Fans of political thrillers have had a difficult time helping good shows stay on the air. The last show which really attempted to examine the complex and sometimes dangerous nature of protecting the United States from future terrorist attacks (“Rubicon”) didn't last long. It was a slow burn of a show airing on AMC and it lacked named talent, which may be why it was ultimately canceled after just once season. Further, since “24” finished its run last year, no other shows have emerged that sates the need for intrigue and espionage on television.
Now Showtime hopes to fill the void by introducing "Homeland" after their hit show "Dexter" on Sunday night. It's a good plan which works out well for everyone, especially viewers, since "Homeland" proves to be more than capable of following up the heavyweight of Showtime's schedule. It may also be the most accessible thriller since the first season of “24,” which premiered ten years ago.
"Homeland" revolves around the return of Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis, “Life”) who was held as a prisoner of war for eight years. While this is cause for much celebration, it doesn’t sit well with Carrie Anderson (Claire Danes, “Temple Grandin) who believes that he may have been turned against the United States while he was in captivity. Unfortunately, Carrie has a believability problem. Due to her driven pursuit of the intel which led her to this conclusion, she’s been put into the CIA “penalty box” – she doesn’t have the agency’s trust and relies on her friend and mentor Saul (Mandy Patinkin, “Criminal Minds”) to help keep her out of trouble with others in the CIA. Further, she seems to be suffering some emotional instability, which she has to work to keep in check and hidden from her peers.
When Brody returns home to his wife and children it’s a picture perfect reunion, but the reality is that Brody’s wife Jessica (Morena Baccarin, “V”) may not be entirely happy her husband has returned. There are a lot of adjustments for the family and for Brody as they try to settle into something resembling normal life.
The series which comes from Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, both veterans of “24” promises to deepen the mysteries surrounding Brody, and provide insight into the relationships of the people who make it their mission to protect this country from further harm. In the pilot, Carrie laments that she missed something ten years ago, which led to the attacks on September 11th, but as Saul reminds her, they all missed something. Clearly her dogged determination to keep an eye on Brody, no matter the risks or the costs to her personally are worth it, just to make sure nothing is missed again. The pilot moves to a satisfying build and paints a compelling portrait of the series ahead. Damian Lewis and Claire Danes are the stand out performers, but the supporting performances are solid, which help make the whole enterprise intriguing and engaging.
Showtime is giving a lot of support to this new show, and given the high quality here, particularly in the writing and acting, they are right to feel confident that “Homeland” will find a devoted audience. Even if political intrigue is not typically your cup of tea, I encourage you to give “Homeland” a try. Based on the pilot alone, I believe this show will be much talked about in the coming months. Best to get on board early rather than play catch up later.
“Homeland” premieres on Showtime on Sunday October 2nd at 10 PM Eastern/Pacific.
