“Homeland” became an instant sensation when it premiered on Showtime in 2011. At the heart of the show’s appeal was Claire Danes‘s portrayal of CIA officer Carrie Mathison, a brilliant but bipolar operative whose manic intensity and vulnerability drove much of the narrative. Critics praised Danes for delivering one of the strongest female characters on TV, earning her multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (winning in 2012 and 2013, with additional nominations). Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody, the returned POW suspected of treason, also received accolades, including an Emmy win in 2012.
The rest of the cast was equally brilliant, with Mandy Patinkin, and Morena Baccarin leading the way.
The show was so good that it stood out even in the era of peak TV. Years later it maintains scores of 85% with both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
TV Power Rankings
We were all in on “Homeland” from the beginning, with the program showing up as #16 on our 2012 TV Power Rankings:
There are some who say that “Homeland,” a series about a CIA officer (Claire Danes) who believes that a Marine war hero and former POW (Damian Lewis) has been turned to the side of Al-Qaeda, is head and shoulders in quality above any other series on Showtime. Clearly, our Power Rankings suggest otherwise. Once Season 1 of the shows hits Blu-ray and DVD, however, don’t be surprised if more than a few people – including members of our own staff – suddenly realize that, yeah, actually, those other people are right. Full of nail-biting tension, remarkable writing, and wonderful performances by Danes, Lewis, Mandy Patinkin, and Morena Baccarin, “Homeland” is one of those rare series that virtually every critic can agree upon…but only if they’ve actually seen it. So what are you waiting for? Go subscribe to Showtime already: the whole thing’s available via On Demand!
Even then we realized that the show probably should have been ranked higher.
The next year the show jumped up to #2 on our list:
I’ve had my share of “binge TV” watching with all the new platforms at our disposal, and so I wasn’t surprised when I blew through the first season and a half of “Homeland” over a long weekend. I’d heard all the buzz but had missed out on Season 1, but like most viewers, I was hooked after the first episode. The power of the cliffhanger at the end of the first season was blunted a bit, however, as I quickly hit the button to start the first episode of Season 2. When you power your way through a series like this, sometimes the impact of a single episode isn’t felt as deeply, as you quickly move on to the resolution. On the other hand, immersing yourself in a show over a short period of time also has its rewards. With Season 2, we’re left with another mind-blowing finale after more twists and turns for Carrie’s unlikely relationship with Brodie. Some have argued that the events have gotten too unbelievable, but given the topic of terrorism and the CIA, little seems too far-fetched these days. With Carrie, Claire Danes has created a character that we’ll remember for a long time, and I suspect this show will be near the top of our list for years to come.
After two amazing and intense seasons, “Homeland” hit a speed bump in Season 3, though the show remained on our list for the 2014 TV Power Rankings as it rebounded in Season 4:
The explosive Brody/Carrie story was must-see TV for the first two seasons, but something that burned that hot proved to be hard to sustain over the long haul. Season Three was a mess as they tried to wrap up that relationship in a way that made sense, and this fall, they pretty much started over in Season Four. Now it’s just an intense show about the CIA fighting the war against global terrorism, but with Carrie (Claire Danes), Quinn and Saul leading the charge, it’s still one of the best shows out there.
The show remained a consistent performer, and we had it as out #9 show in our 2025 TV Power Rankings:
One of the most ambitious shows in recent memory has settled into just being an excellent spy drama, which still makes it one of the best shows out there. The gripping yet over-the-top storylines for the first two seasons led to a disappointing Season 3, as the writers had to wrap up the Brody/Carrie relationship, but then the show rebounded with a solid Season 4. This was a pleasant surprise, as it would have been a share to waste such a great lead character in Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes). Season 5 was set in Germany and built around Carrie, Saul and Quinn and some interesting new characters as they explored issues around the need for surveillance to combat terrorism in the modern world.
