The fourth season of “Homeland” surprised many fans by concluding with a quiet finale that was more about emotional revelations for Claire Danes' Carrie Mathison and less about roller coaster action set pieces.
On the red (or purple) carpet for Friday (March 6) night's PaleyFest opener, I asked several “Homeland” principals about the impact of those quiet moments going forward, while Danes reflected on the new status quo in a big group scrum.
“We really have never seen her be relatively normal and social,” Danes told reporters, adding that, “The writers are relentless in redefining the show every season.”
For producer Meredith Stiehm, long known as The Carrie Whisperer and the writer of the finale, it was a pleasure to delve into Carrie's psyche in the finale and also to honor the passing of her father (and, in the process, the late James Rebhorn).
But how long, I asked Stiehm, is any stability or serenity likely to last for Carrie in Season 5?
“I think she's got some settled windows of time, but I think her nature is just antsy and needing excitement and curious,” Stiehm admitted.
In our purple carpet conversation, “Homeland” showrunner Alex Gansa was even more passionate about the choice to go with a quiet finale. Stay tuned for that interview.
And check out Stiehm and Danes' thoughts on Carrie's changes and maturation above.