Brilliant Minds is returning to NBC in the 2025 TV schedule, after the wait of several months for confirmation that Zachary Quinto and Co. would be back for Season 2. The premiere on September 22 will see Dr. Oliver Wolf and his team on the case of an MMA fighter with mysterious symptoms, while Carol is considering a career outside of Bronx General after being suspended. Major questions concern Dr. Noah Wolf, played by Criminal Minds vet Mandy Patinkin in the final episodes of Season 1, and showrunner Michael Grassi opened up to CinemaBlend about what the future holds.

Much of Oliver’s story in the first season involved him dealing (or not dealing) with what he believed to be the death of his father, only for him to learn that not only has Noah been alive all this time, but his mother knew. Season 1 ended with Noah telling his son that he was sick with “something strange” beyond the bipolar disorder that he was already dealing with, and Oliver seemed semi-ready to focus on that.

While Mandy Patinkin has only been in two episodes of Brilliant Minds so far, they were enough to make the medical drama the first network TV show that he joined for a multi-episode arc since his time on CBS' Criminal Minds (He did work with Brilliant Minds’ Tamberla Perry on Hulu’s Death and Other Details.) So, when I had the chance to speak with showrunner Michael Grassi about the second season, I had to ask: will Patinkin be back for Season 2? Grassi previewed:

Whether or not Patinkin is back opposite Zachary Quinto in the foreseeable future, the showrunner at least confirmed that Noah’s story isn’t going to be abandoned. You can revisit the story so far with Brilliant Minds streaming via a Peacock subscription now.

So, how did the Brilliant Minds team recruit the venerable Mandy Patinkin to his first multi-episode network TV role since the end of his time on Criminal Minds in 2007? According to Michael Grassi, casting the beloved star of The Princess Bride was a goal from the very beginning. He shared:

Thanks to the lead character's face blindness, Brilliant Minds was able to show an early exchange between Zachary Quinto as Oliver and Mandy Patinkin as Noah without Oliver actually knowing that he was interacting with his long-lost dad. When Oliver did find out that his mother had kept a terrible secret from him for so many years… well, it was a pretty messy end to his story in the first season! Grassi went on:

According to the showrunner, the time jump is “about three weeks between Season 1 and Season 2.” It seems like a safe bet that even Dr. Oliver Wolf himself couldn’t crack a grand medical mystery about his dad in the span of just a few weeks, but I can imagine it might have been enough time to tank his relationship with Nichols. Teddy Sears is in the trailer for Season 2, however, so fans don’t have to worry about whether or not Nichols will be back as a doctor. Take a look:

Brilliant Minds Season 2 premieres on Monday, September 22 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following the Season 28 premiere of The Voice. The drama will continue about Noah Wolf in some form or other, regardless of whether fans see Mandy Patinkin opposite Zachary Quinto again this fall.

Spoilers ahead for the fall finale of NBC's Brilliant Minds, called "The Other Woman" and streaming now with a Peacock subscription.

Brilliant Minds debuted in the fall 2024 TV schedule as network television's newest medical drama, with Zachary Quinto, Tamberla Perry, and Teddy Sears starring as the senior doctors specializing in matters of the mind and working over a team of residents. The fall finale forced Carol (Perry) to face her ethical misstep in treating Alison as the woman her husband had cheated with, required Wolf (Quinto) to realize something about himself to save his relationship with Josh (Sears), and pitted residents against each other with the dreaded love triangle drama.

All in all, it was an eventful episode that ended in a scary cliffhanger for Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) for the drama to pick up on in the 2025 TV schedule... and also reminded me of what one star told me weeks ago about a guest star I've been waiting for all season: the one and only Mandy Patinkin.

Ericka's Fate

"The Other Woman" was a messy hour for Ericka, Van (Alex MacNicoll), and Jacob (Spence Moore II), with the two men trying to outdo each other on the job in a very thinly-veiled attempt to prove who is better for Ericka. Van wasn't exactly being magnanimous about Ericka picking him, while Jacob retaliated by telling Ericka about Van's kid... who Van hadn't told her about.

In my book, Jacob crossed the worst line by dropping the news about Van as a father when he'd promised to keep the secret, but Van wasn't exactly treating Jacob with respect, and I can't blame Ericka in the slightest for ending the arrangement with Van by telling him that it "isn't fun for me anymore."

But that's not a cliffhanger worthy of a fall finale, and "The Other Woman" raised the stakes much higher than the relationship messiness in the final moments. Ericka's attempt to do laundry backfired when the elevator carrying her stopped working and the building started to shake.

And I originally thought that the cliffhanger would be whether or not the cable snapped on Ericka's elevator, but Brilliant Minds went above and beyond. As the finale switched over to show the doctors at Bronx General glued to the TV, Wolf learned that a building had collapsed not too far from the hospital.

The natural next step was to start preparing for the influx of emergency patients who were likely on the way, but Dr. Deng realized the very personal stakes before anybody else did: the building was Ericka's. Cue the credits rolling to leave fans hanging on her fate until Brilliant Minds returns in January!

The promo for the winter premiere gives a glimpse of the chaos that's waiting in the new year, but not a clue about who I've been waiting for: The Princess Bride's Mandy Patinkin, whose role in the medical drama was announced months ago. Despite the intense cliffhanger all about Ericka, the episode's heavy focus on Carol reminded me of when I spoke to Tamberla Perry about reuniting with Patinkin for NBC's new show.

Why I've Been Waiting For Mandy Patinkin Since Talking To One Star

All the way back in July, TVLine reported that Criminal Minds and Homeland vet Mandy Patinkin was slated to appear in two episodes of Brilliant Minds' first season on NBC. At the time, I assumed that fans would see him before the end of the 2024 portion of the season, with the outlet further reporting that Patinkin would be playing a doctor who joins the staff at Bronx General and wins the respect of Wolf, which is no small feat, and kicks off a mentor-like relationship between the two.

Can I be blamed for looking forward to seeing his episodes?! I don't know if Patinkin's character will be tear-worthy like Broadway's Andre De Shields in the premiere (and Zachary Quinto takes it as a compliment when fans cry during Brilliant Minds), but the actor is an Emmy-winner for a reason. Given that the fall finale was Episode 11 of a 13-episode season, it seems that Patinkin's two episodes will also be the last two of the season.

When I spoke with Tamberla Perry ahead of the premiere about her chemistry read with Quinto and what sets Brilliant Minds apart from other medical dramas, I had to ask about her working with Patinkin again after they co-starred in Hulu's Death and Other Details. She shared:

With how excited Perry sounded when asked about teaming up with Patinkin again, how was I supposed to not be excited about his arrival? As it turns out, she gave her endorsement about him being cast on Brilliant Minds when the possibility arose. She continued:

Death and Other Details may have only lasted for one season, but it was enough that the two former stars were happy to see each other again on Brilliant Minds. With Patinkin arguably best known nowadays for The Princess Bride and Criminal Minds and now set to play a doctor on NBC, I noted to Perry that he has a knack for jumping from genre to genre, and she replied:

Hopefully Carol and Patinkin's character will share some scenes when Brilliant Minds returns in the new year, even though his is evidently set to mentor Wolf. Whatever happens (or doesn't) between their characters, the Season 1 fall finale was the best episode showcasing Perry as an actress so far, as far as I'm concerned. As for what comes after the cliffhanger, check out the promo for the winter premiere:

Brilliant Minds returns to NBC with the winter premiere on Monday, January 6 at 10 p.m. ET to pay off on the collapse of Ericka's building, with the promo seemingly confirming that she was indeed still inside when it came down. In the meantime, you can always revisit earlier episodes of the medical drama streaming on Peacock and/or check out Death and Other Details streaming with a Hulu subscription for Tamberla Perry and Mandy Patinkin in the same show the first time around.

We see it all the time, serious actors with some major dramatic skills tearing it up in lighter, more comedic roles. Actors who’ve made us cry in Best Picture winners have gone on to make us fall over with side-splitting laughs, which can sometimes be harder than you’d think.

In the past, we’ve talked about some of the great dramatic performances by comedians, but today we’re going to turn our attention to the other side of that coin and highlight 32 serious actors who crushed in in comedic roles.

Robert De Niro (Meet The Parents)

Robert De Niro, an Oscar-winning actor known for serious parts in some of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, including Raging Bull and Goodfellas, as well as his turn as a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II, showed the world that he was also one of the funniest stars in Hollywood with his portrayal of the iron-fisted Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents. The deadpan expressions, the playing on his gangster roles, and his chemistry with Ben Stiller make this an all-time classic.

George C. Scott (Dr. Stranglelove)

George C. Scott will always be remembered for his portrayal of U.S. General George S. Patton in Franklin J. Schaffner’s Patton, but the acclaimed actor also crushed it in a more comedic role a few years earlier. His take on General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove is nothing short of magnificent and hilarious as it gets. The satirical tone of this iconic anti-war film is biting, as is Scott’s legendary performance.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Along Came Polly)

Though we could have included Rusty from Twister or Brandt from The Big Lebowski, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance in Along Came Polly is just too good to overlook. Though he’s atrocious at basketball (and in most social situations), Sandy Lyle is a force of comedic nature. It’s crazy that Hoffman went from Cold Mountain to this 2004 rom-com to Capote in the span of three years.

Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)

Tom Cruise steals the show in Tropic Thunder, which is no easy feat considering Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. sit atop the cast of this outrageous 2008 action comedy. But hey, Les Grossman, Cruise’s over-the-top and ill-tempered Hollywood exec is unforgettable in every single one of his scenes, especially whenever he dances.

Meryl Streep (Death Becomes Her)

Though not a slapstick or “laugh-a-minute” comedy, Death Becomes Her does feature some wild and hilariously comedic performances from the likes of Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn, and Meryl Streep, who kills it with her portrayal of Madeline Ashton. The Oscar winner does get to show off her serious skills in the movie, but her character’s darkly humorous personality is worth a watch.

Leslie Nielsen (Airplane!)

It’s wild to think that Leslie Nielsen, an actor mostly remembered for spoof films, started out as a very serious dramatic actor. But that all changed with landmark comedies like Airplane!, where his deadpan humor and signature charm truly shined.

Kate Winslet (The Holiday)

Kate Winslet is known for dramatic movies like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Revolutionary Road, but the talented dramatic actress was able to show off her comedy chops in The Holiday. This 2006 Nancy Meyers romantic comedy showed off a different side of Winslet, one we haven’t forgotten nearly 20 years later.

James Caan (Elf)

James Caan wasn’t really known for his comedy. Sure, his characters had some humorous lines in The Godfather and Thief, but drama was always his bag. And that’s what makes his performance in Elf so great. We weren’t used to seeing Caan share the screen with someone like Will Ferrell, and that juxtaposition of personalities made it so much fun to watch.

Morgan Freeman (Bruce Almighty)

Morgan Freeman will go down as one of the best dramatic actors of all time, and for good reason. His work in The Shawshank Redemption, Glory, and countless other movies is the stuff of legend. However, let’s not forget that he also put on one of the funniest performances when he played God in Bruce Almighty.

Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

A little more than two decades after playing the vile Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List (and only a few years after portraying Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies), Ralph Fiennes proved he was a great comedic actor with his take on M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Equal parts hilarious and charming, this performance was a breath of fresh air.

Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon)

After playing more serious roles in films like The Color Purple, Witness, and Silverado, Danny Glover showed off his comedy skills in Richard Donner’s iconic buddy cop action film, Lethal Weapon. Though he was more straight-laced compared to Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs, Roger Murtaugh gave us some laughs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Kidergarten Cop)

Kindergarten cop isn’t just one of the funniest Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, it’s also one of his best. Featuring some of the actor’s most memorable one-liners, this 1990 action comedy showed that the Austrian bodybuilder-turned-actor was more than an ice-cold robot or trained killer.

Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber)

Two years after playing Colonel Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg, one of the best Civil War movies ever made, Jeff Daniels played a vastly different type of character in Dumb and Dumber. The obnoxious and absurdly dim-witted Harry Dunne would end up becoming one of the more dramatic actor’s most famous roles.

Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets)

Jack Nicholson, one of the most well-known dramatic actors of the 20th century, has popped up in comedies over the years. Perhaps the best of the bunch, As Good as It Gets earned the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment star his third Oscar.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski)

Whenever the topic of the best Jeff Bridges movies comes up, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to The Big Lebowski. Still considered to be one of his most iconic roles, the performance also showed that the largely dramatic actor could pull off an incredibly funny and beloved character.

Liam Neeson (Extras)

Liam Neeson is best known for his work in dramas like Schindler’s List and the Taken action movie franchise, but the decorated actor with that ice-cold delivery has shown off his funny side over the years. His attempt at improv on Extras is the stuff of legend, as is work in The Lego Movie.

George Clooney (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

George Clooney often rides the line between comedy and drama in the likes of the Ocean’s movies and several Coen Brothers projects, and one of the best examples of that is found in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a 2000 loose adaptation of The Odyssey. The scheming and conniving Ulysses Everett McGill is one of the all-time great movie characters.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, Midnight Cowboy, and All the President’s Men were just a few of the movies that showed off Dustin Hoffman’s incredible dramatic acting skills. It’s a similar story with Tootsie, the beloved 1982 comedy in which Hoffman plays an unlikeable and hirable actor who decides to dress like a woman to land a gig on a daytime soap opera.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire)

Cuba Gooding Jr. was out of this world in early 1990s dramas like Boyz n the Hood and A Few Good Men, but he was even better in Jerry Maguire as Tom Cruise’s titular character’s temperamental and needy client Rod Tidwell. The over-the-top performance was hilarious beyond belief.

Timothy Dalton (Hot Fuzz)

Timothy Dalton, an actor best known for playing James Bond and showing up in adaptations of Jane Eyre, got to show off his comedy chops in Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright’s satirical action comedy. His take on Simon Skinner is just as great all these years later.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Leonardo DiCaprio teamed up with Martin Scorsese for the fifth time in 2013 to make The Wolf of Wall Street. While previous collaborations like Gangs of New York and The Departed were far more dramatic, this hopped-up and raucous biopic allowed the actor to be outrageously funny on screen, and it paid off.

Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa)

Up until starring in Bad Santa, Billy Bob Thornton was mostly known for dramatic roles in films like Monster’s Ball and Sling Blade, but this 2003 R-rated comedy changed all of that. Over the line, vulgar, and one of the funniest performances of the 2000s, Thornton’s take on a mall Santa was an instant classic.

Brad Pitt (Burn After Reading)

Burn After Reading isn’t the best Coen Brothers movie, but it does feature one of Brad Pitt’s funniest performances. Chad Feldheimer, Linda Litzke’s (Frances McDormand) lovable yet moronic coworker is just so silly, so memorable, and so dumb. You just can’t help but love him.

Michael Caine (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

On top of being an actor who’s appeared in the most Christopher Nolan movies, Michael Caine is also one of the all-time greats of screen and stage, with dozens of iconic films to his name. And while he’s mostly known for his dramatic work, his portrayal of the dastardly Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is so dang good.

Matt Damon (Dogma)

Long before he showed up as an actor playing Loki in Thor: Ragnarok, Matt Damon did it for real in Kevin Smith’s 1999 comedy, Dogma. Sandwiched between Rounders and The Talented Mr. Ripley, the actor’s portrayal of a fallen angel banished to Wisconsin was great and showed a funnier side.

Samuel L. Jackson (The Other Guys)

Samuel L. Jackson in The Other Guys is on a whole other level and is funnier than anything else the actor has done over the years. Sure, Pulp Fiction and Jurassic Park are better movies, but his short yet memorable performance as a gung-ho cop who throws caution (and himself) into the win is comedy cold.

Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest)

Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Alexander Dane, a Shakespearean actor fed up with life and his career direction in Galaxy Quest, is so funny yet so heartbreaking. The way the Die Hard actor (who was also classically trained) finds the balance between comedy and tragedy is perfection.

Russell Crowe (The Nice Guys)

Russell Crowe made a career out of giving commanding, and largely dramatic, performances in everything from Romper Stomper to Gladiator, so it was great to see him play a more comedic role in The Nice Guys. This 2016 Shane Black film also starring Ryan Gosling, felt like a throwback to buddy action movies of yesteryear, and allowed Crowe to try a different approach to character-driven stories.

Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride)

Tony and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin has given incredible dramatic performances in movies like Yentl and shows like Homeland, but he’s probably best known for his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. The skill with a sword, the dashing good looks, and a killer backstory make this not only a great cinematic character but also a hilarious icon of the fantasy genre.

Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda)

Kevin Kline is great in just about everything (especially The Big Chill and Dave), and that includes some great comedies. One of the best featuring a serious and dramatic actor’s work is A Fish Called Wanda. The despicable and charismatic Otto West steals the show whenever on screen.

Christian Bale (The Big Short)

Though not the most standard comedy of the past few years, The Big Short is funny in a frightening and thrilling kind of way. Adam McKay’s biographical crime dramedy about the events that led to the 2007 housing market crash and subsequent economic crisis does feature one of Christian Bale’s most interesting and hilarious performances with his take on hedge fund manager Michael Burry. Not a totally likable guy, but a great character without a doubt.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Thor: Ragnarok is still considered one of the best Marvel movies years after its release, and that’s mostly because of Chris Hemsworth’s new and improved portrayal of the “God of Thunder.” While the character was more serious in the first two movies (and two Avengers films), the more light-hearted and silly superhero was a comedy tour de force.

The Princess Bride has a great story, sure, it's the funny lines that keep us all coming back again and again. With an all-star delivering some of the best lines ever written, by author William Goldman, who also wrote the book it's based on. It's a movie fans can watch over and over and over. It would be impossible to include every line on a list like this without just typing up the whole script, so here are just a few of our favorite quotes from The Princess Bride. In no particular order. 

My brains, his steel, and your strength against sixty men, and you think a little head-jiggle is supposed to make me happy? - Westley

After Westley (Cary Elwes) is saved by Miracle Max, he, Inigo, and Fezzick strategize on how to best storm the castle to rescue Buttercup (Robin Wright). Since Westley isn't fully recovered, Fezzick tries to encourage him by celebrating him for moving his head. Westley knows they need more than a head jiggle to win the battle. 

Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates? Morons - Vizzini

Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) is a wonderful character and a terrible man. Hired to start a war, he thinks he is much smarter than he actually is. Comparing yourself to three of the most important philosophers of Western thought is pure hubris. Of course, he would come to regret it, but not for long. 

