S05.E11: Our Man In Damascus

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Carrie follows a lead. Saul and Carrie speak to a doctor about Quinn's condition. During calls Saul.

 

Promo:

 

Clips:

 

 

[Primetimer]

As the clock ticks down on Team Bibi's gas attack, Carrie chases down leads and Allison takes a shot at redemption.

Read the story

[s-k-s]

I kept thinking that Allison's bodyguard was too stupid to live. I guess I was right.

Not sure how I feel about all of these developments. I'm glad that they're not dragging the story of whether or not the CIA will figure out that allison is a spy out beyond this season, so I guess, at the end, I don't care if it was contrived and beyond belief the way that she escaped. I do think she thought she had found the right location, but maybe I'm attributing too many good things to her.

[numbnut]

Boy, that was exciting. Saul and Carrie possibly killing Quinn; Saul forcing that guy to jump from a window. Allison is confusing me. Is she impulsive or methodical? Is she a cool customer who can pull off a Hail Mary or someone who immediately panics when questioned? Does she want to be a hero or look guilty? Is she now hiding from the Russians? I also keep getting confused by the reluctant little terrorist because he looks so much like the grumpy little terrorist. (Are they twins?) Anyway, great cliffhanger.

Edited December 14, 2015 by numbnut

[Neerbeena]

Wow, my pulse rate accelerated big time during this episode.

 

I seriously think it's time for Saul to retire.  Can he be any more incompetent.  First he leaves that poor guy by himself (even I knew he was going to kill himself) and instead of waiting outside of Allison's room while they were patching her up, he's hanging out in the lobby.  Why does he still have a job?

[mjc570]

That was a great episode - I literally sat there watching every minute.  I'm glad they didn't take the easy way of having Quinn miraculously blurt out the location, although I'm starting to think Quinn abuse is now a required element every week.  Writers:  I expect him to be fully functional, or at least recuperating nicely, next week. He's earned it.

 

I'm ready to scream at how easily Allison is pulling the wool over everybody's eyes.  I sincerely hope that our real-life intelligence services are more competent.

 

Sarah B:  LOVE your recaps, especially the captions and such literary lyricism as: 

 

Jonas, Düring, Astrid, and Saul watch her smug bitchuoso performance while looking like the Crypt Keeper just farted directly into their faces after drinking dark beer until 4 AM the night before.

Thanks!

[Constantinople]

I take it Allison never watched CSI.

[Andie1]

Allison is one hatefilled bitch, she is only concerned with a cushy retirement in her Dasha with her millions by the Black Sea.  Her full on sociopathy was realized in her decision to lie about where the threat was going to manifest at the airport instead of the real intel that was the train station . That's too bad. I was hoping she'd hesitate and actually do the right thing,she did tell the operative it was insanity, but she sure as hell wasn't going to give up her money.  As a more two dimensional character she will be easy to kill.  Saul isn't really to blame about her, it's Dar who let her out with her babysitter in the first place.

 

As much as Carrie wanted to see Quinn alive and healthy, both she and Saul were all about saving thousands.  Astrid, at least seemed more deeply affected by Quinn's condition when Saul told her it doesn't look good.  Quinn and Astrid are probably a better match, if that ever happens.

 

Pushed or Jumped, the jumper knew more than he kept insisting. Laura's going to have field day with her self righteous bull shit and Eric Snowden zealotry. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Andie1

[Bama]

 

I do think she thought she had found the right location, but maybe I'm attributing too many good things to her.

The college professor did give her the right location (the train station).

 

She lied to Astrid and told her it was the airport.

[yourmomiseasy]

I like this show, but it gave me a headache from being so angry.  They were doing such a shit job of keeping track of Allison.  Her babysitter was the worst.  I'm not even a spy and it was obvious the "parking ticket" was a communication and then he not only let her spend forever in the bathroom (which, why the cloak and dagger thumbdrive BS if you're just going to have someone talk to her in person in the bathroom anyway?), but he stupidly handed his gun over to her.  I was at first bitter about the forensic issues at the crime scene, but figured she was planning on absconding and didn't care.  I thought the doctor was going to kill her, I didn't think she was going to escape, but anyway, why the hell were there not any guards posted on her room (maybe some better than the one she shot in the head)?  And the cherry on top of this steaming crock of shit is they buy Allison's intel hook line and sinker and just dismiss a lead from Carrie -- someone who has proven herself to be pretty damn good at unraveling terror plots.  Saul and Dar are super shitty spies.

