Who is the mole?! Is Brody completely innocent? Is Saul?!

I suspected Saul last season, almost seems to obvious

Don't think Saul is the mole but Brody cannot be innocent at all not can Carrie. She has aided a terrorism suspect escape the country (supposedly) and even though he didn't perform the bombing, the collateral damage from his Abu Nazir relationship & the ultimate bombing has to make his agreement with the CIA null and void, right?

NO!! Saul has to be good!!!!

I thought it was Estes until he blew up lol

I've never liked Estes. Very OK w losing him.

yeah, he's a douche..and has weird spock ears

I don't think its Quinn

Def not Quinn. He's on the good guy band wagon.

Something VERY weird about Brody knowing to get them out of there in time.

so who would gain from the bombing and setting up brody?

Same here Tim. Estes was a good pick. Wouldn't surprise me if they show clips in S3 of someone else sneaking out right before the bombing but who knows. Seems like the season had a "Lost" style of writing (making it up as it went along)

It did Web....as long as they don't do time travel lol

Maybe it was Jess and Dana, I was hoping those two would get taken out at some point. My God

In season one, I think it was episodes 9 and 10, Saul in two different occasions had clear hand twitches in the same way Brody had hand twitches in the pilot episode. There's no way this was an accident. The camera again focused on Saul's hands late in season 2.

Basically what I'm saying is that he's up to no good.

ahhaha i hate the family SO much

I know, they were 10X more obnoxious this season. How emo can you get?

Good call on the Saul hand-twitch, and let's not forget the casual exit he made on the polygraph in S1 after the captured terrorist killed himself.

I just felt that this season was so much more implausible and it's because carrie's relationship with Brody effectively makes her a terrorist or at least someone who supports it, right? I get the whole love vs job aspect but why doesn't the CIA follow Brody more than they did after he was busted? Regardless, the mole has to be alive and that makes Saul a candidate but who else is alive that is plausible? The writers really went with a clean slate even down to Vice President's son and the hit and run situation

I think that dar adul, the agent Quinn met with on the bus, is probably the mole and will re-appear next season. He presumably has access to tons of secrets, and F. Murray Abraham is too famous/talented to only be onscreen for like 5 total minutes.

maybe it was Brody's son..he was mad he's only had 2 lines the entire series LOL

That said, I don't think Saul is the mole. My bet is on Quinn.

I thought the last episode was incredibly boring. I thought 4th to last (I think? capture of Carrie #1) and 2nd to last (Abu Nazir killing) were the BEST. Last one was slow and boring.

The biggest question to me for next season is who won Chris' soccer game?

Saul's not the mole, but it's easy to see why he could be.

Good call on F. Murray Abraham. Btw have the producers said how many seasons they're planning on? Making a pivot similar to "the wire" did bw season 1 & 2 (worst season but still) could be a good move to set up more action while moving Brody and Carrie along slowly

At this point I don't know if there is a mole. I was skeptical of Quinn & Estes but obviously that proves false. I think Nazir's network is at play...and has a sizable network in DC to take the reins and go after Brody

THIS times a zillion (I would favorite it if I could): Matt Tepper @mattepper
The biggest question to me for next season is who won Chris' soccer game?

I've suspected Saul as the mole since he walked out of that polygraph in Season 1. (I watched both seasons in about 3 weeks so everything is fairly fresh).

and when is Mike gonna finally grow a pair?

Callie, you're right. Season 2 just devolved and really has trouble against last seasons epic finale

That said, it would be so so sad if he were the mole. But he was conveniently absent for the big blast.

I'm hoping that the show finds its way again by focusing on Carrie and Saul for S3 because they are by far the two most compelling characters. Also, hi guys!

Is anyone else disappointed that Carrie's moment of doubt - right after the explosion didn't continue - that she decided to continue the doomed love affair... I REALLY missed the bad-ass "brody is bad" terrorist hunter from early season 1

Felt they intentionally slowed down pace to give the first part a false sense of closure before cramming in the chase sequence. No sense of real tension from beginning to end just "oh shit" moments.

yeah, I thought I was watching the Notebook for a little bit during the Finale

Ending with the family was odd...especially given Brody's dynamic with the daughter. Interested to see what develops there

Yeah the whole romance in the cabin part of the finale made me wonder if we were on Lifetime.

