Podcast Episode 212: Our Emmy Coverage of the 2018 Drama Series Nominees

In this week's clip show episode we look back at our discussions on the shows that are nominated in the outstanding drama series category for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards. These spoiler-filled reviews include Stranger Things (1:15), The Americans (19:30), This is Us (40:05), Westworld (50:15) and Game of Thrones (1:08:15).



This episode was complied from past episodes that you can watch on our YouTube channel. For even more Emmy coverage check out these reviews and our special nomination reaction show.

Emmys 2014: Filling Out the Emmy Ballot - Who & What Should Be Nominated?

via Emmys.com

The deadline to submit ballots for the 2014 Emmy Awards is Friday, June 20th. For any Academy members still on the fence over what names to write down, here's a run-down of TV's best and brightest talent from the last season of TV, complete with some liner notes on why some picks were made and who/what just missed the cut.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES:
1. Breaking Bad, AMC
2. Hannibal, NBC
3. The Americans, F/X
4. The Good Wife, CBS
5. True Detective, HBO
6. Game of Thrones, HBO
7. Masters of Sex, Showtime
8. Mad Men, AMC
9. Boardwalk Empire, HBO
10. Orphan Black, BBC America

All of these shows wowed with their writing, directing and acting this year. But the Top 6 all had a sense of urgency about them, a boldness that demands their place in the sun. Masters and Mad Men  and Boardwalk were all subtly stellar, but with so many quality contenders in play, that's not enough for a nomination.

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
1. Veep, HBO
2. Orange is the New Black, Netflix
3. Girls, HBO
4. Community, NBC
5. Louie, F/X
6. Enlisted, FOX
7. Looking, HBO
8. Parks and Recreation, NBC
9. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, FOX
10. Getting On, HBO

Please, please, please, let this be the year Modern Family is usurped. Everything in slots 1-5 broke new comedic ground. Enlisted gets the last spot because it was genuinely fun and funny and maybe some Emmy love could bring it back somewhere.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Bryan Cranston as Walter White, Breaking Bad
Jon Hamm as Don Draper, Mad Men
Matthew McConaughey as Rust Cohle, True Detective
Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal
Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings, The Americans
Michael Sheen as Bill Masters, Masters of Sex

This was a pretty easy category to narrow down, as these gentlemen are leagues and bounds ahead of anybody else on TV (or, realistically, film) today. The toughest omission was Hannibal's Hugh Dancy, whose character's half-season stint in jail limited his screen time.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson, Masters of Sex
Julianna Marguiles as Alicia Florrick, The Good Wife
Tatiana Maslany as Sarah, Beth, Cosima, Rachel (and More), Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, Mad Men
Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings, The Americans
Robin Wright as Claire Underwood, House of Cards

Kerry Washington's baby bump really hampered her performance this season and allowed Robin Wright to sneak in, as the latter's monologue about a terminated pregnancy was the season's most gripping sequence. Caplan balanced vulnerability and strength with grace. Russell played nearly as many characters as Maslany this season and will probably get half the credit. Moss still managed to charm while Peggy got nastier, up until her cathartic, triumphant Burger Chef pitch. And Marguiles is just plain outstanding.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Louis C.K. as Louie, Louie
Jonathan Groff as Patrick, Looking
Jake Johnson as Nick Miller, New Girl
Joel McHale as Jeff Winger, Community
Chris O'Dowd as Tom Chadwick, Family Tree
Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Parks and Recreation

This category needs a drastic upheaval from last year. Keep C.K., because he's essentially the second-coming, and add these other hysterical, lovable, charming guys.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Malin Akerman as Kate, Trophy Wife
Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath, Girls
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, Veep
Laurie Metcalf as Jenna James, Getting On
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation
Taylor Schilling as Piper Chapman, Orange is the New Black

Akerman balanced being quirky and straight in this role perfectly, perhaps alienating viewers who were accustomed to one extreme or the other. Dunham is finally fully comfortable making the rest of us uncomfortable. JLD is an MVP and will probably walk away with her third straight trophy. Metcalf channeled Steve Carell's Michael Scott in a thankless role on an outlier program, but damn if she wasn't great. Poehler is coasting on goodwill but still finds ways to draw humor from the Pawnee stone. Schilling's hilarity is understated but potent, if that makes any sense, and she belongs here waayyy more than she does in Drama Actress.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Josh Charles as Will Graham, The Good Wife
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones
Dean Norris as Hank Schrader, Breaking Bad
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, Breaking Bad
Jeff Perry as Cyrus Beene, Scandal
Jeffrey Wright as Valentin Narcisse, Boardwalk Empire

