Homeland picked up on Sunday following last week’s dragging “set-up” episode with plot-driving action and conversation that features a Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) who has returned to her first season form.

Saul (Mandy Patinkin) could not be happier with himself after he believes he successfully got Javadi (Shaun Toub) to work for him, kept Lockhart (Tracy Letts) from preventing Javadi from leaving the country and received some warmth from estranged wife Mira (Sarita Choudhury), to whom he’s serving breakfast in bed. Following his morning marital bliss, Saul meets with Mike Higgins (William Sadler), the White House Chief of Staff. Lockhart, who crashes the meeting, has already told Higgins all about Saul’s rogue work with Javadi. When grilled by the two men, Saul complacently maintains that he knows his plan will work.

Carrie Confronts Saul

After informing Higgins and Lockhart that phase two of his Javadi operation involves Javadi using the false idea that he has the Carrie Mathison as an asset and easily ascending to power, Saul tells everything to Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham). The two men then meet with Quinn (Peter Friend) and Carrie, who are struggling to pinpoint a legitimate suspect for the Langley bombing. Carrie confronts Saul about the conflicting answers they received from Javadi about Brody’s involvement. When Saul gets defensive, Carrie questions his commitment to finding out the truth. Saul placates her temporarily and Dar offers to chat with lawyer Leland Bennett (Martin Donovan).

Away from the important matter of the op, Carrie goes to the hospital to get an ultrasound on the mystery baby she’s carrying. She’s been pregnant for 13 weeks, a few months in which she’s been popping lithium and drinking. “I haven’t been painting a nursery. Let’s put it that way,” she tells the doctor, maintaining that she doesn’t want to know the gender.

Mira Breaks Up With Alan

Mira, meanwhile, meets her lover Alan Bernard (William Abadie) out for breakup coffee. She tells him that she’s going to give her 35-year marriage to Saul another chance. Alan can’t believe what he’s hearing, recalling that they’d just spent the day before shacked up in a hotel room. Even though he tells her that he loves her, Mira’s resolve remains unshaken. Before Mira makes it back home, however, Alan already came and went – suspiciously messing with the Berenson home computer. Mira later gets the off-putting news that Saul is going away for a week and she won’t be able to tag along.

Also facing some turmoil at home is Fara (Nazanin Boniadi), who is supporting her father on her less than glamorous paycheck from the CIA. Her father is under the impression that she works as an investment banker and doesn’t understand why they’re having trouble making ends meet. But, when government officials pop by the house to tell Fara that she made a mess for the agency by visiting Fariba’s home and that she better return to work in the morning because Saul thinks she vital to his op, her father hears everything. He’s livid, telling her that her involvement with the CIA puts their relatives in Tehran in mortal danger.

At the CIA, Dar is working to arrange that meeting with Bennett. He tells the lawyer that he’s considering looking in to the work the firm has been doing, but would like for them to be able to discuss it man-to-man first. Instead of agreeing to the discussion, Bennett arranges a meeting with Carrie to find out what the agency might know. Carrie plays dumb, acts frustrated that her deal was meant to be with Javadi, but gives her word that she’ll uncover what she can. She reports back to Paul Franklin (Jason Butler Harner) that the CIA believes Bennett knows something about the Langely bombing, which Franklin doesn’t deny.

Langley Bomber Is Killed

Carrie, Dar, Quinn and a few other CIA agents listen in as Franklin calls Bennett to warn him that the CIA is on to him. Bennett then tells his associate to get the bomber out of the country. Franklin texts the bomber and sets up a meeting at a nearby motel. The bomber is understandably concerned about what the firm intends to do with him. Franklin quiets him over the phone before picking up his gun and attaching a silencer. Disregarding instructions from Dar, Carrie tries to intercept Franklin before he kills the bomber.

Before Carrie can blow her cover, Quinn shoots her in the arm on Dar’s orders and then yells for his fellow agents to clear her from the scene. Inside the motel room, Franklin kills the bomber and disposes of his body in the bathtub. Inside the van, Carrie is more worried about what happened with Franklin and the bomber than the fact that she has a GSW to the arm. None of it makes sense to her. She pulls Quinn closer and asks, “Where the f—k is Saul?”

Saul is at the Tower of David in Caracas, Venezuela. After exchanging pleasantries with El Nino, he makes eye contact with Brody (Damien Lewis).

– Chelsea Regan

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For More 'Homeland' News:

_{‘Homeland’ Recap: Saul Turns Javadi Into An Asset; Carrie Hatches An Op With Quinn}

_{‘Homeland’ Recap: Carrie Is Pregnant; Saul Comes Face-To-Face With Javadi}

_{‘Homeland’ Recap: Carrie Meets Javadi; Dana Learns The Truth About Leo}

_{‘Homeland’ Recap: Carrie & Saul Are In Cahoots; Dana’s Boyfriend Is A Murderer}

_{‘Homeland’ Recap: Brody Appears In Venezuela; Carrie Remains Institutionalized}