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. - Inigo

"Inconceivable" is Vizzini's favorite word, and he never misses an opportunity to use it. It's conceivable that he's not always using it correctly, as Inigo (Mandy Patankin) points out as they stand above the cliff waiting for the unidentified pursuer to reach them.

Anybody want a peanut? - Fezzick

One of the funniest moments in the whole movie comes as Ingio, Vezzini, and Fezzick (Andre The Giant) sail away from Florin with their captive, Buttercup, in tow. Fezzick has "a great gift of rhyme" and when Vizzini says "No more rhymes and I mean it," Fezzick responds with his gem. 

Have fun stormin' da castle. - Miracle Max

The character Miracle Max provided Billy Crystal with some of the best lines of his career, including one that has probably been quoted by people more often than any other in The Princess Bride. It works for so many occasions. 

You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - the most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line"! - Vizzini

Vizzini is extremely confident in his abilities. So much so that he assumes the battles of wits ended before it even began when Westley, as the Dread Pirate Roberts, challenged him to the dual. We all know how that worked out for the Sicilian. HA.

You mean, you'll put down your rock and I'll put down my sword, and we'll try and kill each other like civilized people? - Westley

After Westley bests Inigo with his sword, his next challenge is taking on the giant Fezzick. Vizzini wants Fezzick to take Westley out with a rock. Fezzick, the sweetheart that he is, doesn't think that is very fair, so he challenges Westley to a fistfight that the pirate still doesn't think is very fair. 

I'm not a witch, I'm your wife. But after what you just said, I'm not even sure I want to be that any more. - Valerie

Miracle Max's wife, Valerie (Carol Kane), is as funny a character as Max himself is. This list could just be lines from the two of them, if we're honest. Still, maybe the most memorable one is after Max rudely calls her a witch, even if that's kinda what she is, it's still not polite. She lets him know, too. 

Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die. - Inigo

This, without much debate, is the most iconic line in The Princess Bride. Maybe because Inigo repeats it six times in the movie, or maybe because revenge is the character's sole motivation. It's really because it's just such a great line and, after the fifth time he utters it, when Count Rugen (Christopher Guest) tells him to "stop saying that," we're all up and cheering. 

You've been mostly-dead all day. - Fezzick

Before they storm the castle, Westley is awoken from his death and wonders what is going on and when he doesn't feel well. Fezzick explains he's only been mostly dead, not all dead. 

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Buttercup is marry Humperdinck in little less than half an hour. So all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, steal the princess, make our escape... after I kill Count Rugen. - Inigo

While Westley is out of commission a lot happens. Inigo feels like he needs to explain, but with Buttercup getting married, there isn't much time. So he sums it all up nicely for Westley and the audience. 

You ARE the Brute Squad! - Miracle Max

Miracle Max isn't really interested in helping Inigo and Fezzick and threatens to call the Prince's brut squad. Fezzick tells him he's part of the squad and after Max eyes him up and down, he decides it's best to help them. 

The man I inherited it from is not the real Dread Pirate Roberts either. His name was Cummerbund. The real Roberts has been retired 15 years and living like a king in Patagonia.' - Westley

There is just something so funny about a pirate named after a part of a tuxedo. Cummerbund is a silly name for anyone, especially a pirate. If no one will surrender to the Dread Pirate Westley, surely no one will even listen to the Dread Pirate Cummerbund! 

And YOU: friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless! Do you want me to send you back to where you were? Unemployed, in Greenland? - Vizzini

Vizzini really has no patience for anything or anyone. Without Fezzick, whom he yells at her, his plan to start a war between Florin and Guilder wouldn't be possible. Is Vizzini going to climb the Cliffs of Insanity by himself? He needs the giant. 

There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do. Go through his pockets and look for loose change. - Miracle Max

It's a good thing that Inigo and Fezzick find Miracle Max. They don't even understand the difference between mostly dead and all dead. It's also lucky they found Westley in the Pit of Despair so quickly, otherwise they would just be going through his pockets as the credits rolled. 

Hold it, hold it. What is this? Are you trying to trick me? Is this a kissing book? - Grandson

When the grandpa (Peter Falk) comes over to read his grandson (Fred Savage) The Princess Bride, he tells him about all the exciting stuff in the book, but the unnamed grandson is still skeptical. When Westley and Buttercup kiss for the first time, the grandson has had enough and wonders just what kind of book this is.

My way's not very sportsman-like. - Fezzick

Fezzick, like Andre the Giant in real life, is just a sweet guy with a scary body. When he asks Vizzini what "his way" is in taking out the masked Westley, Vizzini tells Fezzick to hit him in the head with a rock. Fezzick, bless his heart, doesn't think highly of that idea. Fisticuffs it is! 

Mawwige is whut bwings us togevveh today. - The Impressive Clergyman

Really, the whole marriage (or Mawwige) ceremony as presented by "The Impressive Clergyman" is hilarious. It's not just the "Mawwige" line. The clergyman, played by legendary British comedian Peter Cook, struggles through the whole thing until he's forced to say "man and wife."

Ah, there you are. Inigo, I saw the Prince's stables, and there they were, four white horses. And I thought, there are four of us, if we ever find the lady. Hello lady! - Fezzick

One great example of just how thoughtful and sweet Fezzick the giant is comes at the end of the movie when he finds four horses for the team to ride – if they find the lady. Hello lady! 

Oh, my sweet Westley! What have I done? - Buttercup

Buttercup doesn't get many purely comedic moments in the movie. Her funniest line isn't really for the line itself, but for what happens immediately after it. When Buttercup pushes the masked Westley down the steep hill, only to hear him say that famous line "as you wish," she hurls herself down with him and all props to the stunt double for the way they took that hill, it's a hilarious bit of physicality as she bumps herself down the hill. 

You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles. - Miracle Max

Miracle Max is willing to help but on his own timetable. Inigo tries to explain they are in a hurry, as Buttercup is about to marry, but as Max explains, you can't rush a good miracle. And don't go swimming for a good hour, either. 

Yes, you're very smart. Shut up. - Grandpa

Peter Falk's grandfather character is very patient with his grandson, but even he has his limits. You have to figure that towards the end of the story, even he is tired and wants to wrap things up, so when the grandson says he "knew" that Buttercup wouldn't marry Humperdink, Grandpa tells him to shut up. It's one of the most underrated lines in the whole movie. 

I only dog paddle. - Fezzick

When Buttercup jumps into the water to escape her kidnappers, she doesn't count on the screeching eels. Inigo can't save her because he doesn't swim, and poor Fezzick only dog paddles. 

I wasn't nervous. Maybe I was a little bit concerned, but that's not the same thing. - Grandson

When Buttercup is in the water with the eels, the grandson is tightly clinching his blanket. This prompts the grandfather to explain that Buttercup will be fine. Keeping his cool, the grandson recovers and tells his grandfather he is actually nervous. 

EVERYBODY MOVE! - Fezzick

When Inigo and Fezzick are rushing to rescue Westley and Buttercup, they face a mob of peasants blocking their route. Luckily all it takes is one big scream to move from Fezzick to clear a path. 

Murdered by pirates is good... - Grandson

At first, the grandson is looking for any reason to like the story. A farm boy being murdered by pirates is a good start, apparently. At least it's not a kissing book. 

Humperdinck! Humperdinck! Humperdinck! - Valerie

Carol Kane matches Billy Crystal beat for beat as Miracle Max's wife Valerie. One of her best lines is all about her delivery, just repeating the prince's name over and over, driving Max crazy. It also spurs him to action. 

Am I going MAD, or did the word "think" escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic land mass. - Vizzini

No one delivers an insult like Wallace Shawn and, as Vizinni, he's full of them. Like laying into Fezzick after the giant dared to think about killing Buttercup. Fezzick is right, but Vizinni is really funny.

You surely are a meanie. - Fezzick

One line that really slips under the radar is when Fezzick tracks down a very drunk Inigo and tries to sober him up. Inigo is full of insults, and Fezzick lets him know as only he can, nicely. 

You must be that little Spanish brat I taught a lesson to all those years ago. You've been chasing me your whole life only to fail now? I think that's about the worst thing I've ever heard. How marvelous. - Count Rugen

Of all the cast members, Christopher Guest is one of the funniest writers and directors, but his role as Count Rugen is so understated (and great) that he doesn't have a lot of laugh-out-loud lines. The best exception is after he stabs Inigo, but before Inigo recovers. 

He's right on top of us. I wonder if he is using the same wind we are using. - Inigo

As the kidnappers make their way to the Cliffs of Insanity, Inigo can't help but think the mysterious boat behind them is following them. Vizinni may think it's just a local fisherman, but the audience (and Inigo) know better. 

A word, my lady. We are but poor, lost circus performers. Is there a village nearby? - Vizzini

When you have someone as diminutive as Wallace Shawn, and as huge as Andre The Giant, setting them for a line like this is just perfect. The visual is perfect, as is the setting. Everything about it, like the whole movie itself, is perfect. 

Somehow, there are people out there who are critical of The Princess Bride but after reading these quotes, which are just scratching the surface, it's hard to imagine why everyone doesn't love it. 

Hulu brought a new kind of murder mystery to the 2024 TV schedule with Death and Other Details, headlined by The Princess Bride and Homeland alum Mandy Patinkin himself. Unfortunately, the show is the latest victim of the streamer's cancellation spree, so fans with Hulu subscriptions won't get to see what showrunners/executive producers Heidi Cole McAdams and Mike Weiss had in mind for Rufus and Co. in Season 2. The cancellation news is particularly sad in light of what the showrunners as well as cast told CinemaBlend about working with Patinkin as a showbiz "legend."

Mandy Patinkin played Rufus Cotesworth, the world's greatest detective who partnered with a reluctant Imogene Scott (Violett Beane) following murder most foul on an ocean liner. Over ten episodes, there were plenty of twists and turns, to the point that the first (and now only) season is worth a rewatch. Beane, who also opened up about quitting her restaurant job to join The Flash, was among the cast members who I spoke to at SCAD TVfest in Atlanta earlier this year prior to the cancellation.

When I asked Beane what it was like to partner with Patinkin considering his long list of credits in the entertainment industry, she said;

Naturally, I had to follow up Beane's praise of how her co-star "has been around for so long" and "never misses" with the question of whether there was a project of his that she was most familiar with before Death and Other Details. She shared:

Violett Beane counts herself as among the many fans of The Princess Bride, and the swordsman Inigo Montoya is certainly a pop culture icon with his famous phrase.

Of course, Death and Other Details' Rufus definitely isn't Inigo Montoya, to the point that I asked the showrunners at SCAD TVfest if the Hulu role was written for Mandy Patinkin. After the duo shared their hopes and plans for Season 2, Heidi Cole McAdams explained:

You might not guess that a show by the name of Death and Other Details could be described as "joyful," but checking out the show on Hulu could have shown you what Mandy Patinkin evidently saw from the start. Co-showrunner Mike Weiss elaborated and shared his own praise:

When asked if they were inspired by any of his projects in particular, the showrunners agreed that his roles on The Princess Bride and Homeland were some of their favorites. Weiss also acknowledged Patinkin's experience in musical theater, and said:

Angela Zhou, who played SS Varuna crew manager Teddy Goh for Death and Other Details, was also present on the red carpet at SCAD TVfest. While her character didn't share the same kind of scenes with Rufus as Imogene did, Zhou immediately said "Oh my goodness, it's so wonderful to work with him" when I asked about Patinkin, then went on:

Plenty of people love The Princess Bride, but not many have this kind of origin story for watching one of the best romantic comedies of all time! Angela Zhou went on:

I also spoke with Lauren Patten, who played Imogene's wealthy best friend Anna Collier for Death and Other Details. Like the other representatives for the show, she only had high praise for Mandy Patinkin, but not because she had a connection to The Princess Bride or Homeland. Patten explained:

Mandy Patinkin's credits span stage and screen over the many years of his career; for Lauren Patten, his musical theater roles stand out in particular. She confirmed that's how she was most familiar with him before Death and Other Details and went on:

Sadly, neither Mandy Patinkin nor any of his co-stars will return to Hulu for a second season of Death and Other Details. Cancellations aren't exactly uncommon when it comes to streaming services, which can be discouraging for potential viewers to check out a new series. For now, you can always revisit the ten-episode run of Death and Other Details with a Hulu subscription now.

Here’s some simple TV math: the longer a series airs, the less likely its original cast will remain intact, regardless of how beloved the show or actor is. The majority of popular series over the years have gone through at least one major exit, and it’s bad enough when changes are revealed early, and characters’ last episodes are planned out and logical. It's far worse, however, when actors suddenly exit projects without any on-screen closure.

Surprise departures can curb audiences' enjoyment of a show, whether from disrupted cast dynamics or shoddy storytelling. And depending on how controversial the exits are, a key departure can completely derail a show's success. So let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable instances when stars parted ways with projects without closing their characters' stories.

Anna Faris (Mom)

During Mom's hiatus following Season 7, co-star Anna Faris suddenly revealed she was leaving the show, which reportedly shocked the creative team as much as fans. Allison Janney & Co. went forward with the eighth season, occasionally referencing Faris’ character Christy, but it was canceled without any kind of conclusion for the character, though the creators made it clear they didn’t want to kill her off.

Chevy Chase (Community)

Community already suffered the exodus of creator Dan Harmon and more creatives in Season 4, and then Chevy Chase allegedly used a racial slur on the set, leading him to drop out of the NBC comedy through mutual agreement with network execs. His character Pierce appeared multiple times after his official exit, due to episodes airing out of order, as well as that hologram cameo in the Season 5 premiere, but the SNL vet never returned as a regular, and was unceremoniously killed off via dialogue two episodes after the cameo.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

That ‘70s Show vet Danny Masterson reteamed with Ashton Kutcher on Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch, but was fired in December 2017 after multiple assault allegations against him were publicized. Masterson later faced trial, was convicted and sentenced to prison in September 2023, and did not return as Rooster Bennett, who was written as missing and presumed dead via motorcycle accident.

Suzanne Somers (Three's Company)

Three’s Company's early seasons were bolstered by the popularity of Suzanne Somers’ Chrissy Snow, but network execs reportedly refused the actress’ salary increase requests, leading to a unique stalemate agreement. Somers made only contractually obligated appearances in Season 4 episodes' closing tag scenes, which she filmed separately from her co-stars. Somers was fired by the season’s end, with Chrissy said to be caring for her sick mom in Fresno.

Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead)

Corey Hawkins joined The Walking Dead Season 6 as comic book fan-favorite Heath, but Straight Outta Compton's release that same year shot him to Hollywood’s stratosphere. In one of TWD’s most baffling moments, Heath disappeared in Season 7, and was never seen from again. Reportedly, Heath would have returned for the movies, but those plans have been shut down.

Emmy Rossum (Shameless)

The final two years of Shameless' 11-season run were without Emmy Rossum’s Fiona Gallagher. The actress announced her shocking exit in 2018, and Fiona’s final appearance came in the emotional Season 9 finale. Despite fans’ hopes, Rossum opted not to return for cameos in the remaining seasons, and the series finale wrapped without any major Fiona updates.

Mandy Patinkin (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds began its lengthy run with Mandy Patinkin’s Jason Gideon running the BAU, but that changed ahead of the third season when Patinkin left the show entirely over his disgust with the violent storylines. (He called joining the crime drama his “biggest public mistake” in 2012.) Gideon was replaced and killed off-screen seven seasons later, with Ben Savage guest-starring as young Gideon in flashbacks.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

Ahead of Scandal's Season 3 finale, co-star Columbus Short was arrested over a physical altercation at an L.A. restaurant, and eventually confessed he’d developed drinking and drug habits while dealing with a divorce and custody disputes. Short was fired from Scandal in April 2014, and his character Harrison Wright was revealed in Season 4 to have been killed off.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

Former MMA badass Gina Carano landed the role of Star Wars merc Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, but lost the gig in February 2021. Following a series of controversial social media moves, Lucasfilm announced she would no longer be involved in the show. Cara Dune was not recast, and has not returned to the franchise since the Season 2 finale.

Valerie Harper (Valerie)

The Hogan Family began its existence as Valerie, starring the Emmy-winning Valerie Harper as its lead matriarch for two seasons. She was later fired after salary disputes and sued NBC and production company Lorimar. While her initial claims were dismissed, a judge ruled Harper was indeed wrongfully terminated, netting her a financial win. Her character suffered an offscreen death, leading to the series' name changes.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Following a string of 1990s scandals, Robert Downey Jr. landed the role of love interest Larry Paul in Season 4 of Fox’s hit dramedy Ally McBeal, which earned him a Golden Globe. But additional arrests in late 2000 and 2001 led creator David E. Kelley to cut ties with RDJ completely. The fifth season, which would have chronicled Ally and Larry’s post-wedding bliss, had to be completely rewritten.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Though Charmed’s eldest sister Prue Halliwell was the trio's most powerful, the third season finale left Shannen Doherty’s character facing possible death. Though presumptions held that she’d return for Season 4, tensions and more issues surrounding Doherty and Alyssa Milano led to Doherty’s firing via phone call. As such, Prue’s wounds turned out to be fatal, but Doherty did not return for the funeral episode.

Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon)

Fox’s iteration of Lethal Weapon paired Rectify vet Clayne Crawford with Damon Wayans. But instead of buddy cop love, reports indicated strife and hostility building between the co-stars, along with complaints about Crawford's directorial work. His exit was reported on the day of the Season 2 finale, which ended on a cliffhanger for his character Riggs, who was unsurprisingly revealed to have succumbed to his wounds. Seann William Scott joined Season 3 as a replacement.