Charles Dance (Game of Thrones' Tywin Lannister) was painfully omitted from the lineup because he just didn't have enough to do. Everything he did do, however, was marvelous. He nearly bumped Jeff Perry, whose show is far from perfect but holds things together with his signature brand of arrogance. Jeffrey Wright was also on the fence (along with his co-star Michael K. Williams) but left a huge impact after all these months that his exclusion would be unforgivable. Josh Charles may have left The Good Wife, but don't forget the vehemence he closed the role out with in episodes like "Hitting the Fan." The Breaking boys did fine work and should be lauded eternally. And Peter Dinklage roared back into the awards conversation with his monologue at Tyrion's trial. Should his character really be offed Sunday night, this could be his last chance to win in this role.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, The Good Wife
Anna Gunn as Skyler White, Breaking Bad
Monica Potter as Cristina Braverman, Parenthood
Gretchen Mol as Gillian Darmody, Boardwalk Empire
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, Game of Thrones
Bellamy Young as Mellie Grant, Scandal

Sophie Turner had the GoT slot locked up until Williams' literal death glare in the season 4 finale really showed off her chops. Bellamy Young's drunk monologues are the highlight of Scandal. Gretchen Mol made incestuous, murderous, drug-addled Gillian Darmody a likable character by the end of season 4. Christine Baranski handled her show's change of tone admirably. Monica Potter kept the tears flowing. And Anna Gunn just destroyed her competition.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Fred Armisen as Various Characters, Portlandia
Raul Castillo as Richie, Looking
Adam Driver as Adam Sackler, Girls
Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, Parks and Recreation
Timothy C. Simons as Jonah, Veep
Parker Young as Randy Hill, Enlisted

Pratt has been so great for so long, his absence in the first half of this Parks season left the show worse off. Simons is a lightning rod of nasty jokes, taking a beating so the show can rise above. Young's show may be dead but his performance was so alive and fun that it must be remembered. Driver normalized Adam this year and turned out even stronger performances. Armisen was just uproariously funny in every sketch. On the other hand, Castillo wasn't even the slightest bit funny, but he brought an honesty to his role that made Richie lovable.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Danielle Brooks as Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson, Orange is the New Black
Carrie Brownstein as Various Characters, Portlandia
Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer, Veep
Kate McKinnon as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live
Kate Mulgrew as Galina "Red" Reznikov, Orange is the New Black
Michaela Watkins as Jackie, Trophy Wife

The two OITNB ladies act their butts off in both comedic and dramatic moments. The two sketch comedy ladies constantly reveal new layers of humor behind their beautiful exteriors. Watkins, an SNL alum, brought the goofy to network comedy, and Chlumsky brought the venom. All these women are equal parts talented and hilarious.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jeremy Davies as Peter Bernardone, Hannibal
Harry Hamlin as Jim Culter, Mad Men
Robert Morse as Bert Cooper, Mad Men
Joe Morton as Eli Pope, Scandal
Michael Pitt as Mason Verger, Hannibal
Ray Romano as Hank Rizzoli, Parenthood

Davies won for Justified two years ago and, frankly, could have won again for his reappearance this year, but why not spread the love to an under-appreciated Emmy newcomer? Same goes for Pitt's diabolical Mason Verger. Hamlin played diabolical in a much smarmier way, shedding all stigmas associated with his early roles. Morse is the favorite here, a splendid performer on a chaotic Mad Men season. Romano has quickly ascended the ranks of beloved Parenthood characters, and if Jason Ritter could get a nomination for playing one of Sarah (Lauren Graham)'s beaus, why not Ray? And Joe Morton's role is a Shakespearean POWER. HOUSE. of epic proportions.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Gillian Anderson as Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier, Hannibal
Allison Janney as Margaret Scully, Masters of Sex
Margo Martindale as Claudia, The Americans
Hettienne Park as Beverly Katz, Hannibal
Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni, The Good Wife
Gina Torres as Bella Crawford, Hannibal