 

I just can't even with the stupid smug reporter.  My blood pressure is already too high without going on a rant about her.  It isn't even that I disagree with her.  I just hate her.

Edited December 14, 2015 by yourmomiseasy

[KLeewrite]

Can somebody tell me why everybody is so quick to believe what Allison says? I would think, after everything that has happened, there would at least be some question as to whether anything that comes out of her mouth is true.

[absolutelyido]

It was a good episode, but, Carrie obviously knew that the guy who jumped onto the train track and into the tunnel was going to down there to release the serin gas, so why didn't she tell all the people standing and watching that they should get out of the building and that they should tell everyone else to get out of the building?

[HollaMcDollar]

Aren't GSR tests SOP for any shooting victim that comes from the scene of a multiple murder?

Can somebody tell me why everybody is so quick to believe what Allison says? I would think, after everything that has happened, there would at least be some question as to whether anything that comes out of her mouth is true.

Writers need to drag the show out to episode 13....

[numbnut]

The college professor did give her the right location (the train station).

 

She lied to Astrid and told her it was the airport.

 

OK, I thought the professor said it was the airport. So now I'm really confused. Why did Allison refuse to go along with her handlers if she was planning to lie about the attack?

Edited December 14, 2015 by numbnut

[HollaMcDollar]

Can we talk about the end of the episode-credits preview for next week here? Not the 2 full scene previews, just the short mash up shown at end of episode... The 'next week on' preview?

[JocelynCavanaugh]

Okay, I like Quinn as a character, and Rupert Friend as an actor, but this has gone on way too long. Just let the poor guy die already. He's had too many things happen to him where he should be deader than dead. And I don't "ship" him and Carrie. I can't stand twu wuv hookups on shows that are supposed to be interesting. If Quinn survives this and returns to full function I will throw a donut at my TV.

[vesperholly]

OK, I thought the professor said it was the airport. So now I'm really confused. Why did Allison refuse to go along with her handlers if she was planning to lie about the attack?

 

Millions and millions of dollars to order designer purses from her dacha may have changed her mind?

 

And I don't "ship" him and Carrie. I can't stand twu wuv hookups on shows that are supposed to be interesting.

 

Ugh, me neither. I much prefer their platonic, early Mulder-and-Scully-esque relationship of professional badassery and personal fondness that doesn't overreach.

[LoveLeigh]

I seriously think it's time for Saul to retire.  Can he be any more incompetent.  First he leaves that poor guy by himself ......

Isn't this the second time he left a "witness" alone and then returned to find the witness dead by suicide?  Aileen killed herself with Saul's glasses. 

 

Once again, these cliffhangers wear me out. Next year, I am waiting for the season to end and will binge watch. It's the only way to beat the frustration. 

Edited December 14, 2015 by DakotaLavender

[WaltersHair]

I become deeply frustrated when television characters shoot themselves in the shoulder and they're just A-OK afterward. At the very least Allison should have a collapsed lung and with that downward angle should have hit some major vessels along the way. (see chest trauma, the box)

 

Otherwise a great episode.

[scrb]

OK too much like 24 for me.  Carrie literally racing to save the day.

 

And let me get this straight, Alison is willing to let a massacre take place for a dacha on the Black Sea?  I'm sure it's lovely there but it's not the Caribbean and the daiquiris are not exactly what she's used to.

 

And Russians are taking the lead in fighting jihad?  What a crock, the writers can't be that ignorant of geopolitics.  The fact that the Russians knew about the professor (and incidentally, Alison was suppose to be going to the university to talk to some economics professor, not terrorist aiding guy) and didn't help means there's going to be hell to pay and no, the West won't be following Russia's lead on anything.

 

Stupid premise anyways, earlier in the season they alluded to Paris, so the notion that the West doesn't get it is stupid.

 

There is no way the Russians could protect Alison.  Nor would they have a particular reason to, since she's no longer of any use to them.  After Ukraine, the last thing they need are more economic sanctions.

 

The stupidity of 24 plots was that you had all these Americans working for the bad guys, to launch massive attacks against American civilians.  Not disaffected Muslims but caucasian Americans (and conveniently most of the bad guys Jack Bauer tortured were caucasians).  Now you have an American CIA officer, who apparently because she likes expensive purses, will sell out to the Russians and allow hundreds or thousands of civilians to suffer grisly deaths?  They devoted a whole episode and much of the season to Alison's motivations.  But they've not made the case that the greedy spy is willing to get rich on the blood of hundreds of innocents.

