Ep 1. Separation Anxiety

Carrie Mathison, a former CIA officer, has returned to the United States, living with her parents in a remote location outside Berlin after leaving her job as the CIA's station chief in Islamabad. Carrie struggles with adjusting to her new life and feels restless. She misses the adrenaline of working in the field and yearns to be back in the action.

In this episode, we see Carrie receiving some unexpected news. Saul Berenson, her old mentor and friend, contacts her to tell her that Peter Quinn, a former colleague, is critically ill. Saul wants Carrie to come back to work for the CIA and help him with a mission in Syria. The mission is to locate and kill a high-value target that they believe is planning a terrorist attack against the United States.

Carrie is torn between two worlds. She is trying to adjust to being a mother to her daughter, Franny, whom she has to leave behind again if she decides to go back to the CIA. She is also hesitant to return to the CIA since it is the same organization that betrayed her in the past. Despite her doubts, Carrie eventually agrees to help the CIA with the mission.

Before leaving, Carrie sees that her helper has shown up in the town where she is staying with her daughter. Her helper tells her about the money that he had taken from her, which leads Carrie to worry about the safety of her daughter. She is convinced that she needs to bring her daughter with her to Berlin to keep her safe.

Carrie arrives in Berlin and sets up a meeting with Laura Sutton, a journalist, to ask for her help in publishing Peter Quinn's story. She believes that the story will reveal the real reason that Peter Quinn was sent to Syria, and it will expose the CIA's illegal activities in the region.

Meanwhile, CIA officers are gearing up for the mission in Syria. During the briefing, we see how the CIA officers plan and prepare for these dangerous operations. We see them receiving information from spies and informants in the region, and we see how they discuss the different tactics and strategies to carry out the mission successfully.

The tension builds as the CIA team makes it to Syria and begins the mission. Carrie is in charge of the communication and tracking of the mission from the US. We see her sharing information with the team on the ground, and we see how the team navigates through the different obstacles in their way.

In the end, the team successfully completes their mission. However, Carrie is left reflecting on the cost of her work and what it means for her personal life. She ultimately realizes that the choices she makes in her professional life will always have consequences in her personal life.

Overall, Homeland season 5 episode 1 offers a suspenseful and action-packed story, as well as a robust character development for Carrie. The episode sets up the season's primary conflict and character arcs while also setting the overall tone of the show. With excellent performances from Claire Danes and the rest of the cast, this episode is undoubtedly a must-watch for fans and newcomers alike.