Grace Park (Hawaii Five-0)

After seven seasons portraying Kono Kalakaua for CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot, Grace Park opted to vacate her role alongside Daniel Dae Kim after their attempts to secure pay equality with co-stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan were turned down by CBS Television Studios. Kono was revealed to have relocated to Carson City, Nevada, as part of a trafficking task force, with Danny sharing their break-up update in Season 9.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Various Criminal Minds stars exited the drama for different reasons, but Thomas Gibson’s case. stands out. Despite the show still being early into filming Season 12, ABC Studios and CBS Studios revealed the actor’s termination via a joint statement in August 2016, less than a week after Gibson was suspended over an on-set altercation with a writer-producer. A later episode revealed his character Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner entered Witness Protection after discovering serial killer Peter Lewis stalking his son Jack.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

One of the '90s' biggest sitcoms returned to ABC in 2018, with Roseanne bringing comedian Roseanne Barr back as its matriarch. But that return only lasted for a single season, as Barr tweeted a message about former White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett that was considered racist, and two months after its Season 11 renewal, Roseanne was effectively canceled. The network relaunched without Barr as The Conners, which kicked off its run by killing off Roseanne Conner via drug overdose.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

Two and a Half Men thrived on the chemistry between Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, but the show went into hiatus in 2011 due to Sheen’s then-latest rehab stint, at which point the actor began slamming CBS and Chuck Lorre in a variety of high-profile interviews. Season 8 was then shut down mid-production, with Sheen’s firing later capping things off. His public meltdowns continued capturing headlines as Ashton Kutcher helped fill the Charlie void, and unfortunately didn't make good on rumors of his series finale return.

Lisa Edelstein (House)

Across her years as Dr. Lisa Cuddy, House star Lisa Edelstein went from playing contentious boss to adoring lover. Upon Season 7’s end, she and two co-stars were asked to take salary cuts during contract negotiations, with Edelstein being the lone holdout. She announced her exit ahead of Season 8, and Cuddy was later revealed to have quit as Dean of Medicine, with Omar Epps’ Eric Foreman taking on the duties for the final season.

James Garner (Maverick)

For three seasons, James Garner portrayed Maverick's title character Bret Maverick, but the 1960 writers' strike helped bring that run to a sudden close. When Warner Bros. attempted to lay Garner off due to a lack of scripts, he fought back and successfully sued the studio for breach of contract. According to the actor, he personally turned down an offer to return with a raise, saying, “I want out,” and though Bret appeared in an airing-delayed Season 4 ep which was filmed far earlier, Garner did not return, with fill-in stars Roger Moore and Robert Colbert added later.

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl took a temporary leave from Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 to shoot a movie and spend time with her adopted daughter, which sparked her to request to be released from her contract 18 months early. Disputes have raged on over how her sudden exit was handled, considering Izzy never experienced an official “farewell” scene. Alex Karev’s final ep specifically noted that he and Izzy were back together and raising twins in Kansas. While Heigl notably reunited with former co-stars at the Emmys, giving fans hope that Izzy could return, she has yet to justify those hopes.

Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs)

Nine months after The Goldbergs co-star George Segal died at 87, lead actor Jeff Garlin vacated the show following multiple HR investigations into allegations of misconduct. The departure was said to be a mutual agreement between the actor and the producers and network, and because it happened in the middle of filming Season 9, the producers used CGI, physical stand-ins, and archival audio to make it appear as if Murray was still around. The writers ditched that idea going into Season 10, though, and revealed Murray's off-camera death.

Freema Agyeman (New Amsterdam)

Freema Agyeman portrayed New Amsterdam's oncology chief Dr. Helen Sharpe for four seasons, and while many expected her back for the fifth and final season, the actress shockingly announced her exit amid the summer hiatus, cheekily pleading for fans to continue Sharpe’s story via fan-fiction. She went on to co-star in the series Dreamland, cementing Sharpe and Dr. Goodwin’s break-up, and though the character did appear on TV in a later Season 5 episode, it was without any overarching updates.

Hartley Sawyer (The Flash)

In 2017, actor Hartley Sawyer landed his stretchiest role yet as The Flash’s Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. Elongated Man. Three years later, in response to his comments about Black Lives Matter, social media users pulled up multiple derogatory and offensive tweets the actor posted between the years of 2009-2014. He publicly apologized for the posts, but a week after waves were made, Warner Bros. TV and The CW fired Sawyer from The Flash, which used an uncredited body double for Season 7’s “Mother” to write Ralph out alongside Sue Dearbon.

Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends)

Jill Marie Jones crushed it as Girlfriends’ ego-driven Toni Childs for six seasons but was the only main cast holdout who exited the dramedy ahead of Season 7 over her contract expiring. Jones' exit was explained through Toni moving to New York City at the end of Season 6, but Jones spoke openly in 2007 about feeling that Toni’s story wasn’t over and that she'd be willing to return if the writers put something together. Alas, the show was canceled in 2008 before that could happen.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Lori Loughlin returned to her Full House role of Rebecca for the Netflix continuation series Fuller House, but her appearances ceased in Season 4 after she was fired by Netflix over her and her husband Mossimo Giannulli’s actions regarding the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. Though the actress was later able to reprise her When Calls the Heart character, Aunt Becky didn't return at all for Season 5.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

Alongside Robin Wright, Kevin Spacey made streaming TV normal with Netflix’s House of Cards. In the weeks ahead of Season 6's production, Spacey faced widely publicized accusations from actor Anthony Rapp, was subsequently fired by Netflix and was removed from executive producer duties. His character Frank Underwood was revealed to have been poisoned and died ahead of the Season 6 premiere.

Leanna Creel (Saved By The Bell)

Leanna Creel’s Tori Scott remains one of pop culture's biggest curiosities, having slid into NBC’s Saved by the Bell for its final season during a run of episodes lacking Tiffani Thiessen’s Kelly and Elizabeth Berkley’s Jessie. The leather-clad character shook things up for Zack & Co. for just ten episodes, and was never heard from again.

Wayne Rogers (MASH)

Three years after joining CBS' MASH, actor Wayne Rogers grew discouraged by his character Trapper John not reaching his expectations, and unexpectedly opted to quit the hit series ahead of its fourth season. But while fellow exiting co-star McLean Stevenson was able to be written out of the Season 3 finale, Trapper John's absence had to be explained away in the Season 4 premiere without Rogers around.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

Batwoman’s first foray into live-action saw Ruby Rose wearing Kate Kane's cape and cowl, but she left the Arrowverse series shortly after the first season ended. Reports noted she was fired over on-set behavior, with Rose claiming the show’s taxing nature led her to suffer back surgery following an alleged on-set accident. Replaced as a lead by Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder, Kate later returned in a different physical form without Rose’s involvement.

Kate Jackson (Charlie's Angels)

O.G. Charlie’s Angels star Kate Jackson won viewers’ hearts for three years as Sabrina Duncan, which is when she followed former co-star Farrah Fawcett out the door. Jackson spoke warily of the writers’ scripts, and after being denied the opportunity to join Kramer vs. Kramer due to scheduling, she intentionally caused an on-set mess that led to her dismissal ahead of Season 4. Replaced by Shelley Hack’s Tiffany Wells, Sabrina was revealed to have left the agency to become a mother.

Jon Seda (Chicago P.D.)

Jon Seda’s Antonio Dawson jumped from Chicago Fire to P.D. to Justice and back again for seven years. Surprisingly, NBC and Wolf Entertainment chose not to renew Seda’s contract ahead of Chicago P.D.'s seventh season, and he was let go. Later episodes revealed the character fell back into pill addiction following the prior finale's cliffhanger, and he was checked into rehab, eventually moving to Puerto Rico after resigning from the force.

Selma Blair (Anger Management)

Charlie Sheen followed Two and a Half Men with the comedy Anger Management, co-starring Selma Blair for part of its run as his colleague and fling interest Dr. Kate Wales. Conflict between Blair and Sheen bled into the tabloids, and a reported ultimatum from Sheen led producers to fire Blair, with her character suddenly being explained away as having moved to India.

I woke up this morning to news that Hulu had canceled This Fool, a comedy vehicle starring Chris Estrada that made it for two seasons on the streaming service. The news comes just shortly after I learned some other Hulu favorites The Great and How I Met Your Father had also been canceled at the streamer after three and two seasons respectively. Unless you’re The Handmaid’s tale, your shelf life at Hulu seems to be rather short. Which is why I’m going to need people to jump on Death and Other Details immediately.

Death and other Details is a classic locked room mystery set on a luxurious ship and filled with complex and morally uninhibited characters. If you liked Knives Out, it’s giving major Knives Out vibes. Mandy Patinkin’s the detective in this equation and he’s a person who sees things that others do not, very much in the vein of Hercule Poirot, but an oft-drunk Hercule Poirot. Frequent Mike Flanagan collaborator Rahul Kohli and The Flash’s Violett Beane are also involved, as well as one of my favorite character actors of all time Jere Burns, whom Justified fans will know as Wynn Duffy. He’s delightful here, too. 

Hulu’s dabbled in the murder mystery genre before. Its collaboration with FX for A Murder At The End Of The World was set up to really be a miniseries, but there’s potential for Death and Other Details to do so much more. I desperately want it to get that chance. 

We so very rarely get American whodunnits of this pacing. Instead, crime dramas are more of the procedural type, both on network television and in the streaming realm -- unless you subscribe to BritBox. As much as I honestly love Jack Reacher threatening to "throw" a baddie off of a helicopter, what's great about Death and Other Details is it's a traditional detective story, with a bunch of twists and red herrings. I also love a setting where the rich people are simply pawns in a murderer's game and where the lush decor and ambiance has dangerous and destructive undertones. 

Marc Webb even filmed the pilot. What's not to love? OK sure, there are a few things not to love. The plot is a little too over-the-top. Sometimes it's maybe a little too stylish for its own good, but there is a lot of good writing and real potential here for more mysteries with the lead detective.

We've been waiting as some splashy streaming staples like Stranger Things Season 5 and Bridgerton Season 3 have been coming together post strike. Meanwhile, there have actually been quite a few heavily pushed streaming shows filling up my plate lately. There was Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the sometimes spot-on and sometimes too fanciful romp with Maya Erskine and Donald Glover. Reacher pumped out a new season that had more radical one-liners than the first. Traitors Season 2 has been appointment TV. Unlike these other projects on other streaming services, however, Hulu seemingly very quietly pushed out Death and Other Details. This, understandably, makes me a little worried. 

The show is only several weeks into its 10-episode run, with new episodes dropping on Tuesdays for those with a Hulu subscription. It will have officially wrapped in early March, after which Hulu will make a renewal decision, though creators Mike Weiss and Heidi Cole McAdams told Town and Country they had some "top secret hopes and dreams" about where the show could go next. 

That is if Disney and Hulu opt to support a fun and exciting new series for Season 2. I'd love to see it. If you haven't yet, give it a chance.

For eight seasons and nearly 100 episodes, Showtime's Homeland was one of the most acclaimed and politically suave shows on television, especially during its first two seasons. Starring Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Morena Baccarin, and Mandy Patinkin, the multiple Emmy-winning drama series was celebrated for its tense plotting, urgent storytelling, strong characterizations, and some of the most shocking moments in television history 

Now that the show has been off the air for nearly a half-decade, it’s worth taking a look at the Homeland cast to see what everyone has been up to since. Let’s take a look at all the major players…

Claire Danes (Carrie Mathison)

As Carrie Mathison, a CIA case officer assigned to the Counterterrorism Center, Claire Danes gave a two-time Emmy-winning performance as the protagonist of Showtime’s Homeland. The actress best remembered for roles in classic ‘90s movies like Romeo + Juliet, The Rainmaker, and Little Women, has remained quite busy in the years since the Showtime series’ finale. Though Danes hasn’t made any film appearances since 2018’s A Kid Like Jake, she has gone back to her small-screen roots with a trio of limited series in recent years, including The Essex Serpent, Fleishman Is in Trouble, and Full Circle.

Mandy Patinkin (Saul Berenson)

In the role of Saul Berenson, Carrie’s mentor, Mandy Patinkin had a long-standing part on Homeland, receiving four Emmy nominations. Prior to joining the series, he played Jason Gideon on NBC's Criminal Minds, Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in CBS's Chicago Hope, for which he was also Emmy-nominated, and most famously, Inigo Montoya in the beloved ‘80s movie, The Princess Bride. In the years since the Homeland finale, Patinkin has landed roles on TV shows like The Good Fight, Benjamin Franklin, where he played the titular American icon, and Death and Other Details. He also appeared in the 2023 animated film The Magician’s Elephant.

Damian Lewis (Nicholas Brody)

Playing the part of Nicholas Brody, a retired U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant who is rescued after being a POW for eight years, Damian Lewis won an Emmy for his career-defining performance in Homeland. Since his character’s shocking death during the Season 3 finale, the Band of Brothers star has remained busy with various small-screen and big-screen projects. 

Lewis’ most notable TV series in the past decade has undoubtedly been Billions, which completed its decorated run on Showtime in 2023, but he has also popped up on Wolf Hall and A Spy Among Friends. The actor also famously played Steve McQueen in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood back in 2019.

Rupert Friend (Peter Quinn)

As Peter Quinn, a CIA operative and assassin, Rupert Friend became a prominent Homeland character starting in Season 2, also receiving an Emmy nomination. Additionally, Friend starred in the Disney+ original series, Obi-Wan Kenobi as The Grand Inquisitor after also appearing on shows like Strange Angel, Dream Corp, LLC, and High Desert on Apple TV+.

Friend’s film work has really taken off in the past seven years, and the actor has given great performances in various Wes Anderson films, The Death of Stalin, and At Eternity’s Gate. He most recently appeared in the 2024 satirical comedy, The American Society of Magical Negroes. 

Maury Sterling (Max Piotrowski)

In the role of Max Piotrowski, a freelance surveillance expert who often works with Carrie, Maury Sterling was a resourceful character. Since the show’s conclusion, Sterling has continued to be a working hand in TV, appearing on shows like The Rookie and NCIS: Hawaii.

F. Murray Abraham (Dar Adal)

Playing the part of Dar Adal, a black ops specialist, F. Murray Abraham gave a two-time Emmy-nominated performance in Homeland. After leaving the series back in 2018, Abraham didn’t waste any time getting back on screen, as he appeared on shows like The Orville, Moon Knight, The White Lotus, and most recently, The White House Plumbers.

Abraham, who famously won an Oscar for his portrayal of Antonio Salieri in Amadeus, has remained a driving force on the big screen as well, appearing in movies like Lady and the Tramp, The Magic Flute, and the upcoming Mother, Couch.

Morena Baccarin (Jessica Brody)

As Jessica Brody, Brody’s strained wife, Morena Baccarin appeared in the first three seasons of Homeland, receiving an Emmy nomination. The actress is known for her role as Inara Serra in Fox’s Firefly and the spinoff film, Serenity. After leaving the show back in 2013, Baccarin popped up on series like The Flash, Gotham, The Twilight Zone, and most recently, The Endgame.

In recent years, Baccarin has also become a major part of the Deadpool franchise and is set to once again play Vanessa Carlyle in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine film set for a July 2024 release.

David Harewood (David Estes)

In the role of David Estes, Carrie’s boss and the director of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center, David Harewood appeared in the first two seasons of Homeland. In more recent years, Harewood has landed pivotal roles on shows like Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and numerous others.

If you are a fan of the critically acclaimed 2023 video game, Alan Wake 2, then you should definitely recognize Harewood from his portrayal of Warlin Door, a performance that showed off his singing and dancing skills. 

Diego Klattenhoff (Mike Faber)

Playing the part of Mike Faber, Brody’s best friend who begins a relationship with Jessica when they think Brody's dead, Diego Klattenhoff can be seen in the first three seasons of Showtime’s Homeland. After his short run ended, Klattenhoff played Donald Ressler on The Blacklist, and was a part of the series for all 218 episodes. 

Klattenhoff, who played Shane Oman in the original Mean Girls, has continued to appear in films like Pacific Rim and Radius since his departure.

Jackson Pace (Chris Brody)

As Chris Brody, Jackson Pace was a main character in the first three seasons of Homeland. Since then, the actor had recurring roles as Gage in AMC’s The Walking Dead, Luke in Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, and in the Apple TV+ original, The Right Stuff. Most recently, Pace had a recurring role on 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Morgan Saylor (Dana Brody)

In the role of Dana Brody, Morgan Saylor was also a main character in the first three seasons of Homeland. In more recent years, Saylor has shown up in movies like Blow the Man Down, You Mean Everything to Me, and Spoonful of Sugar.

Elizabeth Marvel (President Elizabeth Keane)

As President Elizabeth Keane, a New York junior senator who’s elected into the Oval Office, Elizabeth Marvel joined the main cast in Season 6. Since her time on the show ended back in 2018, Marvel has appeared on shows like Manifest, The Dropout, and Love & Death. She is also set to appear in the upcoming Presumed Innocent adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

Marvel’s more recent film appearances include movies like Dark Waters, News of the World, and The Color Purple.

If you want to go back and revisit Homeland from the very beginning and remember why these characters (and the actors who played them) are so beloved, you can do just that with a Hulu subscription, where the series is streaming in full.

Stream Homeland on Hulu.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Social media is a concept that seems to both split the crowd, while also uniting people together for the right cause. The latter half of the spectrum is what happened when a fan of The Princess Bride recorded a video for Mandy Patinkin, seeking to confirm a story she’d heard about the film. What resulted was a beautiful moment where Patinkin connected with this fan, and bonded over the loss of both of their fathers.

User Amanda Webb filmed a short TikTok asking about the legendary standoff between Mandy Patinkin’s Inigo Montoya and his archnemesis, Count Rugen (Christopher Guest). In particular, she was wondering if the story behind Patinkin’s personal motivation in that scene was true, as his performance has been noted as inspired by the death of his own father. Answering her question, the legendary actor confirmed this to be true, through a very beautiful response:

Losing his own father to cancer, Mandy Patinkin’s connection with his Princess Bride fan was all the stronger, as Amanda Webb had encountered the same sort of loss earlier this year. Ms. Webb’s father loved the movie as much as she did, which prompted the entire exchange you saw above. Ending with a request to know the name of Ms. Webb’s father, so he could include him in his prayers, Patinkin proved how the legacy of Rob Reiner’s 1987 adaptation of author William Goldman’s epic book is still something that resonates with audiences to this day.

This emotional moment also confirmed that one of The Princess Bride’s best scenes did see Mandy Patinkin drawing from his own experience in loss. Having him tell the story in the video above only makes that final standoff with Count Rugen even more powerful. You can truly hear Patinkin, through the character of Inigo Montoya, grieving in his ultimate act of vengeance; as you’ll experience in reliving that scene below.

Most audiences know The Princess Bride as a farcical comedy with a beautiful romantic streak, and that’s absolutely valid. However, through Mandy Patinkin’s work as Inigo Montoya, a subplot about dealing with loss shines just as brightly as the story of true love. And thanks to the actor’s own strength to tap into personal loss, it only makes the happier parts of the tale that much sweeter.

