| About a Boy | ||||
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| Written by: | Meredith Stiehm | |||
| Directed by: | Charlotte Stieling | |||
| Production number: | 4WAH05 | |||
| Running time: | 47 minutes | |||
| Original airdate: | October 26, 2014 | |||
| Viewers (millions): | 1.52 | |||
Is that the plan? Lie, manipulate, exploit?
About a Boy is the fifth episode of Season 4 of Homeland. It aired on October 26, 2014.
Synopsis[]
Carrie Mathison tries to get more information from Aayan Ibrahim, while Peter Quinn and Fara Sherazi track down Haissam Haqqani follow. Meanwhile, Dennis Boyd has to deal with the consequences of his pact.
Episode guide[]
Aayan wakes up next to Carrie, who is still asleep. He lifts the covers to get another look at Carrie as she wakes up and is amused by it. Aayan is unsure what to do now, but Carrie says she's going to get breakfast and asks what he'd like.
Quinn and Fara take position to eventually find Haqqani again. When Quinn pulls out a gun, Fara worries because she really didn't want to be that involved. Quinn encourages Fara because she's in the middle of it now and has done an excellent job so far.
Carrie and Saul, who has to leave the country, talk about Aayan and her strategy to find Haqqani. First she wants to get Aayan to admit that Haqqani is still alive. Carrie makes it clear to Saul that she won't be able to keep Aayan for more than three days before he becomes suspicious.
Carrie comes back with breakfast and finds Aayan captivating. He wants to leave, but Carrie explains that the video has now made him a target and he has concerns from both the CIA and the ISI. Aayan is torn, but Carrie calms him down and makes him stay.
Dennis Boyd and his wife Martha prepare for the day. Dennis explains to Martha that he's not going after all. He would have made a hasty decision. Martha isn't really happy, though, because her sources found out he doesn't even have a job offer. She thinks he just wanted to escape from her. However, Dennis explains that he would like to stay, but does not answer Martha's question as to why.
Fara and Quinn are still waiting and talking about Carrie when Fara spots a man she had seen with Aayan and Haqqani.
Tasneem Qureshi and Aasar Khan meet at breakfast and Khan declares that Saul is leaving the country. They are puzzled that he has changed his mind and Khan suspects it may be related to meeting Carrie.
Meanwhile, Dennis tries to find Carrie, but she's not at her apartment. He now uses the key that Tasneem gave him, but then decides against entering her apartment.
At the airport, Saul spots ISI agent Farhad Ghazi. He tries to reach Carrie, but only speaks to her mailbox. So Saul tries to get to the agent himself. Meanwhile, Carrie sits with Aayan and asks him a few questions. She records the whole conversation and immediately asks for his uncle Haqqani. Aayan tells a bit about him and remembers good times, so Carrie gets the impression that Aayan sees Haqqani as a hero. Carrie explains that there are rumors that Haqqani is still alive. Aayan is then angry and explains that this cannot be true because he saw the corpse. He also finds it inappropriate to even confront him about it.
Saul is still hot on the heels of Farhad Ghazi. As he sits down, he now tries to call Quinn and explains what he found out. He gives the flight number and then asks for Carrie, but he doesn't know anything new about her either.
Martha is looking for Quinn and is told by John Redmond that he is out in the field and unavailable. John asks if he can help because he's already figured out that it must be about her husband again. Martha explains that Dennis has been spotted at a bar and is causing trouble. John is on his way.
Aayan and Carrie wash up and Carrie tries to get back into conversation with him. Aayan explains that he finds it difficult to talk about some things. Carrie explains that she wants to be completely honest so there are no surprises in London. She explains that she has a baby. Aayan asks about the father and Carrie provides information, showing vulnerability. Aayan asks more questions, for example whether Carrie will ever tell her daughter (Franny) about her father (Brody). Carrie is getting more and more thoughtful and sad and Aayan finally hugs her. They then come back to their night and Aayan would like to repeat it. Carrie allows this, but then starts crying in the middle. She explains to Aayan that he's just making her happy.
