I'm writing this in front of the TV, where I'm anxiously
awaiting the first episode of the fourth season of Homeland, one of my all time
favorite shows. I don't watch much television – I can't deal with sitcoms or
shows that feel formulaic or predictable. I also dislike characters that are
simply "too too:" too good, too bad, too beautiful, too ugly.
Now I'm the first to admit that the characters in my novels
are very good-looking and sexy, but they're imperfect all the same. Most of
them have a past they're not proud of (kinda like all of us, right?), but they
evolve and do the right thing in the end. That's what romance readers expect,
and it makes us feel good.
Enter Carrie Mathison, the bipolar CIA agent (played
brilliantly by Claire Danes) on Homeland who spends at least half her time on
screen behaving unpleasantly (read: acting like a total b--ch), alienating her
coworkers, exploiting her family and sleeping with the enemy. She insults
people, yells and curses a lot, drinks way too much and has sex with strangers.
She looks ordinary most of the time and downright ugly when she cries.
In other words, she's the real deal.
The most extraordinary thing about Carrie is her freakishly
spot-on intuition. Lots of super intelligent, highly analytical people work for
the CIA, but they don't have her gift for seeing what no one else is willing or
able to see. She fully intends to save the world and will use any
method—illegal or unethical if necessary—to do it. If Carrie were a real person
I wouldn't want to put up with her snark or her craziness to be her friend, but
I think she's an incredible woman.
If you're a Homeland fan I'd love to know what you think of
Carrie. If you're not, is there a character from another TV show or movie you
don't like but admire the hell out of?
-- Ana Barrons
