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Homeland is beyond brilliant TV, it's a show that stays with you long after you stop watching it. If you are a fan of espionage thrillers like 24, you absolutely will dig the first season of Homeland. Not only is this the best series of 2012, I'm already calling it one of the greatest ever. Yes, that's some high praise for a series that I've only seen one season of. But I know what works and I certainly know great writing when I see it. And this has it in spades. The story is enthralling as it unfolds. But it's more than just the story though. What I'm really drawn toward are the characters and their motivations that populate the world of Homeland.

Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) is one of the most unique, flawed and mesmerizing female characters to hit the small screen in years. There are only handful of female characters that I consider to be the best ever and I can count them all on one hand and she is one of them. The way they have written her is incredible because it sets up so much within the parameters of the story, which is more or less the same story you get on 24. But where that one relies solely on the bombast of Jack Bauer getting his suspect to crack in a given amount of time, on Homeland, it's all about the nuances of putting the pieces of a puzzle together while her bi-polar mindset is causing a rift with herself and those around her, leaving us wondering what is really going on.

There is so much coming from all sides story-wise that you never can take your eyes off the screen because of small details that may look inconsequential at the time, will come back in a big way later. The cast is just top-notch all around. It's hard for me to look at Damian Lewis as Sargent Brody being a terrorist when all I see is Major Winters from Band of Brothers. But he pulls it off with gusto and is fascinating to watch every time. Also, Mandy Patinkin as Saul is just as great in a very calculated role as Carrie's boss and mentor.

There's a lot of stuff to remember from Season 1 that I'm not going to get it all down right now. But a couple of quick things I gotta point out. The season cliffhanger with Carrie finally finding the missing piece to the puzzle regarding Issa is one of the best cliffhangers ever. Having her realize the connection to Nazir, only to have her most likely forget the information because of shock therapy is what I call great writing and one I didn't see coming. It makes you want to see what's around the corner. The other thing I want to point out is how relevant this series is with regards to how we Americans have to deal with Drone Attacks, more so now and how "those up the food chain" of power rationalize their kill list. It's just crazy.

I highly recommend this as a Buy. If that is not enough for you to at least check out, the Vice President is played none other by the one and only Randall Flagg. Basically the same person....minus the mullet of course. I can't wait to check out Season 2. No spoilers from anyone that has already seen it. Keep it to yourself. Thanks.

I purposely kept this review spoiler free....for the most part. I don't want to spoil it for anyone that has yet to check out this awesome show.

I kept thinking of "Life," actually, where Damien Lewis was a cop who was in jail for a couple years.  Totally enjoyable show.

I had been waiting FOREVER to see Homeland, waiting for my turn in the queue, and I watched almost the entire series in a day.  I think I agree with just about everything you said.  And you didn't even mention Brody's great relationship with his daughter, there was this connection they had that felt very real, being able to communicate and relate to each other in a way they can't relate to anyone else, I'm curious to see where that continues in season two.

And can I say that Morena Baccaren (sp?) gets it on WAY more times and is way more sexy in this than she was in Firefly.  I like her but I never really dug Inara for some reason.

That circularity hadn't occurred to me but yeah.

And I never thought of Brody actually becoming President but it would be a brilliant way to take on both the whole John McCain captivity thing AND the Obama-as-secret-Muslim BS and explore that.  Although I do like that they made Brody not an anti-American warrior but someone looking for justice, and so now he and Saul sort of have the same mission, in a strange sort of way.

Thankfully it'll be a while before I want to watch it again.  I'm an entertainment camel like that.  But at least I have the confidence of knowing that it's worth buying the second season if I can't wait.