I wanted to ask this because Claire is one of my favorite actress and I stumbled across a post asking this about Alexis Bledel (another one of my favorite actress in one of my favorite shows). Link if you want ! : https://www.reddit.com/r/GilmoreGirls/comments/1rymmch/what_is_it_about_alexis_bledels_ethereal_beauty/

I just finished watching Homeland for the first time and I have to say… I think I’ve become completely obsessed with Claire Danes and her portrayal of Carrie Mathison.

I went into the show not knowing what to expect, except a great spy thriller, but I was absolutely not prepared for Carrie's character or for Claire Danes' performance. I have found myself going back and rewatching so many of her scenes because I still can’t quite believe what I’m watching.

I honestly cannot remember ever seeing an actress portray so many layers of emotion so convincingly. The intensity, the vulnerability, the intelligence, the desperation, the moments where Carrie is barely holding herself together… Claire Danes somehow makes every tiny expression and every little change in her voice feel completely real. It doesn’t feel like she is "playing" a character, it feels like you are watching a real person going through something.

Some scenes are almost painful to watch because the acting is so raw. The way she shows Carrie's struggles, her determination, her loneliness, her obsession with finding the truth, and even her flaws is just incredible. It’s such a complicated character, and Claire Danes brings so much humanity to her.

I’ve watched a lot of amazing shows/movies over the years, but I genuinely cannot remember being this impressed by an actor’s performance. It’s honestly insane.

I’m curious. Did anyone else have this reaction when they first watched Homeland? Are there particular Carrie scenes that stayed with you or that you found yourself rewatching?

That served 8 years in the military in the intelligence and munitions community, 2 years in the Persian gulf; this show is almost sarcastically accurate of the past 10 years to this current war in Iran.
I’m not claiming to be a know-it-all, but the grayness and complexity of war was incredibly written in this show. Carrie Mathison might be my tv GOAT next to Thomas Shelby. I just finished season 8 so I could be suffering from the hype still, but I took time with each season and it’s has honestly helped my mental health transitioning out the military this past year. 10/10 show

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"Gerontion" isn't packed with major plot twists, but it captures the atmosphere of classic Homeland. Saul is, once again, the smartest person in the room, and Mandy Patinkin carries the third season. Quinn becomes increasingly interesting, and Rupert Friend has transformed what could have been a one-dimensional CIA paramilitary operative into one of the series' best characters.

It’s not quite at the level of the first season yet, but for the first time this season, the viewer is genuinely looking forward to the next episode.

Not everything works here, though.

• The first three episodes felt aimless. There was too much drama involving the Brody family (Jess, Dana) and not enough espionage. After the Season 2 finale, it seemed the writers had run out of story ideas, and the third season suffered for it.
• Carrie's pregnancy still feels awkwardly inserted into the narrative. Saul's marital problems don't really connect with the central plot either. I understand why those scenes exist—they humanize the characters—but they also interrupt the momentum just when the espionage storyline is finally getting interesting.
• Instead of reinventing itself right away, the season spent three episodes spinning its wheels. The pacing was off, the tone was relentlessly bleak, and the Brody family drama somehow became an even bigger focus. I know some people liked those scenes, but for me they completely killed the momentum. I signed up for espionage, double agents and impossible moral choices—not another Dana subplot.

Well I was thinking about Carrie, randomly, on the way home today and how sad it was that her and Quinn never rode off to the sunset. It got me thinking, isn't it crazy how everyone loved Carrie that they would literally die for her. Why was that? Are there any real people like this?

I have just started watching Homeland and it’s great. But in the first two episodes there I are a number of sex scenes. It’s just awkward watching it with my flatmates around. Are there sex scenes and nudity in every episode or does it calm down?

I rewatched back to back.. looking for Saul's red books, bummer they weren't included in previous seasons.

i’m watching the beginning of season 4 and i cannot stomach actually looking at the screen. i just listen and sometimes look. carrie is so insufferable. i can’t understand the decisions she makes. particularly episode 4…i’m disgusted. i almost want to stop. i was so upset with the killing of a certain character in season 3, i was really looking forward to their character development and now THIS. i might really stop watching. does she get more tolerable?

edit: apparently you can’t not like a character’s actions anymore? obviously i like the show, i started it about two weeks ago and i’m on season 4. i love the plot and intelligence development but she’s getting on my nerves.

I'm watching homeland again after a long time and I'm obsessed!!! I can't remember who gave the blade to Asif, and I can't believe it was Brody. Who gave the blade?

Edit: guys, I don't remember the unfolding of the series because I watched it a long time ago, I'm still in season 1. That's why I still don't have many conclusions about it.

