TV Review: HOMELAND: Season 3, Episode 3: Tower of David

Showtime‘s Homeland Tower of David TV Show Review. Homeland: Season 3, Episode 3: Tower of David housed two story-lines running parallel to each other, each containing divergent yet connected captives.

Showtime not allowing Homeland‘s writers to kill Brody is the complete opposite of the situation present on Breaking Bad where AMC had zero input into Vince Gilligan‘s creative process. I thought that decision was dubious, especially considering how they kept him alive in the last episode of season 2 but Tower of David may prove that Big Brother had been wise.

Tower of David opened up Homeland to a brand new world, something fans want to see on Revolution and will most-likely never get to witness.

U.S. Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) was amazing in this episode: he is possibly the most wanted man in the world (definitely in America). Nobody knew where he was, he had the run of an entire hotel / apartment building. There were armed guards that would keep him safe, a pretty local girl (Martina García) that took care of him, free medical care, drugs, and a benefactor (Manny Perez) that wanted to keep him safe in lieu of the $10 million reward he could get for turning Brody in. In spite of all of this monolithic good fortune that had been showered on him, the second most famous terrorist in the world behind Osama bin Laden was not satisfied and raked his tin tea cup against the “bars” of his Third World “jail cell.”

His benefactor, El Nino, was right: Brody was an ingrate. Brody wanted something better, wanted to be someplace better. He didn’t realize that the Tower of David was as good as it was going to get for him.

The reason I said that Brody still being alive, vis-à-vis Tower of David being possible, was a good thing was because of its pedophile doctor (Erik Dellums). Dellums had the best dialogue in the episode, speaking volumes with few words. The viewer saw his education, glimpses of his past, his resolve, and his ability to self-analyze. He knew exactly what he was and under his umbrella of mutual protection was not afraid to openly show it to the world.

Brody had sunk so low that a pedophile in semi, self-imposed exile could look down on him. Did Brody waste his time explaining that he had nothing to do with CIA’s bombing? No. What good would that have done? No one would believe his story and even if they did he would have to explain the tape and its origin. That would implicate him in the suicide bomb vest incident that CIA gave him immunity on. Either way, Brody is the CIA bomber for the rest of his life and the good doctor had no qualms about grinding Brody down a little further underneath his heel of truths and indignation.

 It was wonderful theater to watch and quenching dialogue to listen to.

CIA intelligence officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) had the weakest of the two story-lines in Tower of David. Her story-line was not even close to being as intriguing as Brody’s plight. It’s highlight was the “recruitment” scene in the decorative garden of a booby hatch. Mathison may have been medicated but her “trade craft” senses were not dulled. She sniffed out what the lawyer was truly selling instantly, even smiling at its familiar aroma.

The ending to the episode was poignant in its dichotomy but lacking in a Heinsberg dead-on-the-floor punch. It was not designed to have that finality so this was not a hindrance. Tower of David‘s ending was meant to show that both characters are alone, worlds apart but similar, and that they have to fend for themselves.

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