‘Homeland’: Why Brody needs to be caught or killed in season 2

Homeland was the big winner at the Emmys last week as the show won best drama while the two leads — Claire Danes and Damian Lewis — both took home acting trophies. They were rewards for an electric first season filled with equal parts tension and… well, terrorists. The good news is, we’ve seen the first two episodes of season 2 (which debuts tonight on Showtime) and the excellence continues. But EW’s Jessica Shaw and I have a worry as well: How long can the show string out Nicholas Brody’s secret double life as an agent of al-Qaeda?

On the latest edition of the InsideTV Podcast, we offer up some season 2 teases while also discussing an exit strategy for how the show should eventually have Brody be caught or killed and move on to another case. Not that we aren’t riveted by Lewis’ performance. But Homeland producer Howard Gordon may want to look to the model of his former show, 24, which was (mostly) able to move from one intriguing season-long conspiracy to another, instead of sticking with one story for too long. Listen in by clicking on the audio player below and see if you agree.

That’s not all. We also give our initial thoughts on ABC’s new submarine drama, Last Resort. We both loved the pilot. Unfortunately, we’re not as crazy about the next episode. And then we break down the season so far of Survivor: Philippines. Who are we loving and loathing? And which category does former Facts of Life star Lisa Whelchel fall into? Finally, we invite Sons of Anarchy expert Mandi Bierly in to talk about the most recent shocking death scene and why — as painful as it was — it totally makes sense in the SOA universe.

To join in on the fun, just click on the audio player icon below. Or, since we’re on iTunes, you can subscribe for free and take the podcast with you. No iTunes? No problem. You can also download the entire podcast right here. And to send a question to the InsideTV Podcast team, follow us on Twitter @InsideTVPodcast.

But first let us know what you think: Psyched for Homeland’s return? Are you still in mourning over the big Sons of Anarchy death? And are you digging Last Resort and/or Survivor: Philippines? The message boards are open for business.