‘Homeland’ season 4, ‘Masters of Sex’ season 2 official; Showtime renews both series

Did you really think that Showtime was going to wait to renew their fall lineup until the end of the season? If so, you haven’t seen the way in which they do business. It’s pretty commonplace to see shows renewed early on during their run on premium cable, mostly because it allows for those opportunities to really sit down and work on some of their scripts. Given what we have seen from “Homeland” so far in season 3, they may need all of the time that they can get to come up with something that’s not a devious little trick on viewers.

In case you did not figure it out from the paragraph above, “Homeland” season 4 is now finally official; not only that, but it will be joined by “Masters of Sex” season 2. The ratings for the two have been positive, and the latter has also seen plenty of critical acclaim. Given that Showtime has to actually rely on people paying to see their shows, they need this sort of support more than anyone.

In a statement, here is what the network’s head David Nevins had to say about the renewals:

“Homeland continues to prove its strength for Showtime, and is one of television’s most exciting, provocative and widely-discussed shows. The critical and audience reaction to Masters of Sex since its great launch has been incredibly gratifying.”

Both of these new seasons will run for 12 episodes each, which is the standard length for something on Showtime. Our major questions now and will lie with “Masters of Sex,” mostly because they are mining their stories from real life rather than just a discussion in a writers’ room. They have to figure out how to turn days that can be slow into television that is compelling. “Homeland’s” challenge is more along the lines of trying to get viewers to know that it is okay to trust what they are seeing on TV, and it is not just a part of some elaborate ruse.

Which one of these renewals are you more excited about, and do you see either of these series being on the network for as long as “Dexter” was? Be sure to share below, and you can click here if you are more than curious as to what is coming next on “Homeland.”

Photo: Showtime