8 Current TV Shows That Don't Treat Audiences Like Idiots

8. Homeland

In its first season Homeland captivated audiences (President Obama included) with its intelligent, bold look at terrorism. It presented the subject in a way that didn't conform to the media's portrayal of the war on terror. The character of Brody was key to this. Suddenly we were presented with a 'good' solider converted to Islam after years of imprisonment, trying to find his place in his old world. That meant carrying out what he believed to be a righteous attack on the US Government for killing children in cold blood. His character challenged the audience's way of thinking, forcing us not to think in black and white terms. In doing so we understood his motivations even if the end goal wasn't right. While his story may have gone awry in the second season, his redemption and tragic fate in season three brought us right back to that question of morality that the show began so brilliantly with. But for all the twists and turns of the show, one of the most courageous elements of Homeland is its sensitive portrayal of bi-polar through its central character Carrie. Claire Danes gives her greatest performance as the CIA analyst struggling to manage her condition around the sheer stress of her work. Her breakdown and gradual return to the fold have been played beautifully, never treated as sensational. She has brought bi-polar disorder into the light, making it accessible to a mainstream audience. Like Brody, her situation has allowed us to question how someone like Carrie can survive in a world that will so easily use her and spit her out again. The only reason Homeland isn't higher on the list is because it sometimes stumbles into 24-style territory, adding sensational action over intelligent drama. The new direction Homeland is likely to take in season four could make or break the show. But if it handles those moral issues and treats Carrie's condition with the sensitivity it deserves, then there is no reason Homeland can't continue for many more years to come.