“Homeland” is not returning for its final season until February. While that’s later than expected, Showtime executives said there have been no setbacks on the show.
“We would rather have it good than fast,” Gary Levin, Showtime’s co-entertainment president said during the network’s executive session at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday. “There have been no missteps here. It’s been a relatively smooth process, but a very ambitious production schedule that has just taken more time than we hoped it would.”
Showtime announced earlier on Friday that the Claire Danes-led drama’s final season will premiere on Feb. 9, 2020. Earlier this year, Showtime was eyeing a fall premiere date for the show’s final season. When it returns, it will have been nearly two years since its seventh season aired.
“Alex [Gansa] wants to go out proudly and he’s going to. And that has involved production in multiple countries, at times, in places, that have some issues,” Levine continued. “Homeland” shot much of its final season in Morocco.
Here is the logline for the final season, per Showtime:
The final season of “Homeland” finds Carrie Mathison (Danes) recovering from months of brutal confinement in a Russian gulag. Her body is healing, but her memory remains fractured – which is a problem for Saul (Mandy Patinkin), now National Security Advisor to the newly ascendant President Warner (Beau Bridges). The top priority of Warner’s young administration is an end to the “forever war” in Afghanistan, and Saul has been dispatched to engage the Taliban in peace negotiations. But Kabul teems with warlords and mercenaries, zealots and spies – and Saul needs the relationships and expertise that only his protégé can provide. Against medical advice, Saul asks Carrie to walk with him into the lion’s den – one last time.
The final season also stars Maury Sterling, Linus Roache and Costa Ronin, with Nimrat Kaur and Numan Acar also returning from Season 4 in series regular roles. Danes’ husband, Hugh Dancy, will appear in a multi-episode arc this season as well.