Betabeat is no stranger to technically questionable counterterrorism missions, thanks to the season we spent recapping the absurdist exploits of one Jack Bauer. But last night's deranged episode of "Homeland" still threw us for a loop. Implausible CIA sexcapades are one thing, crystal clear Blackberry video chat is another.

Viewers were dismayed to learn that Abu Nazir has an easier time getting an iPhone upgrade than they do:

Abu Nazir has an iPhone 5.Brody can Skype on his Blackberry. Both of these are less plausible than remote pacemaker detonation. #homeland

— Krister Johnson (@KristerJohnson) December 3, 2012

Abu Nazir's actions were completely unbelievable. He was using a new iPhone 5 WITHOUT A CASE! #implausible #homeland

— Harry Elfont (@HarryElfont) December 3, 2012

What's more impressive: That Abu Nazir was able to get into the US or that he already has an iPhone 5? #Homeland @covinoandrich

— Jason Portnoy (@jasonportnoy) December 3, 2012

My son wants to know how Abu Nazir got an iPhone 5 #homeland

— Andrea Kayne Kaufman (@andreakaynekauf) December 3, 2012

But we were more concerned with the Blackberry that double (triple?) agent Nicholas Brody used to Skype with Mr. Nazir. Thus we enlisted our resident RIM expert, Pitchfork Reviews Reviews blogger "David Shapiro."

"A BlackBerry 8500-series that has a front-facing camera AND is powerful enough to conduct a Skype video call is like a Dodge Caravan that wins Nascar races," Mr. Shapiro explained by email.

"No BlackBerry has a front-facing camera, so if he was looking at his screen while conducting the video call, he is using a BlackBerry from the future! That alone should settle the question (and raise many new ones about this 'Brody' character). If he was strangely conducting a video chat while turning the phone around and looking at the regular camera on the back, so he couldn't see the other person on his screen, the Skype chat might be possible, but something tells me this isn't what happened because it would draw more attention to a clearly missing feature on the BlackBerry, which would run counter to the purpose of BlackBerry's product placement that led to this awkward question (for BlackBerry) in the first place."

RIM shot!