John Redmond and Dennis are talking about Sandy over a scotch in the bar when Dennis starts chatting and wants to share his grief. Suddenly, Tasneem Qureshi appears and is surprised to see the two together. Dennis questions John about Tasneem Qureshi. John then wants to know from Dennis what he just wanted to tell him, but he says it's not that important and leaves.
Saul still has Farhad Ghazi in his sights as he goes to the bathroom, followed shortly afterwards by two more men. When the men return, Saul becomes suspicious and goes to the bathroom himself. There he sees Ghazi being stabbed in the side of the neck with a needle and Saul falling to the ground. Ghazi calls Tasneem Qureshi and says it's done.
Quinn and Fara catch a glimpse of the man's movement and Fara is immediately on his trail. She sees him exchanging something with two men. He then gets in a car and Fara gets in the car to follow Quinn. Quinn wants to send a drone on him, but only Carrie can do that and Fara can't reach her.
Dennis is brought home by John and laid on the couch. But Dennis is awake and overhears Martha and John talking, where Martha makes it clear how disappointed she is in her husband. Twenty years ago he was so wonderful, but this man is no longer there.
Quinn and Fara are still after the man when they arrive at the border. Fara is supposed to try to tag the car, but border controls ask her to turn back. When border controls examine the man's car and open the trunk, Saul is trapped inside. The border control closes the trunk again and lets the man pass. Meanwhile, Fara and Quinn turn around before being examined.
Dennis has now decided to visit Carrie's apartment. He finds a picture of Carrie and her daughter and photographs it, as well as the pills he finds in the bathroom.
Quinn has gone to the safehouse so he can finally tell Carrie what happened. Ghazi is expected in Johannesburg, but they lost track of the man because Carrie was unavailable. Carrie defends herself because she was busy too, but Quinn doubts it and accuses her of just shagging a lad. Carrie doesn't understand what Quinn's problem is. She goes back and talks to Aayan. He confesses that Haqqani is still alive and that the medication is for him because he is very ill. But she should promise not to tell anyone.
Comments[]
‘About a Boy’ dressed up Carrie’s Dynasty-esque machinations with pathos and palpable suspense, and topped it all off with a couple of devastating performances by Claire Danes and Suraj Sharma. It’s saying something when an episode that also includes the physical abduction of Saul Berenson generated most of its thrills from two people talking in a kitchen. By episode’s end, when Aayan finally admits to Carrie that his uncle is still alive, her touched expression and reassuring pat looked suspiciously genuine. This is not to say she might actually be falling for the kid, but how often does Carrie share moments of intimacy with anybody? Perhaps in doing whatever it takes to get what she wants, she also happens to be getting what she needs. — Price Peterson
“What’s the more alarming behavior: crying during sex or pretending to cry during sex? Carrie Mathison did one of these things this week during her manipulation of young Pakistani asset Aayan, but it’s to Homeland’s credit that it’s nearly impossible to know which it was.” —Price Peterson
Quotes[]
"Is there no line, Carrie? Is there no fucking line?"
"It can get ugly sometimes."
"Using the enemies own way to bring them down, that is the job."
"Can I trust you?" – "Sure."
“Fuck me.”
“What is this bullshit?”
“Cleric’s on the move.”
“Hasn’t all gone to shit since you left, Saul.”
“She’s just one of those people. You connect.”
“Guess what. You’re good at it.”
Tell me what you’re thinking right now.”
Appearances[]
Main Cast[]
- Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison
- Rupert Friend as Peter Quinn
- Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson
- Nazanin Boniadi as Fara Sherazi
- Tracy Letts as Andrew Lockhart
- Laila Robins as Martha Boyd
Guest Starring[]
- Suraj Sharma as Aayan Ibrahim
- Michael O'Keefe as John Redmond
- Mark Moses as Dennis Boyd
- Raza Jaffrey as Aasar Khan
- Nimrat Kaur as Tasneem Qureshi
Co-Starring[]
- Meren Reddy as Parvez
- Tamer Burjaq as Farhad Ghazi
- Zahir Bassa as Qadir
- Mehmood Mohammad as Cop
- Shabbir Ahmed as Store Owner
- Claire Berlein as Woman
- Jamal Mukkadam as Cleric
Note[]
- Although credited, Tracy Letts does not appear in this episode
Videos[]
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