On this episode of our Homeland series Tom and I spent the first half of the episode dissecting the falsehoods that this particular episode as put forth in terms of the legality of spying. Suddenly aware of the rule of law and constitutional rights we see all the major characters in this episode pushing this agenda of doing everything by the book. Tom and I discuss how this is an obvious ploy to reassure the watchers that the CIA and other foreign intelligence agencies are now longer breaking the law when they spy on you. While all the characters are trying to gather legal evidence of Alison’s Russian mole status, Tom and I break down how the CIA would never go through the trouble of getting this sort of information let alone entertain the idea of going to a federal trial. We also touch on the series attempts to demonize the character of Alison; this time using her own sexuality as negative characteristic.
Later we move onto a topic that both Homeland and ourselves have mentioned time and time again: the gas attack in Ghouta, Syria. We discuss how Homeland has continually used the Ghouta massacre as a plot device and the meaning behind it. We talk about how the show is now advancing the narrative that not only is Assad using chemical weapons but also ISIS and other terrorist organizations. We break down how Homeland is trying to convince us that everyone in Syria is a “bad guy” and thus drastic action in Syria must be carried out. Tom and I also talk about the difficulty in actually producing and delivering Sarin, and talk about the Aum Shinrikyo attack in Tokyo as an example of a Sarin attack by a non-state actor. We talk about how this theme may be one of the overarching narratives that Homeland is pushing. Tom and I also talk about how Homeland’s ISIS cell wants UN recognition and the ridiculousness of it. We also talk about how the Islamic State already exists and has UN recognition in the form of Saudi Arabia. We round out the conversation by touching on our recent podcast with the Homeland Hackers and provide some more thoughts on why we believe they are in fact genuine.(Read more...)