Season 5 on the most part up to this point has not been bad at all, with the only less than decent episode being the uneven "Manic" (was also a little let down by "Tragedy", actually a very good episode until the big reveal). With "Loss" especially being an absolute gem and quite special as an episode. On first watch, "Home" struck me as an extemely good episode that shocked and moved me, despite finding the character of Marilyn on the one-dimensional side, one that is a hateable character from the start and never develops.
"Home" has held up extremely well on rewatch. Actually think it's one of those episodes that's even better with each viewing, where even with knowing what is going to happen next the events have actually become increasingly shocking and heart-wrenching. Much of it is to do with the subject, which would unsettle anybody. While it is not quite one of my favourites of Season 5, "Home" is a great episode with a great emotional kick and Marilyn really burns in the memory.
The outcome in terms of who the perpetrator was is not a surprise, there was something about the perpetrator that made one think "they did it", or at least was in some way complicit in it. What is truly surprising though is despite hating her from the beginning how truly vile Marilyn is by the end of the episode.
In spite of that, "Home" has so much to recommend. The production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden and the script is tight and always intriguing, have always been left thinking hard for a while as it is a subject that will hit hard for quite a few.
Loved the story, not just that the case is very compelling and well paced throughout, with the moral dilemmas of it handled with tact yet force, but also the emotional impact that comes with it. This is one of the most shocking cases of the season, and by the end of the episode it left me absolutely heart-broken after seeing something so terrible happen to someone who became very rootable. This is not an episode for the faint hearted, this is one that is enough to destroy the emotions.
All the performances are as usual terrific. There is nothing to fault the regular cast for and Joseph Cross and Jesse Schwartz are affecting. It's Diane Venora who burns in the memory the most, a performance so unsettling that one may for a while find it difficult to separate the character and the person (actually have a big thing just to say usually for separating the two, seeing as there are so many people that are great in their professions and play certain roles incredibly well but not nice people or play reprehensible roles).
Overall, great episode. 9/10
"Home" has held up extremely well on rewatch. Actually think it's one of those episodes that's even better with each viewing, where even with knowing what is going to happen next the events have actually become increasingly shocking and heart-wrenching. Much of it is to do with the subject, which would unsettle anybody. While it is not quite one of my favourites of Season 5, "Home" is a great episode with a great emotional kick and Marilyn really burns in the memory.
The outcome in terms of who the perpetrator was is not a surprise, there was something about the perpetrator that made one think "they did it", or at least was in some way complicit in it. What is truly surprising though is despite hating her from the beginning how truly vile Marilyn is by the end of the episode.
In spite of that, "Home" has so much to recommend. The production values are solid and the intimacy of the photography doesn't get static or too filmed play-like. The music when used is not too over-emphatic and has a melancholic edge that is quite haunting. The direction is sympathetic enough without being leaden and the script is tight and always intriguing, have always been left thinking hard for a while as it is a subject that will hit hard for quite a few.
Loved the story, not just that the case is very compelling and well paced throughout, with the moral dilemmas of it handled with tact yet force, but also the emotional impact that comes with it. This is one of the most shocking cases of the season, and by the end of the episode it left me absolutely heart-broken after seeing something so terrible happen to someone who became very rootable. This is not an episode for the faint hearted, this is one that is enough to destroy the emotions.
All the performances are as usual terrific. There is nothing to fault the regular cast for and Joseph Cross and Jesse Schwartz are affecting. It's Diane Venora who burns in the memory the most, a performance so unsettling that one may for a while find it difficult to separate the character and the person (actually have a big thing just to say usually for separating the two, seeing as there are so many people that are great in their professions and play certain roles incredibly well but not nice people or play reprehensible roles).
Overall, great episode. 9/10
