The general premise of Homeland is easy enough to summarize, but don't go in watching expecting you'll be able to follow it tuning in every few weeks or so...because you'll end up extremely lost and confused. Carrie Mathison (Clarie Danes) is a CIA analyst who picks up on things that other people seem to ignore. Thankfully this isn't relegated to being explained by supernatural bullshit like Medium, NBC's Grimm or the uncannily useful mental illness of Tony Shaloub's Monk; she's just plain smart. In the show, a marine named Sgt. Brody (Damian Lewis) whose been missing for the better part of the past decade in Iraq has finally returned home to his family, a war hero. Carrie suspects him of having been "turned" into a terrorist and sets up monitors at his house, stalking him relentlessly trying to catch him in the act. It's tense, serious business...and the plot feels like it's coming to a head more and more so with each passing week.
Let's face it: compared to HBO, Showtime has little going for it with only Weeds and Dexter bringing in the viewers. HBO is certainly leading the premium channels with Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, How to Make it in America and Bored to Death. Entourage just ended and who knows if Curb your Enthusiasm will come back (not even Larry David according to the July Rolling Stone profile). Showtime needed something to compete with and Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, two of the writers of 24 delivered in the form of Homeland. Lord knows I hate cop shows more than anything and what I saw of 24 seemed a little too contrived to be enjoyable so I was very skeptical that I would enjoy a CIA drama. Color me pleasantly surprised.
Claire Danes isn't exactly the first name you think of when someone says "TV star" having appeared in nothing of note in the past several years except Terminator 3, Shopgirl and Stardust, but she is absolutely pitch-perfect in Homeland. I find that crabby neurotic television female ball-busters are generally pretty annoying, but there's a fiery magnetism surrounding Claire's character that makes her one of the most watchable and relatable leading women currently. Damian Lewis, who you'd think is the "villain" of the show per se, as a possible terrorist/marine is also a fascinating character who I've come to like a lot more than when the show began. He has a sinister vibe to him, and I'm wondering if he'll reappear in the second season of the show or if it will be like a "terrorist of the week" type thing every season. The supporting cast is pretty strong, though no one I recognize. Mandy Patinkin is especially good as Carrie's advisor/also-possible-terrorist/friend, Saul. I think I might just be naturally trusting of older men with good beards so if he ends up a terrorist, I will feel personally betrayed.
One of the great things about this show is that it allows the viewer to re-examine what it means to be a hero or a villain. Carrie is invading the privacy of innocent-until-proven-guilty people on extreme levels and the shows creators have said as much that they "want the viewer to feel uncomfortable." Brody might or might not have been turned, but that doesn't prevent you from feeling the emotional tension between him and his wife played by Morena Baccarin, whether he's a terrorist or not. And what is a "terrorist" anyway? Homeland suggests not all of them are brainwashed soulless monsters, but rather sleeper agents risking their lives for their country behind the lines of a foreign enemy.
Homeland is never a dull affair and the episodes have only gotten more and more involving for the viewer. It's never a light affair either, and it's one of those shows where you need to catch every minute to get the gist of it, not something you can talk over and half pay attention to (something I'm guilty of with a lot of second-tier shows). It's rare that I find myself vested in the plotlines of television on more than an episodic level and yet there are mornings when I'll wake up and wonder "Is Brody a terrorist?" as I pour my morning cereal. It hits close to home since we all remember 9-11, and that's kind of the point. The only thing I wish the show had that it doesn't is an actual catchy theme song. I guess national security is too ominous and straight laced to sing about, but one can dream.
You can watch the trailer here if you're still not sold, but I hope for your sake you have Showtime on Demand.
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