‘Homeland’ season 3 spoilers: Damian Lewis sports new look in incredible trailer

“Homeland” has slowly started over the past few years to establish itself as a model of TV excellence, and something that the other networks can only hope to achieve if they put forth the right amount of time and effort to make it happen.

For some, season 2 was a conundrum of excellence and aggravation, especially as the season progressed. Not everyone was a fan of the Brody / Carrie romance taking over what was supposed to be a story largely about government intrigue and the quest to halt terrorism, and others felt that Abu Nazir being in America and Brody killing the Vice-President without any detection were bridges too far for this realistic show to build.

But, we have one word after watching the season 3 trailer released today by Showtime: It’s awesome. Dark, emotional, and poignant, with The Cinematic Orchestra’s “To Build a Home” playing out in the background. There are not many instances in which a song can help leave an impact on a show, and vice-versa, but this is one of them. It’s the most effective use of music in any trailer that we’ve seen all year.

As for changes to the show, there are a few things worth pointing out here:

1. As promised, there are some big things ahead for both Saul and Quinn.

2. Dana is also set to take on some characteristics of Brody, at least when it comes potentially to his religion. Without him, and with the belief of his presumed innocence, she will start to relate to him in anyway possible. (Granted, this is no explanation for the selfie she’s taking in here.)

3. Brody is bald! Well, it makes sense for Damian Lewis to sport a new look, given the character’s distinctive red hair.

We’ll hopefully have some more high-quality footage like this prior to the show’s premiere, which will take place on Sunday, September 29 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. So far, we’re off to a great start.

Photo: Showtime