Let's be honest: season one of Homeland was one of the smartest, most exciting and most inventive seasons of television ever made, right up until the final 10 minutes of the finale when it fell right off the wagon.
A season of Carrie suspecting Brody of having turned, their ensuing affair, the revelation that she suffered from bipolar disorder, Walker's sniper attacks in Washington, the near bombing of the vice-president - it was exciting hour after exciting hour, and only undone by Brody's breakdown after his failed attack and Carrie being given shock treatment to treat her mental condition, both of which were terrible developments that enraged viewers and fans.
Sadly, season two picked up right where season one left off. And even though there were embers of hope that the show could improve - the interrogation episode with its electrifying scenes between Carrie and Brody, for example - the season turned into a how-to on destroying all suspension of disbelief and turning off your returning audience.
Far too much of the season revolved around Dana, Brody's daughter, and played like a teen melodrama. The political thriller machinations of Brody's storyline was yawn-worthy. Then there was that laughable episode where Carrie chased Abu Nazir around an abandoned factory in a scene that would have been at home in a Hostel sequel.
It was dumb, dumb, dumb. And when we'd spent the previous season being shown just how much potential was in the premise of the show, being shown just how good Homeland could be, it made for a frustrating viewing experience.
No wonder I came to the third season with a healthy dollop of skepticism clouding my view of the telly.
In fairness, the third season premiere was a marked improvement on most of the second season. Focusing the action on the fallout from the season two-ending attack on the CIA has brought back the spy thriller element that was so sorely lacking last year, while the investigation into Carrie - and her scathing rant at Saul in the restaurant - was a decent enough plot device, though probably not a good long-term strategy.
The final scene, with Carrie breaking down as she watched Saul destroy her reputation on national television, was heartbreaking. And I thought the operation to take down associates of new terror suspect Javadi was pretty slick, a really well made sequence for the show, especially where Quinn accidentally shooting a child was concerned. We can thank experienced television director Lesli Linka Glatter (Twin Peaks, NYPD Blue) for that.
And surprisingly, there was no sign of Brody, which is a welcome change. Like most viewers, I'd grown tired of him by the end of season two and wondered if Carrie should have shot him in the face in the wake of the CIA-decimating explosion. But perhaps my biggest disappointment in the premiere was the focus on the rest of the Brody family.
I know attempted suicide is serious and I'm sure there are emotional stories to be told with The Brodys, but I just don't care.
All in all, I thought this was a good start for the third season. I think the Carrie-Saul stuff could develop moving forward, and Quinn is turning into a multi-faceted character. And the longer Brody, and the rest of his family, stay out of the way, the better.
Don't call it a comeback just yet, but this was a really good first step.
* What did you think of S03E01 of Homeland? Post your comments below.</strong>