For as macabre and "bromantic" as Hannibal inherently is, Bryan Fuller casted some fabulous actresses in several meaty roles. Preston's character won last year and is strong enough to be spun-off into a companion series. Martindale is consistently great, though those who only know her from The Millers may be surprised. And Allison Janney's portrayal of an unsatisfied woman's journey to self-acceptance was a marvel to witness.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jonathan Banks as Professor Buzz Hickey, Community
Steve Buscemi as Marty, Portlandia
Gary Cole as Kent Davison, Veep
Mitch Hurwitz as Koogler, Community
Stephen Merchant as Leslie Higgins, Modern Family
Pablo Schreiber as George "Pornstache" Mendez, Orange is the New Black

Hurwitz isn't even an actor and he out-shone every other guy here. Banks did more subtle work but fine work nonetheless. Buscemi's celery salesman was classic wonky Buscemi that just fit together nicely. Merchant's memorable turn as an over-eager hotel employee helped make "Las Vegas" Modern Family's best episode in years. Cole and Schreiber were arguably supporting actors in their respective seasons, but since they're eligible here, they absolute need inclusion.

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Uzo Aduba as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, Orange is the New Black
Sarah Baker as Vanessa, Louie
Laverne Cox as Sofia Burset, Orange is the New Black
Gaby Hoffman as Caroline Sackler, Girls
Patti LuPone as Herself, Girls
Taryn Manning as Tiffany "Pennsatucky" Doggett, Orange is the New Black

More OITNB love, as its ensemble is TV's current best. LuPone parodied herself perfectly. Hoffman let everything go on screen. And Sarah Baker's "So Did The Fat Lady" monologue was such a watercooler moment of this TV season, an Emmy snub would be an egregious slight.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Breaking Bad, "Felina" (Vince Gilligan)
Breaking Bad, "Ozymandias" (Rian Johnson)
Homeland, "The Star" (Lesli Linka Glatter)
Mad Men, "Waterloo" (Matthew Weiner)
True Detective, "Who Goes There" (Cary Fukunaga)

Skyler choosing between phone and knife. Walt's last stand. Brody's devastating end. Bert's fantastical goodbye. Rust's 6-minute descent into madness. Wow.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Community, "Geothermal Escapism" (Joe Russo)
Girls, "Two Plane Rides" (Lena Dunham)
Modern Family, "Las Vegas" (Gail Mancuso)
Orange is the New Black, "Can't Fix Crazy" (Michael Trim)
Veep, "Crate" (Chris Addison)

Troy falling back into the lava. Hannah with her acceptance letter. The farcical comings and goings in the Las Vegas hotel. The Christmas pageant (and the battle in the prison yard). Everyone's reactions to Selina's change of status. Double wow.

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
The Americans, "Echo" (Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg)
Breaking Bad, "Felina" (Vince Gilligan)
Breaking Bad, "Ozymandias" (Moira Walley-Beckett)
The Good Wife, "The Last Call" (Robert King & Michelle King)
Mad Men, "The Strategy" (Semi Chellas)

Where's "Hitting the Fan" for The Good Wife? That's a much stronger episode of TV than "The Last Call", which is an extremely strong episode of TV. Everything here is great, but that was a home-run, even against Breaking Bad. Perhaps Jared's reveal and Don and Peggy's dance are enough to knock down the meth kingpins.

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Community, "Cooperative Pollygraphy"(Alex Rubens)
Girls, "Beach House" (Jenni Konner & Lena Dunham & Judd Apatow)
Looking, "Looking for the Future"(Andrew Haigh)
New Girl, "Mars Landing" (Josh Malmuth & Nina Pedrad)
Orange is the New Black, "I Wasn't Ready (Pilot)" (Liz Friedman & Jenji Kohan)

Most of these deal with relationships. The study group's relationship to their dead friend and to each other in his absence. Old friends realizing their lives are changing. New relationships budding. Old relationships dying. And isolation from all relationships and the effect that has on someone. All these shows handle character consistently well, these are just the best exampled.

Who are you hoping gets nominated this year? Sound off in the comments or give me a ring on Twitter, @miketvladue. And be sure to check back at Dual Redundancy for all your Emmy awards coverage!

TV Review: Homeland 2x04: "New Car Smell"

ML- The episode opened with Estes' son Kenny greeting Saul at the door wearing a Darth Vader mask and waving a lightsaber. Just a random quirky way to introduce the character? No, the show is too smart for that. This was a well-thought reference to one Anakin Skywalker, whose story parallels Sgt. Brody.

*Warning*: The following is a total nerd-out.

