'Homeland' limps to the finish line

"Listen, I have to ask and I understand if you can't say, but is there something going on that I don't know about?" — Lockhart, "Homeland"

"Homeland" finished its uneven fourth season last night on a quiet note. The show, which has typically had big revelations in its finales, went small. There are ways to look at the show that might change how you feel about the merits of what was done.

It felt like the show took a page out of the "Game of Thrones" playbook. The HBO hit — which is a far superior show now — usually delivers its big blows in the penultimate episode. The rest is just blowback.

That was sort of true for "Homeland." The fourth season delivered some wallops in the home stretch, including a big revelation to close its penultimate episode, then it got pensive to wrap things up. It ended where it began — with Carrie (Claire Danes) wonder what it means to be a mom, sort of loving Quinn (Rupert Friend), and not sure where she was going next.

It was a somber and introspective episode, one that possibly puts things in play for next year. Carrier realized she wanted to be with Quinn — and could be with Quinn — about the time he gave up and went back to the black ops.

And Saul (Mandy Patinkin) seems suddenly OK with the US making a deal with a terrorist if it gets him back to the head of the CIA. Carrie, somehow, seems less OK with it.

It was a fine episode, technically, that set some stories in motion for the future. But it was far from the payoff expected after a superb set of episodes. Instead it was Carrie, the Brody-baby, and mostly just family drama.

"Homeland" is at its best when it's in action. Last night felt a lot like halftime. The show came a long way in the fourth season, but it might just have ended up right back where it started. And that's not a good thing.