| Long Time Coming | ||||
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| Written by: | Meredith Stiehm | |||
| Directed by: | Lesli Linka Glatter | |||
| Production number: | 4WAH12 | |||
| Running time: | 54 minutes | |||
| Original airdate: | December 21, 2014 | |||
| Viewers (millions): | 1.92 | |||
Long Time Coming is the season finale of Season 4 of Homeland. It aired on December 21, 2014.
Synopsis[]
Carrie Mathison is back in the USA and not only tries to put things behind her in Islamabad, but also has to cope with a tragedy in the family. Meanwhile, Saul Berenson contemplates getting back into the CIA.
Episode guide[]
Carrie is cleaning her father's room with her sister when Dar Adal shows up and Carrie asks about Peter Quinn. She replies that she suspects he is still in Islamabad looking for Haqqani. However, Dar Adal has learned that Haqqani is now back in his tribal area and is being guarded by the Pakistani government. He asks Carrie to let him know as soon as she hears from Quinn and then leaves. Saul, meanwhile, watches an interview with Tasneem on TV, which comments on the ended relationship between America and Pakistan. When Mira arrives, Saul turns off the television. He explains to her that he wants to put everything right, even if Mira advises him to wait and see.
Carrie is in the park with Franny and meets a man who recognizes Franny and asks for Frank. After Carrie enlightens him about Frank's passing, he sits down with her and introduces himself as Billy. He explains that her father always spoke a lot about her and was sure that one day she would come back for Franny. Back home, Carrie meets her mother Ellen, who has resurfaced for the first time in 15 years. Carrie wants to get rid of her immediately and tells her to leave, which she finally does. Maggie tries to stop them, but is too slow and then angrily turns to Carrie, who has made sure that they will probably not see their mother again for 15 years. Meanwhile, Saul meets up with Joe and asks him for a job at the CIA. Joe replies that he'd love to give him what he wants, but the video that Saul recorded will make waves once Haqqani releases it.
That evening, Carrie asks Maggie why she is willing to suddenly forgive her mother, to which Maggie replies that they only have one mother. Carrie replies that she simply abandoned them, to which Maggie accuses her of doing the same. Carrie insists this isn't the same as she's always come back and kept in touch.
Frank's funeral is scheduled for the next day. Carrie gives a speech detailing her father's passions, as well as his love for Franny. After the service, Carrie is accepting condolences when she suddenly sees Quinn. She hugs him relieved. Shortly thereafter they are in the car together and Quinn tells that he was able to escape with the help of the German embassy after he had to give up his search for Haqqani. Carrie tells him that she had a chance to kill him but was stopped by Aasar. Then she tells him about Dar Adal's visit the previous day.
At the funeral feast that follows, Carrie talks to Saul, who is the only one she has told so far about Dar Adal being in Haqqani's car. They decide not to tell Quinn either, while Saul tries to find out about it. When it's already dark, the three sit together and talk about Carrie's father. Lockhart joins them for a while. When all the guests have left, Quinn helps Maggie clean up while Carrie checks on Franny. Then she says goodbye to Quinn. They talk briefly about the evening, then look into each other's eyes for a while and kiss. However, Carrie breaks the kiss, stating that this can't end well. Quinn contradicts her and makes it clear that together they should try to put the events of Islamabad behind them. Quinn then gets in his car and the two smile at each other before Quinn drives off.
Hours later, Carrie lies awake in bed. Finally she gets up and looks at old photos of her parents. The next morning she wants to make her way to her mother. Maggie asks her to save Franny the long drive to Missouri, so Carie decides to leave her daughter with Maggie. Meanwhile, Quinn is visited by Rob, an old friend with whom he keeps tracking IS terrorists. Rob tells him about a new assignment, but Quinn refuses several times. Rob finally hands him a stack of letters and tells him he hopes he doesn't have to give any to the families of the men involved.
Carrie has arrived in Missouri. When she knocks at her mother Ellen's house, a teenager opens the door and explains that her mother is already at work. Carrie claims to be a friend and tells him she can come back later. Then she goes to a school where her mother works. Carrie immediately asks her about the boy. Ellen explains that Tim is Carrie's half brother, and Carrie angrily replies that she left her children just to have more children. Ellen is aware that Carrie is right and wants to meet her at home in the afternoon.