Should you wish to watch The Princess Bride, and maybe having a bit of a cry and/or a laugh for yourself, it’s currently available to stream on Disney+. Non-subscribers can check out the Disney Bundle, which rounds up that platform, Hulu, and ESPN+, into one convenient subscription package. Either way, it's probably a good idea to have some extra tissues on hand.

After fifteen seasons, Criminal Minds had its final curtain call on February 19, 2020. The two-hour series finale saw the cast of the hit CBS investigative procedural without an acronym in its title give their bittersweet goodbyes to a show rooted in bleakness.

The cast of Season 15, despite a few regulars who stayed until the end, does not feature the same line-up as its earlier years, when led by Mandy Patinkin and also starring Shemar Moore. However, fans of Criminals Minds welcomed those who joined late, such as Joe Mantegna and Paget Brewster, with open arms as if they were there from the beginning.

Now that the series has reached its end, the central cast is still far from finished with their careers outside of analyzing criminal behavior. So, what is next for the cast of Criminals Minds?

Joe Mantegna (David Rossi)

In 2007, Joe Mantegna joined the cast of Criminals Minds as David Rossi. The veteran FBI agent returns to the Behavioral Analysis Unit after a 10-year retirement, bringing a different kind of investigative style and more gruff persona to the team than Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) after his departure, and considers retirement in the series finale, only to go back on that claim by the end of the episode.

The 72-year-old actor was actually known for playing several criminals in movies and TV, such as Joey Zasa in The Godfather Part III and Fat Tony on The Simpsons, before playing a guy who catches them in his most popular role to date. There is not much known to be on the horizon for Joe Mantegna in the world of acting at the moment, but he is active on Twitter and Instagram and recently made an appearance on SiriusXM’s Beatles discussion show, “Fab Fourum.” If his emotional message to the fans of Criminal Minds following the series filming wrap-up is any indication, not only will his character be missed, but he will miss playing him.

Matthew Gray Gubler (Dr. Spencer Reid)

Matthew Gray Gubler is the only actor to appear in all 323 episodes of Criminal Minds as Dr. Spencer Reid, who just may be the heart of the show. The highly intelligent supervisory special agent is one of the youngest members of the BAU and also one of its most tortured souls, having suffered from his own issues with mental health, grieving his murdered girlfriend, and even battling substance abuse following his abduction by a man who injected him with drugs that he developed an addiction to for a time.

Fortunately, the series finale gave Spencer Reid a more positive resolution and Matthew Gray Gubler a proper send-off before moving onto his next prospect, which includes starring alongside his on Criminal Minds character’s onscreen adversary Aubrey Plaza in the upcoming comedy King Knight, about a modern-day priest confronting his “prepster” past. The 39-year-old actor, additionally known for voicing Simon in the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks films, can also be seen in the recent Netflix drama Horse Girl opposite Alison Brie.

A.J. Cook (Jennifer "JJ" Jareau)

Jennifer Jareau, or “JJ” to friends and family, was inspired to join the FBI by her future colleague David Rossi. As played by Canadian actress A.J. Cook on Criminal Minds since the beginning, JJ has seen quite the journey from the BAU’s media liaison to becoming a field agent, then leaving the team temporarily in Season 6 before returning the following year.

A.J. Cook nailed the often traumatic life of JJ because her filmography is not short on dark subject matter, from starring in a Goosebumps episodes as a teen, leading the second installment of the Final Destination franchise in 2003, and most recently playing a prescription drug addict in the 2019 indie Back Fork, co-starring and directed by her Criminal Minds onscreen husband Josh Stewart.

In terms of what she has coming up, from what Cook told Parade, it sounds like she's hoping to unplug for a bit and spend time with her family, though acting and directing remain her passion so we likely haven't seen the last of her. Rest assured, her time on the popular crime drama will remain her shining moment for years to come.

Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia)

The quirky fashion sense, flirtatious personality, and overall irresistibly fun presence of Penelope Garcia is unusual for a crime procedural series, which is why the fan favorite is such a stand-out on Criminal Minds. The hacker turned Technical Analyst for the BAU, and eventually its Media Liaison Officer following Jennifer Jareau’s field agent promotion, was portrayed for 321 episodes by Kirsten Vangsness, also the series finale’s co-writer.

In addition to her political activism on social media, Kirsten Vangsness is putting her creative focus post-Criminal Minds into several new and vastly different endeavors, including an autobiographical one-woman stage show largely inspired by the music of Duran Duran called Making It Up and taking her animated short film Curtains to film festivals around the globe. Vangsness is also a businesswoman as part-owner of the Blinking Owl Distillery in Santa Ana, California.

Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis)

Aisha Tyler wears a lot of hats in her career. The comedian first appeared in Season 11 of Criminal Minds as recurring character forensic psychologist Dr. Tara Lewis before becoming a series regular the following year. At the same time, she was already voicing Lana Kane on FX’s animated espionage comedy Archer, hosting both The CW’s revival of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and a regular panelist on CBS’s answer to The View, The Talk.

Now, having left The Talk after six years in 2017 and her stint on Criminal Minds crossed off of her list, Aisha Tyler can focus on the upcoming 11th season of Archer, appearing in films like the upcoming comedies Friendsgiving and Bad Therapy, and prolonging her directorial career with her long-awaited project Vigilante. Whether or not she will continue hosting duties and playing improvisational comedy games on Whose Line Is It Anyway? is unclear, but we would not hold anything against the busy 49-year-old for taking things one step at a time.

Daniel Henney (Matt Simmons)

Supervisory special agent Matthew Simmons was first introduced on Criminal Minds in a Season 10 crossover episode setting up the series’ international spin-off Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. When that show was cancelled after two seasons, Simmons, played by Daniel Henney, joined the BAU in Quantico as the muscle, which his military background helps achieve.

In addition to starring on Criminal Minds, Daniel Henney, a Michigan-born actor of Korean descent who got his start in modeling, also reprised his Big Hero 6 role of Tadaschi in the Oscar-winning animated film’s series spin-off. He is currently in the Czech Republic filming his next project, an Amazon Prime original show called The Wheel of Time, inspired by the series of novels by Robert Jordan.

Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez)

Luke Alvez, played by hispanic actor Adam Rodriguez, was introduced into the world of Criminal Minds as an FBI task force agent assigned to help the BAU apprehend a slew of serial killers following a prison escape. After one of those criminals tortured his partner Phil, Alvez was hired by the BAU to track down the man responsible, and stuck with them as a profiler ever since.

In addition to his four-year stint on Criminal Minds, Adam Rodriguez has been played recurring characters on shows like Empire and Jane the Virgin, had a small role in his co-star Aisha Tyler’s directorial debut, Axis, played Tito in both Magic Mike movies, and was a series regular on fellow CBS hit procedural CSI: Miami for 10 years. The 44-year-old actor will star in Showtime’s sequel series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, not a a cop this time, but instead a passionate union leader in 1938 Los Angeles.

Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss)

No character in Criminal Minds has seen their roles change more than Emily Prentiss, played by Paget Brewster. The former Interpol member joined the BAU in 2006 before leaving to return to Interpol as chief of the London office, only to come back to BAU and get promoted to unit chief after the resignation of Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson).

During Emily Prentiss’ time in Europe, Paget Brewster was actually starring as Frankie Dart on the final season of Community, but managed to prolong her reputation as an accomplished voice actress while still filming Criminal Minds in such projects as American Dad!, Bojack Horseman, and DisneyXD’s revival of DuckTales. She will soon be lending her voice to the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law spin-off as the title character of Birdgirl, and will appear as a live-action character in Ryan Murphy’s mini-series about aspiring actors, Hollywood, which is slated to drop on Netflix in May 2020.

Mandy Patinkin (Jason Gideon)

Before becoming the initial star of Criminal Minds in the series premiere season, Mandy Patinkin first gained notoriety from speaking the famous “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die,” in the 1987 classic The Princess Bride. He abruptly left Criminal Minds after just two seasons, citing the subject matter to be “destructive to my soul and personality,” and his character, BAU Senior Agent Jason Gideon, was written off as having suffered emotional issues following the murder of his girlfriend, prompting his retirement. He was later revealed to have been murdered by an old adversary in a Season 10 episode.

Mandy Patinkin would make a triumphant return to television in 2011 as mentor to bi-polar CIA operative Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) on the highly acclaimed Showtime thriller Homeland, which is currently in its final season. In an interview with NPR in November 2019, Patinkin said that once the show is over, he would like to keep his calendar open to see what sort of new project he “bumps into,” whether it be another crowd-pleasing adventure film, another Tony-winning turn on Broadway or a new album of songs. You never know what this man of many talents will have up his sleeve next.

Your favorite Criminal Minds characters may not be fighting crime together anymore, but there is still plenty more in store from their acting counterparts in the world of entertainment. For more news and updates on the careers of the crime series’ former stars, be sure to check back here on CinemaBlend.

CBS’ Criminal Minds had an incredible run. A little over 320 episodes have aired since it debuted in 2005 and it has even been given a couple of spinoffs, though neither were particularly popular or lasted super long. The original show wrapped after fifteen seasons, and soon, a new spinoff series will premiere on Paramount+ called Criminal Minds: Evolution, continuing the story. But until that comes out, let’s talk about how the cast has changed over the years. 

As would be expected for a long-running drama, over the show’s run a lot of the Criminal Minds cast members have come and gone and come again, some under some pretty sketchy circumstances. So which actors have left Criminal Minds (and which have returned) and why did they do it? And, just who might be coming back to the spinoff?  

Why Mandy Patinkin Left Criminal Minds

Mandy Patinkin was the original star of the show. Patinkin played Senior Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon, the head of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). Mandy Patinkin left the show after two seasons over “creative differences.” It would be years before he finally explained his departure. In an interview with Deadline, Patinkin explained that he didn’t feel comfortable with a lot of the subject matter covered on the show and decided it wasn’t something he wanted to be a part of.

His character Jason Gideon’s departure was equally perplexing, as Mandy Patinkin seemed to have caught the producers by surprise. Ultimately, Gideon was written out quickly, resigning after a particularly difficult case. Eight seasons later, the character was killed (off screen) by a serial killer being pursued by the BAU team.

Why Shemar Moore Left Criminal Minds

Shemar Moore’s character Derek Morgan is among the most popular characters over the show’s run. A star for over 10 seasons on the show, he's returned to Criminal Minds in a guest-starring capacity. However, when he left for good, according to what the character said at the time, it was to spend more time with his wife and baby, though it was announced soon after that Moore would be starring in a new CBS show, S.W.A.T.

Shemar Moore's sendoff was more emotional than many of the other actors, as he was one of the few who left the show on very good terms with both the show’s producers and CBS. On the procedural, Derek Morgan left the BAU for the same reason Moore left the show, to care for his family.

Why Thomas Gibson Left Criminal Minds

Thomas Gibson’s exit from Criminal Minds was by far the most controversial. Gibson, who played Unit Chief Senior Special Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner, was fired from the show after an on-set fight with a producer that allegedly got physical during the filming of Season 12 in 2016. The show was only two episodes into the season when the confrontation occurred and Gibson was fired the day after the reported fight.

Gibson's character was written out quickly, as Hotch was placed in Witness Protection to protect his son from a serial killer. 

Why A.J. Cook Left Criminal Minds

A.J. Cook is one of the original stars of Criminal Minds cast, with her character, JJ, going all the way back to the beginning. However, her run as a cast member has not been without its ups and downs. After Season 5, it was announced that Cook did not have her contract renewed in what was reported to be a cost-cutting move by the show’s producer. She did appear in a handful of episodes in Season 6 to wrap up their storylines and was then gone. Just not for long.

The passionate fans of the show were outraged and eventually the show relented and brought her back before the start of Season 7. A.J. Cook was a cast member on Criminal Minds until the show’s end, and will be reprising her role on Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Why Paget Brewster Left Criminal Minds

Like A.J. Cook, Paget Brewster’s run on the show has been filled with ups and downs. Brewster’s character, Emily Prentiss, first appeared in the middle of Season 2 after Elle Greenaway, played by Lola Glaudini, left the BAU when Glaudini left the show.

Brewster would go on to star as a full-time Criminal Minds cast member through part of Season 7, when she left the show to pursue other opportunities. She continued to appear as a guest star a few times after that, though. Then, at the end of Season 11, she returned for Shemar Moore’s final episode, returning for good for Season 12. Paget Brewster was a regular on the show since her return, and will be continuing her role in Criminal Minds: Evolution. 

Why Jeanne Tripplehorn Left Criminal Minds

Jeanne Tripplehorn burst onto the Hollywood scene in the early nineties when she starred in a number of box office hits (and one infamous bomb). She played Michael Douglas’ wife in Basic Instinct, then went on to play Tom Cruise’s wife in The Firm. The only flick to mess that run up was when she starred as Kevin Costner’s love interest, of sorts, in the notorious Waterworld.

She joined the cast of Criminal Minds in Season 8 as Dr. Alex Blake. Her run with the show was fairly short, leaving after just two seasons when contract negotiations fell apart. Her character's exit came after she decided working in BAU reminded her too much of her deceased son and she left.

Why Jennifer Love Hewitt Left Criminal Minds

It’s easy to forget that Jennifer Love Hewitt starred on Criminal Minds for two seasons as Kate Callahan. Her character’s arc ended dramatically when a pregnant Callahan faced every mother’s nightmare. Her niece, whom she had adopted after the death of her sister and brother-in-law in the September 11th attacks, was kidnapped and then rescued. Kate Callahan decided she needed to take some time away to care for her adopted daughter and soon-to-be-born baby.

Like her character, Jennifer Love Hewitt left the show at the same time for maternity reasons. Like the character, Hewitt was pregnant with her second child and it was announced before Season 11 that she would be leaving the show to care for her growing family.

Why Rachel Nichols Left Criminal Minds

Rachel Nichols joined the show first as a guest star in a three-episode arc that eventually morphed into her getting signed on as a full cast member. She joined as Ashley Seaver, an up-and-coming FBI trainee, but that gig was controversial at first, with fans angry that she was seemingly replacing the two popular characters played by Cook and Brewster. Ultimately, she didn’t last very long. She was let go after just one season when the other actors returned.

Why Damon Gupton Left Criminal Minds

Blink and you might have missed Damon Gupton’s very brief run on the show during Season 12 as Special Agent Stephen Walker. Gupton departed the show as fast as he joined when the network decided not to renew his contract in the wake of a number of cast maneuvers before Season 13.

Why Lola Glaudini Left Criminal Minds

Lola Glaudini starred as Elle Greenaway in the first season of Criminal Minds. This was not Glaudini's first time playing an FBI agent, as she also starred on The Sopranos as Deborah Ciccerone-Waldrup, a Federal Agent going after Tony Soprano.

Elle Greenaway had a violent end to her run with the BAU, both being shot and shooting suspects in her final episode. Lola Glaudini's personal reason for leaving the Criminal Minds cast was not nearly as dramatic. She reportedly wasn't happy living in L.A., where the show was shot, and wanted to return to her home on the East Coast.

Who Is Going To Be Back For Criminal Minds: Evolution?

Unsurprisingly, many of the actors from this list who left the show already are not going to be back for Criminal Minds: Evolution, but we have already confirmed two above – A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster. Of the main cast members who were still on the show when Criminal Minds came to an end in Season 15, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi, Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Tara Lewis, and Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez are all set to come back for the reboot on Paramount+, according to Deadline. 

However, two important characters from the line-up haven’t been confirmed to come back, and those are Spencer Reid and Matthew Simmons, played by Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney. 

Neither have given confirmation as to why they aren’t returning, but one theory for Henney is that it’s most likely because of a schedule conflict, since he has to also devote his time to the Amazon Prime original series, The Wheel of Time, and its demanding filming schedule. 

Even so, the showrunner of Criminal Minds: Evolution, Erica Messer spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the possibility that some people might return that haven’t been confirmed yet, where she specifically mentioned their desks and how they will still have stuff: 

Whether that means they’ll be back or not is up in the air, but it’s something to keep in mind as we wait for Criminal Minds: Evolution to premiere.

So there it is. The topsy-turvy world that is the Criminal Minds cast. It's been a wild ride for the fans of the show and for the actors that have helped make the drama the huge success it is, and now, it’s going to be even crazier once Criminal Minds: Evolution debuts.

After what will have been a decade and a half on television, Criminal Minds will come to an end. As fans count down the days until the series' conclusion, let's take a look back at the past cast members who helped make it as successful as it's been over the years, and what they've been up to since leaving the program.

Mandy Patinkin - Jason Gideon

Mandy Patinkin's Jason Gideon was the one to kick it all off, as Jason Gideon served as Criminal Minds' Senior Supervisory Special Agent for 3 seasons. Unfortunately, Gideon eventually became disillusioned by the consequences of his and the team's failures, and Dr. Reid arrived at his cabin to find his badge and a note that he was off to find happy endings again. Gideon was later killed off in a Season 10 storyline off-camera.

In real life, Mandy Patinkin's exit wasn't fully explained until years later when the actor referred to Criminal Minds as the "biggest public mistake he ever made." Patinkin was disgusted with the amount of rape and murder showcased on the program and told New York Magazine (via Deadline) it was "destructive to his soul and personality." Patinkin offered no judgment towards those who enjoy the show but did question if it was something folks should be watching before bed.

Mandy Patinkin kept busy after his exit from Criminal Minds in many roles, and his longest television stint by far has been as Saul Berenson on Homeland. That ride is coming to an end after Season 8 and is scheduled to air Summer 2019. Patinkin doesn't have a ton on the horizon following that, but a new film he's in called Before You Know It is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27.

Lola Glaudini - Elle Greenaway

Elle Greenway had a rougher run than some members of the B.A.U. as she was attacked by a criminal the team was investigating. The emotionally scarring incident was the start of what evolved into a mental breakdown in which Greenaway shot and killed a serial rapist unprovoked. She escaped the incident without charges but resigned from the B.A.U. in Season 2 just as Hotch was planning to fire her.

Lola Glaudini's short run on Criminal Minds turned into quite a run on film and television, with her playing a part in quite a few high profile shows. Audiences can spot her as Anita Novak on Showtime's Ray Donovan, or possibly as Polly Hinton in a future episode of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Glaudini is also in the Minka Kelly film She's In Portland, which is due out in 2019.