Edited December 14, 2015 by scrb

[albaniantv]

Could barely breathe for the whole hour even though sometimes what was coming next was all too clear.

 

I get that the writers have to introduce absurdities to extend the suspense until the finale. And yes, it has been fun trying to untangle all Allison's pretenses and lies and watch her do 180s. But still, do we really have to accept that Dar (who so prides himself on recognizing a con), Saul (still nursing his pride, but supposedly now even more suspicious) and, Astrid (who never believes a word coming from Allison) all of a sudden are struck as stupid as Allison's blindly adoring minder?

 

Even Carrie never questioned where they got the information about the airport--just asked Saul "are you sure?"

 

I would have found it plausible if just one of these pros, preferably new gal pal Astrid, had refused to trust info that only Allison was offering. Astrid has no reason to believe Allison, unlike Dar (if she's right, he'll get credit for retrieving the agency's rep in Germany, Saul (maybe she wasn't completely playing him, he's still in the game) or Carrie (made too many mistakes, no credit left at CIA, might as well fall in).

 

Otherwise, though, thought that was one taut hour.

 

I am still clueless what Sebastian Koch is up to???

[dwmarch]

Isn't this the second time he left a "witness" alone and then returned to find the witness dead by suicide?  Aileen killed herself with Saul's glasses. 

 

When it happened I said to myself, Saul, stop trying to help people who are in prison! They just kill themselves!

 

However, I appreciate that this might be setting up a plot for next year. We know the leaked CIA docs had a reference to Javadi, the season 3 "bastard but he's our bastard". If the documents get leaked we could be dealing with Javadi being killed and the fallout from a very unhappy Iran. Otherwise there's 1,200 something other plots to choose from.

 

I become deeply frustrated when television characters shoot themselves in the shoulder and they're just A-OK afterward. At the very least Allison should have a collapsed lung and with that downward angle should have hit some major vessels along the way. (see chest trauma, the box)

 

Otherwise a great episode.

 

No kidding! Like how many people have ever intentionally shot themselves? Are you sure and I mean damn sure you're not going to nick an artery?

 

I was hoping for some Tom Clancy style fakeout here. Like Allison is in the hospital convalescing and Saul comes in telling her in Russian that everything will be okay. She says "Da, comrade" and he says "Gotcha, bitch!" Alas, I'll have to re-read Red Storm Rising if I want to savor that moment again.

 

I am offering a limited admiration for Carrie knowing where the Hezbollah commander for Berlin lived. The show never explained how she knew but I can believe in very limited circumstances that Carrie is just that smart/crafty. However, if this is overused it becomes a superpower and ceases to work for me. This point may have already passed for the audience at large... like, a long time ago.

 

If Carrie knew what the real target was why didn't she just pull the fire alarm at the train station? Also, I have never been on the Berlin train system but from what I have seen of a similar system in Vancouver the gates are not just sitting there waiting to be messed with by any asshole with a bike lock. I am pretty sure they roll down from the ceiling. Berlin may be different though and props to the producers if they found an accurate if highly unlikely detail about the Berlin subway.

 

I spoke to a bike lock about this episode and it said "what are you trying to do, make me into this decade's box cutter?!"

[parandroid]

Homeland has jumped the shark. Again (well, Peter Quinn is still alive, isn't he?).

 

 

I become deeply frustrated when television characters shoot themselves in the shoulder and they're just A-OK afterward. At the very least Allison should have a collapsed lung and with that downward angle should have hit some major vessels along the way. (see chest trauma, the box)

Yes, agreed. But also think about powder burns. The whole setup would not survive any competent forensic analysis. (1) Professor Asiz doesn't have any powder burns on his hand, so how could he have shot anyone? (2) Allison fired at herself at very very close range. There should have been burns on her from the explosives in the cartridge - something that any competent examiner would have noticed. (3) Maybe I didn't understand what Allison's story is. There were two guns at the scene. According to her story, one came from Conrad. The other one came from where? Asiz? If he had a gun, why did he use Conrad's weapon to kill him? Let say he did. Now he has two guns. How did he get killed? The only other alternatives are Conrad had two guns (why??) and Allison had one gun (why??? The CIA may be dumb, but why would they issue Allison a weapon and then assign a minder?).

