‘Homeland’ season 5 spoilers: What’s next for Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin, cast?

Tonight, “Homeland” came to a close. Not only that, but it did so with an episode that was far more complicated than we thought it would be going in.

The first thing that you should know right now is that there is going to be a fifth season. Showtime has already renewed the drama, and there is therefore no reason at all to worry about its future. That’s a good thing, given the multitude of cliffhangers that we have here.

Based on the fact that no major character was killed off tonight, we expect everyone back, from Claire Danes to Mandy Patinkin to even Rupert Friend, whose Peter Quinn was sent on a dark mission to the Middle East near the end of the episode. The theme of the early part of this season could just be where all of these pieces fit on the chessboard. Saul has seemingly done the unthinkable to Carrie, and she will have to understand that.

What we do hope to see now is a Carrie that does not just leave her child and take off to the Middle East again, but finds a way to be emotionally affected in some way by seeing her own mother, and finding out just why she was abandoned a while back. Maybe this means a bigger role for her sister or her mother now. The possibilities for the time being are fairly endless.

Since production on season 5 will not begin until May, and the writers room is not even open yet, there is still plenty of flexibility for Alex Gansa and company to map out the future. We’ll have more updates every step of the way.

If you missed it, head over here to get some more news related to “Homeland,” including a review for the finale. Also, sign up to obtain some further TV updates right away courtesy of our official CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: Showtime.)