S06.E11: R for Romeo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

Carrie and Quinn make a discovery while Keane makes a decision and Max finds trouble.

Promo:

 

Clips:

 

[WaltersHair]

I am so fantastically sick of both the left and right telling me what to think. Hysteria on both sides. SHUT UP.  I don't know who the radio guy is supposed to be in real life and I don't give a crap. That accent is the worst and he's still a cartoon character. Get off my regular FICTIONAL TV show. If I wanted heavy handed BS, I'd just tune in to cable news.

This episode was pure filler. I want to wack the writers on the knuckles with a ruler. /off my soapbox.

[SimoneS]

Keane did do well on the radio show. I liked Saul pointing out that the plot was textbook regime change. Dar is going to turn on allies now he knows they are setting up Quinn to be the patsy for assassinating Keane. 

It is so unbelievable that Carrie hasn't returned Saul's messages. She doesn't think that she should update Saul about what is going on? Are these people really supposed to be CIA agents? 

I think that the Attorney General must be in on the plot. Where did he disappear to? What type of incompetent FBI agents don't check for explosives before opening the garage door?

Edited April 3, 2017 by SimoneS

[Artsda]

This really has been a great season. Loved Quinn and Carrie this episode. They should be the ones in charge.

They really didn't check the inside of the garage for anything before just cutting the lock and opening the door? Really? 

The attorney general I'm wondering is totally in on it since disappeared. 

[mjc570]

I liked that Carrie was finally called on her actions - although it was telling that her first response to Quinn was "Who told you" rather than "I'm sorry, I thought I was doing what you would have wanted to do to save lives." 

Glad Max made it out ok, although I didn't expect he'd end up working with Dar.  Loved how PE Keane handled the interview, refusing to back down.  Speaking of Keane - she really is influenced by the last person to talk to her - Carrie, Saul, Dar, Carrie again, Saul again. 

I have to admit that my enjoyment is somewhat tempered by how realistic - in light of current events - the story line involving the trolling, the delegitimizing of the media and the office of president, the destabilization of government is. 

[RedFiat]

I had a feeling the ag was in on it somehow. The house gets blowed up real good, and yet Quinn comes out alive/ This guy has more than 9 lives.  Keane is in danger it will have to be Saul to alert someone who isn't in on the plot.  Dar will likely pay for protecting Quinn from these special kind of evil alternate truth people. The show has been setting it up all season for Dar to meet his maker, but he won't leave as being purely one dimensional. I do wonder if it will be a two-fer, Dar and/or someone else dies in the process. 

 I feel for Carrie, it is more than guilt that she tries to take care of Quinn, she was there from the beginning, and when the opportunity presented itself for Quinn to provide info she took it, just as Quinn would himself. 

Edited April 3, 2017 by RedFiat

[dwmarch]

Epic FBI fail for not realizing that a Spec Ops safehouse might be booby-trapped. Heavily armed ex-military types who happily murder FBI agents and who have already blown up a van might have access to more explosives. This is what inter-agency cooperation looks like on this show. Your shit gets wrecked.

How many times has Carrie been blown up now? At least she didn't wake up manic. And I loved that once she found Quinn and they shook off the cobwebs they started checking the fallen to see if there were other survivors.

I was sure Max was dead in this episode so I'm glad he still draws breath for the moment.

I also really liked Saul informing PEOTUS that she didn't have a plan. His "follow the money? It is to LOL!" was great as was him reminding the team that they were up against tried and true CIA gangsta shit. (Not his CIA though, very important!)

I LOVED LOVED LOVED the shot of Quinn and Carrie as he was leaving. Quinn was walking into the light while Carrie was remaining hidden in the shadows. I don't know if they planned it that way but it really worked for me. I also appreciated the subtle ambiguity of Quinn saying "you have to let me go". Is he telling Carrie to get over him or is he telling her to get out of his way because he's got places to be? Or six of one, half a dozen of the other?

[scrb]

Don't know what this fantasy has to do with US intelligence agents.  

American CIA guys are going to assasinate the POTUS at the behest of a talk radio guy?