Chuck Klosterman wrote a good piece on Homeland vs breaking Bad/mad men in terms of the show's pace. Worth reading as it changed how I thought ab the show grantland.com

I don't think Saul is the mole. I think this was part of Nazir's grand plan. Leaving behind instructions in case he died would make sense.

As mentioned previously, I am a bit worried the show has jumped the shark a bit. I wasn't sure how the writers were going to maneuver themselves out of the corner they painted themselves in after S1, but this show became a little too 24-ish at points.

The plea deal with Brody was already a bit of a stretch. Let you off the hook for possible conspiracy in the murder of an aide, and attempted murder of a few congressmen AND the VP? Sure, why not!

The extended periods of a US Congressmen going AWOL, covering up the murder of the tailor, the Hit and Run by Daria and her bf. Hopefully the show will go back to its original pace where they focused more on "the long game".

Matt wins

Matt - I was just about to ask who watched 24. I watched every minute of every episode of 24 from the very beginning and Carrie is turning into Jack Bauer. My joke with 24 was that if they just listened to Jack, the show would have been called "8."

ohh and murdering the VP while saving a CIA agent who just "escaped" without anyone asking questions about it

it's some of the same writers as 24 right?

Web - great perspective on the shows and good points. Totally agree re: Mad Men

If only Carrie was turning into jack bauer. This love story seems like it's going to swamp what ever focus the plot used to have on society/politics. Not sure that will work.

Also, since when did pacemakers come with WiFi? Can you run Spotify on them too?

All kidding aside, only Breaking Bad competes with this show in regards to addiction level.

Because I wasn't able to watch Homeland until about a month ago (long story), I wasn't able to participate in any discussions as it went along and also avoided reading anything on the internet, so I'm playing catchup on a lot of theories. That said, you just have to suspend your disbelief a lot with this show, which is both part of the fun but also part of the frustration.

im still confused/mad that Carrie knows Brody killed the VP, but doesn't reveal and considers a relationship with him

I mean I love the show and watched it in 2 sittings but am i the only one who thinks that Brody and Carrie are the most unlikeable main characters on a popular show in some time? I liked Carrie until midway through S2 but then it became a tad annoying and her crying didn't help. Nor did SNL's brilliant skit making fun of her crying and Brody's insanely small mouth

"since when did pacemakers come with WiFi? Can you run Spotify on them too?" <--@Matt, you need a talk show

Ever since the SNL skit..i can't help but make fun of Claire Daines over acting and facial expressions lol

This show is jam-packed with unlikable characters.

We're not even mentioning Dana, who will likely release an angsty emo album and tour with Fiona Apple in S3.

The SNL skit really was incredible. Totally changed how I saw Carrie on the show

Carrie Matheson Cry Face. #knowyourmemes

I HATE DANA. Why does everyone love her?

If they're setting up next season to be with less Brody and that means less Dana, sign me up.

same here..her wild look looks like Taylor Swift's "aww shucks" face on crack lol

So now how do they bring Brody and Carrie back together?

Don't worry although Dana is part of a potentially big storyline all of those involved in the hit and run are dead now

I liked Dana in s1...S2 I couldn't stand her or Jess. they are both nagging and insufferable

Speaking of mad men...Dana reminds me A LOT of crazy Sally. One day, they will both lose it and do some real damage

I'm not sure that we're looking at the romance so much as Carrie working to clear Brody's name.

What a crazy 180 we've done since the first episode. Carrie thought Brody was a terrorist and everybody thought he was a hero. Now everyone thinks he's a terrorist and she thinks he's...well not a hero...but that he didn't bomb the CIA.

