as he may initially come across. I agree that he never should've left Face The Nation, though. As for the new trio - I'll have to get to know Tony. I definitely don't like the tweak in the graphics. Trying too hard to replicate some aspects of Good Morning America (the "CTM" nickname), and the yellow behind Gayle is wayyy too bright. Yikes.

Eh, maybe I'm just easy. I guess I have a soft spot for this show. The floor plan bugged me more than the balcony stuff -- that certainly was action porn, and I was all about it. Homeland always has these sorts of finales with some crazy stuff going down. I found the whole thing massively entertaining. For me, the biggest annoyance in the episode was Boy Child Computer Nerd and how easily he was scared into spilling the beans. I agree that that was stupid and unrealistic. The actress who plays Simone is really beautiful... she looked great in that blonde wig! I wish her character had more agency, though I suppose deciding to get the hell out of dodge with the Americans was an example of her asserting her free will. Still a little too "damsel in distress" for my tastes, especially considering she's completely vile.

I appreciated Carrie's mind going through all the men/assets/lovers/marks she's had over the years who have ended up dead. It's a rather unfortunate pattern... But I agree with you, snarts, on the security at the hospital. Why wasn't someone standing immediately outside the room Dante was in? Come on, Show. Don't be like that. Weaksauce.

I had the exact opposite reaction to the scene outside Dante's apartment. Saul said "I told her to stay away," meaning he had done all he could to keep her safe, and then he gave the o.k. for the guys to go in and apprehend Dante. He was willing to risk Carrie (and Franny) being harmed in the process. That's not hardcore? I will say that this week, Saul caving in and letting Carrie run the show, as others have pointed out, is a bit sigh-inducing. I'll also add that over the course of the show's history, Saul has been portrayed as really incompetent an alarming number of times. I love him, I think he's really smart, but for an awesome, really smart dude, he makes a ton of mistakes. I don't think he's been truly "hardcore" in a long time, if ever.

I don't think Carrie has ever been held up by the Homeland Powers That Be as a shining example of female empowerment. She's very much a flawed protagonist, and they make no secret about that. As for this particular plot line: same deal. It was Carrie being Carrie, warts and all. For me, the question after watching this episode (and the preview for next week) is whether or not her bipolar disorder is playing a role in her decision-making. The first two episodes have been slow, but there have been MANY slow episodes over the course of this show's run. I'm missing Quinn, but I'm still invested. Honestly, of all the plots Homeland has presented over the years, I think this is the scariest (and maybe the most realistic) of them all. O'Keefe is craven to the point that he sees truth as nothing more than a toy to be used, abused, and thrown out. He clearly has no conscience whatsoever. Sound familiar, folks? (I'm actually not drawing a direct line to anyone in real life, because there are far too many real people to choose from.) The guy is intimately involved in an attempt to assassinate the president-elect because... well, why? As Keane said herself in tonight's episode, the only apparent reason she was targeted was because some people in the military/gov't felt "disrespected" by her. I want to know more about what really makes O'Keefe tick, though. Why did *he* want her dead? Anyway, this attempt on Keane's life results in her becoming exactly the monster her would-be assassins tried to make her out to be in the first place. Completely chilling stuff. I don't know - am I alone in finding this whole story really upsetting? What it says about human nature and our society is really tough to swallow.

He could have made an imposter Caesar salad dressing and put it in a container on the side. No need to put it directly on the imposter salad!