Did you stick with Showtime's Homeland last season? Some fans did not.
Homeland, which premieres Season 4 on Oct. 5, suffered through what some believe was a creative letdown last season and that's why the series was snubbed by the Emmys for Best Drama.
That was hard for co-creator Alex Gansa to accept, because his series has been an industry darling since it debuted in 2011.
Homeland, which stars Claire Danes as bipolar CIA intelligence officer Carrie Mathison, won the Best Drama Emmy in 2012, along with Best Actress for Daines, Best Actor for co-star Damian Lewis and Best Writing for Gansa and his team.
In 2013, Homeland was nominated for all the above and more, but only Daines and the writing team repeated.
Homeland was left off the Best Drama list for Season 3, but Daines and co-star Mandy Patinkin were nominated for their roles. Today's TV Column went to press before Monday night's Emmys were handed out, so I don't know if either won.
Most of last season's criticism revolved around the continued storyline of Nick Brody (Lewis), which was originally planned for only one season, but was dragged out until his hanging execution in the season finale in December.
During the recent Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, Gansa defended his show, but promised to do better.
"I don't know how you can look at the last six or seven shows we did last season and say it's not among the best on television," Gansa said, as quoted by The Associated Press. "The criticism hurt. The lack of an Emmy nomination hurt, but we're going to come back strong."
Season 4 is being taped in South Africa, which is standing in for Pakistan. Gansa was reticent to reveal plot details, but did report that Mathison is back in action, with her bipolar disorder under control.
Mathison will be trying to recruit a new character played by Suraj Sharma. You'll recognize the 21-year-old Sharma from his title role in Life of Pi.
Meanwhile, Mathison's old CIA boss, Saul Berenson (Patinkin), is still an independent contractor. According to Gansa, Berenson gets entangled in an "intelligence complication," whatever that means.
Gansa noted that Homeland's focus remains "the private and public costs of keeping America safe" and the challenges for those who work in intelligence who are "left to pick up the pieces" after U.S. troops withdraw.
Executive producer Alexander Cary told the AP the decision to focus on Pakistan out of all the world's trouble spots "came after talks with current and former State Department and CIA insiders."
How do the insiders view Homeland?
"Mostly we're told we don't get the letter always perfect, but we get the spirit right," Gansa said.
• The good. SundanceTV has renewed Rectify for another season, set for 2015. The series, created and written by erstwhile Arkansan Ray McKinnon, follows the tale of Daniel Holden (Aden Young) after he was released from prison, having spent nearly two decades on death row. Holden steps into a world he no longer understands.
In making the announcement, SundanceTV president Sarah Barnett said, "Rectify has evolved into a show much loved by critics and fans. Ray McKinnon is a true television auteur, and we can't wait to see where he takes us next."
• The bad. Brace yourselves, TLC has ordered up more Kate Plus 8, set to air in December.
In the new episodes, the 39-year-old Kate Gosselin and her brood travel to Boston to explore New England on a family vacation.
In case you've forgotten, the "8" consist of 13-year-old twins Cara and Mady, who are entering eighth grade, and 10-year-old sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Aaden, Collin, Leah and Joel, now in the fourth grade.
The two-part Kate Plus 8 special in June sucked in 2.1 million viewers.
• The ugly. Are you still watching The Weather Channel for, you know, the weather? Silly you. You need to check out the cable outfit's latest reality show Fat Guys in the Woods. The series, which is sort of like Bear Grylls' Man vs. Wild meets The Biggest Loser, airs at 9 p.m. Sunday.
Each hour-long episode features survival expert Creek Stewart (and his surfer dude ponytail) taking three extra chunky couch potatoes out in the wilds of the Tennessee mountains. Stewart spends a week teaching the beefy boys how to build a shelter, start a fire, scavenge and hunt.
"We've made everything so complicated," Stewart says in a Weather Channel statement. "Survival's simple: Don't give up and don't die.
"This show is not about making fun of fat guys. It's about giving regular Joes the chance to do something they've only seen done by Brad Pitt-types."
What's the tie-in with The Weather Channel?
"We take them off the couch and into the weather," Stewart says.
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 08/26/2014