Jess is just ignorant. Has her chance with Mike (Matt? who cares totally forgettable name) ... No clue where they go but Carrie has some questions to answer. Like LOTS of them

What if the Hit and Run ladies' daughter is the mole? She never did say WHO was paying her off... #MindMelt #NotLikely

Carrie lied to the CIA about escaping bc the VP was murdered by Brody. She is toast if they ever ya know investigated this stuff like the world famous wifi kit with his fingerprints everywhere. Or had records of Brody's phone calls with Nazir/Carrie

FWIW, a Jewish friend of mine informed me that Saul was reciting a Hebrew mourning prayer in that last scene. Had zero clue on Saul's religious (if any) affiliations, prior to that.

Pretty much Web - it's pretty much departed from the realms of reality. Things no one should be getting away with are intrinsic to the plot. My suspension bridge of disbelief is failing.

Matt - Yes, it's the mourner's kaddish. It's a prayer for the dead in their memory. You weren't aware of Saul being Jewish? It's pretty much the most obvious part of the show!

Matt - Remember the road trip with Aileen? They stopped at his old hometown in the middle of nowhere where he talked about being the only Jew in the entire area. It was pretty moving stuff.

But it's still an awesome/entertaining show. Very Lost-esque mixed with The Wire. Just need more reality and less fantasy I suppose. Imagine if it were written with reality like the Wire. It'd be never ending, very boring, & depressing

No way it wins the Emmy for best drama again, that's for sure. Showtime series seem to have a habit of phenomenal first seasons followed by underwhelming ones.

For the record, and not because I really care about Emmy awards, but Jon Hamm was completely and totally robbed by Damian Lewis.

@Amanda - Touche. Had completely slipped my mind. Other than that, there were no obvious indications, right? Other than assuming with a name like Saul Berenson..

@Matt - I'm Jewish and have lived in NYC for 20 years, so maybe I just see it everywhere, but I feel like they've worked hard to make it obvious that Saul is Jewish (even beyond the name) with his mannerisms and other little things. I can't quite explain it but it is interesting to me that you were surprised by that.

Perhaps lack of exposure down south plays part in to it, but
I think it is more on the angle that I had never really pondered what religion the character might be. To be honest, the first time I really started wondering what affiliation he was wasn't until the last few eps.

Seemed like only the Brody conversion was where religion played a factor, plot-wise.

Not going to find the answer if you're not asking the question, I guess.

@Matt - ARE YOU GREG TEPPER'S BROTHER?

Jess, Mike, Dana and whoever the son is need to shake up and peace out.

But seriously, what's S3 gonna be about? I'm not really looking fwd to anything.

Whoa. The Internet just got real.

Hahaha. I do have a younger brother named Greg. You're not like outside my house now or something, right?

I think S3 will focus on Carrie and Saul and their hunt for the mole and who really executed the bombing plot while Carrie also works to clear Brody's name. There will be a parallel manhunt for Brody as well. This is just a guess. And very little Brody family.

Also, more Quinn. Which is a good thing.

LOL I am outside your house @Matt.

Based on the past 2 seasons, I bet we'll have lots of answers in the beginning of S3. But where it goes? Who knows. Really hoping they add more characters like Quinn who added needed substance to the fray. Maybe the FBI will investigate some of the stuff that happened in S2

I think the part of the show to really focus on our the scenes like when Carrie interrogates Brody. Those are what keep me coming back for more. Also question who the mole is not how you should be watching the show. It's about the characters and their relationships. Also no way Saul is the Mole. He is the steady rock of the show and his character should never go away.

Also, my grammar was terrible in the above post. My apologies. That's what I get when trying to respond from my iPhone.

This was fun - good night all. And thanks, Callie, for introducing me to Branch and to @Matttepper!

Hi everyone, I just watched seasons 1 and 2 straight through over this past week. I'm hooked! It's like 24 but with a love story. When does season 3 start??

