Ep 1. The Smile

Carrie Mathison, a troubled intelligence officer with bipolar disorder, returns for the highly anticipated season 2 of Showtime's Homeland. This season opens with a tense sequence in Beirut, as an Al-Qaeda bombing kills dozens of people, including a CIA bomber who was working to take down the terrorist organization. Carrie is quickly recalled to Washington, D.C. to help with the investigation and to be debriefed on what happened to her in Iraq.

We find our hero in a state of flux, struggling to deal with the aftermath of her experiences in the Middle East. Carrie seems to be on the verge of a breakdown, barely functioning and dependent on her daily medication to control her mood swings. She's haunted by the memory of her colleague, Brody, a Marine sergeant she believes was turned into a terrorist while in captivity. Carrie's colleagues dismiss her obsession with Brody, but she is determined to prove them wrong. As the investigation heats up, we see that Carrie may be right about Brody all along.

Meanwhile, we catch up with Brody, who has been living a double life as a former POW turned Congressman. He's in deep with his terrorist handlers, who are making increasingly ominous demands that he cannot refuse. Brody is torn between loyalty to his country and loyalty to the terrorists he has grown close to. As Brody's precarious position becomes more apparent, we see the strain he's under – the sense of impending doom that surrounds him.

Back at the CIA, it becomes clear that Carrie is the only one who understands the threat posed by Brody. She puts everything on the line to uncover the truth, despite the overwhelming odds and the personal cost. Along the way she faces questions about her own mental state and her loyalties to her country – questions that may have dire consequences for everyone involved.

The Smile is a taut, well-crafted episode that sets up the coming season with a sense of urgency and unease. The writing is sharp and the performances by Claire Danes as Carrie and Damian Lewis as Brody are incredibly strong. This season promises to take the show to new heights, and audiences won't want to miss a moment. Will Brody be uncovered as a terrorist? Will Carrie finally get the recognition she deserves? Will the country be saved from another devastating attack? These are all questions that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats in the coming episodes.