Thomas Gibson - Aaron Hotchner

Supervisory Special Agent and B.A.U. Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner was with the show from the start and experienced some crazy things. This included the collapse of his marriage and murder of his ex-wife, but Hotchner persevered and kept his cool to bring down bad guys. Hotchner's ride came to an abrupt end as the character went into witness protection in Season 12 to protect his son. Hotchner ultimately left the B.A.U. to become a full-time father.

While it was an incredibly rushed exit for such a beloved Criminal Minds character, it was also inevitable as actor Thomas Gibson was fired following a physical altercation with a writer on the show's set. Fans have asked for a "Hotch" return since then, but responses from showrunner Erica Messer on whether or not that will happen even in light of the show's cancellation have been non-committal.

Thomas Gibson's once-thriving Hollywood career has somewhat stalled since his Criminal Minds removal, with one on-screen performance happening in Aisha Tyler's film Axis. Gibson's also involved in a television project called Shadow Wolves, which has a two-part pilot that's been circulating Hollywood for some time now. It hasn't been picked up yet, so fans of Gibson will need to wait and see if another project comes, or Criminal Minds decides to bring him back for the final season.

Shemar Moore - Derek Morgan

Derek Morgan was the low-key superstar of Criminal Minds, as the Northwestern Quarterback-turned-Supervisory Special Agent was the strength of the B.A.U. when the situation called for it. He would eventually step into the role of Unit Chief, albeit that run came to an end once the Boston Reaper was captured. Morgan eventually resigned from his position to care for his family, and brought his 13-season run to an end.

Criminal Minds viewers probably already know where to find Shemar Moore, as the actor's exit led to his run in CBS' S.W.A.T. Fans can catch him there, or if they're the type who appreciates animated superhero adventures, can hear Moore's voice in the animated feature Reign of the Supermen, which is out Tuesday, January 29.

Rachel Nichols - Ashley Seaver

FBI cadet Ashley Seaver was one of Criminal Minds' more interesting additions to the team as she grew up with a father later discovered to be a horrific serial killer. It was an interesting plot, but one that didn't run that long. Seaver was in and out of the CBS procedural in Season 6. Seaver was permanently out of the team in Season 7 and was said to have transferred to a domestic trafficking task force.

Rachel Nichols' run on Criminal Minds was short, but her career since then has been long. More recently, Nichols was seen on the DC Universe series Titans as Angela Roth, and has had recurring and guest spot roles on shows like The Librarians and Taken. Nichols is currently involved in a film called The Adventures of Buddy Thunder that's in pre-production, and audiences should expect to see her appear in more shows if 2019 is like past years.

Jeanne Tripplehorn - Dr. Alex Blake

Although Dr. Alex Blake was a Linguistics expert and new addition to Criminal Minds in Season 8, she had some past history with the B.A.U. long before her rejoining. Blake ultimately sought redemption for the events that led to her early retirement, and found them but at a terrible price. Two seasons later Blake became especially rattled when Reid almost died protecting her and handed in her badge not long after.

Jeanne Tripplehorn took a break from acting after Criminal Minds, then resurfaced in 2017 with a couple roles in 2018 as well. She hasn't had much to do with television but appeared in the films We Only Know So Much and Gloria Bell in the past year. The fact Tripplehorn hasn't done television since 2014 may mean she's a question mark for a potential return, although who knows what she may or may not be up for.

Jennifer Love Hewitt - Kate Callahan

Jennifer Love Hewitt's Kate Callahan was another one-and-done addition to the B.A.U., as the true blue FBI agent was added in Season 10. Kate and her husband were the guardians of her niece, whose parents died as a result of the attacks on September 11. Kate was pregnant throughout the season, and almost got taken away by human traffickers. She was saved and decided to take time away to be with her family.

Jennifer Love Hewitt's break from acting lasted much longer than a year, and audiences haven't seen her until recently on Fox's Ryan Murphy drama 9-1-1. Hewitt's Maddie Kendall was added in Season 2 and used to fill the void left by Connie Britton, who did not return as a series regular. Of course, Hewitt's run in Hollywood was well established before her guest spot on Criminal Minds, so viewers can always check out her work from that era too.

Damon Gupton - Stephen Walker

Stephen Walker joined the B.A.U. in Season 12, and was meant to help out with the team's ongoing battle against Mr. Scratch. Despite his extensive experience in the field, Walker ended up falling prey to Mr. Scratch and died as a result of his injuries following an accident with a semi-truck.

Actor Damon Gupton has kept busy since exiting Criminal Minds and can be seen in projects such as Dirty John, or The CW superhero series Black Lightning. Audiences will see a fair bit of him on the latter series, as his character Bill Henderson has become one of the hero's closest confidants. Fans will have to settle for those shows, because it doesn't seem likely Criminal Minds will be bringing him back to life for the final season.

Criminal Minds airs on CBS Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET. To see what else is on television around that time or to see what's premiering in the days to come, visit our midseason premiere guide.

If Tom Cruise's recent Mission: Impossible 6 injury or Chris Pratt's scary fall on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 taught you anything, it's that practical sets can be wrought with danger. Back when The Princess Bride was filming, CGI wasn't a thing, and practical sets were a lot more common, which is how Mandy Patinkin and Cary Elwes ended up filming the famous sword fighting sequence, so director Rob Reiner could get close-ups of them fighting without the aid of a stunt double. Still, while the scene holds up 30 years later, it was damn hard to make, for a variety of reasons.

Rob Reiner's attention to detail and desire for a perfect sword fighting sequence definitely contributed to why the scene was so hard to get right. In a detailed profile over at Vanity Fair, the outlet says the director made both Mandy Patinkin and Cary Elwes learn the art of sword fighting so they could achieve the scene themselves. This is different than in older movies where stunt doubles took on the heavy lifting, leaving the actors to look pretty during close-ups. Regardless, making an actor learn a stunt double's craft often comes with issues.

First and foremost, the two actors initially rehearsed the duel for months before performing it in front of Rob Reiner and members of the crew. Unfortunately, they got so good that the duel was over more quickly than the director had hoped, and they were forced to go back to the drawing board. Not a huge deal, and big changes like this are often made to movies when scenes don't work. But it wasn't just changing the scene. The guys had to practice 8-10 hours a day. Mandy Patinkin and Cary Elwes had to learn to fight with both of their hands. Oh yeah, and at one point Cary Elwes actually broke his big left toe and continued fencing on it. The final scene took days and days to shoot, but Mandy Patinkin said he wouldn't have it any other way.

The end result is splendiferous, well-executed and also a whole lot of fun. There's a moment when Inigo swings from an old structure and, of course, the famed moment when the tide turns and Wesley also reveals he really can fight with both hands. If you'd like to revisit the famous scene, you can do so, below.

The Princess Bride is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, and plenty of stories are coming out related to the now-beloved film's release. If you'd like to see it on the big screen again, the movie will be returning to theaters later this month, and you can relieve the epic fight scene that was apparently so troublesome to shoot. More information on when to catch the film can be found on Fathom Events.

The Smurfs franchise is going to be rebooted, but rather than interspersing animation with live-action footage like its predecessors, it will be dedicating itself to just the former. Further details regarding the future of the film series have also been released, as Sony Pictures Animation looks to get it in shape ahead of its summer 2016 release date.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the rebooted Smurfs film will be overseen by director Kelly Asbury, while Mandy Patinkin is currently on the verge of finalizing a deal to voice Papa Smurf (replacing Jonathan Winters, who voiced the beloved character in 2011’s The Smurfs and 2013’s The Smurfs 2). Asbury is regarded as one of the most prominent and reliable animation directors in the business, having risen through the ranks of the animation world. He previously worked on the storyboards for modern classics like Toy Story and The Little Mermaid, but then he directed Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Shrek 2 for Dreamworks - both of which would ultimately be nominated for Academy Awards. He has since added to his resume by writing and directing the Elton John-inspired William Shakespeare riff Gnomeo and Juliet.

It’s little surprise that Sony Pictures Animation has decided to reboot The Smurfs franchise when comparing the box office performance of the first film to the second. Together the live-action/animation hybrids grossed a total of $910 million worldwide - but the problem is that the first Smurfs film amassed more than 60 percent of that number. The studio surely wasn't happy about the $200 million drop, and so they decided to move forward with the franchise in a different direction.

A reboot will also give Sony Animation Pictures a chance to do justice to the much loved Belgian comics that inspired the adaptation, which were created by Peyo and still have a fervent fan base. After all, 2011’s The Smurfs may have had a live-action and voice cast that included the likes of Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays Katy Perry, Fred Armisen, Alan Cumming, Anton Yelchin, and John Oliver, but that didn't stop the film from being an un-funny, clichéd mess that didn’t even come close to emanating the charm of the books.

To make matters worse, the general consensus among critics was that The Smurfs 2 was just as bad, if not worse. Not even the addition of the always impressive Brendan Gleeson to the live-action scenes and Christina Ricci as Vexy Smurf could save it from being a mess. So will a Smurfs reboot actually work? At the moment I have to admit that I’m very doubtful. Clearly the fact that the two previous films generated close to a billion dollars between them shows that there is an audience for the franchise. but Kelly Asbury’s previous films have never really impressed and his presence suggests that Sony may be looking to go in a safe direction instead of looking for a director who could bring an extra panache to the series. We’ll see if that’s the case when The Smurfs reboot hits cinemas on August 5, 2016.

Is it just us or has Homeland been beating us over the head with foreshadowing about the fate of Nicholas Brody? The show has thrown us for many a loop this year, teetering on the edge of sanity and reason for much of its thrilling third season. Sunday night’s episode “Good Night,” however (I mean, that title: c’mon!), felt like a series of suspect verbal signals to Brody's death that left all questions, no answers.

OK, seriously though: are you just fucking with us, Homeland? Played fast and loose with potential lines of doubletalk and foreshadowing surrounding Brody’s fate, it seemed all but certain that this would be the hour of his death.

But it wasn't, leaving us flummoxed. Was it all just one big red herring? Another instance of Homeland being the smartest and the dumbest show on TV? Or is it a smokescreen of different color: namely, a bigger deception? We’ve pulled some quotes from tonight’s episode (and one from last week for good measure), to suss out our suspicions the only way we know how: by over-thinking word choice to death.

“The key is to relax the goat before you cut its throat.”

Are we talking about a goat here, or Nick Brody, sacrificial lamb? Not to downplay how bad a guy Brody was-slash-maybe-is, but such an MO would allow reprieve for the murderer if it involved a little tenderness. Sort of like when the CIA got Brody clean, too, don't you think?

“I know what I’m here to do.”

Brody’s confidence in that line was quiet and contented; as if he knows death is certain. He would be one to know what a suicide mission looks like. Not to mention he's seen it first hand: Abu Nazir knew heading to America would get him killed, and it did. If Brody still believes in a greater purpose, it feels like reason enough to go through with it, regardless of his own well-being.

“I’m not going back.”

Sure, Brody was referring to the aborted mission’s fallback plan…but was he, really? Or was it more about how he's not going back to being a hero? Or to America? (Or are we reaching? Don't answer that.)

Special Ops: “We’re all moving out.” Brody: “Not me.”

Brody proved himself to be just as nervous and bumbling in this mission (i.e. the murder of the Iranian policemen) as he was prior to the suicide bombing: until the border was within his sights. Is it because he sees the mission has a future, or because he sees freedom on the other side of that line?

“I’ll see you on the other side.”

With Carrie’s last words to Brody in last week's “One Last Time,” the gift that is/was his death was ribbon-wrapped and tied with a bow. The build-him-up-to-tear-him-downness that's inherent in Brody’s turn from heroin addict to ready-and-willing agent (thanks to the totally-real ibogaine) all but sealed his fate as dead man talking, especially when you consider that the show is on a much-discussed, purposeful season-long trajectory. And let’s be real: the other side? What is this this word choice from, Touched By an Angel or Homeland? (Unless it's foreshadowing for something much darker coming in the future...oh!)

While some may argue that words are meaningless, there are also the actions of the operation’s central figures to consider. Saul, Lockhart, and Adal all spoke in vague terms about Brody and his role in the mission. At one point, Lockhart — who knows "everything" about the mission, "including Brody" — quipped that Carrie “must be one hell of a salesman to get Brody to do this.” Lockhart's silence following Carrie's reaction felt telling. Silence was also the name of Dar Adal's game, what with his insistence on waiting for the dust to settle, to see how things play out.

Not to mention the continual deceptions of Saul. While the rest of the staff in the war room was surprised, Saul told Lockhart he was informed the senator would show up. Coupled with Saul’s decision to remove himself from the room, turning the mission over to the military when it seemed all-but-certain that Brody was about to die? And his declarative, almost parroting statements back to Carrie when she revealed Brody made it across? Conclusions feel easy to draw.

And then there's this: What if Saul knows about Carrie’s pregnancy? He’s shown himself to know more than lets on numerous times: could he also know about — and be using — Carrie’s pregnancy as an inoculation against blowback from Brody? Considering Carrie feels it is just as much her mission as Saul’s — there is no way she would allow the willful murder of the father of her child and the man she loves — it would be easy for the CIA to pivot should the mission's true machinations come to light. After all, Carrie's love for Brody is already out there thanks to the hearings.

And one thing must never be forgotten: Saul's a manipulator, regularly putting work ahead of those he loves: is this just more of the same? Saul is well aware of the love and trust Carrie puts in his hands.

Brody’s death either as a pawn of Saul's or a true-blue terrorist reborn would send Carrie into an epic tailspin, with the former causing disillusionment towards the agency she has sacrificed her life for, and to question, well, everything. By no means guaranteed, it does seem like an increasingly enticing ending heading into the season finale.

After Homeland’s explosive sixth episode “Still Positive,” it may be easy to cast aside a more nuanced one like Sunday night’s “Gerontion.” And — forgive me, I’m a former English major — through its seemingly innocuous look at events following Javadi’s arrival in the United States, a definition of roles was exactingly unfurled. And in “Gerontion,” the Showtime series is doing some of its best work (no wonder it got renewed). Honestly, this might be my favorite episode of the season to date, because the drama is ALL in the words both said and unsaid.

The title of the episode, as previously mentioned, comes from the 1920 poem of the same name by T.S. Eliot, a kooky American expat with a major thing for cats. In it, an old man waxes nostalgically — and unreliably yet idealistically, proving that he is mostly all talk — on his own history, ultimately creating a cozy little world for Saul Berenson and his still-so-secretive backstory to morph into something else. Something useful for him.

After all, Saul is at the crux of his season-long career gamble thus far: he’s letting Javadi return to Iran, hopefully as a spy for the other side. Saul’s side. Because Saul and Javadi have a history, you see. But sometimes not even history can keep a house from falling down.

And history looks more and more to be the culprit: the one thing that will ultimately bite Saul in the ass. Because truth is never found in history, but rather nature and the acute existence of things. In “Gerontion,” ours is "an old man in a draughty house," and this "house" has corridors, passages, drafty holes, and issues. All rarely seen until it’s too late.

“Gerontion” (the poem)’s history is embodied in Mira Berenson. So often spoken to as a “she” by Eliot, the old man’s history is his ultimate blind spot, because he’s been too busy running around with a “cutlass,” never once taking into account alternative views. And it’s been Mira running with him all these years. Read these lines and imagine them as a description of Mira: “Think now / She gives when our attention is distracted / And what she gives, gives with such supple confusions / That the giving famishes the craving. Gives too late / What’s not believed in, or if still believed, / In memory only, reconsidered passion.” Works, right?

In Saul’s eyes, Mira is infallible, even though she’s proven time and time again to cause him grief and madness. Just like history, Mira constantly deceives and plays with Saul while he sits willingly unaware of her misdeeds. (To say nothing of her vague cover stories when she is away.) Who’s to say she hasn’t been deceiving him since their days in Iran when they were friends with Javadi?

Which brings us back to the story of Homeland as a whole. A lot of its earliest questions point to such an answer. Who’s been there from the beginning? Who was oh-so-conveniently away when everything went down at the CIA? Who just agreed to stay with a man she no clearly longer loves? Mira. To say nothing of their shared history — something that seems to be all-the-more entwined with that which is at the center of Homeland’s doings. And the incredulousness with which Javadi emphasized not once, but twice, the idea of being “beaten by a girl” also leads me to believe that a girl (Mira Berenson) will be Saul’s downfall, but not the obvious one (Carrie Mathison). Ooh doubletalk!

As for “Christ the tiger”? Well that is undoubtedly Quinn. Thoughts of his true involvement in Homeland have always been rife with speculation: he’s someone who’s been employed by Estes (to murder Brody) and Dar Adal (from the beginning, we’ve now discovered) and forced upon Saul. He’s proven to be an incredible hothead, but also able to use that as a manipulation tactic, leaving us without a proper conclusion on who or what he really is in the grand scheme of things.

So, too, is the curiosity behind the Christ tiger. “Signs are taken for wonders. ‘We would see a sign’: / The word within a word, unable to speak a word, / Swaddled with darkness. In the juvescence of the year / Came Christ the tiger.” Quinn is sick and tired of the crimes he’s committed in the name of some greater good he feels he’s yet to see. And from this realization comes a bit of seeming honesty: he admits that he isn’t sure he believes “that anything justifies the damage we do.” Is this the first time we’ve gotten a glimpse inside Quinn’s honest-to-goodness mind?

“The tiger springs in the new year. Us he devours. … I have not made this show purposelessly.” John “Paul Quinn” (not his real name): secret black ops murderer of bad guys. And also maybe a catty pariah.

Clearly, the culprit has always been at home. This is a show about home turf, home wars, and what’s happening at home — in the bigger, United States sense, and also in the smaller, more intimate character-by-character sense. So it would be logical that the biggest potential (and also metaphorical) bomb would be at home, in Mira, and Quinn, and Dar, and Carrie. This home is a drafty one.

After Sunday night’s sixth episode of Homeland titled “Still Positive,” I’m fairly positive about one thing myself: we’re watching the origin story of a future terrorist/serial murderperson, Chris Brody, and how he came to be as such. Sure — most folks out there will want to talk Carrie’s crazy-and-apparent pregnancy (more on that later), Dana’s exit from the Brody House of Modern Horrors, How Saul is having his Worst Life Ever, the capture of Javadi, or his brutal murder-rampage against own daughter-in-law and ex-wife. But really — it’s all about Chris Brody’s two minutes of screen time. Wherein the limits of our "how much sadder can Chris Brody possibly get?"-o-meter were pushed to the max. Might as well just go ahead and throw yourself into the deep end of hypothetical crazy head first, considering how hard it is to differentiate between real and mimetic device on the Showtime original.

