Homeland - Season 2 Episode 1 - Recap Video - The Smile
Here's the recap of Homeland Season 2 Episode 1: "The Smile" on SHOWTIME.
Full episode video in the end:
* * * * *
Coming off of a HUGE win at the Emmy’s (6 wins total), the second season of Homeland has big shoes to fill. The sophomore season of the show will set the expectations for the future success of the franchise and promises to answer tons of questions left from season one.
The first season of Homeland left viewers off with Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) undergoing shock treatment therapy to overcome her psychological malfunctions. Just before treatment, she has an epiphany about the gap in Abu Naziir’s activity. After failing to follow through with an attack that would leave our country crippled, Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) reaffirmed his commitment to Abu Naziir and plans to infiltrate the government from within. This season looks to be a dynamic undertaking for both Claire Danes and Damian Lewis and we are really excited to see how this tangled web unravels.
The episode begins with Carrie, back at home, pruning her garden. Her father and sister are listening to a news report about protests in Israel outside the US Embassy.
We learn that Carrie is currently teaching, as she mentions her need to grade exams from “class”. Carrie heads to her room to view a website about the activity in Israel.
Over in Lebanon, we see civilians protesting on the streets outside of a government building. Saul is inside, examining a paper bill with a code written in invisible ink. An informant contacts the agency and requests a face to face with Saul to speak about information she has on the situation at hand. The CIA officials exchange words about this informant (who she is, what she wants, etc.) and we learn that 2 days earlier, Israel bombed 5 nuclear sites within Iran.
The next scene shows Saul and a new team member (unnamed as of now) driving to meet the informant. Saul looks back and says, “Looks like we have company.” Saul is then dropped off to meet the woman, surveys the area and heads back out.
Walking through a street market, an old man directs Saul to where his informant is waiting. The woman, whom we still know very little information on, tries to leave but Saul sits her down to get her to talk.
In Washington, Sergeant Brody walks in to meet with Vice President Walden and is greeted as “Congressman” by the VP. Brody thanks Walden for getting Dana and Chris into school and helping them with their scholarships.
The two men sit and discuss what’s new and the Vice President explains he wants to pick Brody has his potential running mate in the upcoming election. Walden proceeds to ask Brody if there is anything from his past that we need to know about. Brody mentions the obvious (held by Al-Qaida for 8 years). The two end their conversation with a discussion of a schedule for upcoming events.
We move to Carrie’s class, where she teacher ESL to what appears to be Muslim adults. A familiar face (Danny Galvez from the agency) comes to Carrie’s class and knocks on the window of her classroom door. He requests that David Estes (Mathison’s former boss) wants to see her. She says “F*** off!” And says to tell David, “He was right, I never belonged in the CIA in the first place.”
Back at Brody’s house, Jessica is making dinner, and Chris is getting tons of friend requests since his dad’s big move into government. The family discusses how “incredible” it is that Brody’s name is even being mentioned in the press for the VP pick. Dana enters with an attitude, not wanting to talk to her parents, as she heads on a date with “Xander”.
Carrie arrives home and her sister explains that Saul Berenson needs her help. Carrie calls Saul and he explains that they need her to assist them in meeting an informant.
Carrie asks: “Can it wait until tomorrow?”
Saul responds: “I’m afraid not. David Estes is sitting outside your house right now.”
We see the unstable Carrie begin to emerge as she declines, saying it is her night to cook for the family and she is cooking “vegetable lasagna”. She freaks out yelling, “Why are you doing this to me?”
Carrie heads out front to meet David. David has a photo of the informant that he wants Carrie to look at. Her name is Fatima Ali, first wife of Abbas Ali. Carrie recruited her back when she was undercover in the Middle East to help her with information and kept her off book because she wanted to keep her alive. Carrie explains to David that Fatima loved American movies, mainly Julia Roberts, and that March 2005 was Carrie’s last contact with Fatima (when she left Beirut).
David explains that Fatima has information on an attack on America and she ONLY wants to speak with Carrie. He adds that the CIA wants Carrie to go and meet Fatima to get the info and return home in three days. David makes it ABUNDANTLY clear; this doesn’t mean she gets her job back. We see that Carrie feels she doesn’t have a choice.
