I agree that the show was still pretty ridiculous when the world was in love with it, but that doesn't mean the criticisms are invalid. The correct posture was to poke holes in it back then, not to apologize for it now.

The Shield totally deconstructed the "vigilante cop who goes OUTSIDE THE LAW" genre while still being greatly entertaining.

Inconceivable that they would all speak perfect, beautiful Arabic? Of course. But the idea that between all of them, they wouldn't know enough Arabic to ask basic questions about their identity? Even without all the major implausibilities in the show, that wouldn't bother me too much.

Yes, but only with a safe distance, and only with nationalist movements that wouldn't blow back on them. Al-Qaeda is a nonstarter, especially in Iraq.

Is it really inconceivable that they would find people who spoke Arabic to patrol the Iraqi border? Especially after an 8 year war in the 80's and their ongoing involvement in the recent Iraq conflict?

Unfortunately George R. R. Pelecanos doesn't write for tv. He only writes for

"Flat-tops and shirt sleeves are the order of the day at SBASAF mission control. Why, Flight Engineer Ted Averill! You aren't smoking a smooth relaxing cigarette at all!"

Splitting hairs, but they could have been ex special forces guys recruited by the CIA (which often happens). Either way, they deserved better than being collateral Brody damage.

It's not just you. He plays some scenes of extreme anguish and crisis pretty well, but he's otherwise stiff and unconvincing.

"In many ways, Homeland is still doing the best work out there on the American narrative of war and security."

The Sopranos was about the personal psychic consequences of violence. It was saying that even if you're able to outwit your adversaries, living with yourself is really the hard part.
It was also a not-so-subtle suggestion that America was facing moral decay because even after triumphing over all its enemies, the…

Many of the incidents of lanskys life, like seeking Asylum in Israel, were borrowed directly. Also, Rothstein had been dead for twenty years when the events of godfather 1 take place

I figure he was really there to alternately protect and spy on Chalky.

I didn't think that, but seriously doubted if he could pull off such a maneuver in his weakened condition in such close quarters.

Pff, maybe in the alternate universe where he didn't cross Al Pacino.

Me too. And even more significantly I thought "Oh shit is Chalky really going to day" rather than "oh shit is Omar going to die." Never thought the show would be able to accomplish that, but it absolutely has.

JFK wasn't half the president Eisenhower was, but was twice the president than anyone we've had since.

One of the more serious political movies in recent memory. After 9/11 everything became a glorified action movie in which the president had to make bold moves, because history requires balls above all else.

Poking holes in the masculine ideal is of course an integral part of the show's playbook (as it was with The Sopranos). Just a witticism on my part, I don't disagree with you at all.

Well they kind of peeled back the Soap Opera thing for a couple of seasons, and then wham, they dialed it back up to 11. Of course they hung a lampshade on the whole telenovela ridiculousness of it all with Manolo.