Homeland hooked a ton of viewers in its first season and swept the recent Emmy awards. Not only did the writing hook us, but the fantastic performances by Damian Lewis, Claire Danes, Morena Baccarain and Mandy Patinkin had viewers riveted. Season 2 premiered on Sunday, September 30. So, did it live up to the hype and the Emmy wins of last season?

Carrie trades head scarves and kicks her pursuer in the family jewels! The smile on her face as she runs away is priceless.

Some people have stated, and understandably so, that wrapping up Brody’s (Lewis) story would have been a good idea. I have to disagree. Last season we saw Brody a damaged man. His life was shattered and his purpose was to use a suicide bomb in the name of a young boy killed while he was a prisoner and the attack that was disavowed by the United States. This season, he’s a congressman, and we’re starting to see an ambitious side to Brody as the Vice President moves him up the political ladder. He is, for all intents and purposes, trapped by his past. He’s a Muslim, which his daughter and now his wife know. He lived in the home of a known terrorist. He killed his fellow turned POW. Now he’s being asked to help the other side find known targets by a journalist and friend of Abu Nazir (Navid Negahban). His wife Jess (Baccarain) is enjoying the climb and is far too selfish to see the man her husband has become and what he takes comfort in. In effect, the scene when Jess throws his Quran on the floor, desecrating it, stands as much for the judgement of the Western world as does the scene in his daughter’s school where the children speak of “they” and “them.” Now his daughter and his wife have information that could hurt him, and he’s once again working for the other side. It will be fascinating to see which way he’ll jump.

Carrie (Danes) has been living with her sister for six months following her shock treatment, teaching Arabic at a school and spending time in the garden. She seems to have embraced her new life, though she’s well aware that her sister is trying to keep her from hearing anything about what is going on in the outside world. We knew she’d be pulled back in, and they do it through an informant who will only speak to her. So, off she goes, despite her sister’s reservations, to Beirut to go undercover. So, is she really back? She says no. That short term memory loss seems to be apparent when she can’t remember details of her cover story or the address of the safe house that Saul (Patinkin) gives her. Is she falling apart? Is this too much for her? It may well be, but the moment we see her in trouble, with someone on her tail, we see the old Carrie back. She evades capture. She trades head scarves and kicks her pursuer in the family jewels! The smile on her face as she runs away is priceless.

So what don’t we know yet? Will Jess crack because Brody can’t conform to her ideas of what her husband should be? Is Saul different after all these months without Carrie to care for? Will Brody’s daughter use the power she has against her father when something doesn’t go her teenage way? Will Brody and Carrie, two individuals who are equally damaged find each other again? From the glimpse we got of the upcoming season, it looks that way. Overall, the episode had me completely enthralled. Do you agree? Leave your comments below. Also, click here to find out how to watch Homeland and Dexter for free! See? We give you nice presents!