As political drama Homeland drew to the close of its second season, there was no official word on whether a third season was on the way but 11 Emmy nominations have certainly bolstered the faith of network Showtime. 

Claire Danes
Claire Danes Doesn't Have An Easy Ride In S3.

During a press tour session with Homeland producers Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon, as well as lead cast members Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, critics were shown the first two episodes of the third series of episodes of the fraught, tension-filled drama and sat with producers in a strangely unguarded Q&A session - to the point where one reporter had to ask whether one of the answers should be treated like a spoiler or not. Alan Sepinwall of Hit Fix enjoyed the episodes he was privy to, praising the handling of the aftermath of the season two final scenes.

Though the second season performed well with both critics and audience, Gansa addressed the storylines that weren't so well received, including Dana and Finn's hit-and-run, turning Abu Nazir into a slasher-movie type villain running around in dark industrial basements, and Vice President Walden's own pacemaker being used to kill him by Brody.

Gansa said "Our job is to put the shows out in the best way possible, and your job is to like them or not like them. I obviously wish the backlash had never happened, but it didn't really influence the rest of season 2 or season 3. The show built an audience all through season 2, and our 11 Emmy nominations are a nice comeback."

Howard Gordon
Howard Gordon Gave A Surprising Amount Away In The Q&A Press Session.

In season three, we see Brody's family - Jessica, Dana and Chris - and the emotional toll being told that husband and father Nick is a mass murderer has upon them. Carrie and Saul, left to deal with the bloody aftermath of the bombing, are constant uncertainty as described as "in dark places," with Gansa stating that "one of the themes of season 3 is the cost being an intelligence officer exacts on the people who are in that career."

However, although being referred to frequently, Damian Lewis' Brody is kept off screen for at least the first two episodes after being framed for the bombing and now on the run as a fugitive from justice or as Lewis puts it "He's the most wanted criminal in the world."

damian lewisDamian Lewis' Brody's On The Run From The Law.

When asked about the thought process behind keeping Brody off screen, Gordon explains "It's all about timing and touch," and Lewis himself adds in recognition that "TV audiences are so literate now, and so good at guessing plot in all its permutations.

But it's the timing of story which is the one thing that these guys have left in their power. So if you can shock people by the timing of things - if you can get there just before they expect you to get there - you're going to be constantly surprising and astonishing people, and that's what they've done so well for the first two years."

So, Homeland S.3: expect not much Brody action, an isolated Carrie with a wedge driven between her and Saul, and a family left to pick up the pieces of season two's shocking disaster scenario.