I actually started watching this series first when it first came out - and I'm somewhat surprised that "Homeland" survived this many seasons and has such a good rating overall....
I watched the first 10 episodes of season 1 and I gotta say I am far from impressed. Which is to say: I was immensely bored and couldn't bring myself to keep watching.
Because. Well, many reasons.
The plot is not only totally far-fetched (as I'm sure a number of reviewers have mentioned before me), but didn't manage to hold my attention for more than roughly 5 episodes. But I soldiered bravely on for another 5 with the only result being that I. Was. Frustrated. Beyond hell. The plot moves such slowly that even my non-existing plants are growing faster than this. Sure, one just watched an 50 min episode, but essentially NOTHING has happened. How other reviewers can call it a "gripping mystery, thriller, drama" is beyond me, because (as I mentioned before): boring.
And don't get me started on that Carrie FBI person! That character is totally annoying, unbelievable, stupid, pigheaded, obsessive and so, soo much more I can't even begin to explain How Much I Hate Her. She oversteps all boundaries and rules and laws only to point the finger on the bad, bad US- soldier-turned-traitor-terrorist, and in the name of anti-terrorism and patriot act and what-the- hell-not she justifies spying on a whole American family 24/7 and watches even the most private and intimate moments, has no qualms watching them literally f * ck and sh * t (excuse my French) -- all that even unauthorised by the FBI at all (later on). Which sorry, anti-terrorism or not is just WRONG.
And to top it all she then thinks for some unfathomable reason that sleeping with in her eyes prime suspect of all that is bad, turned traitor and terrorist is the way to go.
Yay. Good idea, gurl! Why didn't I think of that before? Why didn't any self-respecting and law- abiding officer of the law think of that before!? F * ck your suspect to confession... (And in this case him supposedly being (or not being) a terrorist takes care of all possible arising problems when it comes to arresting and convicting. Because terrorism. And Iraq. (Gasp!)
Not to mention that after 10 years under excessive torture and captivity most people would break and go crazy, in my eyes at least, can't be held accountable for their actions. But this is a different topic altogether.. I could go on and on with my rant here -- both about "Carrie" and the plot -- but I'm willing to spare you guys and me at this point.
After having said all this, I must also mention that the actors do their jobs quite well. I've always liked Damien Lewis (which is why I started watching this series) and he certainly didn't disappoint. As for Clare Danes (playing "FBI agent Carrie"): I have never seen her in anything else (at least in a major role) before and therefore can't say if her interpretation of Carrie makes it that much worse or whether that character was exactly written and intended like that. (Probably the latter, but you never know.) Good acting, good camera team and all the technical stuff that goes into "movie-making" (you see, I am a pro in this area. Lol.) are about the only good thing the show has going for it. But a big enough budget probably usually leads to quality filming, I imagine. Plot-wise though? Yeah. No, sir. Just. Nope.
I watched the first 10 episodes of season 1 and I gotta say I am far from impressed. Which is to say: I was immensely bored and couldn't bring myself to keep watching.
Because. Well, many reasons.
The plot is not only totally far-fetched (as I'm sure a number of reviewers have mentioned before me), but didn't manage to hold my attention for more than roughly 5 episodes. But I soldiered bravely on for another 5 with the only result being that I. Was. Frustrated. Beyond hell. The plot moves such slowly that even my non-existing plants are growing faster than this. Sure, one just watched an 50 min episode, but essentially NOTHING has happened. How other reviewers can call it a "gripping mystery, thriller, drama" is beyond me, because (as I mentioned before): boring.
And don't get me started on that Carrie FBI person! That character is totally annoying, unbelievable, stupid, pigheaded, obsessive and so, soo much more I can't even begin to explain How Much I Hate Her. She oversteps all boundaries and rules and laws only to point the finger on the bad, bad US- soldier-turned-traitor-terrorist, and in the name of anti-terrorism and patriot act and what-the- hell-not she justifies spying on a whole American family 24/7 and watches even the most private and intimate moments, has no qualms watching them literally f * ck and sh * t (excuse my French) -- all that even unauthorised by the FBI at all (later on). Which sorry, anti-terrorism or not is just WRONG.
And to top it all she then thinks for some unfathomable reason that sleeping with in her eyes prime suspect of all that is bad, turned traitor and terrorist is the way to go.
Yay. Good idea, gurl! Why didn't I think of that before? Why didn't any self-respecting and law- abiding officer of the law think of that before!? F * ck your suspect to confession... (And in this case him supposedly being (or not being) a terrorist takes care of all possible arising problems when it comes to arresting and convicting. Because terrorism. And Iraq. (Gasp!)
Not to mention that after 10 years under excessive torture and captivity most people would break and go crazy, in my eyes at least, can't be held accountable for their actions. But this is a different topic altogether.. I could go on and on with my rant here -- both about "Carrie" and the plot -- but I'm willing to spare you guys and me at this point.
After having said all this, I must also mention that the actors do their jobs quite well. I've always liked Damien Lewis (which is why I started watching this series) and he certainly didn't disappoint. As for Clare Danes (playing "FBI agent Carrie"): I have never seen her in anything else (at least in a major role) before and therefore can't say if her interpretation of Carrie makes it that much worse or whether that character was exactly written and intended like that. (Probably the latter, but you never know.) Good acting, good camera team and all the technical stuff that goes into "movie-making" (you see, I am a pro in this area. Lol.) are about the only good thing the show has going for it. But a big enough budget probably usually leads to quality filming, I imagine. Plot-wise though? Yeah. No, sir. Just. Nope.