Who may have gotten funding for his AstroTurf operation from Dar but now is secretly running special ops guy that Dar runs?

[LoveLeigh]

Last week, it was all spy melodrama with Saul planning a clandestine getaway out of the US, saying his goodbyes, and this week he is riding in the PEOTUS's car? How did they drop that plot line so fast? 

[TVbitch]

Carrie just enters the safehouse without informing anyone where she is at. Cuz no way would any bad guys still be watching it when the freaking van is in there. Then she jumps into the stolen van without gloves on and starts touching everything. Then doesn't clear the house and needs Quinn to rescue her. Then after talking to Quinn and realizing there might be a threat to the PE, she allows herself to be PUT ON HOLD instead of just blurting it out to the PE's aide who apparently has a problem with his cell service. Darn those Presidential dead spots. Can you hear me know?

Both Carrie and Quinn looked pretty good for being that close to a huge blast. At least they didn't kiss when he walked out of the safehouse. I wonder if Max and Dar will have a beer and watch the game after becoming pals now. I guess Dar doesn't know any other computer geeks. Maybe he could have called The Geek Squad. His brainstorming session with Max was master spywork: "So Max, it looks like Peter is posting web rants and changed his Facebook status to "It's Complicated", does that sound right to you?" OMG Dar, I think you know Peter don't have no fucking web presence! 

(okay I'll stop!) 

Edited April 3, 2017 by TVbitch

[pfk505]

After watching the finale of another (nameless) show tonight, this was like Masterpiece Theatre. All I have to say is that I KNEW Dar would end up on the same side as Our Heroes. Admittedly, I didn't predict the whole assassination plot with Quinn as the patsy, but I'll take what I can get. So much of the villainy this season just didn't ring true for Dar, especially him working with that moron O'Keefe, but I knew eventually there would be some reveal as to how Dar is, in fact, still on Team USA and hasn't gone full traitor.

The plot may be bad and full of holes, but I look forward to this show each week and this season has been quite enjoyable. Rupert Friend killed it again, too.

[chocolatine]

OK, the "Quinn is immortal" trope has officially gotten ridiculous. Not only has he survived everything that's happened in Berlin, he's also survived a pretend drowning in an icy lake, and a house explosion that killed several people.

I also *still* don't get Dar's motivations, why would someone in his position get into bed with that Breitbart-esque scum in the first place? And now that they're trying to frame Quinn, he's like "oops, never mind?"

[Mabel]

Can someone explain how it can be that Quinn was being set up as a patsy in an assassination (apparently, a long time ago) and a subject of a hit order at the same time??? Are there several plot-masters working at cross-purposes? Both unknown to Dar? 

I like the show but the writing is pretty disjointed. And has been for a while. 

[LoveLeigh]

I don't understand how Dar is written to be a total traitor, totally contradicting Saul to the PEOTUS about Iran and appearing to work with the assassin going after Quinn and tonight he is not a traitor and working with Max. 

How is he playing both sides, telling Carrie to "stand down" and why did he assume the role of a traitor? Was it to get in with that Alex Jones radio guy to get to the bottom of his dirty agendas? 

And I am still all confused about Saul's about face from last week. 

Just now, Mabel said:

Can someone explain how it can be that Quinn was being set up as a patsy in an assassination (apparently, a long time ago) and a subject of a hit order at the same time??? Are there several plot-masters working at cross-purposes? Both unknown to Dar? 

I like the show but the writing is pretty disjointed. And has been for a while. 

Mabel, I agree. I am totally lost and have to watch each episode almost 4 times to try to follow what is going on. 

[Guest]

5 hours ago, dwmarch said:

I also appreciated the subtle ambiguity of Quinn saying "you have to let me go".

I thought it was more an omen of his fate next week. They should have let him go last season since this one, it seems like they're just torturing him to advance the plot. 

[Ina123]

I had to laugh when Dar told Max he wouldn't hurt him. He damn well hurt him in that jugular hold in the interrogation room.