Instead, speculation on bonkers theories is the name of the game, given the evening’s doings. Tonight's episode was bonzo and delivered more questions than answers in spades. The tagline for tonight’s episode states at the end that “Dana makes a radical decision that will change the Brody family forever.” That decision is either a.) her name change to Lazaro (which, interestingly enough, means “the one God has helped”), and/or b.) her decision to move out (just as we’re starting to like her, too! Which wasn’t always the case ). Both things that further alienate Chris Brody from his family and the rest of the world. Homeland isn't just about catching terrorists, it's about creating them!

It has been a running gag for the past two seasons, but Chris really embodied his role as the Charlie Browniest person on Homeland during the last 10 minutes of the episode. He’s always tried in his own, Jerry Gergich on Parks and Recreation way, to keep things together — encouraging idealist that he is — but it’s all in vain. None of it kept him from losing his father or, as of now, his sister.

And while his mother’s off having an affair with Mike (which, let’s be real: probably the smartest decision Jessica Brody’s ever made in her entire life), Chris is — where? Oh, we don’t know, off learning how to saw off a shotgun? We can speculate all we want here, but on screen it’s as though no one knows nor do they really care. Given the circumstances, it’s to be expected — has he had more than 3 lines this season? — but if I’ve learned anything from television, it’s that it is quite literally always the quiet ones.

And now that his would-be-dead sister and only family confidant has decided to change her name (in essence handicapping the connection between the two) and leave home, the seed has been planted. It’s only a matter of time now before Chris Brody breaks bad. It’ll start unsuspectingly at first, while he sits all alone in his house of bad juju, poor life decisions, radical extremism, and terrible family dinners. At first such mental degradation presented itself in the form of Sad Michael Cera on repeat: hunched shoulders and ho-hum sighs. Nothing more than a series of plodding, padding steps around the house while thing after thing fell down around him. If we’re not careful, Chris Brody’s going to be the one who knocks in the end.

But at least he’s got his mom, right? His totally-not-at-all survivalist, lone wolf, regretful mess of a mother will 100 percent save him from the man that he may become, right? [Insert cricket noise joke here.] Good luck fending for yourself while attempting to survive your emotionally unstable and panicky mother, littlest Brody. Would you blame him for becoming a murderer or terrorist? Because at this point I just wouldn’t be all that surprised. Chris Brody is the main ingredient in a recipe for disaster.

Nobody on this show is happy. Literally no one. They’re all miserable and those causing them the most pain are clearly the people they care about most. Not surprising considering life, etc… but still! Imagine. They’re all so driven in their own maniacal ways because they have nothing to lose because the things they’d normally be afraid of losing (siblings, lovers, husbands, wives, etc…) are the ones being the most colossal dicks of all! So, really, the possibility of residual calamity is all but guaranteed at this point. Regardless of anything, Quinn wins the night for the most obvious-yet-apt line of the night: “this is just the fucking beginning.”

Overthinker's Notes:

I Really Wish There Were Subtitles

Not all the time — just during foreign language times. I know, I know: I’m sorry I’m an American and don’t have a working knowledge of (or ability to roughly spell out and therefore throw into a free online translator) the myriad of languages in Iran. Call me ignorant if you must, but I just really like being able to understand what’s being said on the TV show I’m watching.

Saul’s Life Sucks

Poor Saul! Not only is his job being tossed over to someone else, so is his wife, it seems. Man really can’t catch a break, can he? Not that he’s faultless in any of these situations because, clearly, he also has terrible taste in friends. The company you keep, Saul — the company you keep.

Fariba

Javadi went friend to foe in the most extreme way possible. But still we’re flummoxed by Saul’s show of, well, emotion. What was up with that nose-breaking? Saul is nothing if not cool as a cucumber in pretty much any terror situation, especially when it comes to tactical moves. So why start now? Fariba must’ve been a more important asset than he let on to us audience. Also why wasn’t she in California?!

Javadi is Straight-Up Nutter Butters

Are you a terrorist who’s determined to show you’re not fucking around? Take a page out of the Javadi Terrorism Playbook and kill your ex-wife in cold blood! (Bonus points if you create a glass shiv.) He must’ve killed her as a leverage play against Saul. What did she know? Why did he need her alive?

What’s interesting about this season of Homeland is the divisiveness of its characters. Truly, the enjambment created in the gap between season two’s bombing and season three’s Javadi caper comes at the cost: the frustration on the part of the audience. Why him? Why now? What does this all mean? How did we get here? What about the bombing? It seems unlikely that the creators of this show would simply ignore all of that given its central-yet-background role in everything that’s happening. Still, as annoying as all the unknowns are at this point, it’s hardly fair to say what is or isn’t a mistake when they’ve yet to reveal all their cards.

Is Carrie Pregnant?

Oh SNAP — could there be a tiny Brody bun in Carrie’s metaphorical oven or are these false positives, indicative of something else? I tend to fall on the fence of the latter, even though actress Claire Danes did hint at some “reckless behavior” in teasers for this season. False positives, though rare, can happen when you’re — guess, just guess —on certain psychiatric drugs. Stuff for anxiety and depression, various antipsychotics and the like: all things very plausible for Ms. Mathison to have been prescribed. And while we did see her stop taking the pills in the last episode, drugs like that stay in your system for weeks after the fact. (Google chlordiazepoxide, chlorpromazine, or phenothiazine if you don’t believe me.) Which semi-leads me to…

What’s Up with Quinn?

Peter Quinn has been acting mighty strange this season. His affections towards Carries are certainly a 180 from last season. But there’s something just… different in the way he approaches her, interacts with her, talks with her, is protective over her. What’s up with that and where did the hardened, crazy Quinn from season two go off to? (Not complaining either way — just curious!) Does he love Carrie? Does he despise her? Does he respect her but also disagree with her tactics?

Senator Lockhart is a Major Asshat

But I also think he’s being used as a pawn. He is a Republican placeholder for this show, touching on the fear factor that seems to be all the rage in politics these days. And if he does end up being confirmed as the new head of the CIA, something tells us that it will all come in mighty handy for Saul and Co.

Dar Adal is Totally the Mole

I mean, c’mon. Obviously. Right? (Although with the reappearance of Maury Sterling, a.k.a. Max, my old season one theory about him being the mole is still very much on deck as option two.) Somalia, Libya, Uganda? Dar Adal’s been in some fucked up situations striking fear into the hearts of people — allegedly. Awfully good cover for someone who ultimately might want to turn the world (or at least the terrorists) against the US/CIA, don’tcha think?

On Tuesday, Showtime released a slew of new videos related to the third season of the popular drama, Homeland. The new promos came just a day after an early version of the premiere episode of Season 3 leaked online. Showtime is staying mum about the leaked episode, but the subscription cable network is still busy putting out promos to try to amp up excitement about the show's actual Season 3 premiere.

In the first promo video, we get to spend a little time seeing Carrie in action before actress Claire Danes weighs in on her character. Danes seems to have a pretty good grasp of the complicated character she is playing. Carrie’s bipolar, but she can also be focused and driven. In the new season, Danes says her character’s reluctance to become close to anyone will play a bigger role, which may have something to do with her reckless actions with Brody last season, but we’ll have to wait and see exactly what those cryptic words mean. Homeland is often a stressful drama, and Carrie’s presence certainly doesn’t lighten the mood of the show.

Showtime also published a video featuring Mandy Patinkin’s musings about Saul. Saul has more power than Carrie as the acting head of the CIA, but he never abuses that power and is always striving to work to create a better world. Patinkin is full of fervor when he talks about his character and his character’s relationship with Carrie, which plays a big role in Homeland. The video also takes a look at Saul’s ability to interrogate bad guys, and I’m guessing that has specifically been brought up because it will pop into the plot in Season 3.

Unless you are one of the people who pirated the unfinished premiere episode, it’s unlikely that you know all that much about Season 3 of Homeland. Showtime has kept a lot of the details under wraps, but the network has released an official trailer for Season 3, which is heavily emotional and features interactions between Brody and Carrie, as well as Carrie and Saul. Additionally, a slew of actors are signed on for the new episodes, including Joanna Merlin, Nazanin Boniadi, Amy Morton, Gary Wilmes, Tracy Letts, Lawrence Clayton, Pedro Pascal and Sam Underwood. You can check out more about the new guest stars in our list.

Showtime has a couple of big premieres this month, including Homeland’s third season and the official launch of Masters of Sex. The former will begin airing on Sunday, September 29 at 9 p.m. ET followed by the latter at 10 p.m. ET.

Regardless of how scornful you might feel about Zach Braff’s Kickstarter campaign for his upcoming film I Wish I Was Here, there are enough Braff fanatics out there to make the film a reality. And now that all that dust has settled and I Wish I Was Here's Kickstarter goal has been well exceeded, the film’s casting has begun.

Veteran actor Mandy Patinkin has joined the indie production, and he’ll be joined by The Book of Mormon’s Josh Gad. They’ll be joining The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons, who was added to the cast last week. That’s a lot of TV stars coming together for this flick.

Patinkin has been killing it the last couple of years in his role as Saul on Showtime’s Homeland, and will next be seen in the Philip Roth adaptation American Pastoral, which is currently filming. The Tony Award-nominated Gad has had something of a challenging year so far, which has seen the release of the Steve Jobs biopic Jobs -in which Gad played Steve Wozniak - delayed indefinitely, and his NBC sitcom 1600 Penn was recently cancelled. But he’s voicing one of the leads in Disney’s upcoming Frozen as well as a lead in DreamWorks Animation’s Me and My Shadow, so his career isn’t in dire straits or anything.

I Wish I Was Here, written by brothers Zach and Adam Braff, follows Zach’s struggling actor, father and husband character as he tries to figure out his life in his mid-thirties, perhaps finding his answers when his financial situation forces him to homeschool his two kids. Patinkin will play Braff’s character’s father, while Gad will play the brother role. No word on if Parsons will become a sexy pool boy for the film as he did in the campaign video.

The Kickstarter funding still has another nine days to go if you're still in a mood to donate.

To say that Showtime's Homeland took an interesting turn last week might be a bit of an understatement. The final ten minutes of 'The Good Soldier' were pretty intense and surprising at the time, yet, after digesting, I felt that the events could ultimately hurt the thriller going forward. First, Carrie and Brody hook up sans protection in a parking lot. Then Brody passes the polygraph even though we (and Carrie) know he's lying. And finally, the episode ends with the the two of them driving off together (for 'The Weekend'). There is no question as to the power of those scenes in the moment but in terms of the big picture for the character drama I couldn't help but feel like it somehow already jumped the shark. Did episode six derail the (so far) excellent series or did 'The Weekend' manage to pull things together and continue Homeland's stellar first season run? Well, my fears were assuaged as the episode wasted no time building suspense (and character) that culminated in another perfectly placed twist, once again proving that the Showtime thriller is the real deal.

"I miss you."

There are three stories unfolding in 'The Weekend,' with the most minor taking place largely inside the Brody household. Jess is trying to keep things together, going through the usual motions like cutting her kids' hair but Dana is back to being difficult, especially after finding out that her dad knows about her mom's relationship with Mike. Morgan Saylor, the young actress playing the Brody daughter, handles the material quite well even though the scene comes across as a re-hash of one of their earlier bouts. Even so, looks like Dana can cancel her plans for the weekend (show title!) because she's grounded - if grounded means having friends over and getting so wasted that you jump through the sliding glass door. Again, this scene feels a bit forced but it functions as a nice way to get Mike over to the house so this storyline can finally become interesting and move the character dynamics forward. First, we watch Jess and Mike rekindle their flame (which seems so genuine and nice) before Dana bluntly tells Mike what she thinks of his helpful visits. It's a really phenomenal and sad sequence, that begins with the natural and caring relationship that could exist between Mike and Jess before it's forced apart by the naive belief that they somehow can or should return to their previous lives. However, everything has changed. There is no going back.

"Agents await."

The second narrative finds Saul on the road to bring Aileen in FBI custody. The show opens with the now solo terrorist on the run, Aileen, looking for a bus ticket to Mexico (yet, apparently the well-trained terrorist doesn't think asking for any ticket to the country, not caring what city, is suspicious). Upon arrival south of the border she is quickly greeted by Saul and the Federales, and she wisely chooses to join Saul for the ride back to Washington. In a previous scene, the show did it's best to once again make us suspect Saul might have ulterior motives as it's rather unclear why he requests to go pick her up and when he throws in the ominous, "trust me" you know we're supposed to think something may be afoot. However, Saul just sees a misguided and lonely woman, someone whom with he shares a similarly isolated up-bringing and therefore thinks he can reach. After a mostly silent first few hours together, Saul slowly works away at her defenses and she begins to open up. Both actors do fine work, especially Patinkin who oozes empathy with every line, gesture and/or pose.

Eventually, she succumbs to his interrogation techniques (they are the very same ones he highlighted in the Affy interrogation, using knowledge to gain the upper hand) and it feels completely earned. The writers carefully crafted five or six sequences between the two characters, with Saul gaining just a little each time before they finally stop at a jailhouse en route so she can fully spill the beans. And beans she spills! Apparently, the Faisels were visited a week prior by an American terrorist who spent an inordinate amount of time up on the roof. Yes, another American! Saul calls it in to Estes and, as a sketch artist is working away with Aileen, he requests a picture of Brody be sent over for her to inspect. Of course, he has to ring up Carrie but before getting to the Carrie and Brody thread, I want to highlight how this b-story perfectly parallels the way the show as whole has been operating and to such great effect. The narrative builds slowly, with a focus on developing the characters and the relationships between them and suddenly, before we know it, this leads to a major development in the terrorism plot. Oh, and did a major development ever occur as a result of Saul's relationship building with Aileen.

"So you won't be hauling me in again next week?"

As I stated in the opening paragraph, what transpired between Carrie and Brody last week, although incredibly tantalizing in the moment, provided me with a few worries as to whether or not the series would ever be the same. Long story short, it won't be but that turned out to be kind of amazing. In no easy feat from the writers, they managed to turn my trepidation about the development of their relationship into complete awe, with me hanging on every exchange between the two incredible actors as the episode unfolded. But first things first, the show began for the two pretty much where we left them last week, heading away from the intelligence facility together after Brody had just beaten the poly. The two banter with ease before Brody opens up to her about his cheating wife and how he could really use a drink. The scene that follows didn't do much to assuage my fears that show was heading in the wrong direction because the entire fight with the White Suprememcist felt out of place. It belongs it a far inferior show but luckily they don't stay long and instead head for Carrie's family cabin.

Carrie still seems to be pretty suspicious of Brody, since the first thing she does upon arriving at the cabin is find and load her gun. Well, that's not technically true, she does have to phone her sister Maggie to find the key and remind us about her medication (in case we forgot that Carrie suffers from a mental illness - one serious enough that it would not be wise for her to miss a pill). Also of note, is how he genuinely seems to trust her and if he was a terrorist, he would probably be a little more interested in gathering intel from the CIA analyst and not just, well, graduating to cabin sex (unless he's playing the long con). Before they get to the cabin sex, Carrie manages to get him to open up about the lie detector and how he may have learned how to beat the machine in order to stay alive.

The chemistry between Danes and Lewis is palpable. The scenes we spend with them are a delight, first because we get to watch these two incredibly fractured people find a degree of comfort in each other and second because we know that Carrie still believes him to be a terrorist and therefore every minute of the former is tainted. Their relationship is fascinating and I completely regret the doubts I had after it escalated last week. Their weekend continues as they wake up hungover and decide to try a day together sober. This leads to more opening up and it's quite clear that Carrie's suspicions might be giving way to genuine feelings and she's no longer as certain of his guilt.

However, just when things seem to be moving most swimmingly, she slips up and he realizes that she's been spying on him. In perhaps one of the most interesting and series-altering moments, Carrie comes clean and tells him about the American POW being turned and how she suspects that it's him. He tries his best to convince her otherwise, opening up about everything from being a Muslim to killing his partner, Tom Walker, while under duress in captivity. Carrie receives a call from Saul and before she can answer, Brody starts to leave. She picks up and we find out that Walker is not dead, he is the man who visited the Faisel's roof - which happens to be perfectly positioned for a sniper to hit an incoming Marine helicopter - and the American POW who's been turned. Carrie runs to Brody and tries to apologize as she realizes that the feelings she was having for Brody were real. Sorry but, "Hey Carrie, fuck you." She breaks down as he drives away, on his way home to look in on his family where he breaks down himself. It's a shocking and then saddening ending. Truly remarkable storytelling as little things - like Abu Nazir probably using Brody beating Walker to turn him - come to light in retrospect.

A common thread amongst the storylines this week was how a slow start soon gave way to very interesting and engaging sequences. The way the two more important weave together at the end is truly brilliant writing, playing all of our expectations that started building as early as the first episode against us. This doesn't mean that Brody isn't still a terrorist, at least not for sure, but it does add another exciting chase element to the mostly character driven show. Homeland moves so fast that it has no time to concern itself with convention or our expectations, which is probably what makes the series feel so fresh and original. I said in an earlier paragraph, when discussing how the way that Saul makes Aileen talk felt earned, and that can be said about the series as a whole so far. That all small character moments or the biggest twists feel earned. Now with Tom Walker on the loose, Carrie breaking down and Brody, well, as ambiguous as ever what could possibly happen next week? I can't wait.

Homeland airs on Showtime, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. It stars Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin and Morena Baccarin.

The fifth episode of Showtime's Homeland is called 'Blind Spot,' a phrase that harkens back to earlier in the series when Carrie's personal surveillance of Brody failed to include the garage, which fortunately for him, is where most of his suspicious activities take place. With Carrie's cameras and mics removed, Brody may be free to do as he pleases at home but this week finds him pulled into the central investigation and face to face with his former prison guard (and fellow Jihadist?) at a CIA safe house.

"Enjoy. Drive safe. And fuck the CIA."

As part of the Central Intelligence Agency's ongoing investigation into Abu Nazir, the show opens with a raid on an apartment complex in Islamabad that depicts a super rad prisoner extraction. The elite operatives are able to sneak in and out, prisoner in hand without making much of a stir and the man they extract happens to be the only survivor of the operation that resulted in Brody's rescue - yes, the man is Brody's former guard, torturer and all around nasty guy. This mission is cross-cut with the Marine Sergeant continuing to practice Islam in his garage. I wonder if they are suggesting something?