Nazir and Brody planned this entire thing out when Brody disappeared for 24 hours. In season 1, Carrie said that Tom Walker sniping Liz Gaines & company down wasn't big enough for Nazir - it was only part of the plan. Back to season 2, Nazir knew he wasn't going to leave the states alive so he sacrificed himself to get vice prez Walden (just a small part of the bigger plan). Obviously, after the death of the vice prez, there would be a funeral with all the important officials present - the funeral was the main target all along. Brody manipulated Carrie into thinking that he loved her. When Brody killed Walden, Carrie was convinced that they were soulmates/destined to be together. Brody knew she would help him escape. Does this make sense?

So @Allen--you think when Brody was captured ('coptered away) w Roya, etc. they came up w this plan? The timing was too weird for Brody to NOT know something was coming. I also think Brody wouldn't care about saving anyone but himself and Carrie.

I agree with Allen's reading as bombing the funeral is a real life terrorist MO. Always the plan. And good insight from Adam above, always follow the casting for clues! Two modest proposals for the next season: a pivot toward Israel-Palestine as the geopolitical milieu that gets personal for Saul (the broader Arab Spring is too intractable and they've played out Afghanistan/Iraq/Drones) AND look for traps designed by Estes and/or Walden to take effect after their passing (just like Nazir). Less modest: Brody decides everyone is better off without him and ends his own life but the mayhem continues for one more season (where he lives on in flashbacks?). The upside here is a string of charming British gangster flicks staring Lewis starts ASAP.

Some thoughts from @jcap49 who's having trouble logging in:

On the mole - I think many of us would love to ascribe blame or responsibility to a mole - some character in the show who we've thought to be good but is now seemingly bad - because it helps us reconcile the insane blast scene. Without getting too meta about this, I personally think this was the "long tail" play on Nazir's part. For someone as calculating as he was, I think this fits. That said, it doesn't exclude Brody's lingering involvement as you pointed out when you mentioned the timing of him getting he and Carrie out before the blast. But then it's all like...

More from @jcap49

who moved the car? Which some would argue is logical evidence that a mole (aside from Brody) would exist. While this may, in fact, be the case, I think there's also reason enough to argue that Brody was either aided by some yet-to-be-named character or moved it himself (something that could have been hidden with cheeky cinematography).

Miscellaneous. Also super curious about Dar Abdul - such a shady character and that convo he had with Saul re: what qualifies someone as a "true" spy was rather telling. I think the whole notion behind espionage being something that not only blurs boundaries but blatantly plays multiple sides could fit here.

My girlfriend just now: Mike is the Mole. If you think about he's supposed to be such a good guy but he's still screwing his best friend's wife. And he definitely has the access.

I'm v skeptical that Mike is the mole...

Hmm.. but remember Saul was in possession of the most damning intel thus far against Brody. The memory card. "My name is Nicholas Brody. By the time you’ve watched this, you will have read a lot of things about me…." But what did he do with it? Has Saul used this to draw attention away from himself? If Carie & Brody were suppose to be in the blast & die with everyone else then this would tidy things up for Saul. Who's got the most to gain? Saul is now in charge as he is now the senior officer. He was really pissed at being polygraphed & held for 3 days prior by the CIA director who wanted to take Brody "out". Why was Saul so upset at this.. Maybe Brody is Sauls scapegoat?

The Saul theory is solid. I do believe he would kill Estes and Walden. But he wouldn't do it that way. He would be surgical. He would minimize collateral damage. That's what separates the good guys from the bad guys in his worldview. That's why he hates Estes and Walden to begin with. Let's give Saul more credit. I think he's smart, ethical, the slow knife.

Saul released the tape...It was on TV the night of the explosion, remember?

I agree with what you are saying.. it would be totally out of character wouldn't it. Saul is very smart. Very smart.. It looks like a terrorist attack. Brody has been outed for it. Credit where credit is due. Well done Saul :)

Did Saul release the tape before OR after he knew both Brody & Carrie were not in the body count?

Was it Saul who released the tape? I assumed it was the group claiming responsibility. Who says the SD card was the only copy? I am still amazed they just let Carrie walk in, come on guys at least make it hard, she left the scene with a terrorist, she should have been in cuffs

If it ends up being Saul, I am gonna be really upset, damn you Mandy Patinkin!

