the delphic expanse

Because I don't have Showtime, I'm late to the proverbial party with Homeland, the utterly amazing show starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis.

Claire Danes, whom I have loved since she was 16 and played Angela Chase, is utterly and completely fantastic. She plays a CIA analyst who in the beginning has information that terrorists have turned a US POW. When the CIA rescues a US POW who has been missing since 2003, she wonders why they didn't kill him like they killed his partner and suspects he's the one been turned, even as he gets the hero treatment.

In a sea of male protagonists who are anti-heroes, she's mentally unstable and obsessive, and she's totally on the side of right. She reminds me little of Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect, which is a high compliment.

Totally watch if you can.

Homeland is insane this season, but thanks to the Petraeus scandal - well, not too too insane. And there was a Trek reference last night.

Is this show putting aired episodes on Hulu? I've heard great things about it but, alas, I don't have Showtime.

The first season is on Amazon downloads, and I think Showtime has the first episode of this season up on their website.

I was talking to my friend about it. It's got this wonderful veneer of realism - it look and kind of feels like the real CIA. Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Morena Baccarin (of Firefly) and Mandy Patinkin are all amazing in it. They look believable, the sets are believable. But just enjoy the ride and don't think too hard about it because you'll be going - um, yeah, that wouldn't happen - way, way too much. It's a great show, but it's plotlines are looney. I mean, Al Queda does not have sexy, leggy agents running around American, nuff said. But still, it's a great show if you don't expect realism.

Well, the end of Season 2 came. Preposterous plots, amazing acting. Islamaphobia, but in such a silly way I'm not sure it's worth being offended. (The show has impossibly hot CIA agents and impossibly hot Al Queda moles in equal measure.) Anyway, be careful of taking this one up, as it will frustrate the hell out of you.