With its second season premiering in September, “Homeland” has racked up almost as many Emmy nods as it has episodes.
The Showtime series, which debuted with 12 episodes last fall, picked up nine nominations on Thursday, including a nod for outstanding drama series alongside Emmy vets “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Downton Abbey” and “Game of Thrones.”
Claire Danes and Damian Lewis were also recognized for their individual performances, nominated for lead actress and lead actor, respectively, in a drama series.
On a high after learning of “Homeland’s” nominations, co-creator Howard Gordon told CNN that the show wouldn’t be the same without the undeniable chemistry between Danes and Lewis.
“When Brody and Carrie are on screen, especially when they’re on screen together, that’s when the show really comes alive in a way,” said co-creator Alex Gansa. “And so it’s great that they’re both recognized because the show would be much lesser without either one of them.”
Having previously worked on “The X-Files” and “24,” this isn’t Gordon’s first time waking up to good news the morning of Emmy nominations. But he says there’s something really special about “Homeland” being recognized.
“Alex and I … came out to L.A. together and started our careers together and came back together on ’24,’ so [these nominations are] personally and professionally a great culmination,” he said. “This is the first writing nomination that Alex and I got together. So it’s remarkable and really exciting.”
More exciting would be taking home a few statues, which could certainly draw viewers as the show’s sophomore season kicks off on September 30, just one week after the 64th Primetime Emmys air.
“I’m most proud of the best drama series nomination, only because that encompasses everybody that works on the show and puts us in the company of those other shows that are the best shows on television — the ones that we talk about in the story room everyday and the ones we try to live up to,” Gordon said.
So what is it about “Homeland” that captures viewers?
“Howard puts it best when he says it just really boils down to story and character and execution,” Gansa told CNN. “Above and beyond that, I think it does sort of tap into some sort of building anxiety in the country a little bit. … It unsettles you a little bit. And for some reason, that’s attractive to audiences these days.”
Regarding their other project, the anticipated “24” movie, Gordon says it looked like the movie “was marching toward some sort of, I thought, a green light. Then everybody put the brakes on. I think it’s going to be revisited shortly … but as far as I know it’s still something that they, meaning Fox, still wants to do. And I think Kiefer [Sutherland] still wants to do it.”