It CANNOT be Saul. Other theories? Do we think Quinn is actually good?

It wasn't Quinn. He got all mushy about killing Brody before and had no motive. He had the chance to kill Estes earlier if he wanted. I don't necessarily think there even is a mole. It could just be some other associate of Nazir's. Clearly he had more people working with him, such as the guys who released the tape of Brody and a statement claiming responsibility for the bombing.

I totally agree re: a Nazir associate. I'm #teamsaul all the way.

Is Brody innocent?

No way the mole is Saul. The terrorists released the tape -- there were multiple copies floating around the Middle East. Plus, with Estes gone, Law of Conservation of Characters dictates he will stick around, moving up the CIA food chain (didn't they mention him briefing the president?).

One thing that bugs me is how the mole (the existence of which is a know fact from back in season 1) was conveniently not mentioned for long stretches of time. Sloppy.

Although there is one strong argument in favor of Saul -- Mandy Patinkin's predilection for leaving shows quickly. See Chicago Hope, Criminal Minds.

Is there anyway to rehabilitate Brody's character after this season? Hard to see how, innocent or guilty.

Mike as the mole would be awesome, but he doesn't actually work at the CIA does he?

Maybe Dana could be the mole? And they could catch her and put her in prison, in Aileen's old cell. Please?

Haha Chris. I am kind of hoping we just don't see the family much.

They need to give Mike something to do, he such a fringe character at the moment.

I think Quinn is "good" but it will be interesting to see how he responds to this news, not just of the bomb but of Carrie protecting Brody. Quinn clearly has a code (he is Omar like in this way), since he refused to do Estes' bidding.

Why not what's his name, who nearly died in the ambush at the shop? Why bother bringing him back if he means nothing?

Hey Cyn! I agree regarding Mike -- they need to either make him a more active character, or drop him. Unless they make him a bigger part of the show, I fail to see how Jess remains part of the show either, which sucks, as I like her.

Yeah, the ambiguity of Carrie's survival and Brody's missing body could be a problem for Quinn.

Galves, wasn't it? I dunno, the mole storyline seems to be "Lost writing", i.e., they don't have any idea where they are going with it.

Where can they go with Brody? He did help kill the VP, and Carrie knows it. I think he will popup next season as an "out" terrorist. They could spend 2 seasons trying to catch him.

I am still flabbergasted Carrie got to just walk in, come on people.

Galves, yes that is his name, he could be a mole, but watch it be the guy sitting third left on episodes 3.

Brody's storyline has run its course, I am more interested in Quinn, Dar Adul, & Saul then I am about Brody or how Carrie feels about him.

I actually like Mike but he needs something to do, him looking into Brody with the drunk marine was interesting. They keep trying to do something with him but its so half hearted

If there's really a mole then there are three characters that it absolutely cannot be: Carrie (duh), Brody, and Saul. The story has almost exclusively been delivered from the perspective of one or more of these three. To drop the bomb that Saul was the mole would mean that he was doing things all along that we weren't seeing. This would be a huge mistake and would alienate most of the audience. The reason many of you have ruled out Quinn is because of the scenes that were from his perspective (where we see him decide against killing Brody and confront Estes).

Succinctly put. Part of my problem with the mole storyline is that they haven't given us enough characters to chose from -- it will have to either be Saul, or someone we really don't know.

My wife's theory is that it is the brother of Carrie's techie friend, the one who nearly never speaks.

电视剧编剧发挥到这个份上真的是圆满了，第一季的缓慢细腻，第二季的飞速大胆。就在你以为他圆不了这个故事的时候，季终集“嘭”的一声，之前所有的铺垫和悬念都解决了，炸掉你对剧情的所有怀疑和不解，还炸出了第三季剧情无数发展可能。 这么多naked 镜头，哎http://images.celebritymoviearchive.com/members/thumbs/b/Brianna%20Brown%20-%20Homeland%20-%20S01E03%20-%202_3.jpg

Dana, please go!