Damascus Bombing Plot

Lore & Background

In this episode, Carrie and Saul are convinced of Allison's guilt, but Dar Adal refuses to make a final judgment without more evidence. Dar suggests to Saul that quietly shuffling Allison down the ranks of the CIA might be a better solution politically than exposing that a Russian agent had risen to CIA station chief. Saul attempts to get a confession from Allison, but when recounting the deaths of CIA colleagues he believes to be attributable to Allison, he explodes in rage at her and is taken away by security. Meanwhile, Bibi Hamed releases a video demanding that the UNSC officially recognize the Islamic State, or he will unleash a chemical attack on Berlin in 24 hours. The video includes footage of the effects of sarin gas on Quinn. Carrie and Astrid, assuming Quinn to have been killed by the gas, repeatedly watch the grisly video looking for clues to where it was recorded. They note a mosaic on the floor which the BND traces to a specific artist. Laura and Jonas interview a suspected jihadist, Faisal Marwan, who reveals that Zayd told him about an attack in Berlin. Otto calls Saul for help and agrees to turn over Faisal but asks Saul to guarantee his safety. Faisal is captured by BND agents once he leaves the building. Dar notifies the BND that Quinn had infiltrated a cell in Berlin led by a nephew of Abu Al-Qaduli. With this information, the BND determines Bibi's identity. By cross-referencing locations of Bibi's recent credit card purchases with buildings that feature the work of the artist, the BND narrows its search to a handful of locations. When investigating one of the addresses, Carrie and Astrid find Quinn barely clinging to life, as well as the body of Zaheer. Quinn is taken to a hospital and placed in intensive care.

In Their Own Story

The episode received a rating of 64% with an average score of 6.8 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus stating "'New Normal' takes an exciting new turn but at the expense of a long-gestating spy story set up by Homeland's previous episodes." Price Peterson of New York Magazine rated the episode 4 out of 5 stars while remarking on its effectiveness in connecting the season's plot lines and conveying the horror of the characters' circumstances. Scott Collura of IGN rated the episode 8.0 out of 10, saying that the key scenes involving Allison and Quinn were compelling, but also noting that it "felt a little desperate" in integrating Quinn with the other lead characters. Ethan Renner of The Baltimore Sun felt that the episode was "somewhat of a letdown," citing some "clunky plot devices" and one-dimensionality of the Jihadist group's characters. The original broadcast was watched by 1.74 million viewers, an increase in viewership from the previous week of 1.42 million viewers.

Reader's Guide

This episode is the tenth of the fifth season and the 58th overall. It premiered on December 6, 2015. Key plot points include: Saul is absolved when Krupin admits the Russians orchestrated the bombing of General Youssef's plane. Carrie and Saul are convinced of Allison's guilt but Dar Adal refuses to act without more evidence. Bibi Hamed releases a video threatening a chemical attack on a European city in 24 hours unless the UNSC recognizes the Islamic State. Carrie and Astrid find Quinn barely clinging to life after he was exposed to sarin gas. Quinn is taken to a hospital and placed in intensive care.

Did You Know?

• The episode was directed by Dan Attias and co-written by executive producer Meredith Stiehm and Charlotte Stoudt.
• The original broadcast was watched by 1.74 million viewers, an increase from the previous week's 1.42 million viewers.
• The episode received a rating of 64% with an average score of 6.8 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Scott Collura of IGN rated the episode 8.0 out of 10.
• Price Peterson of New York Magazine rated the episode 4 out of 5 stars.