Saul meets with Dar Adal. They talk about Lockhart's impending retirement, then Dar Adal shows Saul a memory card containing the only copy of Saul and Haqqani's video. He explains that he has promised Haqqani to take him off the death list and in return Haqqani will not harbor terrorists in Afghanistan. Saul clarifies that Haqqani himself is the terrorist. Dar Adal nevertheless tries to encourage Saul to succeed Lockhart.
Quinn calls Carrie who is waiting in her hotel room. Carrie makes it clear to him that she can't make a decision about the two at the moment. Quinn takes that as a rebuff, but Carrie disagrees and asks not to pressure her. She promises to talk to him about it as soon as she gets back and then hangs up.
A short time later, Carrie is waiting for Ellen. When she comes home, she first asks her about Tim's father, whereupon Ellen says that he left her before the birth. Ellen explains that she wasn't good at being married and cheated on Frank several times, eventually leading to the end of the relationship when she got pregnant. Carrie explains that she needed her mother the most at the time, since she found out about her illness when she started college. Ellen explains that she cut off all contact completely because she didn't want to hurt people anymore and instead focused on Tim. Carrie replies that she always thought she couldn't be with people with bipolar disorder because her father couldn't either, but now she knows it was her mother who caused the breakup. Ellen reassures her that she can still be in a relationship with bipolar disorder. Carrie then goes back to her hotel room and packs her things. She calls Quinn, but his number is no longer active. She then calls Dar Adal and asks him on voicemail where Quinn is. He has changed his mind and now joins Rob's group after all. At the airport, he hands over the stack of letters, which now includes one for Carrie, a man who will stay home instead of Quinn.
Carrie visits Dar Adal and asks him about Quinn, who explains that he is currently at the Turkish/Syrian border and can no longer be reached. Carrie finally confronts Dar Adal about seeing him with Haqqani to force her to talk to Quinn after all. Dar Adal replies that Carrie should talk to Saul about it first. When Carrie replies that she is sure Saul would not approve of doing business with Haqqani, Dar Adal opens the door to his garden where Saul is sitting. Carrie can't believe it and leaves without another word.
Timeline[]
Nick Brody died the morning of April 23, 2013 (cc wittycreative). Is it possible that Carrie hallucinated his vision exactly one year later? I got to thinking about this last night… and then Dar Adal makes a comment about Haqqani getting in Kabul by Christmas (or New Year's, don't remember exactly).
April 5: Carrie’s birthday, when season 4 begins. (4.01)
April 6: Carrie surveys aftermath of drone attack (black suit + white blouse). She talks to Quinn. We meet Aayan (4.01)
April 7: Aayan rides back to Islamabad. He watches the drone footage on the bus.Carrie is accosted by Merlin at the bar while drinking beer (black suit + black blouse). (4.01)
April 8: Carrie receives a phone call from Lockhart that the drone footage is up online (“fuck fuck fuck”) and she flies to Islamabad. Sandy is killed. (4.01)
April 9: Carrie and Quinn fly back to America with Sandy’s body. Arrive April 9 night. (4.02)
April 10: Carrie meets Lockhart in his office and he tells her she’s coming back to America permanently. She goes looking for the millionaire Grey Matter guy from Breaking Bad after bailing Quinn out of jail. (4.02)
April 11: Carrie almost drowns her kid. (4.02)
April 12: Sandy’s funeral. Carrie flies back to Islamabad that night (“there’s not a diagnosis for what’s wrong with you”). (4.02)
April 13: A flight from D.C. to Pakistan is 15 hours. In the month of April, Pakistan is 9 hours ahead of Washington. If Carrie leaves late on April 12 (or early the morning of April 13), she will arrive early on the morning of April 14 in Pakistan.