[Mabel]

Does anyone know if Rupert Friend has signed up for next season? Seems kind of pointless to kill Quinn now, after he miraculously survived all that had befallen him. 

Edited April 3, 2017 by Mabel

[RedFiat]

45 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

I thought it was more an omen of his fate next week. They should have let him go last season since this one, it seems like they're just torturing him to advance the plot. 

Its not about Carrie or Quinn, its about the fans insisting that Quinn still be on the show. 

[Ina123]

I still think he could be a great CIA analyst. At some point it has to be said to TPTB Quinn figured all this out.

[Pallas]

7 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I also *still* don't get Dar's motivations, why would someone in his position get into bed with that Breitbart-esque scum in the first place?

Keane is on record (in the opening credits) as saying the U.S. needs an entirely new security strategy, and that she would consider eliminating the CIA (said Saul to Carrie). The CIA and specifically its regime-change operations have historically gotten into bed with whatever foreign scum might help advance its interpretation of US interests: the contras (Nicaragua), Pinochet (Chile), and the states it installed or supported in El Salvador, Argentina, Iran and Iraq. The CIA also didn't shrink from working with the Mafia to try to thwart, then overthrow, then assassinate Castro. 

Now it seems the President-Elect has put the CIA's own interests at risk. My guess is that the showrunners will decide that Adal directed the plan only up to the point that pressure forced Keane to step back from her announced policies -- accepted Adal's cabinet recommendations and other counsel. Or at most, resigned because she couldn't take the heat. On the other hand, Saul noted that the build-up was textbook CIA regime-change which historically ends in blood: that strategy didn't get enacted without Adal (funded by his deep statesmen). So perhaps Keane's assassination was always an option within Adal's gameplan. Just not with Quinn's identity welded onto Toxic Soldier's profile, as the final move.

[Joimiaroxeu]

It's looking like they're turning Dar back to the hero side, assuming he's going to head off the Keane assassination plot in order to save Quinn. Darn. I was really hoping Adal would end up dead by the end of the season. Now I don't see that happening unless they kill off Quinn too.

Quote

Its not about Carrie or Quinn, its about the fans insisting that Quinn still be on the show. 

The fans didn’t want to see Brody go either but eventually it had to happen or the show would just look silly. I'm prepared for the departure for Quinn but I hope he's still alive when he goes.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Joimiaroxeu

[clb1016]

Has it been explained why there's seemingly no VP-Elect on this show?  As has, unfortunately, been demonstrated in the past, the death of a President doesn't mean a vacancy in the Oval Office.  Assuming the plot is to kill the PEOTUS, who is expecting to move into that spot?

Sorry, but I've been watching this show since Season 1, Ep 1, and have never been this lost about what the hell the writers were thinking.  They seem to have gone completely off the rails and for the first time I honestly cannot say I'm looking forward to next season, because I can't imagine what TPTB might come up with.

[polyhymnia]

Rupert Friend's confrontation with Carrie was pretty amazing acting, in spite of or maybe because of the sudden monkey interpretation.  I didn't know whether to laugh or be horrified.

Glad Max survived.  He should probably subcontract to someone other than Carrie.  Has she even checked on him?  Liked Keane's responses on the TV show.  I agree that the overall plans of the CIA (or whomever is behind all of this) make no sense wrt Quinn - they were trying to kill him 5 second ago but now are trying to use him as the scapegoat for an assassination? When did they come up with this change of plans?

[Lady Iris]

Poor Carrie, Quinn wasn't just saving you, he was avenging Astrid.

I'm glad to see Dar is still watching out for Quinn. This will probably be his one redeeming quality. Poor Quinn needs somebody watching out for him. I can't tell if Carrie is still in love with him or just helping him out of obligation.

[SimoneS]

2 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

It's looking like they're turning Dar back to the hero side, assuming he's going to head off the Keane assassination plot in order to save Quinn. Darn. I was really hoping Adal would end up dead by the end of the season. Now I don't see that happening unless they kill off Quinn too.

It looks like Dar is about turn on his co-conspirators to save Quinn so I wouldn't be surprised if they take him out before Carrie, Saul, Quinn, and Keane can get to him.

