So, when TV historians come to view these particular episodes in the context of the bigger picture, they could well decide this was the week that 'Homeland', sad to say, went where other hit shows of all kinds have gone before and stretched our investment beyond breaking point.
Saul and Fara are following the money somewhere, or something
Because Carrie, that die-hard patriot we had seen time and time again risk her life, forsake her man and scupper her mental acuity for the sake of protecting her country, suddenly made a deal to work for "the firm" - whatever dark, foreign forces that was supposed to signify, headed strangely by a Piers Morgan lookie-likie with a nice pool, speaking a distinctly anti-American game.
Oh, except she didn't. Because it turned out she was actually hand in glove with her old protector Saul, and hadn't betrayed anybody after all. Which meant all those eye-rolling, hair-pulling episodes in which we'd invested so much energy previously turned out to be all part of a cunning plan.
It was all a dream. And Bobby Ewing stepped out of the shower. And into these tree-lined Washington avenues. Or he might as well have. Just ridiculous. 'Homeland' bosses, the Fonz just called. He wants his shark back.