April 14: Carrie arrives in Islamabad. Goes to see where Sandy died. Meets Martha. “Sit down, John.” Meets Max and Fara. (4.03)
April 15: Saul arrives. Carrie smokes a cigarette. (4.03)
April 16: Carrie’s first approach to Aayan. Quinn calls her about the orchestrated attack on Sandy at Pakistan nighttime which is Washington morning. Quinn probably leaves for Islamabad later that day and arrives on 17th. (4.03)
April 17: Carrie searches for Farhad Ghazi’s picture in database but can’t find him (comments from John indicate early morning). Quinn arrives in Islamabad. Aayan’s sad about Farhad Ghazi and Carrie comforts him. Quinn breaks into Ghazi’s apartment. Carrie and Quinn argue about what they’re doing. (4.04)
April 18: Fara follows Aayan and sees Haqqani is still alive. Carrie makes the moves on Aayan. (4.04)
April 19: Carrie and Aayan spend the whole day together. Quinn and Fara stake out the cleric. (4.05)
April 20: Quinn gets pissed about Carrie being AWOL (but not really AWOL). (4.05)
April 21: We assume there is one day between 4.05 ending and 4.06 beginning because Carrie doesn’t have any more time to waste with Aayan wanting to leave Pakistan ASAP. Carrie orchestrates the fake attack at the safe house and Aayan heads out to meet his uncle (4.06)
April 22: Haqqani kills Aayan. Carrie makes a mess of her office. (4.06)
April 23: We assume there is one day between 4.06 ending and 4.07 beginning to allow time for Lockhart arriving in Islamabad. Plus Carrie is wearing the same clothes. All of 4.07 takes place in one day. Lockhart arrives. Duck switches out Carrie’s meds. Quinn and Carrie go to the airport to meet Khan. Carrie starts tripping. Finger guns. Barking dogs. Brody. (4.07)
April 23: All of 4.07
April 24: Carrie leaves Khan’s house. Saul escapes. (4.08)
April 25: Saul arrives at asset’s storefront. Meeting with Pakistani delegation (“they don’t look worried. why?”). Saul recaptured. Carrie finds out about Duck. (4.08)
April 26: We assume time between end of 4.08 and beginning of 4.09 cannot be more than one day. So on this day John talks to Duck to “rattle him” and then they let him stew. “You are a traitor and I am the fucking CIA.” Quinn picks up prisoners. (4.09)
April 27: Carrie comes back down to Duck to rattle him (“you just fucked yourself”). Prisoner exchange in afternoon. Haqqani enters embassy in afternoon. Actual attack on embassy (4.09-4.10).
April 28: Everyone leaves Islamabad except Carrie and Quinn. (4.10)
April 29-30: It’s unclear how many days are between the end of 4.10 and the beginning of 4.11. Probably more than once since it seemed like they did a lot in just that one day in terms of bringing the station down. But Carrie was given no more than five by Lockhart. My guess is two full days. This gives enough time for the ISI to put out a kill order on Quinn.
May 1: Carrie meets with Khan in early morning (“chief of support”). Carrie talks to station about failure protocol. Quinn goes to see Astrid. Carrie goes to see Astrid. Carrie finds out that her father has died. Astrid calls Carrie Quinn’s girlfriend while he builds a pipe bomb. (4.11)
May 2: Carrie talks to Lockhart and tells him her father’s funeral isn’t for another week. Quinn orchestrates entire protest on Aayan’s behalf and sets up bomb. Doesn’t go through with it. (4.11)
May 3-6: It’s also unclear how much time passes between the end of 4.11 and the beginning of 4.12 but it’s enough for Carrie to return back to the United States and become worried enough that she hasn’t heard from Quinn. Let’s say 4 days.
May 7: Carrie and Maggie look at her dad’s stuff. Dar Adal comes over to the house and asks if she’s heard from Quinn. Carrie goes to the park with Franny. Her mother shows up. (4.12)
May 8: Funeral. Wake. Kiss. (4.12)
May 9: Carrie drives all day to Missouri. Rob comes to see Quinn about Syria mission. (4.12)
May 10: Carrie arrives in Missouri, talks to her mom, gets call from Peter. Everything is fucked. Carrie begins driving back to Washington. (4.12)
May 11: Carrie arrives back in Washington, goes to see Dar Adal, gets fucked over by Saul. (4.12)
So the entire seasons spans April 5 to (approximately) May 11.
The “just in the time for the holidays” line could be a joke (it’s said somewhat sarcastically).