 

I don't require my agencies to be super-competent and full of super powers and have the smartest people in the world at hand to move the plot forward. But straight forward competence is a hard requirement.

[parandroid]

 

Also, I have never been on the Berlin train system but from what I have seen of a similar system in Vancouver the gates are not just sitting there waiting to be messed with by any asshole with a bike lock. I am pretty sure they roll down from the ceiling. Berlin may be different though and props to the producers if they found an accurate if highly unlikely detail about the Berlin subway.

I was in the Hauptbahnhof (and Berlin) this last summer and I've been seeing very familiar sights all season. The HBF has to be the real thing. But I didn't notice those gates when I was there either. Not to say that they aren't there. If they got so many details of the location right, why not this one? (Hmm...because they got so many other things wrong? (see my earlier post about the forensic analysis of the scene Allison set up)).

 

Then again, if you start locking people with cell phones behind gates, how long is that situation expected to last? They'll simply call the authorities. If the HBF doesn't have any police on duty (unlikely), this is central berlin - there will be someone close by. Not to mention the Bundestag being a short walk away - which is always staffed.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Damn it, show, I refuse to believe that Quinn has survived being shot, stabbed, kidnapped, and gassed just to end up in a coma with brain damage. You best not do him like that!

 

Laura is THE WORST. She is like a smug self righteous five year old having constant temper tantrums and doing the exact opposite of what she is told to do. The worst thing is that even when I agree with her, I still can't stand her.

[kikaha]

I don't think a dacha and five million dollars are waiting for Allison.  The Russians have no more use for her: from now on she is a liability.  Much easier/safer for them to mop up loose ends, eliminate her from the scene, and save the five million for something that can benefit them. 

[Ina123]

I know this is Germany so maybe it's different. But they've mentioned Paris so I would think they would be on heightened alert. Here in the US, we are told, see something, say something. Yet, when the terrorist slams the gates and locks them with bike locks nobody says a word or does anything? He was not wearing a maintenance guy uniform. No security badge. No tool box but he did have a backpack and looked Middle Eastern. (Yes, profiling.) I would have expected a reaction.

Do the gates just get shut like that willy-nilly? Anyone?

[Haleth]

That was an intense hour with a lot of heartpounding action, but seriously, what is wrong with these people?  Alison's guard handing her a gun?  Saul and the Germans leaving the witness alone in a room with a view?  Everyone believing everything Alison said?  

 

I hope Laura takes the subway home from her tv interview.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

Thanks, @mjc!

And: agree, @kikaha -- Allison probably split because she knows there's a Russian bullet with her name on it in Frau Richter's gun.

[DrivingSideways]

Great hour, this was a real nail biter!  And yes, a lot of the show makes no sense, but it still works for me in the moment.  Lots of stuff you guys mentioned doesn't quite add up, but the one that really struck me in the moment is - if I am walking through a station, and plainclothes middle Easterners start locking gates with me behind them, I'm going to freak the fuck out.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on.  But the crowds were oddly passive, like lambs to the slaughter.  Even the white guy with the baby gave Aziz a meaningful look, almost to say "I know you're about to kill everybody, but please let me through".  I kept wondering if I was missing something.

Edited December 14, 2015 by DrivingSideways

[numbnut]

I know this is Germany so maybe it's different. But they've mentioned Paris so I would think they would be on heightened alert. Here in the US, we are told, see something, say something. Yet, when the terrorist slams the gates and locks them with bike locks nobody says a word or does anything? He was not wearing a maintenance guy uniform. No security badge. No tool box but he did have a backpack and looked Middle Eastern. (Yes, profiling.) I would have expected a reaction.

 

IKR? The commuters just stood there. Try barring a commuter's exit in a NY subway and you'll get cussed out before you get the crap beaten out of you. I also had a problem with no one noticing the suitcase switch in the elevator (they weren't standing behind commuters). When the suitcase guy entered last then exited first without the bag, I would have said, "Hey, you forgot something." But maybe that's just me.

 

I kept waiting for Allison to deal with the fingerprints issue. Maybe she didn't care because she knew she would be taking off from the hospital? But if she planned to flee, why did she give herself a serious injury? Why not just graze her upper arm? Why stay at the crime scene at all? Why not tell Astrid about the attack over the phone? The plotting (and Saul/Dar's gullibility) has confounded me this season. Next week's marathon is meant for people like me.

