Homeland, Sunday 7 October 2012, Channel4

 Homeland returned to our screens this week, with all the cleverly crafted tension and suspense from the first series. Quick recap: Carrie is now living a seamlessly simple life in suburbia as a teacher, following her expulsion from the CIA, and some rather nasty electro-convulsive therapy. Brody meanwhile is now in office serving his first term as Congressman (even though he almost blew up a lot of people at the end of the last series, though little did they know) so unfortunately this will mean less uniform and more West-Wing styling. I could spend all day recapping what went on before, but I think it’s safe to say, that although what went on before was important, this series will delve even deeper into the complications of secrets and lies surrounding homeland security. Or more simply put: who is the real threat or baddie here?!

Clare Danes is brilliant as bi-polar Carrie Mathison. She brings a very real performance, which can be uncomfortable to watch at times, but adds to the overall high drama of the show. She’s not your usual good guy, she has lots of flaws, which makes her watchable. You know she hates the CIA for what they did to her, but she will always be an agent, no matter what. It’s strange to think years ago she was the moody teenager Angela in My So Called Life. Brit actor Damian Lewis is so all-American as Nicholas Brody, that you sometimes forget he’s from across the pond, he’s also another excellent leading cast member, and teeters between over confidence and vulnerability, as he tries to continue this life as diligent husband and father and then his life as potential terrorist, for the controlling Abu Nazir. 

Meanwhile, in the Middle East all is not well. Angry protesters outside the US Embassy burn American and Israeli flags. Turns out a new asset called Fatima, has important information on a potential attack on America, and will only talk to Carrie about it. Cue, some fairly unemotional unapologetic requests for her to visit Beruit, by David Estes (the director of the Counterterroist Centre at the CIA AKA her former boss.) He tells her it will only be a few days away (hardly a glamorous working holiday David), and that they need her. Well you shouldn't have got rid of her in the first place! They conduct this highly secret CIA discussion on Carrie’s Dad’s porch, not the safest of places to do so. Carrie goes (does some amazingly quick packing for a girl) and gets a makeover (disguise of course) turning all brunette and brown eyed. 

Soon she’s being pursued through the busy streets of Beruit and swapping headscarfs to outwit her pursuers, I preferred the second headscarf too Carrie, good choice. The lovely Saul (Carrie’s long-time mentor in the CIA) who is really like a nice Grandad trying to tell her not to get in trouble, is back working with Carrie, he who originally gave her the call to pre-warn her they needed her. Of course we have the whole, who is the CIA mole thing going on as well, which although wasn't touched upon in this opening episode, will I’m sure be a big part of the new series. I just hope it isn’t Saul, he’s kind of like Father Christmas but with less whiteness in the beard area, and if it is him it will be like finding out the tooth fairy was just my parents after all. 

Away from the highly stressful Middle East, Brody is all suited and booted and living this new political lifestyle. The kids have been moved to a posh school, and the wife (who reminds me a lot of Victoria Beckham) is still quite fake and ambitious (though I don’t think she would want us to think this.) Dana, Brody’s perpetually moody teenage daughter, gets a little miffed during a political assembly, and blurts out that her Dad is a Muslim (er AWKWARD!) This in turn creates a big argument back at home between the Mum and daughter, where Brody is forced to admit he has converted. Man, the wife is not happy. She’s quite ‘pissed‘ as Americans would put it. 

There are some other new characters this series, including a reporter, with a really bad English accent (why do they always make the English baddies?!) who is in fact linked to Abu Nazir, and who is already telling Brody to steal some top secret info from David Estes‘ safe. She’s already moving in on Estes, asking him out for dinner, DON”T DO IT DAVID! It’s already clear that Abu Nazir wants Brody to exact revenge on America for the death of his son, and that his agenda from the last series hasn't changed. Maybe it’s Brody’s agenda which might change (especially following his failed suicide bomb attack in last series’ thrilling finale), who knows, but it’s obvious that Brody will be asking lots of questions, and that he might soon figure out that he’s being used as a pawn in a lethal terrorist's game. But let’s hope he doesn't work this out too quickly, as it will be a very rubbish and short second series.

Carrie and Brody don’t cross paths in this episode, but you can already feel it’s building up to that explosive reunion. Will they join sides, or will they both continue to have a strong suspicion of each other? It’s either going to be jumping into bed together or gouging each other’s eyes out, I predict somewhere in-between those two states and undoubtedly complex. This first episode crawled along in a slower pace than previous episodes, but I sense that this is just the start of some fairly big story lines and plot wows along the way. It’s certainly a clever way to get you re-hooked again and wishing for the next episode. I’m looking forward to it.