"Homeland"
Showtime says its unclear what's in store for Claire Danes' character in "Homeland" Season 5. Above: Danes as Carrie Mathison in "Homeland" Season 4, episode 3. Joe Alblas/Showtime

Season 4 of “Homeland” concluded only last month, but Showtime already is prepping for the next installment of its hit drama series. While viewers will have to wait until late 2015 to catch up with Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) and the rest of the “Homeland” cast, Showtime President David Nevins did share some Season 5 dirt at the Television Critics Association press tour Monday. Here are five things we learned from the panel:

1. Haqqani may not return

Last year, “Homeland” pitted the U.S. against fictional Taliban terrorist Haissam Haqqani (Numan Acar). While Haqqani walked away unharmed in episode 11 of Season 4, Nevins hinted that viewers shouldn’t expect the villain to return in Season 5. “We’re not necessarily going to stay [with addressing] U.S. relations in the Muslim world,” he said, according to Entertainment Weekly. “The real franchise of the show is how difficult it is to be America in the world in the 21st century, how difficult the choices are.”

2. Setting is unknown

Season 4 of “Homeland” concluded in Washington, D.C., but according to Nevins, it’s unclear whether Season 5 will take place on U.S. soil. “It could be Africa, it could be Europe, it could be back in another place in the Middle East. I don’t expect that show to fall into a formula,” Nevins said via EW. “I can see it coming back to the U.S. at some point.”

3. Charlie Hebdo attack won’t affect story lines

While Nevins admitted that making a controversial show like “Homeland” is “scary” following the terrorist attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, he said he is hopeful the real-life event won’t affect the show's ability to carry out difficult story lines. “I hope [the attacks are] not considered at all,” he said via EW. “I really, really don’t want there to be any limitations. I don’t expect there will be. They never shied away from anything difficult. I want them to go right into the teeth of it again.”

4. There might be more of Carrie/Frannie

While some “Homeland” viewers slammed the network for its lackluster Season 4 closer, Nevins stood up for the drama-free episode Monday, stating that he felt Danes’ character required an episode to face her mothering abilities head-on. “Carrie needed to deal with her issues with motherhood. I loved the final episode,” Nevins said, according to Spoiler TV. While he didn’t indicate whether Carrie’s parenting will be a major story next season, it’s safe to assume viewers haven’t seen the last of her daughter Frannie.

Where do you think Season 5 of "Homeland" should take place? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments section below!

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