Edited December 14, 2015 by numbnut

[EyesGlazed]

Notice that Saul did not say to Carrie:  "Allison told us the attack's going to be at the airport, so the Germans are evacuating the airport."  Because Carrie would have been all over that nonsense, demanding why anyone believes Allison and calling bullshit.  Instead, Saul said something like "it's going to be the airport, the Germans are evacuating it" which would make Carrie think the lead came from German intelligence.

 

I thought poor Saul was going to have a heart attack after he discovered Marwan had killed himself.  Seriously, when he sat down so sloooowly and took his glasses off, I thought the next thing was keeling over on the floor.  I'm glad he didn't.  He should keel over in embarrassment, him at Dal both, for letting Allison play them, but I like Saul and don't want him to croak.

 

I loved the last few scenes of Carrie being badass and running into the subway with gun drawn.  Go Carrie!!!!!!!

Edited December 14, 2015 by EyesGlazed

[vesperholly]

I don't think a dacha and five million dollars are waiting for Allison.  The Russians have no more use for her: from now on she is a liability.  Much easier/safer for them to mop up loose ends, eliminate her from the scene, and save the five million for something that can benefit them. 

 

When the agent in the bathroom told Allison they were taking her out of field service, my first thought was "by killing you".

[vesperholly]

double post!!

Edited December 14, 2015 by vesperholly

[ahpny]

I become deeply frustrated when television characters shoot themselves in the shoulder and they're just A-OK afterward. At the very least Allison should have a collapsed lung and with that downward angle should have hit some major vessels along the way. (see chest trauma, the box)

 

But also think about powder burns. The whole setup would not survive any competent forensic analysis. (1) Professor Asiz doesn't have any powder burns on his hand, so how could he have shot anyone? (2) Allison fired at herself at very very close range. There should have been burns on her from the explosives in the cartridge - something that any competent examiner would have noticed. (3) Maybe I didn't understand what Allison's story is. There were two guns at the scene.

 

This even compares unfavorably with “Scream Queens.” I didn’t think there would ever be any reason to compare these two very different shows, but even “Scream Queens” did self-inflicted serious-injury-to-throw-off-true-guilt-of-murder more realistically. When a lead character stabs herself in the eye with a stiletto, she’s shown doing copious medical research in advance to determine precisely how to inflict the wound to minimize permanent injury. Even in that farcical show, there was some effort to present the injury as quasi-plausible. Not so much here.

And putting aside the medical implausibilities, as discussed above, wouldn’t the forensic analysis immediately show the shot at Allison was fired at point blank range? How would the bodies have ended up as they did given just that one quickly discernable fact?

I was also confused by the mis-identified sarin target. If Allison is going to lie about the location – perhaps part of her “last assignment” – why extract the true location from the professor before shooting him? The Russians already knew it, so how is that information going to help Allison if she had already planned to flee from the hospital and presumably meet up with Russian operatives after the sarin poisons the subway? It could perhaps have be used as bargaining chip if she were still in US/German custody, but not so much now.

[attica]

Okay, I startled my coworkers when I brayed at "Doctor; Quinn; Medicine; Woman. That's so wrong it's the rightest thing ever.

 

I have an admittedly limp fanwank regarding Allison's handling of her crime scene. Scenes where there are survivors tend not to be handled as carefully as where there are none, the emphasis being on saving a life rather than preserving the scene. So it's possible Allison leveraged this to her advantage. As I said, it's pretty limp, lord knows the officers from all sides we've seen so far don't seem to be exactly up on the latest crime-fighting techniques, what with letting Allison out of the building in the first place. 

 

Well, at least Rupert Friend got to play all his scenes in bed this week. If you're going to have to be in extremis every damn ep, might as well recline while doing so. At least he can nap during set ups.

Edited December 14, 2015 by attica

[parandroid]

 

I was also confused by the mis-identified sarin target. If Allison is going to lie about the location – perhaps part of her “last assignment” – why extract the true location from the professor before shooting him? The Russians already knew it, so how is that information going to help Allison if she had already planned to flee from the hospital and presumably meet up with Russian operatives after the sarin poisons the subway? It could perhaps have be used as bargaining chip if she were still in US/German custody, but not so much now.

That part actually made sense to me. The russians just knew "Berlin" - not the when or where. You can't really mis-direct without knowing the true target, so that was Allison's mission. Find the true target so that you can mis-direct and ensure that the authorities don't intercept. Of course, it is self-evident to everyone except Allison that should this plan succeed, the Russian are guaranteed to wrap up loose ends by killing her. She is the only one who can connect the Russians to deliberately letting the attack proceed, and so why would they take chances and leave her alive?

