The Hell Yeah Homeland Podcast

This week we are discussing "Casus Belli," including our initial gut reactions (very polarized!) and 48-hours-later mellowed reactions. We also dissect Carrie's behavior, whether she was manipulating Quinn, and just what that shut door means. Finally we delve into spy plotting. Lots of questions, very few answers. 

(Alternate titles: "Franny and the Nanny," "A Really Bad Fucking Day," "It's a Verb.")

This week a special guest joins me for a bonus episode of our pod. My mom, who has for years indulged my thoughts and rantings and general wonderments about this show, adds in some commentary of her own about Sunday's episode, "Casus Belli." 

We talk about unspoken promises and our reactions to watching what unfolded on screen. We delve into discussions of bad parenting, nefarious Dar, and crazy crocheters. 

I close by picking her brain on a few burning, long-standing questions re: Carrie and Quinn. 

(Alternate titles: "What Could I Defend," "Call Tree," "I Get It All," "I Hope She Wasn't a Knitter," "Forever and All-Time," "They Should've Done a FaceTime.") 

In this, our 33rd episode, I come dangerously close to unironically reciting "that is a mischaracterization" à la manic Carrie in "The Vest."

We also get around to discussing Homeland's latest, "A Flash of Light." There are certain things we disagree on (just how much does it matter, one episode later, that the cookie scene was cut?). And certain things on which we wholeheartedly concur (Dar telling Carrie "I'm not Saul" is certainly a life highlight). 

We take a few other detours to expound on a changed Quinn, what it means for Carrie to be a capable mother, Charlie Rose, and whether Alex Gansa is a romantic at heart or not. 

(Alternate title: "No One Wants to Talk About Jonas")

"The Covenant" was a strange and interesting and provocative episode. This week we tackle its most divisive scene--yep, that one. Did it make you angry or distracted? Or did it surprise you, in a good way? 

We also take on some of the other questions this episode posed, like what exactly gold cigarette packs mean? Why does Saul have a mystery sister? Did Carrie and Roger have a dalliance? Are parallels (aka my life's work) totally intentional or just happy accidents? 

#WhatDoYouHaveSaul 

(Alternate titles: "Gaslight," "In a Tank," "Supercilious," "'It's Carrie' ... 'Exactly.'")  

This week we explore the confounding, surprising beauty of "The Man in the Basement." We start at the end, with the devastation of the last scene between Carrie and Quinn, and work our way backward. What does it all mean? Why didn't she say more? What exactly is said and understood and what falls through the cracks, like so much else? 

We take a few brief detours to talk about Carrie's growth, female friendship, bedside parallels, and epic Saul takedowns. 

(Alternate title: "Did you know Claire Danes was at the March?")

Horrifying and/or awkward celebrity real life run-ins. Fast forward mishaps. Heart-of-Homeland hot take (for real) (really). Endearing Paley-ness. Déjà vu. STAUNCH HAPPY CARRIE DEFENSE. 

It's a roller coaster from start to finish. 

(Alternate titles: "Good Intentions," "Lots of Love and Monney," "Tim Daly is 60 Years Old," "Authentically Don't Understand.")

(The original "Halfway to a Donut" HYH podcast is titled "Escape or Die Chick" and I still think that is the best episode title ever, followed closely by "Sexual Death.")

Maybe you heard, the first episode of season six was released three weeks early. 

Well. We go through the whole big thing. 

How best to parse through unexpected or even unwanted reactions? How best to deal with that pit in the bottom of your stomach? How best to describe the dynamic between Carrie and Quinn (we search for the perfect metaphor)? How best to explain it all, days, weeks, or even months later? How best to adjust to a Homeland world so different from our own? 

(Alternate titles: "Hmmh!!!")

The series of HYH pod throwback episodes continues with the season three finale "The Star" and a discussion about what it means to put the mission before the man. We talk Brody's end, Carrie's new beginning, and Saul's last stand. There is also a very heated discussion about Quinn's role in late season three. 

This episode is sponsored by my love for Brit Marling. #WatchTheOA

(Alternate titles: "No Good Very Bad Day... Forever," "Pietà.")

Our journey through seasons past continues with season two's "New Car Smell." We have mixed opinions, which always makes for lively debate. On the docket: did Brody love Carrie? Did Brody make Carrie at the hotel bar? Did Carrie make Quinn? In an episode filled with deception and lies, we get to the heart of who was telling the truth and when. 

(Alternate titles: "Outside the Realm of Sanity," "Revisionist History.")

The season six premiere is exactly four weeks away, so we're counting down by taking a look back. What are the most important episodes of the series? Which had the greatest impact: on us, on the show, and on the characters? 

We start with "Marine One," the season one finale that I annually tweet about after watching it on the plane a few days before Christmas. I won't be doing that this year. Instead, we took some time to talk about the very best that season one has to offer. Remember when Carrie and Saul were, like, friends? Remember how incredible Damian Lewis was here? Remember David Estes?? We take a few other turns, with the hindsight that five extra years offer. 

(Alternate titles: "Crying on the Train in Public," "In My Own Canon," "We're Not Doing a Very Good Job of Talking about 'Marine One.'")