At the time of this writing, major media outlets are leading me to believe Syria is using chemical weapons trying to divert the world's attention away from Miley Cyrus' scandalous twerking on the video music awards. Well-played, Syria well played. With the U.S. poised to attack, now would be a great time to relax and take your mind off things with some light 'n' fluffy watching of a show called Homeland (spoiler alert: that last sentence was sarcastic).
OK, a serialized drama about Homeland Security and terrorist threats are not my usual escapist cup of tea either, but after one episode, I was hooked.
Based on an Israeli drama series called Hatufim (Kidnapped), Homeland starts with Nicholas Brodie (Damian Lewis) being rescued after eight years as a POW in Iraq. He's quickly used by politicians eager to have a poster-boy hero for a failing war while Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) is the lone CIA agent who is convinced he's turned and goes to protocol-be-dammed lengths to find the truth. This great character drama all plays out in the two big arenas of Brodie's family and the agency.
Homeland has won several awards for its greatness, not the least of which lies in the writing and actors (not a slouch in the bunch).
If you haven't given this one a shot, now's a great time as we're headed into war/rainy binge watching season. The first season is streaming on Netflix, the second season is being released on DVD next week and the third starts Jan. 14 enjoy.