Skywalker was a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars, a war hero in his own right, much like Nicholas Brody. His mind was distorted by the greatest evil mastermind the galaxy had ever known- Chancellor Palpatine, a Sith lord who went on to proclaim himself Emperor. For our purposes, Palpatine and Abu Nazir are one and the same.

The Jedi discovered Skywalker and Palpatine's involvement too late. The Jedi Master Mace Windu confronted Palpatine and expected Skywalker to follow suit. Skywalker didn't, betrayed Windu and went on to slaughter as many Jedi as possible. It seems as though Estes and Saul are like the CIA's wise, hardened Jedi Masters Windu and Yoda. They've discovered his treason but decided to sit on the information- a bad move that fortunately Carrie was able to undo.

We could call Carrie his Obi-Wan and Jess his Padme (and Virgil and Max are the droids!), but those don't align quite as well. The important thing to remember is that after destroying all the Jedi and running the galaxy with an iron fist, Skywalker was redeemed after being taken down by his son and daughter and restoring balance to the force. Does this mean Brody's story ends in a celebration, with Dana and Carrie working together to turn Brody against Nazir and free the ewoks from Imperial captivity? Hopefully so, except for that last part. Homeland is no place for ewoks.

"New Car Smell" represented a fresh start for Carrie as she settled back into the groove of the CIA, a more worn vehicle in which she must sit shotgun to newcomer Peter Quinn. Quinn was brash and aggressive, but likable in his own way. He didn't trust Carrie more than we'd expect anyone briefed on her history to do, despite the video backing up her story. In a show already packed with several strong characters, it'll be interesting to see the trajectory the writers have planned for him.

Another lesser character who drunkenly stumbled his way to the forefront tonight was Lauder, Brody's marine vet "buddy" who has been spitting out conspiracy theories left and right. He barged into Jess' house and she needed Mike to haul him out. It was to Mike, not Jess, that Lauder shared his craziest theory- Brody and Walker were working together. Mike humored him, yet another weak link in Brody's armor that, by episode's end, is shattered completely.

Carrie is a badass Honey Badger frickin' rock star from Mars. Not only can she knock out Lebanese extremists with cinder blocks to the head, she can hold her own against a proven terrorist in an unprotected hotel room. Were her actions best for the CIA? No, but as she and her father chant, "F*** the CIA!" They were best for her, and after all the horrors she went through, she needed and deserved this victory.

So where do we go from here? This was one of the best season finales I've ever seen, and there are still 8 episodes to go in the season. Saul and Estes' plan of sitting and waiting on Brody is foiled. He's in custody. His VP campaign is screwed, which will be a minor setback for the budding relationship between Dana and her Walden beaux. Mike will probably share Lauder's theory with Jess soon, and Dana will connect the dots, too. If I were Damian Lewis, I'd be on the lookout for new job offers, just in case.

Episode Grade: A+
Episode MVP: Claire Danes
Original Airdate: 10/21/2012

TV Review: Homeland 2x03: "State of Independence"

photo courtesy of npr.org

ML- There is so much good about this season of Homeland, it literally hurts to point out the scattered flaws. This week, I'd say 75% of the episode was near-perfection. Claire Danes, Morena Baccarin and Mandy Patinkin all were flawless and had story lines worthy of their credentials. It was the stuff given to Damian Lewis that made me hesitate to label this episode as highly as TV critics out there.

To recap, Roya called Brody and told him the Gettysburg bomb maker who created "The Vest" would soon be the subject of government focus and needed to be coerced into escaping to a safe house. Brody was the only man applicable for the job because the tailor apparently trusted him more than anyone else.

I call B.S. on this. Brody and the tailor met once, as far as we know, so he could get the vest. Wouldn't the tailor be a little skeptical of Brody not actually following through in blowing himself up? Weren't there other Nazir contacts who could escape to Gettysburg, especially ones who were less high-profile than a Congressman expected at a fundraiser that night? Either this was a terrible stretch of our suspension of disbelief on the part of the writers, or Roya is not to be trusted. If that's the case, bravo, this episode could end up being perfection. Maybe she knew how crazy it was and wanted Brody to take the fall? That's the only way to justify the logic behind sending Brody through a wild goose chase in the woods.

The scene where he killed the tailor was also ridiculous. Did he have to answer his phone? Couldn't he have let Jess go to voicemail while he dealt with the injured man rather than answer it right next to him and force his hand into snapping necks? Just doesn't add up for me.

