Showtime has renewed both of its current Sunday dramas, “Homeland” and “Masters of Sex.”
“Homeland” is partway through its third season and a multiple Emmy winner, including a drama series victory last year and back-to-back wins for Claire Danes. “Masters” in its first season and has received some of the best reviews of any new show this fall. Both will be back in 2014 with 12-episode seasons.
“Homeland” is also Showtime’s top-rated show at the moment, so there was no question it would be back, even with the extremely mixed reaction to season 3 (and, before it, to the second half of season 2). As you know, I didn’t like the plot development at the end of the latest episode, but it at least steered the show back in a direction that could be sustainable for a while, especially depending on how much longer the writers intend to keep Brody around. Showtime is not in the business of ending popular shows early, even if the creative direction suggests it – just witness the prolonged end of “Dexter.”
On the other hand, “Masters” feels like a show deserving of a long lifespan. Admittedly, we’re early in the first season (I’ve seen the next two episodes already), and “Homeland” seemed more promising at this stage of its life than it does now. But the story of Masters and Johnson is a long (the series began ad decade before the publication of their famous study) and complicated one, and even with some big time jumps, it’s going to take a while for Michelle Ashford and company to tell it right. Based on what they’ve done so far, and the performances by Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, I’m looking forward to it.
What does everybody else think? Are you glad one or both of these shows will be back next year? Or would you rather Showtime move on to other things?