We first see Carrie paying a visit to her sister's house, mostly because she's low on pills, but instead of her sister she finds her father. After a moments hesitation, perhaps debating whether to slip away unnoticed, her father (James Rebhorn, awesome) spies her spying on him and she's forced to engage. They are pretty polite with each other and dance around the topic of their shared mental illness. It's a nice character moment and allows Carrie to lift a few pills from his prescription but they don't have much time together as Carrie soon gets the call to head in to work. Saul gets a similar call to come in and too bad for him, because he's at the airport picking up his cliche, sorry, his significant other, Mira, who's coming back from a 'vacation' at her parent's in India.

"The CIA wants to see me."

Estes tells the fully assembled group that they have just got their hands on Brody's former guard and that Carrie and Saul will be conducting the interrogation.... with Brody. The pair obviously cannot fully express their concerns with the Marine Sergeant sitting in on the interrogation but that doesn't stop Carrie from trying her hardest to argue against it, first with Estes and then with Saul. It's all in futility but Saul reminds her of the silver lining, that at least they will be able to watch Brody and how he handles the high stress situation, especially high stress if he's part of the same cell as this Affy. There is also the wrinkle of Carrie 'bumping into' him last week but she handles that with her quick greeting (although the two of them alone and on the extra-curricular is super intriguing) when he arrives at the CIA safe house.

However, before Brody arrives he has to be summoned, and by who else but his best buddy Mike. Mike interrupts Brody's morning jog to inform him that the CIA would like to see him. This doesn't look like it sits too well with Brody, especially on the car ride in when he is still unaware of why they want him to come. He soon finds out and when he's shown Affy in custody, ready to be interrogated, and he bursts out in seemingly genuine surprise and hatred (I think it was, "motherfucking shit" before a few involuntary flashbacks of the man hitting Brody with a barb-wire bat and urinating on him). Now Carrie informs him of why he's there, to provide Saul with information in order to gain the upper hand during questioning.

This is a great scene for Mandy Patinkin. He opens it with a kiss before shooting one of the most intimidating glares imaginable at the prisoner, like he's looking right through him. The back and forth between Brody and Saul with Carrie facilitating and narrating the whole exchange is fascinating to watch, especially with the fine acting on display. This sequence is one of the most memorable in an already unforgettable series. Brody does his best to help and hold back his emotions but he when it's all over he cannot help but ask for the chance to face his former tormentor face-to-face. Of course, Carrie is unable to acquiesce this request due to operational security but she does pass along her card (extra-curriculars?). The second that the he leaves, Carrie immediately wants surveillance back on Brody - if she had her way, they would have never stopped - but Saul reminds her that they can't, they have no new evidence.

"Don't go there Carrie. Be patient."

Despite Carrie's concerns that this would be the perfect time to be watching him, not much out of the ordinary is happening at the Brody household this week. I mean, there's still family drama but no suspicious activities. He agrees to attend his son's karate ceremony and has a cup of awkward silence with Jess, who cut her hair short so it would be the way he used to like it. something he almost notices. At least he's having better luck with his lady this week than Saul is with Mira. We didn't even know she existed before this weekm and I kind of wish she still didn'tm because the disgruntled significant other who's sick of their spouse's spy/cop/whatever lifestyle is a little tired. The show handles it well, mostly thanks to Patinkin and the actress playing Mira but I could have done without. It's an attempt to flesh out Saul a little more but I kind of liked his mysterious mentor instead of this more cliched character development.

The second or third time that the recently reunited couple is interrupted (straws on the camel's back) happens because the sensory torture seems to have worked on Affy, who has finally reached for the crayon they left behind. He offers up a bunch of names in exchange for his family's safety but the real jewel is an email address that leads them back to Professor Faisel. After a little creative work by Virgil and his 'part moron or just doing it to piss him off' brother, they are able to locate the recently purchased place by the airport and set up surveillance. However, while this is going on - keeping Carrie and Saul busy - Brody pays Estes a visit and once again requests time with his former guard. This time his ploy is successful and the meeting, well, it doesn't go so well, with a tussle breaking out after some spitting in the face occurs.

Brody arrives home to find out that he missed his karate kid (but Mike didn't - he's such a good guy) while Carrie and Saul get to find out that Affy killed himself with a tiny razor blade. Now, how did the prisoner who went through numerous strip searches suddenly get a hold of a tiny razor blade? Well, it might have happened when Brody payed him a visit which resulted in them rolling around on the ground in the camera's blind spot (episode title!). He was shaving right before paying Estes that visit. That is certainly Carrie's theory when she arrives at Saul's late that night and right in the middle of Mira dumping him... not the most opportune time to call someone a pussy. The official statement is that Affy snuck the razor in his shoes, but we were very carefully shown his sneakers and how thoroughly investigated they looked. Carrie returns to her place rocked by feelings of isolation, abandonment and helplessness. She breaks down and has no choice but to head to her sister's for comfort

"That's my job."

The episode with the very intense interrogation in the middle ends on a much more somber note with Carrie at her sister's being talked down from quitting over a glass of wine and Brody wandering into his son's room to apologize for missing out on him getting his blue belt. Carrie's sister calms her down and even convinces her to spend the night. Soon she's joined by both her nieces in an bed that's way too small for the three of them. Brody ends up beside his boy, kneeling in prayer together. Unable to sleep Carrie wakes and wakes up the younger of the nieces. In perhaps the corniest moment of the series (but I'll allow it because it's well earned), Carrie reassures the young girl not to be too afraid of the bad guys who blow things up because it's her job to keep them safe. Something about her comments over the course of the series and the way she's sitting in silence on the dark stairs at the end tells me that she's hasn't always been successful keeping her loved ones safe. Another gripping and very well written episode as we cross the halfway point and head to next week. With only three left, the clock is ticking.

Homeland airs on Showtime, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. It stars Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin and Morena Baccarin.

For all those worried about some kind of The Killing situation - yes, I re-purposed the show title as a verb for series squandering promise - rest easy because Showtime's Homeland once again delivers. The fourth episode of the season, called "Semper I" (a play on the U.S. Marine motto 'Semper Fidelis' or more commonly 'Semper Fi,' which translates to 'Always Faithful'), strayed a little more James Bond-ish spy side of the international spy/terror genre and to great effect. Yes. Mathison, Carrie Mathison. Wait. Thinker Traitor Soldier Spy.

This week was once again structured with a Carrie - Brody narrative divide, and the divide only growing even wider with the removal of certain surveillance equipment. There have been more and more scenes without the two as the series progresses and the world opens, however, this episode opens with our two leads in a sequence that does its best to highlight just how much time they have been spending together even if Brody's not aware of it, Carrie's watchful eye and, uh, her Stranger Than Fiction life narration.

He's off to do both the hero and family man thing (one he does quite well, the other uh) and she's got to keep tabs on Brody and follow-up on the latest lead supplied by her once beautiful but now dead asset. First, our hero.

"How closely the public image matches the man?"

Prepping for his televised appearance, Brody gets a nasty visit in the form of an Abu Nazir hallucination. Shrugging that off, he gives a speech to a graduating class of soldiers that, along with his previous on-air engagements, helped pique Ms. Gaines, chief adviser to the Vice President, political interest. How very Manchurian Candidate. On the way home from the event, Brody asks Mike why he hasn't been over lately but the conversation quickly devolves from genuine friendliness to nasty undertones. The nastiness follows Brody out back when he interrupts his wife and son, Jess and Chris, watching a deer play in the backyard only to bitch that it'll stomp on her flowers. However, when he heads to the garage for 'more propane' (prayer) he has two flashbacks that are very different than those we've seen before, nice memories of him and Jess hinting at something more inside him than merely turmoil and torture.

The political interest in Brody intensifies since they happen to belong to the right religion and go to church (if only Ms. Gaines could see the 'blind spot' in his garage). Therefore, he's suitable for a meeting and lunch with the heavyweight adviser and while this all conspires inside the house of God, outside Mike is concerned about Jess and she almost cracks her 'tough wife' mold. Baccarin is the understated star of the show, as Lewis and Danes get the flashy parts, she shines in her subtlety. There's a great scene between her and her daughter Dana, at first she inquires (interrogates) about whether her kid spilled the adultery but it soon sits somberly on the bed, aching for someone to talk to but unable to speak, definitely not to further upset her children. Good thing they are hosting a party.

Actually, the party is the first time we see Jess open up, telling another Marine-wife how "it's been tough, I'm not going to lie." Uh, tough is an understatement after the emotional and sometimes just weird shit she's had to go through since her husband's return. Brody spends most of the time playing creep, watching from the garage and fiddling with his handgun. Oh, sorry, and that's before he kills a deer (yes, kills a deer and maybe his political career) in the middle of the party. The show's so clever that it even sets it up so we think, even if only for a second, that Brody may have just killed Mike or himself. Either way, the deer is the catalyst for Jess to finally speak up and force Brody to seek help. Shockingly, he accepts but what he finds at his first meeting, well, it's a familiar face and maybe some comfort but not what it seems.

"That doesn't mean I'm wrong. It just means he may be laying low for a while. Turned and trained but a sleeper."

After Carrie see's Brody off to his TV appearance, she has to get to the office for her own debriefing. It's been three weeks since Lynne (the 'asset') was killed and they have tracked Sinister Baldy - who apparently has a name, Latif - and the necklace to a local laundry-mat that Carrie believes to be a huwala, which as I understand it means a place for people to transfer funds internationally, no questions asked. Only this time, the huwala-mat is being used as a drop for Abu Nazir's funds and Estes (in a surprisingly nice, and assuredly not ulteriorly motivated, move) allows the team - Carrie - to investigate. But quietly, they don't want to spook Abu Nazir before they know how many others he's activated (wink wink, Brody?).

Speaking of Saul's sound advice (and by the way, just how connected is this guy, calling the VP's top adviser 'Lizzie?'), he tells Carrie her time has expired and she better roll up the surveillance operation on Brody's house - despite her best objections. Saul's reasoning is sound, the old 'if you love it, set it free' argument in that say Brody really is connected to the money, then if they follow it, it should lead back to him. After grasping at straws with Virgil and even asking if Max thinks Brody's dirty (oddly enough, Max isn't as stupid as he looks, since he thinks 'the wife is hot' which is absolutely correct) she agrees to let go. In a great reverse shot, we watch from the other side of the monitor as the screen goes fuzzy, all this occurring during and exceptionally edited to the Brody family's day at church. Is she finally going to let the man alone? Of course not, she just starts watching (stalking) him in person, both on and off duty.

Back at the office and on the trail of the huwala-mat drop, Estes gets in close with Carrie's temporary partner, Danny Galvez, only to 'request' that he tail her to see if she's got anything going on the side. Galvez doesn't seem to keen but he has wanted to be a field agent for some time and this is his ticket. Hm. We don't know where his allegiances lie just yet but guess who shows up as one of the 51 patrons of the laundry? One half of our recent homeowners by the airport, Mr. Raqim Faisel. They decide to tail him and when he starts heading toward the airport home and not the one where he's registered they got him right? Nope, at the last second someone calls in a warning to Raqim's scary wife and he's able to lead them astray. Perfect timing, since the two agents have to get to a work related birthday party where Estes and Carrie flirt and/or con each other. That is, before she ducks out to head home and get back to work. Only, it's Carrie and she doesn't stay home for long. I wonder where her late night excursion may lead her?

"Maybe we can hold our own private meeting out here? How's that sound?."

Tempting? I'll say. What a way to end the show. The last time our two leads met face to face was in the pilot episode and I remember commenting on the electricity then. This though, this has so many layers going on and adds so many questions that my mind can't comprehend what exactly I saw. What is Carrie's endgame here? What is Brody's? One thing is for sure, despite what he says her secrets are most definitely not safe with him nor vice versa even if it seemed like there was some real chemistry between them. Like I said, who's playing who or even more baffling, what if they're not playing? Cue those ambiguous smiles. One of the great parts of this slightly less intense episode was that they exchanged disturbing or visceral moments for those of heightened intrigue and misdirection. I don't know what's going on, or what's going to happen but I do know that I like it. Every minute. Wait. Back to that call.

Homeland airs on Showtime, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. It stars Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin and Morena Baccarin.

Showtime's Homeland is easily the best new show to hit small screens this fall. The smart and complex character(s) study, moonlighting as an intense and intricately woven terrorist thriller, had me fully invested with the pilot. Now, with "Clean Skin," we are three episodes deep and they continue to ratchet up the tension, even with the story between the two phenomenal leads moving into the background to allow their characters to develop and the world of intrigue to expand.

Don't get me wrong, Claire Danes' CIA Analyst Carrie Mathison is still watching every move that Damian Lewis' possible sleeper Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody makes but this week had a wider focus. Carrie's asset, Lynne finds herself in an increasingly dangerous situation while Brody is busy mending family feuds before his big interview. Of course, much more than that is going on as the show is filled with red herrings, unreliable narrators and unanswered questions but the most intriguing part may be the complex yet completely convincing relationships.

"I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to tell the truth either."

The Brodys have their first big interview with a national news agency coming up and their narrative opens with one of the show's producers trying to make changes to the house. Brody won't allow it because to him it's home. And it's home because Jess has kept it exactly the same since his before his capture, one of many hints at much she still cares for her estranged husband - despite her complicated relationship with Mike - as we as the lengths she's willing to go to make it work and help him in his time of need.

And speaking of their relationship, we also discover that it's the cause of friction between mom and daughter because Dana thinks it might be better for dad if mom wasn't "fucking his good friend Mike." So that's out of the bag. Meanwhile, as those two are butting heads, Brody and Dana are getting along great making Jess a little jealous (mom has it rough). The family dynamics around the returning soldier are really interesting and if mishandled could easily sway into the contrived or conventional or but there's a real deft hand behind the story telling. Nothing ever feels too big, or grand standing, and the series is all the better for it.

However, that's not to say the series doesn't delve into some pretty dark places. We're quickly reminded of just how fractured Damian Lewis' character is with scenes like the failed intimacy between him and his wife (putting it mildly) or his flashback filled one-on-one interview - the look on Lewis' face when the interviewer says "Semper Fidelis," meaning always faithful, is mesmerizing yet ambiguous. Those two scenes stood out, not only as exceptionally crafted and acted sequences, but as even more interesting when juxtaposed against the wonderful way he interacts with his children. He is a terribly complex and tortured man, who probably doesn't know what to make of himself half the time, so it's twice as hard for us to put a finger on him (albeit exceptionally captivating to watch).

"I need to find something here..."

The episode actually opens with Lynne, Carrie's asset and escort to the Saudi wealthy, in a love scene with her Prince Farid. When he leaves to go consult with his head Bodyguard - who I'll call Sinister Baldy - she manages to get his cell-phone and copy the data onto a chip. It's a pretty stimulating way to open the show, first the steamy love scene, then the suspenseful bit of espionage, which is all complicated by the gift. Does the Prince genuinely care for Lynne? And vice versa? Well, it doesn't work out so well for our undercover escort but the Prince serves as a convincing red herring.

Carrie relays the good news to her CIA colleagues only to have Saul hit her with a reasonable, and as it turns out correct, question. Why should they suspect that a money transfer occurred between Abu-Nazir and the Prince? Or that the Prince has any involvement in financing terrorist activity? Well, this spat is merely the first of a few that finally clear the elephant out of the room and find mentor and student working together again by episode end... but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Carrie continues surveillance on Brody with the assistance of Virgil but also has to keep tabs on Lynne, who is in the field without any real protection. Remember last week when I said that our beautiful blonde probably didn't have long? Well, Sinister Baldy informs Lynne that she's needed to welcome a very important associate of the Prince, something that sparks concern and a call to Carrie for reassurance. Carrie and Virgil head out to provide Lynne with some protection, only too little, too late as she's murdered and that gift I mentioned (a half a million dollar necklace) will now help fund terrorism.

"I like being close to the airport. For us, it's perfect."

We can't be sure if Brody is a bad guy but thanks to some puzzle piecing by Saul and Carrie, we can be sure that evil is most definitely afoot! The proceeds from the stolen necklace have seemingly gone to purchase a home for a couple with a sinister affection for airport proximity. Once again, another very strong episode that continues to let the tension slowly build while still providing enough action and excitement to titillate. In only three episodes they have laid an amazing foundation of character and plot on which to continue to craft an engaging and thought provoking series. Sundays may offer a lot of choice - zombie melodramas, period gangsters and serial killing cops - but Homeland might prove to best them all. I can't wait to see our two leads back in the same room.

Homeland airs on ShowTime, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. It stars Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin and Morena Baccarin. It was developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa.

Last week was the series premiere of Showtime's new terrorist thriller Homeland and it did not disappoint. A slow burning and smart pilot, part 24 with the added unease of a Manchurian Candidate style (possible) brainwashing, last week wasted no time in setting the tone for the series as well as showcasing the phenomenal leads in Claire Danes - as CIA Analyst and psychologically unstable Carrie Mathison - and Damian Lewis - as returning hero or possible sleeper terrorist Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody.

In the first recap, I did not mention the opening titles. They in themselves are quite haunting. Black and white and jazzy and dark. Perfectly setting up this week's episode, "Grace," (as well as every other I suppose) which spends a lot of time in the fractured, half memories of our tortured hero(es). Brody and Carrie are clearly both messed up just in their own way, and we can't even be sure how much of Brody is real and how much is filtered through Carrie's watchful, yet tainted eye.

"Great."

The episode opens during a Brody flashback/dream sequence, a device that is repeated throughout "Grace," and seems to be a common thread for the series. They are trying to put us inside the scarred mind of the Marine Sergeant, however, as he snaps awake out of the nightmarish flashback so to does Carrie, a constant reminder that we are watching and shaping our opinions of the former captive through the highly skilled yet also somewhat skewed investigative mind of the CIA Analyst.

The Brody half of the episode, both the events directly involving Damian Lewis' captivating work as the returned and possibly turned Marine, as well as those involving his ever adapting family are wrought with tension. The first half of the episode we see him trying to return to some semblance of normality but he's only able to find solace in a corner - still putting on the facade of being fine to his family. When he tries to do something simple like cook pancakes, he ends up viciously wounding a nosy member of the press and then vanishing into the forest.