The tagline for this season of Boardwalk Empire has been "You can't be half a gangster", and I think a similar idea applies to Brody. Brody can't be half a terrorist. He needs to fully submit himself to the will of Nazir and be willing to drop everything at any cost for the man. I'd say he's close, but his problem is his family. Unfortunately, he can't be half a family man, either. Eventually, something has got to give and he will need to choose. Until then, I hope we aren't subjected to more bad writing.

Everything about the episode was top notch. The Saul scenes in the beginning and end were spectacular. Of course Saul was smart enough to hide the chip! It would have been much funnier if he hid it in his beard. When he showed it to Carrie, the acting by the two of them was show-stopping. Danes killed it throughout the whole episode, especially in the long, wordless scene where she took the pills and crawled into bed to die. It proves that even though the dialogue in this show is top-notch and the actors' delivery is equally so, they can convey just as much emotion with the light of their eyes.

Another pleasant surprise was Jess, who salvaged her fundraiser from becoming a career-ending blunder for her husband into a call for better psychological support for families of veterans. It was a call to the masses, but subtextually a cry for help. Baccarin played the moment with grace, even the awkward joke about car trouble in the beginning, and made an extremely unlikable character very endearing. Her scene with Mike was well-placed, I thought. These two were days away from moving in together and Brody's return forced them apart, it's no stretch that residual feelings exist. When she finally told off Brody in the house, I cheered, perhaps because I was so angry at his story line, but more likely because it paints him further into a corner.

I have literally no idea where this show goes from here. We see in the preview Carrie and Saul briefing Estes on the tape. So the CIA knows. There goes Brody's chance at a political career. Do they try turning him into a triple-agent of sorts to take down Nazir? If so, how will Brody be able to fit another personality into his wheelhouse? A Hawthorne quote featured in an episode of The Sopranos speaks to his condition: "No man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true."

Episode Grade: A-
Episode MVP: Claire Danes & Morena Baccarin
Original Airdate: 10/14/2012

TV Review: Revenge 2x02: "Resurrection"

ML- Revenge has gone through a cycle of life, death and resurrection since it began. The pilot was fun and full of life, and things kept getting good until the big Fire & Ice mid-season reveal. After that, however, the show ran out of steam and slowly became the kind of show you'd watch while doing other things (like how I'm writing this while "watching" Fringe from the other night). However, the season finale last year was outstanding and breathed new excitement into the show.

I fear the show is losing the signs of life it showed last year at too fast a rate. Emily's icy disposition used to be commanding and hot, now it's gotten monotonous. Nolan's one-liners are lacking in effort on the parts of both the writers and Gabriel Mann; he's just phoning it in, and I don't think it can be attributed to the character's personal struggles. And Daniel's hair cut makes him look awful.

Amanda and Jack do not interest me. I was hoping the baby really wouldn't be his, but instead it was Emily just being a bitch to the woman who changed her whole identity for her. Was I surprised? No. Nothing has surprised me these past two weeks, except how little my investment has become. Declan's storyline with his new "friend" Trey lending him his step-mother's expensive bracelet for $500? Predictably going to lead to some mediocre drama.

There was one thing that surprised me: The White-Haired Man's unexpected death at the hands of Emily's Revenge buddy, who I believe is still unnamed. He had the potential to be a lasting malevolence in the show's mythology, but they cut him out once he hinted to Mrs. Clarke still being alive when Victoria signed her out of the mental hospital. RIP, WHM.

Nolan's scenes with his company were awkward and didn't quite fit the tone that the show has established. Yes, it's a campy soap, but the humor was a little too light. Maybe it was just the terrible acting by his prospective CEO? Between her and Charlotte, this show needs to step up the casting.

Sorry to be such a spoil sport this week, but there was one bright spot to the episode: Victoria. Her plan to get back at the WHM by using Conrad to Chris Brown her was smart and dark, and in the meantime got Charlotte back in her good graces. Madeline Stowe is the most committed to the show, for better or worse, and she was particularly fun getting punched in the face.

Episode Grade: C+
Episode MVP: Madeline Stowe
Original Airdate: 10/07/2012

TV Review: Homeland 2x02: "Beirut is Back"

ML- The most heartbreaking moment of "Beirut is Back" was Carrie's panicked breakdown to Saul on the roof of their Lebanese hideout. Despite risking her life and potential for recovery to ship out and help Saul & David Estes extract information from Fatima Ali, Saul admitted to not wanting her there in the first place. All Carrie ever wanted was to do her service to America, so much so that she put her own health on the back burner and focused 100% on Nazir. So when she cries to Saul that she had never been so sure and so wrong about Brody and how much it screwed her up, we, like Saul, gain a greater appreciation for her character.

