Homeland Three Seasons Down

Okay, so I've completed watching season three of Homeland, and it wasn't what I expected. None of this has been what I expected. In fact, this show has been the least predictable show I've ever seen. That's a good thing, btw.

So the Marine dies. This is the guy who was a Marine turned Muslim suicide bomber, turned CIA plant, turned Muslim asylum seeker, turned  CIA assassin. Say what? Well, yeah.

This show is full of surprises, and for the U.S. government to betray the dude was a surprise to me. I mean what happened to leaving no Marine behind? They left this guy to get hanged. Wait, they actually told the Iranians where he was so they can catch him. That was so their other plant could be more believable, and I don't think it was necessary. It was somewhat of a disappointment.

Still, Homeland delivers. It is filled with suspense, twists, and turns. I am caught off guard often during the course of this show. Unlike Blacklist, which I can't help but find myself comparing it to. Blacklist is so predictable. Thanks to the Dizzy Lizzy character. I mean has there ever been a dumber female character who is supposed to be a top FBI agent? I don't think so.

I mean look at it this way. The dude Red, has saved this dizzy dame's life multiple times. And he's saved her friends' lives multiple times. And their careers too, btw. Yet Dizzy Lizzy is quick to believe she has to destroy the man due to some mealymouthed explanation from one of Red's top enemies. It is hard to swallow, and I won't anymore. If they can't fix this ridiculously stupid character, the show is doomed. Of course Megan Boone's lack of credibility as an actress doesn't help.

Which brings me to what makes Homeland a success. It's not just the writing and the plots and the story lines. It's Claire Danes' acting ability which I've already pointed out is spectacular. I don't keep up with acting awards, like the Oscars, the Emmy's, or the Tony's, or whatever. I mostly can't stand actors or movie stars. I think most of them are spoiled idiots living charmed lives. And when they spout off their mouths about things other than acting, they reveal their idiocy.

But I will say that Claire Danes deserves a best actress award if anyone ever did. No, I won't bother looking it up to see if she ever got one. I don't care that much if she did or didn't. I only say in my opinion, shes' the best actress I've seen since...well since...oh yeah, since Amanda Hale from The White Queen show. Yeah, that actress was top notch. I remember blogging about her once upon a time. Intense acting. That's the ticket. Wouldn't mind finding an intense actor playing the role of Trent Smith in my Killer books. That would be a dream come true.

Crazy Carrie vs. Dizzy Lizzy

Megan Boone

I have talked somewhat about the shows Blacklist and Homeland. Blacklist had been my favorite show, mostly because of the stellar performances of James Spader. He's an actor who I've appreciated, and I've liked all of his work. Megan Boone, on the other hand, is the co-star of Blacklist, and she is not a very good actress at all. It's been hard watching her sometimes, but I like the premise of the show, and I've been satisfied with the show for the most part.




The last two seasons has seen Blacklist fall in quality, as I've mentioned in prior posts, meaning the storylines have been wanting. I mean they're bad. Still, Spader keeps the show afloat, and it's not easy for him. The reason is because Megan Boone's character is a dizzy dame. Not to sound misogynistic, really, but anyone who's seen the show knows what I mean. The character Lizzy Keen is whacky. But not a good whacky. She's like the nickname I gave her. Dizzy whacky. Thus Dizzy Lizzy.

Claire Danes

Homeland, on the other hand features a woman who is also whacky, but not in a bad way. She's always right. Even when she thinks she's wrong. But the actress Claire Danes is such a superior actress, the difference is like night and day between her and Megan Boone. Claire Danes performance as the crazy Carrie Mathison is so good, I'm feeling every breath she takes, feeling every emotion she exudes, and it's like I'm experiencing every scene she's in. Wow. Claire Danes is the best actress I've seen in a long time.

Compare that with the near emotionless performances from Megan Boone. Her character, Lizzy Keen is so dumb that it seems that Megan Boone is at a disadvantage right there from the get go. But Boone offers nothing to advance her character. Her acting is wooden, stiff, and blah... Whereas Danes performances go through the roof!


I used to think that Amber Heard would be my actress of choice to play the role of Samantha Jones if Killer of Killers were ever to make the big screen. But I've since changed my mind. Amber Heard, based on the little I've seen of her on the screen is not a good actress. And if you want to see the difference between a good actress and a bad actress, just watch a few episodes of Blacklist, and pay close attention to the performance of Megan Boone as Lizzy Keen.

Then watch a few episodes of Homeland and check out the performance of Claire Danes. The difference is such that it will jump out at you and make you say wow. Danes has the unique ability to express every emotion in the book. She can convince you that she IS undergoing exactly what she is undergoing on the screen. That's a great actress. Kudos to Claire Danes.

As for Megan Boone? Well, it's a good thing James Spader is in the show. Otherwise, it would suck. And the last couple of seasons, it has sucked. In spite of Spader. But Spader, at least, keeps me watching. Can't say that will continue past next season though. Can't say it will continue past the first two episodes of next season. We'll see.

