The finale was low key but it was either setting the basis for the start of the next series or it could even end there.
I think Quinn made a mistake taking off on another mission just because he couldn't have Carrrie staright away. He should of just chilled out generally!

As for Dar Adel, he's a hard one to read. I've generally had the opinion that he's a right two faced so and so who shouldn't be trusted but then again, he might appear like that but maybe he's ultimately the solid safe pair of hands type who's always there to steady the ship behind the scenes?

If he's on the level though about what he was doing in the car with Huqani then that makes the whole war on terrorism and against the Taliban/Al Qaida in Afghanistan a complete waste of time. Its "oh we had a 13 year war with them" but now we are going to deal with the very same people we've been fighting all this time! Most of the time, the US and West in general only mened fences in situations like this once there is a new Government with a different outlook.

I've just read back and understand what you were saying now - or at least, I get how you were saying it.

Yes, a memorial service for the agents would have made more sense - I just don't see that Lockhart's relationship with Carrie was strong enough for him to pitch up... even with a lasagne.

But that's all in the past now... I expect Lockhart will be gone by the start of series 5...

If that was the first episode someone had ever watched, they wouldn't bother. I'll watch because I know it'll be a damn sight better than that limp waste of time ending. Very let down. Damp squib.

Very interesting Styker - thank you.

I don't know that I'd have felt so disappointed with the finale if we hadn't just had back to back adrenaline rushes with the other episodes.
I found myself watching the clock thinking - in a minute ..... then there were 5 to go & I did feel disappointed.
I came to Homeland late, only with series 3 so am no expert - but a bit of action would have been appreciated as I found I was drifting away to my obsession with Carrie's stupid little handbag again - she had it at the funeral FGS!
Wondering if Clare Danes is bringing out a range - 'this baby will see you through terrorist attacks to the most formal occasions'.
Saul' s glasses could have the same tag .....

Overall disappointing.

I hope Quinn doesn't die or the rest of next season will be very boring.

Must admit I fast forwarded through a lot of the family stuff. Not the reason why I watch programmes like Homeland. Like fast action or thrilling suspense, not a slow moving family story about Carrie's baby.

Last season (pre the one that just finished), was sublime (where Brodie got hanged). This season was OK but altogether slower and I agree I didn't realise it was the last episode until I looked for the next one in the epg.

I can see the idea behind leaving it like this, but it would have been exciting to have added something else to the twist eg Saul has agreed to support Haqqani as the next leader, much to Carries disgust, and after the porch scene, the cameras go back to Pakistan or Iraq or somewhere else of relevance just in time to see a bomb go off against a US Military target and Haqqani driving away having committed one last bombing atrocity (further rubbing salt into Carries feelings about Saul), and leaving the viewer wondering what's going to happen next not only between Saul and Carrie but between Sal and Haqqani ie Will he still be supported, will he still become leader, Will Quinn go after him again, Will the US go after him through other means once more?....

What the hell happened? A cracking series rounded off with one of dampest squibs of a season finale I've ever seen.

Thought it be a nail biting escape from Pakistan for Carrie and Quinn, instead they were already back in the US and, for Carrie at least, dealing with family stuff. Disappointing.

I think I would have preferred to see more action but I think it was quite brave of the writers to bring the pace right down. Not sure I needed Carrie's family back story though, I don't remember her mother being mentioned, I had assumed she was dead tbh.
Knowing how the double dealing works (and with echoes of Brody plot) I wouldn't be surprised to see that this 'deal' with Huqani (?) isn't revealed as a way to get a double agent on the inside again

To me it was more like episode one of a new series rather than the last episode. Also didn't Carries refuse to leave Pakistan in the first place until she found Quinn and got him out? So why did she just leave him there anyway?

Quinn should have his own spinoff series simply called "Quinn".
He is a great charactor.
Now there's an idea for you...
What do you think?

I never noticed Carrie's handbag...ever. If you haven't seen series 1 and 2, they aren't bad but what I find in general about American dramas are that they are so dragged out and there are a lot of filler episodes and series/episodes could easily be done in half the episodes. Though having said that, I don't think Homeland has ever gone into Dallas mode where the episodes stretch to around 30 plus for a series.

I think Homeland can continue in a similar way to the UK drama Spooks if they wanted to do it that way. There is enough bad people out there to continue Homeland and I think I would like to see the programme continue but in a more general way where we see the CIA tackling any/all bad guys and plots out there.

The only way to have gone for a action packed finnish is if the CIA with American troops still in Afghanistan had managed to get Huqani and maybe they should have done part of the finale that way while still showing us Carrie's mother still.

They did get it wrong in the sense that Dar Adel said to Saul that the Taliban will be back in control of Afghanistan by Christmas and also in real life, the Pakistani army have been going after terrorists in all parts of the Waziristan region for around a year now. thats where a lot of Taliban/Al Qaida lot seem to be. They still need to go flat out in other areas like Quetta to fully flush them out but the general reality does not match what Dar Adel was coming out with and lets hope that in reality, all countries plagued with these A hole terrorists manage to get rid of them and get rid of terrorism for good.

The CIA must have known where Carrie's mother was all along, and that she had a son, because they would have checked up on her when they vetted Carrie when she was originally recruited, and again when they periodically re-vetted Carrie. I suppose it's possible that Carrie never wondered what was in the file - I can't imagine her not finding a way to look at it if she wanted to!

Very easy having read this thread have only just realised it was a finale

Possible explanation for the finale, they have been captured in Pakistan and drugged so we are seeing their dreams aka earlier in the series.

Err ok. Lol.

I thought the finale had about 10 minutes of intriguing political shenanigans and the rest was tedious filler. Really didn't need the boring soap opera of Carrie's estranged mum.

Quite a good series ruined by the worst hour of TV drama I've seen in 2014. And that's quite a damning criticism because I watched all of Intruders.

Respect. That was a triumph of optimism.

The Final of S4 did what it set out to do (IMHO) giving Carrie some closure with her wayward Mother following the death of her Father. A look to the future, uncertainty (as usual) for Carrie -she's such a damaged person and her illness is a hell of a challange.

Being a viewer since season 2, I can understand why the producers / writers might want a S4 final without the quick fire action and attempting to pull some of the storylines together. I'm glad that Saul is still one of the main caractors -though he could have easily have been written out this season.

Season 5 -Bring it on

I don't know, I gave you an action packed alternative ending in post # 1880 above that would have still left Huqanni and therefore the plot very much alive for next season...

Apologies for stupidity, admittedly I am sick as heck today so may have missed it but what exactly was on the video of Saul with Haqqani? Why was he willing to go along with Dar Adal? Totally confused.

ok season, better than 2 not as good as 1 and 3

boring finale.

That's really part of the issue though. Her mother has never (that I recall - could be mistaken) previously been mentioned, so it felt like it very much been shoehorned in as pure filler.

Carrie mentioned her mum to Brodie when they were together in the cabin. He asked whether she had been in touch since she left. Carrie was always afraid her mum had left because of the illness and she left exactly when she needed her when she was diagnosd at college.
I am a bit worried that Quinn will be captured by Isil and the series could get very nasty if his colleagues are captured. Carrie will have to try and rescue him.

Very strange decision to end with a character episode, usually the kind of thing you put in the middle of a run.

I've finally finished season four, it was amazing, it was much better than season 3. The absence of Dana’s teenage drama was a big plus. I can understand why the makers decided to end the season on a quieter note. The episodes that preceded it were high octane and nail biting. I'm looking forward to season five in Berlin, but I'm sad that Fara won't be returning.