Carrie’s sister, Maggie Mathison, doesn’t think she is ready for this.
Maggie: “At least Call Dr. Rosenberg before you make a decision.”
Dad: “Let her go!”
We now move back to Brody and we are in his office. Roya Hammad, a news reporter is doing a story sits down to talk with Brody. He agrees to the sit down interview and we come to learn that she is working with Abu Naziir to send a message to Brody,
Roya: “Congressman, do you tape what is said in this office?”
Brody: “No, why do you ask?”
Roya: “We need to speak privately about Abu Naziir.”
Brody is taken aback and at first, it seems he thinks it is all just a set up.
Not until Roya says that Naziir’s dead son’s birthday is Monday and he would have been 13 had he survived the drone strike, does Brody realize Roya is telling the truth, she really IS working for Naziir. She continues with other personal information that allows Brody to know that she is with Abu and gives Brody a code to Estes’ safe that has vital information on potential targets for terrorist attacks.
Roya: “Nicholas, we are at war, you need to choose sides.”
Brody: “I KILLED Tom Walker!”
We now see that this is Brody’s chance to prove his allegiance.
At Dana’s school, students are discussing current events and their views on the situations abroad in a thing they call a “Quaker Meeting”. As a student is sharing his thoughts, Dana speaks out about her thoughts and calls the student a “douche” because he feels the US should attack Iran before they attack us.
We now move to a CIA safe house in Cyprus, where we learn of Carrie’s new identity. Carrie is now Kate Morrissey. Another member of the team is quizzing her on her new information. Her mother’s maiden name is Decarlo, she was born on October 16, 1981 in Ottawa and she is now a brunette. Her instruction is to check in to the Commodore Hotel once she arrives in Lebanon.
Back at Brody’s, Jessica and Brody confront Dana about the issue at school. Jessica: “She said you are a Muslim. Why would she say such a crazy thing? You sound crazy Dana.”
Brody admits to them that he is a Muslim. He tells his wife that he practices his religion in the garage. Jessica storms out to the garage to investigate. She doesn’t understand why he spends so much time in the garage. She says she is more upset and hurt that he lied EVERYTIME he went to the garage. She tells Brody that this cannot happen; he CANNOT do this. She throws his Qur’an on the ground and he snatches it up immediately, explaining that it should NEVER touch the ground.
In Cyprus, Carrie is sleeping. Her partner explains that they need to be up and out in a little bit and they discuss her instructions upon arrival in Lebanon.
We are now in Washington. Brody is walking through security at the CIA office. Estes and Saul are discussing Carrie’s unstable state over the phone. Brody meets with Estes to discuss things and get the information from the safe for Naziir. CIA personnel interrupt the meeting because Roya Hammad, helped get Estes to leave the room while Brody looks for the safe. After searching through the files, he finds the information he needs and copies it into his notebook as Roya meets with Estes about a breaking story on the 4-5 nuclear plants that were attacked. Estes denies her requests for a comment and to kill more time, Roya asks Estes on a dinner date. He agrees. Brody snatches his notebook off the desk just as Estes walks back into the office.
Carrie, “Kate Morrisey” gets through customs to make it into Beirut. She heads to her hotel room at the Commodore and finds a fruit basket waiting for her with a note that reads, “Cafe Zarif 18:00”. Saul is there waiting for her.
We see Saul speaking with Carrie through a cell phone and he realizes, as she gets close, that there are guys watching him. Saul tells Carrie to keep walking and meet him at the safe house. Carrie thinks she can lose the guy and runs to a dead end. She changes her headdress and when the man approaches, she knees him in the nuts, kicks away his gun and screams that her husband needs help in Arabic. A crowd comes to help her “husband” and she gets away with a HUGE grin on her face. We know now, CARRIE IS BACK!
Back at Brody’s house, he wakes in the middle of the night to bury his Qur’an. Dana mysteriously shows up, offers her help and the two of them bury the book with their bare hands in a hole dug in their back lawn. Is this a metaphor for Dana now “getting her hands dirty in her daddy’s business?” We will have to tune in to find out!