[RedFiat]

2 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

It looks like Dar is about turn on his co-conspirators to save Quinn so I wouldn't be surprised if they take him out before Carrie, Saul, Quinn, and Keane can get to him.

Yeah, I think Dar is done.  How it happens will be interesting. I hope he doesn't take Max with him. 

[SimoneS]

I am feeling much more optimistic about Max's future now that Dar seems to need him a live to help him save Quinn.

[Addlepated]

Is Dar just feeling schmoopy about Quinn because he diddled him years ago?  Is that why Quinn hates, fears, and loves Dar?  

[RedFiat]

There was a reason to put that tidbit of information about Dar in the show, and it's not just about the audience really loathing the guy.  I think in Dar's twisted way he has feelings for Quinn as not only an object of desire but a protege that did all the dark things with no traces.   He was robotic in that sense, he was unfeeling with Astrid, it was not until he became involved with Carrie and to a lesser extent Saul and the like who questioned their reasons for doing what they did.  Quinn was doing a lot of dark shit for a long time.  I still remember him stabbing Brody in the hand in interrogation.  He was a full on killing machine.

1 hour ago, SimoneS said:

I am feeling much more optimistic about Max's future now that Dar seems to need him a live to help him save Quinn.

If Max dies, it won't be at Dar's hands.  I fear he might get caught up in the crossfire, tho

[mrspidey]

2 hours ago, Lady Iris said:

Poor Carrie, Quinn wasn't just saving you, he was avenging Astrid.

In fact, he set Carrie up as bait for the assassin. 

I guess it wouldn't be a proper season of Homeland without Carrie getting blown up.

How many times is that now?

[Lady Iris]

25 minutes ago, mrspidey said:

I guess it wouldn't be a proper season of Homeland without Carrie getting blown up.

Hee!

[Bannon]

This show is on the precipice of sliding back into the dreck that enveloped it halfway through season two, that took a very, very, long time to get out of. I don't think it will survive another excursion into awfulness, so I hope the writers recover. Somebody really ought to tell them that story arcs that prominently feature Presidents, President-Elects, or Vice Presidents in melodramatic peril are super-difficult to execute credibly, and are best avoided.

[ahpny]

Quote

Can someone explain how it can be that Quinn was being set up as a patsy in an assassination (apparently, a long time ago) and a subject of a hit order at the same time??? 

Though this episode confused me too, here's a theory on why Quinn could be both killed and still used as as scapegoat in a POTUS-elect assisination. "Toxic Soldier" has an established web presense linking him to extreme hatred of POTUS-elect and an affinity and aptitude for violent measures. Quinn does have an affinity and aptitude for violent measures. That part they don't need to make up. They just need to link him to extreme hatred of POTUS-elect (done), reveal Quinn's actual past (not too hard to do), and have him "die" in the assasination in a manner that obscures his real death some time before (tricky, but doable by the skilled special op guys we've seen). Why the special ops types would turn on one of their own may be harder to explain.

This shares elements of the car bomb plot, but with some elements reversed. With Seko, they didn't have to fake the web presense since that was real. They just had to fake the violent measures part, which they did by van swaping, blowing up that evidence and secreting the original van.  I'm still not sure why they needed to swap out the van. Wouldn't it have been simplier to plant a bomb in the actual van rather than replace it? Didn't replacing the van run the risk that Seko would discover the changed van and abort the delivery or whatever he was doing? What if he looked behind the visor in "his" van for his family pictures and found none? Those special ops guys are good, but would have have been thorough enough to duplicate those family pictures?

Like others, I'm suspicious of the Attorney General's sudden departure just before the bomb exploded. Maybe minimally-redeemed Dar will play a role in saving POTUS-elect's life? I'd like to think Dar will also play a role in saving Quinn's life, but may not be in the cards after his "you have to let me go" statement to Carrie.

[Pallas]

4 hours ago, polyhymnia said:

they were trying to kill him 5 second ago but now are trying to use him as the scapegoat for an assassination? When did they come up with this change of plans?