Dar Adal’s line about Haqqani being in Kabul by Christmas could mean exactly that – i.e., by the end of the year, he’ll be back in the capital of Afghanistan. I don’t know timelines about that kind of thing.
The more likely explanation is that the writers started writing 4.01 in the spring–around April 5 (this is also really close to Claire’s actual birthday, though it could be a coincidence)–and began writing the finale around the time of actual American holidays (i.e., autumn) and so the holiday lines make more sense.
Trivia[]
- Interestingly, Israel's statements, widely reported, for treating acts of a former Israeli prime minister as terrorism: "Menachem Begin killed 91 British soldiers at the King David Hotel before becoming prime minister," says Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham) at a certain point in the series, which, according to Herzl Makov, director of the Menachem Begin Center memorial, is to decontextualize a critical military event, in which the victims received three warnings before the consummation of the tragedy, which did not even have direct authorization from Begin – although, due to his position, he took responsibility.
- Homeland Soundtrack: What was the jazz piece at the conclusion and over end credits of Homeland's season finale Long Time Coming? TERMINAL 7 by TOMASZ STANKO QUINTET
Reviews[]
A massive time jump, a motherly Carrie, new jobs and relationships...is this still the same Showtime show?! By SYDNEY BUCKSBAUM
The 12 episodes in the fourth season were loosely based on real-life incidents, including references to the US nailing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Raymond Davis shoot-out, the Camp Chapman bombing that killed several CIA operatives and other instances reflecting US-Pakistan mistrust. The Pakistani intelligence agency ISI is shown as a devious, double-dealing entity whose fostering of terrorist groups costs American lives, including from the bombing of the US embassy in Islamabad that results in the rupturing of ties between the two countries. In reality though, US officials have directly accused Pakistan of fostering terror groups, a policy that has been well-chronicled and well-established over the years, just as Pakistan's constant denial of facts has led to it being dubbed "Denialistan." In fact, hundreds of reader comments in response to reports of Pakistani protests on the serial ridiculed the country, pointing out that Osama bin Laden was found hiding there. By Chidanand Rajghatta
Pakistani officials have criticized the American television series Homeland, which airs on Showtime, for portraying Pakistan in a negative light… These statements from Pakistan ring hollow. Pakistan has a long history of state support of terrorist groups that conduct operations in India, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, even against U.S. interests. By Akhilesh Pillalamarri
Carrie ends the season much as she began it: claustrophobically framed by car windows, the jazz soundtrack of her traumatized youth jangling in her ears. She’s going home, having promised to stay, not fleeing into booze and drugs and sex and adventure. Reunited with the women in her life, abandoned by every single one of the men. BY JUDITH WARNER
Quotes[]
- “it didn’t seem fair.” - Carrie
- "Not every choice we make is blessed with moral clarity." - Dar Adal
- "You haven't been here for fifteen years."
- "I know how this goes, it ends badly."
- Quinn: "Look at us, look at what they make you give,"
- I’m wondering about you.
- “Lead us,” - Dar Adal
- “What’s that line?” Dar Adal tells Saul “We are the no-men of this no-man’s-land,”
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison
- Rupert Friend as Peter Quinn
- Mandy Patinkin as Saul Berenson
- Tracy Letts as Andrew Lockhart
- Laila Robins as Martha Boyd
Guest Starring[]
- Victoria Clark as Ellen Mathison
- Amy Hargreaves as Maggie Mathison
- Sarita Choudhury as Mira Berenson
- Nimrat Kaur as Tasneem Qureshi
- John Getz as Joe Crocker
- Mike McColl as Rob
- F. Murray Abraham as Dar Adal
Co-Starring[]
- Joseph Mydell as Billy
- Callan McAuliffe as Tim
- Scot Cooper as Dale
- Lisa Greenstein as Waitress
- Annika Larsen as News Anchor
- Tal Raviv as Josie
- Lee Raviv as Ruby
- Jo Dee Butler as Frannie's Nanny
Note[]
- Although credited, Laila Robins does not appear in this episode
Background information[]
- The episode was dedicated to the memory of James Rebhorn who portrayed Frank Mathison. He died of melanoma on March 21, 2014.
Videos[]
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