Homeland Season One - Ended Okay

A believable female hero in Homeland

So, yeah, I watched the season one finale last night, and it didn't disappoint. But it wasn't a "wow" type of episode either. I couldn't believe the dude would go through with blowing himself up, and he didn't. The way it was written was that he tried to, but the bomber vest malfunctioned. And his attempt to fix it took so long that a call from his daughter delayed him just enough so that the opportunity to blow everyone up passed.

But it could be argued that the call from his daughter did, in fact, change his mind. Whatever. He didn't go through with it just as I believed he wouldn't. All in all it was okay.

But I'm not without problems. Besides the one about how I can't believe a Marine would commit suicide by blowing himself up "terrorist fashion" like the chumps in the Middle East.

Another problem I'm having with Homeland is the same kind of problem I've been having with Blacklist. That is the on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again, back and forth with the MC Carrie who at first believed the marine dude was a traitor, then she didn't, then she did, then she didn't, and now, once again, she does. Sheesh.

I had to go through that, (and am still going through that) with the ever-dizzy and ever-fickle Lizzy Keene in the Blacklist. First she hates Red, then she loves him (as a father), then she hates him, then she loves him, and now she hates him once again. I can't stand this. Can't anyone make up their mind? Apparently not these two chicks.

But unlike Lizzy Keene, Carrie does come across as a hero, and I still consider her a hero. And I mean a realistic hero. A real true life-like hero. Not some super-chick who beats up dudes by the dozens every episode. When shows do that it makes it look like Hollywood is glorifying violence with women physically fighting, not with their minds but bare-knuckle, knock-down, drag-out fighting with bloody noses, broken bones and death blows.

I never believed women were made for that type of thing. I never believed women would WANT to be involved with that type of thing. And they shouldn't. Why? That's easily answered. It's because a woman would stand no chance against a trained male fighter. None. I've explained why many times already. And when I see it happen in almost every action show nowadays, it turns me off.

But Homeland is giving us a real believable woman hero. Not because she's not beating up people, but because she's smart and clever, and oh so flawed. As I touched on in yesterday's post. She's bipolar. And even though I don't think it was necessary to make being bipolar a part of the show, they did anyway, and they are making it work.

So yeah. Season One of Homeland gets a passing grade in my book. As I recall, Season One of Blacklist got not just a passing grade, but a stellar grade. And it got better in Season Two and it peaked in Season Three. Season Four, however, was hard to watch and Season Five completely tanked. I don't expect it to rebound with Season Six. Although it could. We'll see.

Homeland...Okay

So with my sad dismissal of The Blacklist show, and the fact that it's currently mid-season right now anyway, I started watching Homeland. It's okay. So Far. I like the main character. Of course, the MC is a woman, but at least I don't have to suffer through multiple scenes of her beating up men.

Actually, there hasn't been a single scene where she beats up a man. (Unlike the impossible depiction of Lizzy Keene beating up men a couple times in Blacklist. Or that ridiculously impossible-to-believe Shaw chick beating up men in every episode of POI.)

But that doesn't mean that the character Carrie in Homeland isn't a hero. In fact I think she's a great hero. One thing of note is that the writers of the show have made her into a very flawed individual. Imagine that. A flawed female hero. She's bipolar, and single, with the realization that she will always be single, and her attempt at preventing that has actually jeopardized her job and career.


Pretty good stuff there. But flawed as she is, she's still a hero. I'm watching the final episode of season one tonight, so I hope my appreciation of the show is not ruined. I do have some criticism of the show, however. First, I find it hard to believe that a U.S. Marine who has a loving wife, and two kids, (a son and a daughter who are still teens,) would agree to become a suicide bomber for radical Muslim terrorists.

I mean the guy has a beautiful wife who loves him. Two great kids who need him. And a promising career ahead of him in politics. Add to that that the American public loves him and you have a recipe for a great American life that supersedes any American dream anyone could have.

Yet the guy seems to be fully cooperating in a terrorist plan to put on a "bomber vest" and blow himself up in an act of terror. I happen to know from my own research when I wrote my book The Vase, which involved radical Muslim terrorists, that radical Muslims convince youngsters who don't know any better, or even mentally retarded people to carry out these "bomber jacket" or "bomber vest" suicide missions. How else might someone be willing blow him/herself up?

So the fact that this guy is a fully grown man, seemingly in full control of his mental faculties, and with everything a man might want in life, just doesn't make any sense that he'd become a suicide bomber. Sure he was captured by radical terrorists for 8 years, tortured and manipulated. Sure the little Arab boy to whom he was charged to teach English and then bonded with was a cute little boy with an adorable accent. And sure the explosion that killed the little tyke was as tragic as you can get. But still. I don't buy it.

But again, I haven't seen the last episode of season one yet. As a matter of fact, I'm getting ready to see it right now, since my wife is calling me to come down and watch it with her.

So I'll get back to you tomorrow.