Edited December 14, 2015 by parandroid

[Noirprncess]

I was staring at my screen in disbelief.

First, they set Allison up with a "friendly" bodyguard who believes in her innocence. So of course he's going to half-fast his job. He clearly was just going to be the warm body walking next to her instead of questioning her movements.

What type of audio device was Allison using with an iPhone?. I'm really curious about how that allows her to use her phone like a computer with an external hard drive.

Also, why not force Allison to use the bathroom in a secured part of the building, not the public lobby?

Why did Saul leave a BND suspect in a room with window?. He obviously is not thinking straight and multiplying his mistakes exponentially.

Please let this season end with Laura sucking air from one of those train canisters!!!. She is not only stupid but no real concern for anyone but herself.

I loved the Clark Kent effect of the terrorists shaving even though the one guy had obvious identifiable moles or markings on his forehead and cheeks.

The only reason I had no problems with the treatment of Quinn is because it fit his personality. He would and has literally put his life on the line for the tiniest bit of information. I thought Carrie was the only one that really understood that he was would have done the same to her if they were reversed. I loved that they used activated charcoal as part of his treatment.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Noirprncess

[Haleth]

I loved that they used activated charcoal as part of his treatment.

Ohhhh, I thought he was literally coughing up a lung. Pretty gross.

[s-k-s]

"props to the producers if they found an accurate if highly unlikely detail about the Berlin subway"

If they did, I sure hope its being changed as we speak. Otherwise its a giant sign screaming "most vulnerable subway station ever."

Seriously, the people just standing there dumbly made no sense. The terrorists should have at least put on maintenance uniforms and tried to look official, told people to use another exit... Something. Not just "oh, look, some strange men are locking us in the subway station. Guess I'll just stand here, I'm sure nothing bad will happen."

And why would you send the one member of your team you know isn't fully on board with the attack to do the most important part and, you know, actually carry it out? And if you are Carrie, why wouldn't you tell everyone to evacuate before you head down the tunnel?

Edited December 15, 2015 by s-k-s

[slowpoked]

Lots of bad loose ends in the episode that have already been mentioned above (Allison, Saul, etc.), but good on the writers for still keeping the suspense throughout, especially the last few minutes as I was waiting for the attack to carry out. I love the subtle (or maybe not so much) shots of the clock while Carrie was running around trying to figure out the attack (4.50pm when she just got on the station, and then 5.05pm when she running around looking for Qasim). I was waiting for the gas to hiss just as the episode comes to a close, much like the bomb going off in Langley on S2. 

 

And can I just say, Saul so eloquently said in two words what I felt about Laura Sutton when she was talking big about Marwan on the show. F you Laura. That's all really that needs to be said. I don't want to get in politics and all that, but I was ready to throw things at my TV when she was complaining that all these methods employed to apparently stop terrorism (torture, surveillance, etc.) weren't really working, and so the host then fired back at her, "well what do you think would work?!" and then she just answered "I wish I knew..." Shut the hell up Laura. If you don't have a solution, then stop yammering on TV when you're already told an attack on where you live is going to happen within minutes. Your types just keep on complaining and complaining and when you're asked, well what should be done, and you just back off like "well, that really isn't my job." Just. Stop. Talking. I thought Otto was ready to throw her out and disown her right then and there.

 

Good episode overall, but I still can't get over the fact that Allison was able to move out and about with just one bodyguard when she's already outed as the leak/mole. Why isn't she with a large contingent, both men and women, who would be able to watch every movement she does, including piss? No long con here folks, Just really stupid people at the top. Should not really be a surprise anymore considering the embassy hijacking that happened at S4 that also could have been prevented with more competent people running the show.

[teddysmom]

And why would you send the one member of your team you know isnt fully on board with the attack to do the most important part and, you know, actyally carry it out?

 

Bibi told him "I hope you love your mother", ie Don't fuck with me. 

[Noirprncess]

Bibi told him "I hope you love your mother", ie Don't fuck with me.

Yep. But does that threat work if you don't care for your mother or parents?. Or maybe he just figured, she's old and lived her life?. So many assumptions in his statement.

