I came into this show well aware of the hype surrounding it. It had taken home several Emmy's and golden globes in its first year, which was quite an accomplishment. Once I saw it however, I quickly came to the conclusion that it was overrated. Not that it wasn't a good season, because it was very good overall, but it just is not as fantastic as people have made it out to be.
Carrie is a well thought out character: she's interesting, unreliable yet somehow reliable at the same time, and her illness provides great potential and unpredictability. For the most part she was handled well this season, and was portrayed so well by Claire Danes. However, I think Saul takes the cake for best character on the show. He's real, dynamic, and flawed despite coming across as a generally nice guy to be around.
But the character who should be the most interesting isn't. Nicholas Brody. No doubt the mystery surrounding his captivity and rescue makes for a good season, but he himself really isn't all that captivating. And once we find out who he is and what he's doing, the story takes a turn in a direction that does not hold open many doors for following seasons.
This is a show that does have a good premise, but it's one that can likely be solved in a single season or two at most. But where does it go from there? Likely the story branches out into so many different directions and angles that we no longer even acknowledge the fact that there indeed was a premise that sparked the show.
Unlike shows like The Wire, Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, or Breaking Bad, which all have premises that can sustain themselves for multiple seasons at which point the show gracefully ends rather than drawing out unnecessarily, Homeland does not.
Only time will tell, but ignoring all that, I can say that the first season was a successful run.
Carrie is a well thought out character: she's interesting, unreliable yet somehow reliable at the same time, and her illness provides great potential and unpredictability. For the most part she was handled well this season, and was portrayed so well by Claire Danes. However, I think Saul takes the cake for best character on the show. He's real, dynamic, and flawed despite coming across as a generally nice guy to be around.
But the character who should be the most interesting isn't. Nicholas Brody. No doubt the mystery surrounding his captivity and rescue makes for a good season, but he himself really isn't all that captivating. And once we find out who he is and what he's doing, the story takes a turn in a direction that does not hold open many doors for following seasons.
This is a show that does have a good premise, but it's one that can likely be solved in a single season or two at most. But where does it go from there? Likely the story branches out into so many different directions and angles that we no longer even acknowledge the fact that there indeed was a premise that sparked the show.
Unlike shows like The Wire, Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, or Breaking Bad, which all have premises that can sustain themselves for multiple seasons at which point the show gracefully ends rather than drawing out unnecessarily, Homeland does not.
Only time will tell, but ignoring all that, I can say that the first season was a successful run.