Homeland kicks off its season five premiere this Sunday, in what I would describe as its best season opener since the pilot. It’s a thrilling episode that really intrigues and leaves you desperate for more. This premiere is action packed and, for a Homeland episode, fast-paced. It’s not at the expense of story, however, and the main arcs for the season are excellently set up.
We pick up two years after the events of the season four finale, and Carrie is now living in Germany, working as a the head of security for a private security firm named the Düring Foundation, with daughter Frannie. She seems pretty happy, which does of course mean that things will go downhill very, very quickly. Her boss, Otto Düring, wants her to assist him in a trip to Lebanon to witness what ISIS is doing there. In an effort to ensure Düring’s security, she gets into some trouble - I won’t say what, but it’s extremely tense and exciting to see play out.
One of the issues that season five will be tackling is Edward Snowden, and that story is introduced very early on in the episode as the CIA are hacked. Unsurprisingly, that quickly creates a sense of desperation that is felt throughout the episode, and it’s here that most of the fast pacing comes in.
The issues within the CIA are where Saul comes in, and he travels to Berlin to try and address them as soon as possible. It’s here that he bumps into Carrie, and it’s not so much a friendly reunion as it is a hostile one, at least from Saul’s perspective. Considering Carrie’s horrified reaction to Saul’s actions at the end of last season, it’s interesting to see him unhappy with her. We do find out his frustrations in the episode, and I’m intrigued to see if the two can repair their friendship.
The best scene of the episode is undoubtedly Rupert Friend’s first of the season, as he briefs CIA personnel on his experiences in Syria over the previous two years. Friend is compelling to watch as he delivers a clearly frustrated piece of dialogue in a relatively calm, yet unerringly intense scene. Also, it frustrates Dar Adal, which is a win in my book. Friend only appears in two other scenes, and steals the show in both. The season is only just beginning, but Quinn’s arc is well on its way to being the best this year.
The biggest question over Homeland last year was whether or not it could survive without Brody while also recovering from the disappointment that was season three. This year, my biggest concern is whether it can keep up the intensity and quality it showed towards the back end of last season. If this premiere is any indication, we could be in for the best season yet.
Homeland’s fifth season premiere, Separation Anxiety, airs Sunday 4th October at 9pm on Showtime. Let me know in the comments what you’re most excited for about the episode and the season to come!
About the Author - Bradley Adams
17 year old based in England, currently Senior Staff at SpoilerTV. Most of his posts are news/spoiler based, though he is currently the reviewer of Person of Interest, co-host on the
SpoilerTV Podcast. Created and is in charge of the yearly Favourite Episode Competition and currently runs the Favourite Series Competition. A big TV fan, his range of shows are almost exclusively dramas, while some of his all-time favourite shows include 24, LOST, Breaking Bad and Friends. Some of his current favourites include Person of Interest, Banshee, Arrow, The Flash, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Better Call Saul and many more. He also runs an Arrow fans site,
ArrowFansUK, and aside from TV, is a keen cricketer. Get in touch with him via the links below or via email
bradley@spoilertv.com
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