[CaptainE]

I agree that this was a tense episode, ala 24, but with many jumps of the shark. The difference between a show like this and an average slap shot show should be good writing, with the least amount of fanwanking involved, but with some thought needed on the part of the viewer. I can only hope we return to that in the next episode.

The absolute worst was the university prof shooting. A "debrief" in the ambulance should have been more than enough to poke holes in Allison's story. 2 guns, 3 people shot? How did it go down again Allison? And there's no way the prof would have taken the gun away from a larger, trained CIA field officer. Oy.

I've been to a lot of train stations and have yet to seen one with ZERO police around. With the alert level elevated.

And a 4 year old would have hit the fire alarm by now.

[henripootel]

I'm ready to scream at how easily Allison is pulling the wool over everybody's eyes.  I sincerely hope that our real-life intelligence services are more competent.

Not everyone's eyes - the Russians saw the right of it, but I woulda thought that they'd do one of two things: either bring Allison in (maybe debriefing her would yield something worthwhile) or shoot her (to conceal how much they told her).  It was odd that the Allison's exit strategy all along was apparently ... a cushy life in Russia?  And why did the Russians think Allison could do anything at to make the attack successful?  They had to know the CIA suspected her and wouldn't, you know, assign her an agent who'd do something dumb like hand her his own weapon.  

 

And boy, wasn't Allison lucky today.  First, with the timing of an attack.  Shooting Agent Trusts-Too-Much and Dr. Evil might buy her an hour or two until somebody from CIA sees the crime scene photos and says 'It couldn't have happened the way Allison says it did."  What if the attack had been planned for way later that night, or the next day?  By then, they'd have found the gaping holes in Allison's story and not believed anything she said.   She'd already shot Agent TTM before Dr. Evil spilled the beans so good thing there wasn't enough time for fact-checking.

 

We'll skate right past where Allison was lucky in shooting herself (but not causing a dire wound) and ask 'why'd she shoot herself at all?'  I assumed that it was to lend her story credence after everyone dies in the subway, and she'll later explain that Professor Terror 'must have lied to her when he said they were gonna attack the airport'.  I mean there's still the forensics to explain away but she did get shot, right?  Who'd shoot themselves?  But apparently Allison'd planned all along to slip away as soon as she'd fobbed off a bit of rot on the germans.  She couldn't make a plan to do this that didn't involve gravely injuring herself?

 

Nitpicks aside though, a fairly gripping episode, if a bit Jack Bauer.

Edited December 15, 2015 by henripootel

[Boundary]

Told myself this is Homeland's 24 crossover and after that I enjoyed the suspense and the shark jumping. The almost le Carré-sque atmosphere of the first couple of episodes this season has given way to Jack Bauer, only thing missing was a "dammit" from Carrie when the phone couldn't connect to a network. 

 

Laura is THE WORST. She is like a smug self righteous five year old having constant temper tantrums and doing the exact opposite of what she is told to do. The worst thing is that even when I agree with her, I still can't stand her.

 

 

The funny thing for me is that even with all the terrorist trying to kill thousands, Laura is the one who makes my blood boil. I really wonder why that is. Kudos to the actress but if I see her in anything else I don't think I can look past this role.

[Helena Dax]

Why would Saul threaten Marwan with the Germans? Germany hasn't got death penalty or a camp  in Guantanamo (as far as we know). No offence, but I'd rather take my chances with the Germans than with the Americans. 

 

I agree  that everything Alison-related was pretty dumb., but in spite of its flaws, it was a very exciting episode and that cliffhanger killed  me. I'm enjoying this season a lot.

[numbnut]

I thought poor Saul was going to have a heart attack after he discovered Marwan had killed himself.  Seriously, when he sat down so sloooowly and took his glasses off, I thought the next thing was keeling over on the floor.  I'm glad he didn't.  He should keel over in embarrassment, him at Dal both, for letting Allison play them, but I like Saul and don't want him to croak.

 

I always wondered if Saul had a heart condition after I saw him taking an unspecified pill during a meeting in his office in season 1. I can't recall if it was from a pillbox but it seemed more important than a typical Advil.

[Mama No Life]

The one thing I can overlook is the lack of hitting an alarm. It's too late to evacuate.... just a hint of fume will kill you, so what's the difference if you die in the tunnel or in the parking lot?  The only way to prevent it is to stop him....evacuating and causing mass panic won't solve anything and will only make it harder to reach the one guy you need to reach.

[The Bullpen]

Whom does the title of this episode reference? Who is the man in Damascus?