James R | On 06, Oct 2013

Getting ready for the return of Homeland Season 3 tonight? Can’t remember what happened in the last two seasons? Is he? Isn’t he? Will they? Won’t they?

Don’t worry: we’ve broken down the whole saga of Carrie and terrorist/hero Brody (Damien Lewis) into 16 handy chunks of exposition – illustrated with the ever-varied expressions of Claire Danes’ cry face.

Season 1

1. Brody is released back to the US

Brody is sent back home to the US after eight years of being held prisoner in Baghdad. He is welcomed back a hero by the country, his wife (who had an affair with his best friend) and his son, who we do not see for the rest of the show. CIA agent Carrie thinks he’s been sent back as a converted Al-Qaeda soldier. She is, however, not quite right in the head. The only one who believes her is her mentor, Saul (Mandy “The Princess Bride” Patinkin). He has an amazing beard. IS BRODY A TERRORIST?

2. Brody is a Muslim

Brody turns out to be a Muslim – a shock to his daughter, Dana, who spends most of the series pouting. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

3. Carrie bonks Brody

Carrie becomes obsessed with Brody (and his FBI’s Most Wanted mentor, Abu Nazir) and watches him and his wife have sex on hidden CCTV cameras. Then the two begin bonking too – an affair that Brody denies… even when plugged into a lie detector test. Still, he says he loves her. And he takes his clothes off a lot. Conclusion: HE’S NOT A TERRORIST.

4. Brody goes on a suicide mission

It turns out Brody is upset over the death of Abu Nazir’s son, with whom he bonded during his time in captivity. This tragedy motivates him to put on an explosive vest and blow up the Vice President. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

5. … OR DOES HE?

Brody decides not to go through with it and escapes undetected – only after telling the FBI that Carrie is obsessed with him and mentally unbalanced. She is left undergoing shock treatments for her manic depressive condition. Conclusion: HE’S NOT A TERRORIST.

Season 2

6. Carrie is kicked out of the CIA

Carrie is kicked out of the CIA for being cray cray. But Saul is in Beirut and an informant will only talk to her – even though his beard is still, like, really impressive. Conclusion: BRODY’S NOT A TERRORIST.

7. Brody becomes a Congressman

Brody becomes a Congressman and is approached to run for Vice President – alongside the man he tried to blow up last season. But he’s still in contact with an Al-Qaeda mole, Roya Hammad, a TV journalist. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

8. Carrie gets proof

Carrie finds a video confession from Brody to the suicide bombing in the first season. Finally! Proof! She’s not crazy after all! Well, maybe a bit. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

9. Brody kills a tailor

Brody spends a whole two hours driving around with his bomber vest tailor only to kill him in the woods. Meanwhile, in the background, Kimberley Baeur is running away from a Cougar. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

10. Carrie tells Brody

Carrie joins the CIA as a consultant to a surveillance operation on Brody. Then tells him they’re watching him anyway. Brody breaks down in a genuinely moving interrogation scene and agrees to join the good guys as a double agent. Also, something about his daughter accidentally running someone over in a car and subsequently pouting a lot. Conclusion: HE’S NOT A TERRORIST.

11. Carrie and Brody have sex again

12. Abu Nazir turns up

Remember that guy everyone was looking for but had never seen? No, not Brody’s son. Abu Nazir! It turns out he’s now in the US. He meets with Brody – thus ruining the theory that Brody’s son and Abu were the same person all along. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

13. Saul finds a black ops assassin

The increasingly jaded Saul discovers that a guy called Quinn on his surveillance team is actually a black ops assassin hired to kill Brody by senior CIA spook Dar. He’s played by F. Murray Abraham, so we know we can’t trust him. After all, he killed Mozart. Conclusion: HE’S A TERRORIST.

14. Everything goes wrong

Brody helps stop Nazir’s second bombing plan. Then ends up killing the Vice President to save Carrie’s life. Conclusion: HE’S NOT A TERRORIST.

15. Everything goes right

Abu Nazir is killed. Brody and his wife split up – causing his daughter to pout even more, and his son to remain invisible – and Quinn decides not to kill him after all. Conclusion: HE’S NOT A TERRORIST.

16. EVERYONE DIES

Brody and Carrie attend the memorial service for the Vice President. They sneak away and Carrie tells him she’ll give up her career for him – something Saul is determined for her not to do. Brody then sees his car has been moved to outside the ceremony. It blows up. EVERYONE DIES. Except for Saul, Brody, Carrie and some people. Brody says he didn’t do it. Carrie believes him and she takes him to the border – before promising to clear his name. Saul, meanwhile, is promoted to head of the CIA. Conclusion: HE’S NOT A TERRORIST. PROBABLY.

In short, Claire Danes makes lots of weird faces.

 

Seasons 1 and 2 of Homeland are available on Netflix UK as part of a £7.49 monthly subscription.

Add to Watchlist