CIA Analyst Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) believes an American POW, Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), has been turned by Al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Nazir after eight years in captivity.   She is able to convince her mentor Saul (Mandy Patinkin) to let her continue looking into after breaking several laws as she is obsessed with watching his every move.    Carrie and Saul work together to stop the next terrorist attack from happening on American soil.

 

HOMELAND is a multi-layered show with twists and turns where the actions of the characters drive the story.   Carrie and Brody are both troubled people- fractured souls.  Carrie hides her bipolar condition while Brody feels many inner conflicts as he tries to get to know his family all over again and flashbacks show the many things he endured and experienced during his years as a POW.   The series questions the motives of the characters and make you doubt their actions even though I never doubted Carrie once in her quest despite hiding a mental illness that could cost her job.   Also the show is very well-written with a fantastic cast of actors.  Too bad Showtime can’t make this show available for download on iTunes and Amazon when season 2 airs on the pay cable channel (I can’t justify paying for Showtime to watch one great series).   HOMELAND is an addictive show and a worthy counterpoint to 24.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Audio commentary for the pilot episode with stars Claire Danes and Damain Lewis, Executive producer Howard Gordon and showrunner Alex Gansa.

 

Over ten minutes of deleted scenes are included on the set like one interrogation scenes which shows Carrie a little more bipolar and thankfully it was cut.   WEEK TEN is the four minute prologue to season two which is basically a throwaway bit and I rather see a preview to season two instead.

 

HOMELAND SEASON ONE: UNDER SURVELLIANCE is an examination of how the series came to be developed (it is based on an Israeli series called PRISONERS OF WAR) and an analysis of the first season and the characters.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:   HOMELAND is a well-written and thought provoking series with plenty of twists and turns.  I highly recommend you check out season one on Showtime if you haven’t watched one of the best shows coming back to TV with season 2 at the end of September.   They could have included more extras, but the making-of featurette and the deleted scenes are worth watching too.

 

This review is (c)9-5-2012 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com