Lewis at times plays Brody with an eerie calm that makes me think of The Shining's Jack Torrence. The quiet front he's presenting hides the storm happening inside, one you can see break the surface on occasion, like when he and (Captain) Mike have a few, not so thinly veiled, words out back. Morena Baccarin really shines in her role, trying to make the best out of the difficult and complicated situation. Trying to do right by her husband but also remind him that things for her and the kids haven't been so easy either. She, though, doesn't know what he gets up to in the morning.

"That's one interpretation but that's all it is at the moment."

Carrie's story opens up quite a bit this week, both in terms of her professional and personal lives. Of course, she is always on top of the Brody situation and, now that it's been made legal-ish (all is not quite well between her and Saul just yet), that takes up a significant amount of her time. Everything we see of Brody, or almost everything, is shown through her investigative eye - or perhaps her imaginative mind. However, we do get to see another lead in her case against Abu-Nazir that reinforces her credibility as a more than competent agent.

One of Carrie's assets is a call-girl for the Saudi wealthy and while on the job she came into contact with Abu Nazir himself, making her the first to lay eyes on the target in almost a decade. Carrie's obviously thrilled with the sighting, as are her superiors, but the girl is scared and in need of increased security, which, of course, she does not get. Instead she's thrown into the lion's den with another job. I have my fingers crossed that our beautiful blonde informant makes it out of this alive (but I'm not holding my breath).

We also get to see a little of Carrie's personal life, since she has to take a trip to her psychiatrist sister's place for a re-up on her medication. Ah. The mystery of how she keeps the medication a secret from the CIA is solved. Apparently Carrie's father suffers from the "same illness" as she does, whatever that means (paranoid...). Her sister's ringing her in though, no more months worth of prescriptions, instead Carrie will have to pay weekly visits over to her family's place. She's a very scattered, complex and determined woman. And the way she delivers the final line, I can't tell if she feels vindicated, threatened or both...

"He's out there, playing the hero card."

Another very strong, if not as wrenching, episode. The show is very smart in that it puts the pieces in place and lets the tension build. There aren't always a lot of moves, instead the stillness is the move. We're left with the new information, always minor, to brew our own suspense and to come up with our own conclusion

Carrie is - and by extension, we are - watching his every move, except those that happen in his dreams or in the blind spot and then, well, we can't be sure that what we see is happening and is not just what Carrie imagines is happening. Does the praying mean he's been turned? Or is Carrie filling in the blind-spot? What is real, what is a figment of their tortured minds? We have to try and pick up the pieces.

Maybe there really should have been only one, but the Highlander franchise seems to be Immortal. Cut off its head and someone else absorbs its power, and the whole thing keeps right on going. At least this time, they're dropping the sequels and starting over. Summit is planning a Highlander reboot (more details here), directed by Fast & Furious helmer Justin Lin. They're restarting the Highlander mythos from scratch and they're going to need an all new cast.

Now it's Summit, so odds are they'll spare us all to death by handing the Twilight cast swords and letting them look longingly at each other while they hold them. But I'm a Highlander fan, and I think we've suffered enough. Summit, before you cast Dakota Fanning as The Kurgan, take a look at the cast I have in mind.

Connor MacLeod is a Celtic warrior born in the Scottish Highlands in 1536, and he's still alive. He's brooding, haunted, and tends to keep to himself. The actor cast in the part must be of medium build and comfortable wearing a kilt. That doesn't mean he has to be Scottish, in the original film he's played by Frenchman Christopher Lambert attempting a vaguely strange Scottish accent. Still as long as we're doing this over why not do it right and go with a native. The temptation here will be to go with a big star, someone whose name they can put on the posters to sell it. On the other hand Summit Entertainment has some experience creating a sensation out of unknowns, they did it with Twilight and maybe we can talk them into doing it again with Highlander.

Right Choice: There's really only one man to play Connor. His name is Kevin McKidd. If you know him at all, you probably know McKidd as one of the dreamy doctors on Grey's Anatomy or as the sensitive time traveler on television's short-lived Journeyman. But he's also capable of picking up a sword, as he did on Rome, or strapping on a kilt and playing a tough as nails Scotsman as he did in, believe it or not, Made of Honor. McKidd was born in Elgin, Scotland so he won't have to fake the accent, he's been around the occasional sword, he has the right build, he's about the right age, and most of all, he can act. McKidd's been right on the cusp of blowing up for years now. This is the perfect role for him and rumor has it that Summit agrees. McKidd claimed back in 2008 that he'd been approached about the role.

Hollywood Choice: Should they be tempted to go with a “name” they can flash in the credits, don't be surprised if they go after Gerard Butler. Or there's always Viggo Mortensen and Karl Urban. The Scottish actor default more often than not, seems to be James McAvoy but it's hard to imagine the star of Wanted playing a burly Celtic warrior. I can live with any of those as long as it's not Orlando Bloom or worse, since it's Summit, Robert Pattinson.

Ramirez is a much older Immortal who discovers Connor and takes him under his wing. He's the movie's obligatory mentor character. Originally played by Sean Connery, Ramirez styles himself as a Spaniard even though he was actually born in Egypt in 896 BC. That of course, doesn't explain Connery's Scottish accent. He also carries a Japanese dragon head katana which he eventually passes on to Connor. The character's multi-cultural, quirky, somewhat elderly, overweight, and has a wicked sense of humor.

Right Choice: Should Summit actually cast Kevin McKidd as Connor they'll be even more tempted to go with a big name here, but I'm going to make this plea anyway: Cast Mandy Patinkin. Imagine an elderly version of Inigo Montoya instructing Connor in the ways of the Quickening and you'll get what I'm going for here. Granted Ramirez isn't actually a Spaniard, but he's patterned himself after one and who better to teach Connor MacLeod swordplay than someone who dedicated his entire life to becoming a swordsman. Granted, Patinkin isn't exactly in fighting shape these days. He's gotten fat and old and saggy, but that's ok. He's playing the elderly mentor character here and Connery wasn't exactly fighting trim when he played the part either. If for some reason they can't get Patinkin consider Billy Connolly. His comedic brand of insanity is a perfect fit for Ramirez's tough love sensibility.

Hollywood Choice: You just know they're going to want to cast Liam Neeson. He's the mentor character default for any movie, particular those which involve swordplay. Neeson would almost certainly, knock it out of the park, but he's played so many of these Ramirez-like characters by now that it's a horrible cliché. Time for something new.

The Kurgan is Highlander's bad guy, a physically imposing barbarian warrior born into an ancient tribe known primarily for tossing its children into pits full of starved dogs to watch them fight for their amusement. He's not a nice man. The Kurgan shows up ancient Scotland to scar Connor forever and he's there at the end as the final remaining Immortal who Connor must fight and defeat to win the elusive “prize”. In the original film he's played by Clancy Brown, a 6'3” American actor with a deep voice and physically imposing presence.

Right Choice: I'm going to take a complete left turn here and suggest they forget trying to find a Clancy Brown clone and instead go a completely different direction with the character. Bring in a John Malkovich or if you really want to think outside the box, consider casting Shirley Manson. She's been playing a cold-hearted bitch killer on television's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and barbarian badass isn't much of a stretch from that. In the original Highlander women were relegated to nookie girls but it's 2009, so why not give the girls something more to do? Let her kick Connor MacLeod's ass.

Hollywood Choice: When Hollywood thinks physically imposing badass, they think Gerard Butler. If they go with McKidd for Connor maybe they'll blow their Butler wad here. Besides, he's sort of due to play a bad guy. If they're short on cash though, don't be surprised to see Summit cast some horrible wrestler. John Cena anyone?

Freddie Mercury isn't actually in the movie but Queen wrote and performed the soundtrack and, as much as any of the actors in the film, it went on to define and shape Highlander's aesthetic. Their music is a key component in what made Highlander such a cult phenomenon. Songs like “Don't Lose Your Head” and “Who Wants To Live Forever” went on to define an entire generation of sword-swinging, mullet-wearing, metal-heads.

Right Choice: Rock is dead and so is Freddie Mercury. If he's smart director Justin Lin will still find a way to work in a few songs, either the classic Queen version or the odd remake of them. But bottom line they're going to need someone else and a generic John Williams soundtrack just won't do. As long as they've got Shirley Manson it might make sense to bring in Garbage but odds are Summit will want something at least a little more trendy. This is the Twilight studio after all. That only leaves Muse, the closest thing Queen has to a modern successor. They've got the right kind of underground indie sound and while they don't necessarily perform drunk (come on pick up a bottle you assholes) they're rumored to have the same kind of over the top live show energy Queen had on stage. Give them a call. Anything but Dragonforce.

Hollywood Choice: These days when Hollywood wants a rock soundtrack they invariably hire Linkin Park. Brace yourselves, it'll happen.

I feel like I should apologize for everything I’m about to write here in advance. The thing is I saw District 9 last week and I liked it, I really did. It’s a solid science fiction movie with sharp special effects and a brain rattling around somewhere in its CGI noggin. When you see it, you’ll go nuts for it. It’s likely to engender the kind of broad-based adoration not seen since Star Trek appeared earlier this summer, warped across all walks of life, and became one of those rare movies that everyone agreed was, wow, pretty good. And District 9 is indeed pretty good. In fact District 9 is a lot of things, most of them very positive. One thing it isn’t, though, is original.

Yet if you read some of the early reviews posted for the film, that’s the praise you’ll hear most frequently launched in its direction. The words “fresh”, “original”, “unique”, and “groundbreaking” have been used liberally in describing it and in particular its story. So I guess I’m the only one who’s seen Alien Nation?

The year is 1988 and in theaters is a movie about a near future where alien refugees have landed and humanity is forced to deal with the consequences of their presence. Sound familiar? Hey, that’s the plot of District 9! It’s also the plot of the movie Alien Nation, starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin, and the acclaimed television series it went on to spawn a year later in 1989. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. District 9 is a great movie. Make sure you’re there, ticket in hand, to see it opening weekend. It’s a fantastic experience and writer/director Neill Blomkamp deserves praise for what he’s accomplished. But it’s not fresh. It’s not original. In fact, whether intentional or by accident, it’s kind of an Alien Nation knockoff.

Want proof? Here it is. Below I break down the similarities but be warned, in doing so I’ll be forced to hack through heavy District 9 spoiler foliage. If you want to see D9 unspoiled then read no further, unless of course you’ve seen Alien Nation, in which case you’re spoiled already.

Saucer Separation

In Alien Nation: When the movie begins Alien Nation’s aliens, called Newcomers, have been on the ground for many years. We never actually see their landing, except in brief flashbacks and stories told by present day characters who were there. Through those flashbacks and stories we learn that the Newcomers descended out of nowhere, with no communication, to hover above the ground near Los Angles, California in a single, massive, saucer-shaped spaceship.

In District 9: When the movie begins District 9‘s aliens, called Prawns, have been on the ground for many years. We never actually see their landing, except in brief flashbacks and stories told by present day characters who were there. Through those flashbacks and stories we learn that the Prawns descended out of nowhere, with no communication, to hover above the ground near Johannesburg, South Africa in a single, massive, saucer-shaped spaceship.

Slave Labor

In District 9: Prawns were bred as workers meant to carry out manual labor. When discovered aboard their ship they appear to be of limited intelligence, almost unable to take care of themselves, though they’re very good at taking orders. Once taken off the ship and brought to Earth things begin to change and there are hints that not only are they intelligent, they may be far smarter than us.

In Alien Nation: Newcomers were bred as workers and slaves meant to carry out manual labor. When discovered aboard their ship they’d been drugged to dull their intelligence and make them obedient, almost to the point that they’re unable to take care of themselves. Once taken off the ship and brought to Earth things begin to change and there are hints that not only are they intelligent, they may be far smarter than us.

Missing Overlords

In Alien Nation: Since Newcomers are basically obedient workers being shuttled around on a transport ship, no one is entirely sure how they got to Earth in the first place. Investigators never discover a ship’s pilot or crew, nor does there seem to be anyone giving orders… at first. Eventually the Newcomers in charge are revealed as a subplot in the film’s subsequent spin-off TV series.

In District 9: Since Prawns are basically obedient workers being shuttled around on a transport ship, no one is entirely sure how they got to Earth in the first place. Investigators never discover a ship’s pilot or crew, nor does there seem to be anyone giving orders… at first. Eventually the Prawns hidden leaders reveal themselves and by the end of the movie we know where the Prawn leader has been hiding.

Name Recognition

In District 9: Prawns are often referred to by a variety of other names, most of which, like Prawn, are really just bigoted slurs. Prawn is not their proper species name. In fact they are and prefer to be called… a complicated name which I’ve forgotten. Hey give me a break. In addition to being given English substitutes for their species name, Prawns are also given human personal names to use in their daily life. For instance, Christopher Johnson is the name of the Prawn lead in District 9.

In Alien Nation: Newcomers are often referred to as Slags, which is regarded as a bigoted slur. Neither Slag nor Newcomer is their proper species name. In fact they are and prefer to be called the Tenctonese. In addition to being given English substitutes for their species name, Newcomers are also given human personal names to use in their daily life. For instance, George Francisco is the name of the Newcomer lead in Alien Nation.

Alien Muscle

In Alien Nation: Aliens look pretty much like bald versions of us, except with spots, but they possess physical strength far beyond that of normal human beings.

In District 9: Aliens look like giant bugs, or prawns as their name suggests, and they possess physical strength far beyond that of normal human beings.

Internment Camps: An Alien Staycation

In District 9: When they first land Prawns are held in internment camps to protect a nervous human population from them.

In Alien Nation: When they first land Newcomers are held for several years in internment camps as they’re processed and certified safe enough to be allowed out in public.

Outer Spacial Descrimination

In District 9: Prawns are used as a stand-in for discriminated against minorities, in particular South Africa’s struggle with Apartheid which was a political and social policy of segregating blacks from whites.

In Alien Nation: Newcomers are used as a stand-in for discriminated against minorities, in particular they symbolize the struggle of black Americans against discrimination during the civil rights movement.

Hater With A Heart Of Gold

In Alien Nation: A bigoted homicide detective is forced to team up with a Newcomer by a government integration program. As they work together to solve crime, the Newcomer begins to win over his human partner who eventually abandons his bigoted views.

In District 9: A bigoted civil servant is forced to team up with a Prawn when circumstances beyond his control force him to take desperate measures. As they work together on a common cause, the bigoted human and wary alien develop a begrudging respect for one another.

Addicted To Gross

In District 9: Prawns are addicted to cat food which affects them like catnip. Though it disgusts humans, they’ll do almost anything to get it.

In Alien Nation: Newcomers are addicted to sour milk which affects them like alcohol. Though it disgusts humans, some aliens will do almost anything to get it.

Something’s Growing On Timmy

In Alien Nation: Two of the major subplots of the spin-off television series and the film involved both a strange substance which has unexpected effects on Newcomers and a dangerous disease which may have been brought to Earth along with the aliens. Newcomers will do anything to hide the truth of both.

In District 9: A strange substance brought to Earth by the Prawns has an unexpected and dangerous affect on humans. Both the Prawns and South Africa’s mega-corporation controlled government will do or say anything to hide the truth of what’s happening.

There you have it. If it were made by Quentin Tarantino District 9 would be an homage. With luck, Blomkamp can get some sort of special QT dispensation.

So maybe it’s not entirely original and maybe it’s not completely unique, at least for anyone born before 1989. That doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. Whether knowingly or by accident, what Blomkamp has done is take an old idea and give it his own twist, his own flavor, and done it up in his own style. In some ways he’s made it even better. So to be fair, as long as we’re picking this thing apart here’s a few examples of District 9 going its own way.

Aliens Are Aliens, Not Fleshy-Headed Humans

In District 9: Prawns are nothing like humans. In fact at times, their motivations are almost incomprehensible. They’re not reasonable creatures who want to fit in and get along, often they’re violent, they’re dangerous, they’re flat out gross and maybe it’s not such a bad idea penning them up like cattle and keeping them away from human populations. They just might want to eat us.

In Alien Nation: Though the movie and the television show spend a lot of time telling us how different humans and Newcomers are, when it comes right down to it the aliens are basically bald humans with spots. Sometimes that works to Alien Nation’s advantage. Sexually promiscuous, ultra-sexy alien females are never a bad thing, but mostly it’s the result of what happens when you don’t have the budget necessary to pull something grander off.

Mockument This Christopher Guest

In District 9: The entire film is shot documentary style and put together with cutting edge special effects. Every frame of it feels like something that could happen at any moment, and most of the movie absolutely lives on the edge. Danger lurks around every corner and the tension is frightening and palpable. District 9 is brutal and unflinching, bringing a high-tech horror movie aesthetic to smart science fiction.

In Alien Nation: Both the movie and the television show are shot and scripted like a generic television drama. It never really takes full advantage of its alien premise, again in large part because of budget constraints, but maybe also because it simply lacks the imagination to go there. Whatever the reason, Alien Nation never feels real. It never feels like something that could be happening just outside of town. It never feels dangerous.

James Caan Can’t Compete With Sharlto Copley

In District 9: Neill Blomkamp goes with a complete unknown for the lead in his film, a long time friend named Sharlto Copley. Write that name down, you’ll be hearing a lot more of it. He’s a character actor and a brilliant one. As Wikus Van De Merwe, a somewhat dim-witted civil servant completely out of his depth and in over his head, he’s utterly real. You’ve known people exactly like Wikus, he’s the idiot boss who smiles while announcing layoffs, or the middle manager sucking up to the boss. He’s all at one loathsome and lovable. It’s one of the best performances of the year.

In Alien Nation: In the movie version the human lead is played by James Caan who, doesn’t really seem to understand the script. Caan’s given great performances in his career, but what he gives in Alien Nation is not one of them. It’s as if he doesn’t believe most of what’s going on around him is real, or for that matter even comprehend the words coming out of his mouth, making it pretty difficult for the rest of us to buy into it if he doesn’t.

Greed Isn’t Good

In District 9: The film is indeed a loose allegory for Apartheid but it’s not content with tackling just one social issue. D9 also takes on rampant corporate corruption and if there’s a villain in the movie it’s not a bigoted, fearful populace as much as it is an out of control, evil corporation which will stop and nothing to screw over the human race in order to make a tidy profit. Racism and capitalist greed get crammed, successfully, all into one movie.

In Alien Nation: The film’s fairly standard storyline is easily bogged down and quickly becomes a fairly standard buddy cop movie, even if one of the buddy cops happens to be an alien. The film and the television show do tackle racial issues through discrimination against the Alien newcomers, but it’s usually straightforward without layers other than “hey remember when this used to happen if you were black?”