‘Homeland’ Picked Up For Third Season By Showtime

“Homeland,” the critically acclaimed thriller about a CIA agent who becomes obsessed with a theory that a U.S. Marine has been turned, has been renewed for a third season.

“Great news: #HOMELAND has been picked up for a third season!” tweeted Showtime, in an announcement on Monday. “The series has delivered 5.2 million weekly viewers.”

The announcement from Showtime came on the heels of the show’s season two finale — its highest-rated episode to date, according to E! News. Nielsen reported that the finale brought in 1.75 million viewers at its 10 p.m. time slot, a significant gain over a previous high of 1.73 million.

The political thriller, which stars Claire Danes as CIA agent Carrie Mathison and Damian Lewis as Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody, swept the Emmys this year with impressive wins in all the top categories. The series garnered nine Emmy nominations and went on to win six awards, including: Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Writing For a Drama.

"The Emmy wins for 'Homeland' have certainly set the stage for a great second season," said David Nevins, Showtime’s president of entertainment, in a prepared statement. "The writers, cast and crew of 'Homeland' continue to create a remarkably entertaining and suspenseful roller coaster ride, growing audiences week after week. We can't wait for our viewers to experience what unfolds through the rest of season two. Our partners at Fox 21 have been tremendous, and we are thrilled to begin the planning for 'Homeland's' third season."

The series, which has even earned praise from the commander-in-chief, is set to begin filming in the spring of 2013. In an interview with New York magazine last December, its biggest star, Claire Danes, revealed that she was initially hesitant about joining the cast. Danes cited the level of commitment the series would demand of her, as her primary fear.

“I had my reservations just because it is such a profound commitment, and she's tough, this Carrie Mathison lady,” said Danes. “I didn’t know if I wanted to be tortured for a decade. But as distressed as she is, she's also really, really fascinating, and I don't have many opportunities to play people this surprising and this complex.”