I thought I'd enjoy
Homeland if I lowered my expectations, but this last episode was just an onslaught of suck (with the possible exception of Carrie's parts).
The show has a really jumbled identity. It likes to playact at sophistication--brooding pace, close attention to interpersonal interaction, other misc. affectations (who needs subtitles, eh?)--but comes up very short of actual sophistication, sacrificing lots of potential fun for the sake of characterization that's facile at best and oftentimes silly and tone-deaf. (Carrie's scenes are fine, though.)
One of my least favorite parts of the season premiere was that "guy runs through a dark building with a rifle, accompanied by a frenzied percussion-heavy backing track"
scene a faire. I wanted less of the
24-lite and more of something else. Something about carefulness and wishes probably applies.