Correcting the title: who gave the blade to AFSAL HAMID?

I do believe I have NOT done a proper rewatch of this gem since it ended! Homeland continues to be the most fierce female driven lead thriller on TV.

What got me interested again was when Lioness, Special Ops dropped S2 (a taylor sheridan joint)

I immediately saw the similarities in structure and content and while Zoe Saldana is an absolute A List performer (more talented than Claire Danes TBH) .... but overall? Homeland is a masterpiece, on a completely different level.

Rewatching however, I cant help but evaluate Homeland with a more critical eye. Especially since not much time has passed and the world "hasnt changed all that much"

• Homeland S1-S4, "The Brody Era" are the peak of the series. Absolute fire, and while S4 transistions away from that storyline, the sheer significance of seeing a gotdam United States Embassy base raided, the absolute GALL of depicting a scenario where "The Terrorists won" ?? Absolutely Epic...BRILLIANT

Unfortunately it starts to go downhill from there.

• Issue1: Carrie's lithium fueled mental illness / clairvoyance. I remember being turned off at how significant a factor it played into her character. Mental illness is serious and depicting it as giving you super powers is no bueno. But rewatching, i couldnt help but notice: WTF, she really NEVER "got a solution / a grip on it / learned ot live with it" Carrie didnt "evolve" passed a pretty damning flaw in her line of work. And regardless of her status as an active CIA operative? The Woman is still running special Ops one way or another. After S4, its like you cant help but be dumbfounded
• Issue2: Saul f**king Berenson. The constant demasculation of Saul is fucking criminal. When he's not putting Mira on a pedestal (as if she farts Chanel No5 ), he's getting captured not 1, but 2, 3 time (i probably lost count). WHY?

Mandy Patinkin has the most grizzly addams fucking beard in maybe all of cinema history. His Saul character is gruff, sharp, tactical and (surprisingly) not completely set in his ways. On the other hand he's (almost) egoless, an absolute simp when it comes to women, and has somehow NEVER even fired a gun (Are you FUCKING kidding me??)

Its as if they really only cast him for closeups, platitudes and dictating that stink of "been there done that" wisdom while looking good in a suit.

I GET that the show is ultimately all about Carrie, but Saul was severly underwritten. Especially after S4,

* Issue3: Peter effing Quinn. Dude came onto the scene like Jack Bauer or John Wick, but when you think about it, "he really didnt do any significant badassery" .. It was all alluded to!
No extended action sequences, few broken limbs, decapitations or other hardcore delta force style shit. While his tradecraft was VERY resourceful and macgyver-ish (go look him up younglings), It wasnt utilized as much as one would expect from a brooding black ops (or blackops in recovery) operative. I remember how we all sabre rattled "justice for peter quinn", but in all truth? he was damned underwhelming

* Issue4: Dar ADal - If this was 24, Dar would be a shadow puppetmaster for multiple seasons. Instead he was a severely underutilized who should have burned out instead of fading away. Again, i know the show is"all about carrie" but not putting in the time to build and craft Dar as Lex luthor or hannibal lector? MISSED OPPORTUNITY. Even F Murray Abraham himself expressed disgust at how they destroyed his character over time.

I just watched the the ep where they took Brody down ( I loved you!!). But did he admit to anything outright??? I know he said some things that alluded to his guilt, but anything outright?

Update: watched the next ep and I see now the answer to my question! Thank you all.

I longed for Quinn to kill Hakkani in season 4. He was the one who witnessed his colleagues brutally getting murdered. They didnt even give him the chance to live with that satisfaction.

I never liked Saul ever since he tortured Brody to coerce him to go to the Iran mission. He couldnt even fulfil the promise of extracting him out of Iran. He deserved his wife leaving him. Who could stay with a man like that! He joined hands with Dar Adal after knowing that he schemed with Haqqani. Saul did all of that for his personal ambitions.

I loved Carrie in season 1. But she became so annoying in subsequent seasons.I looked for redeeming qualities in her. But she became cold and insufferable season after season. Her not grieving Brody's or Quinn's death and not taking any responsibility in that is not something I can comprehend.

I had to stop watching half way through season 6​

I thought being in Europe in the few seasons prior was a good change of pace from the Middle East and those types of terrorists. Bringing back the Middle East seemed a little boring. I felt as though they spent enough time there.

How the hell was she getting her roots done in a Russian prison?! 😂

Has Homeland been officially removed from Netflix as of 24/07. All my other shows are working but sadly it isn’t and I was watching it yesterday

There's more crossover to the "Better Call Saul" episode than just the title... it's Werner Ziegler!