Yes, she's obsessive and unconventional in her methods, and frankly her handling of her condition was unprofessional and completely deserving of her termination. There would be no issue, and all of us would be on the same side as Saul, if the audience didn't know how right she was. She's struggling to find the answers to a test she already aced, and her quest for someone to believe her is one the audience will be deeply invested in.

Has she found that person already? The episode ended with Saul going through the bag that Carrie foolishly retrieved from Fatima's house, searching for helpful information in the files and documents. Nothing. He notices, though, a stitch in the fabric of the bag itself and tears to reveal a chip. On the chip is the video we saw Brody make in last season's finale, where he stood in the storage unit and explained his forthcoming terrorist actions. The last shot we're treated to is Saul watching this video, aghast, and coupled with Carrie's confession from earlier, the episode packs an unexpected punch into the gut of anyone doubting whether this season would live up to the first.

Nobody expected this season to reach this critical point yet. It surely spells bad things for Saul and especially Brody, but also gives Carrie a new lease on life she may not have expected. Does Saul go to Carrie to begin comparing theories off-the-record? Does he go to Estes without involving Carrie at all? Does he keep it to himself and do some private investigating of his own? Saul is now involved in the scheme as much as Carrie is, and who knows what Brody will do when his back is against the wall. Mandy Patinkin is much more expendable than Claire Danes.

Brody already has plenty of conspiracy theorists in his midst. His old Marine buddies, Mike included, ask him to check the confidential files on the Tom Walker case to see if there's any information on who his real killer was or if any other suspects were involved. Brody lies and explains the files say nothing, which everyone expected him to do. The congressman can not catch a break, as now even his friends are turning their eyes his direction. He's going to have to be much more careful in the coming weeks.

Careful, as in not sending text messages from situation rooms in the Pentagon. He tips off Abu Nazir in one of the tensest moments the series has had so far, but it seemed kind of unrealistic. When the Vice President thinks someone tipped Nazir off, wouldn't it be protocol to search everyone in the room before they exited? Brody is lucky to have gotten away so easily there, but I suppose that's now the least of his worries.

Nazir did survive, despite Carrie and Saul's best efforts. The character truly has transformed into a force of nature; when he stepped out of that car, I gasped as if I saw a ghost, or even a real-life terrorist. I suspect he'll go into hiding for a while, as his trust in many has been compromised.

The second unrealistic thing that kept me from giving this episode a perfect score was Carrie's retrieval of the bag. Sure, it was an exhilarating scene and led to Saul's ultimate discovery of the chip, but the whole thing was too much of a suspension of my disbelief, even with Carrie in her fragile state. Putting everyone's lives in danger of the Lebanese civilians was too risky even on her part, manic or not.

Carrie returns home, considering her mission to have been a failure. The woman in the car with her mentions Carrie must have heard it from everyone and their brother, but thanks her anyway. From what we saw, nobody thanked her. It's always been a thankless job for Carrie, and she's never minded, but this time it wasn't a job, it was a favor. Not to be thanked for a favor that big is going to make her even further re-evaluate her stance on the CIA, which could be trouble once Saul approaches her with his intel.

The only other development this week was Dana with her new non-moronic boy toy, Finn Walden, aka the one she called out during her "Muslim Dad" rant. Could the congressman's daughter coupling with the Vice President's son be a match made in heaven or yet another political complication, especially if things don't end well or she spills some secrets? Time will tell. By the pace that the show is traveling at right now, for all we know that time could be tonight.

Episode Grade: A
Episode MVP: Claire Danes
Original Airdate: 10/07/2012

Podcast Episode 21: Holy Emmy Nominations Batman!

Did you miss hearing our voices? Well you are in luck because we have a brand new podcast for you to enjoy.

In this week's episode David and Mike discuss the Viacom/DirecTV dispute, the Call Me Maybe mania, the possibility of Charlie Sheen joining American Idol, the hysteria around the opening of The Dark Knight Rises, and what Fred Willard was doing in that movie theater. They also breakdown and give their first reactions to the Emmy nominations in the drama and comedy series categories.

You can listen to the episode with the player above or you can even subscribe, listen or download it from iTunes.