"Lies, Amplifiers, Fucking Twitter" is the eighth episode of the seventh season of the American television drama series Homeland, and the 80th episode overall. It premiered on Showtime on April 1, 2018.
| "Lies, Amplifiers, Fucking Twitter" | |
|---|---|
| Homeland episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Tucker Gates |
| Written by | Patrick Harbinson Chip Johannessen |
| Production code | 7WAH08 |
| Original air date | April 1, 2018 |
| Running time | 51 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
Plot
editCarrie (Claire Danes) drops off Franny at school and goes to the secure site where Saul (Mandy Patinkin) is holding Dante (Morgan Spector). Carrie takes a shot at interrogating Dante but doesn't get him to break. When Dante asks for a lawyer, Carrie has an idea and tells Saul "let's give him one." While this is happening, Franny, still traumatized from the previous night, has to be picked up from school by Maggie (Amy Hargreaves). When Carrie returns home, Maggie says that Carrie's treatment and neglect of Franny is downright abusive. Maggie issues an ultimatum: Carrie must admit herself to a hospital immediately, or Maggie will seek custody of Franny. Carrie argues at first, but then leaves and goes back to the secure site.
President Keane (Elizabeth Marvel) is pressured to resign by Senator Paley (Dylan Baker) due to the impending testimony of Simone Martin (Sandrine Holt). Keane and Wellington (Linus Roache) decide to lean on Russia via their ambassador (Elya Baskin), with the threat that Martin's testimony would be considered a "hostile act" against the United States. Leadership in Russia takes the threat seriously, and Yevgeny Gromov (Costa Ronin) is notified that he needs to prevent Martin's testimony. Gromov tracks down the safehouse where Martin is being held, and his men are able to distract the guards and escape with her. Gromov and Martin embrace and kiss when they are reunited.
Dante's "lawyer" (actually a man posing as one, directed by Carrie and Saul) has Dante sign some paperwork and leaves. Dante collapses and shows signs of a heart attack. Seeing the ink on his hands, Dante realizes he was poisoned the same way that McClendon was and tells Carrie the Russians were responsible, also implicating Simone Martin. Carrie and Saul get the evidence they were seeking, and then attempt to save Dante by giving him an antidote. Dante's heart temporarily stops and his survival is left in question, which becomes even more crucial to Saul and Carrie when they learn that Martin has escaped, meaning Dante is their only connection to the Russians.
Production
editThe episode was directed by Tucker Gates and co-written by executive producers Patrick Harbinson and Chip Johannessen.
Reception
editReviews
editThe episode received an approval rating of 90% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews. The website's critical consensus is, "Homeland revisits its forte with a high-stakes interrogation, yielding a thrilling installment that enriches the season's political conflict with personal stakes for Carrie Mathison."[1]
Brian Tallerico of New York Magazine rated the episode 5 out of 5 stars, writing "this week’s excellent episode of Homeland amplifies Carrie Mathison’s eternal dilemma — her personal life versus protecting her country — offering riveting new material while also feeling of a piece with the history of the show."[2] The A.V. Club's Scott Von Doviak gave the episode a "B−" grade, marking it down somewhat for having an excess of plot twists.[3]
Ratings
editThe original broadcast was watched by 1.22 million viewers.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Lies, Amplifiers, F**king Twitter". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (April 1, 2018). "Homeland Recap: The Unknown Known". New York Magazine. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ^ Von Doviak, Scott (April 1, 2018). "Plausibility is in shorter supply than usual on Homeland". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ^ Porter, Rick (April 3, 2018). "Sunday cable ratings: 'The Walking Dead' falls, NCAA women's championship off a little". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