The Toxic Soldier online profile didn't need to be photo-shopped onto any particular patsy until the operation was launched. Quinn may have been the original fall-guy -- briefly replaced by another candidate -- or more likely, his late nemesis moved the target onto Quinn once he learned from the furious Adal that Quinn had survived. Set Quinn up, in order to finish off both Quinn and his Quinn-loving mentor. 

[slowpoked]

I'm confused about the location of the bomb - is it from the same garage where Sekou's stolen van was? If it is, weren't there already agents in there checking out the place?

[ToniG]

16 hours ago, TVbitch said:

Carrie just enters the safehouse without informing anyone where she is at. Cuz no way would any bad guys still be watching it when the freaking van is in there. Then she jumps into the stolen van without gloves on and starts touching everything. Then doesn't clear the house ...

THIS. As soon as she went to disarm the alarm, and it wasn't set, I knew there was someone left behind. Why didn't she realize that, ffs? 

[LoveLeigh]

I really think they are all over the place with Dar. One week, the PEOTUS is saying she will throw him in jail and then he is a hero? How can this make any sense? He planned the killing of Quinn at that remote house. He was in cahoots with that guy who killed Astrid and who Quinn killed. He told Javadi to go along with telling Keane that Iran broke the agreement. Dar was in cahoots with the Alex Jones guy. 

So how does Dar even make any sense in "R is for Romeo?" It is like this episode was written by some clueless writer who never even saw the previous episodes.  

And Saul? He is back like "The Flag House" episode never happened. I totally cannot connect these dots. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by DakotaLavender

[LilaFowler]

I'm so confused.

[vesperholly]

R is for Rupert Friend Emmy Reel.

[wrlord]

On 4/2/2017 at 6:48 PM, WaltersHair said:

I am so fantastically sick of both the left and right telling me what to think. Hysteria on both sides. SHUT UP.  I don't know who the radio guy is supposed to be in real life and I don't give a crap. That accent is the worst and he's still a cartoon character. Get off my regular FICTIONAL TV show. If I wanted heavy handed BS, I'd just tune in to cable news.

This episode was pure filler. I want to wack the writers on the knuckles with a ruler. /off my soapbox.

QFT.  The radio guy, of course, is supposed to be Rush Limbaugh.  This show takes place in an alternate dimension where conservatives protest with "not my president!" signs, the right wing (which is actually mostly bots anyway) lies while the left shoots straight,  Israel frames poor, innocent Iran, and absolutely all extremist violence is committed by the CIA framing innocent Muslims.

Edited April 4, 2017 by wrlord

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I had to pause this episode several times because I could not make it through O'Keefe's beep boop beep boop noises.

One of the saddest but truest moments on this show was when Carrie apologized for how Quinn has changed because of his stroke and he told her that he's always been that way. Both of them were finally taking responsibility for their actions and being honest with each other.

I was already suspicious of the attorney general when Carrie pressed him about getting immunity for Quinn and he gave her some vague non-response like "We'll make it work," but when he disappeared right before the bomb went off I was like yup, he's in on it and now he's going to tell someone that he knows exactly where Quinn is and how much Carrie knows!

Thank goodness Max is still alive (for now). Of course, I was shaking my head as he was escaping into the parking garage. As a woman, I would not walk right next to a big van like that. That's the kind of thing girls are taught from a very young age for that very reason.

Edited April 4, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Mabel]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I was already suspicious of the attorney general when Carrie pressed him about getting immunity for Quinn and he gave her some vague non-response like "We'll make it work," but when he disappeared right before the bomb went off I was like yup, he's in on it and now he's going to tell someone that he knows exactly where Quinn is and how much Carrie knows!

Sure looks like attorney general and Rob  (chief of staff) are in it together. Which amounts to highest-level conspiracy possible. wonder how Keane will be able to trust anybody on her team after this debacle  (if it turns out to be true). But then again, the storyline will most probably be dropped next season when they move overseas

[Guest]

6 hours ago, wrlord said:

The radio guy, of course, is supposed to be Rush Limbaugh.  

