Sunday TV primer: 'Homeland,' 'Leftovers,' 'Affair'
If you're still hungover from September's deluge of premieres, then you might want to grab an Advil.
Three more fan favorites are returning Sunday night, all of which are cable dramas with low ratings but high interest online. Here's what you should know about them before you set your DVRs:
HOMELAND
Showtime, 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Where we left off: After the CIA drama went off the rails in its second and third seasons, most critics agreed that it got back on track with a seismic, action-packed fourth outing. In last December's finale, Saul (Mandy Patinkin) plotted his return to the CIA as director — despite forming a questionable alliance with a terrorist — while Carrie (Claire Danes) took a post as head of security for a German billionaire. On a personal note, Carrie reunited with her estranged mother after her father's death and finally kissed "will they, won't they" colleague Quinn (Rupert Friend), who accepted a black-ops mission in Iraq after the smooch.
What to expect: The new season picks up two years after the Season 4 finale and is set in Berlin, where Carrie now lives. She has become a more attentive mother to her toddler, Franny (whom she nearly drowned in a bathtub last season), and also has a live-in lawyer boyfriend (Alexander Fehling). As for the bigger picture, the show will tackle modern fears and threats this season, including cyber terrorism, surveillance and ISIS, according to Showtime president David Nevis at TCA.
THE AFFAIR
Showtime, 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Where it left off: The freshman drama's first run juggled dual perspectives of family man Noah (Dominic West) and waitress Alison (Ruth Wilson) as they cheated on their spouses. In a revealing flash forward that capped the season, the now-married Noah and Alison are in their apartment when detectives come to arrest Noah for the murder of Alison's brother-in-law, Scotty (Colin Donnell), which she vows to clear him of.
What to expect: The gloomy romance/mystery hybrid got a boost of notoriety when it picked up Golden Globe awards for best drama and actress (Wilson) earlier this year. This season, creator Sarah Treem told journalists at TCA that she is adding the POVs of their partners, Helen (Maura Tierney) and Cole (Joshua Jackson), into the mix, which means two perspectives of story lines per episodes.
THE LEFTOVERS
HBO, 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Where it left off: Co-created by Damon Lindelof (Lost) and author Tom Perrotta, The Leftovers' first season explored the aftermath of the "Sudden Departure," when 2% of the world's population disappeared with no explanation. In the finale, small-town police chief Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) got together with grieving mother Nora Durst (Carrie Coon), after his wife (Amy Brenneman) left their family to join the silent Guilty Remnant cult. Also in the existential episode, the Guilty Remnant's houses were burned down and Nora found a baby on the Garveys' doorstep — signaling a fresh start for she, Kevin and his daughter, Jill (Margaret Qualley).
What to expect: With no more material to pull from (Perrotta's book ends where Season 1 does), the new season picks up with Kevin, Nora and Jill moving cross-country from New York to Jarden, Texas, which lost no residents in the Departure. Their arrival spells trouble for those in the town, including their neighbors, the Murphys (Kevin Carroll and Regina King, a new Emmy winner for ABC's American Crime).