Actually he's modeled after Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist with his own talk show that millions listen to/watch. What you see as a fictional character is far crazier in real life. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

2 hours ago, Mabel said:

Sure looks like attorney general and Rob  (chief of staff) are in it together. Which amounts to highest-level conspiracy possible. wonder how Keane will be able to trust anybody on her team after this debacle  (if it turns out to be true). But then again, the storyline will most probably be dropped next season when they move overseas

Why do you think Rob is in on it? I didn't see anything to indicate that.

[Mabel]

well, Rob cut of Carrie rather sharply, who was trying to tell him about the new developments. and he didn't mention it to PE. don't know. just a hunch. but can be completely wrong, of course. And I think I mistook one of security guys talking to Rob for SG  (they all have  kind of similar bland faces )

Edited April 4, 2017 by Mabel

[polyhymnia]

10 hours ago, wrlord said:

QFT.  The radio guy, of course, is supposed to be Rush Limbaugh.  This show takes place in an alternate dimension where conservatives protest with "not my president!" signs, the right wing (which is actually mostly bots anyway) lies while the left shoots straight,  Israel frames poor, innocent Iran, and absolutely all extremist violence is committed by the CIA framing innocent Muslims.

I think he's supposed to be Alex Jones. (ETA: Which Giant Misfit already pointed out)

I remember him from his small potatoes days on local public access (Austin, Texas) bitching about driver's license fingerprinting and grass (the kind you mow) citations.  I automatically decided that his counterpart in Homeland had the same petty beginnings.

Edited April 4, 2017 by polyhymnia

[Roselle]

So, (flashback) Robert Knepper was the leader of the special forces group Quinn used to be a part of? And now he's General Jamie McClenden, the Department of Defense Representative? I can't be bothered to go watch again but was he also one of the three on Dar's wishlist to be in the PEOTUS cabinet? With those links he's got to be part of the whole dark conspiracy. Love that actor.

Thought this was an exciting episode - great action and great acting. This whole season, I'm imagining Rupert Friend must be so pleased to have such a changed character to play with, with so many new layers to show his skills. As to the many layers of 'WTF's going on' - gotta say, I rather let it wash over me and hope one of the characters comes up with a long spiel of exposition to clarify.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Roselle

[roughing it]

Which one is the attorney general?  I can't remember/picture him.  Does anyone know his character's name or the actor's name so I can look him up?  TIA!

[piequinn35]

^David Thornton as George Pallis, Solicitor General of the United States, the one that disappeared when the bomb blew off.

On 4/2/2017 at 10:32 PM, TVbitch said:

Carrie just enters the safehouse without informing anyone where she is at. Cuz no way would any bad guys still be watching it when the freaking van is in there. Then she jumps into the stolen van without gloves on and starts touching everything. Then doesn't clear the house and needs Quinn to rescue her. Then after talking to Quinn and realizing there might be a threat to the PE, she allows herself to be PUT ON HOLD instead of just blurting it out to the PE's aide who apparently has a problem with his cell service. Darn those Presidential dead spots. Can you hear me know?

Both Carrie and Quinn looked pretty good for being that close to a huge blast. At least they didn't kiss when he walked out of the safehouse. I wonder if Max and Dar will have a beer and watch the game after becoming pals now. I guess Dar doesn't know any other computer geeks. Maybe he could have called The Geek Squad. His brainstorming session with Max was master spywork: "So Max, it looks like Peter is posting web rants and changed his Facebook status to "It's Complicated", does that sound right to you?" OMG Dar, I think you know Peter don't have no fucking web presence! 

(okay I'll stop!) 

Geek squad is terrible, we dealt with them because of our phone's warranty that we bought at best buy, no to geek squad ever again! When Carrie went inside the van she was still wearing her toque, then when she reentered the house, the toque was gone, she wasn't holding it, magic! ;)

[mjc570]

I thought that the fact that the Solicitor General showed up at the ops house - with everything else going on - rather than sending a subordinate, was more suspicious than him disappearing.