Showtime Boss Defends Homeland's Polarizing Season 4 Finale

Thought the finale didn't have enough action? That was the point, according to the network's boss

Thought the Homeland finale was lacking in action? That was the point.

After a polarizing third season, the Showtime hit's fourth season drew praise from fans and critics, applauding the non-stop twists and turns Carrie (Claire Danes), Saul (Mandy Patinkin) & Co. were facing in Pakistan all-season long. 

But then the show pulled off its biggest twist yet: the 12th and final episode of the season was set in Washington, D.C. And found Carrie saying goodbye to her father, who passed away in the episode prior, and finally facing her issues with motherhood. No terrorist threats. No drones. No action.

We lovingly called it "sleepy." (Hey, we love sleep!)

After a season filled with kidnapping and deaths, some fans felt the finale was a bit of a letdown. And Showtime's boss David Nevins addressed the feedback at the 2015 Winter TCA Press Tour on Monday, going on to defend the quiet hour. 

"I read that," he said when asked about the fan response. "I also read some counter… I was a big advocate of going back to D.C. for the 12th episode. I knew that the action climax was episode 11. And I think it's OK to shake it up. The show has always been both about action and suspense, but also about the personal side."

He continued, "There were political things that needed to be tied up in Washington, and I thought it was really important that Carrie deal with her issues with motherhood. If we had not touched that in the last episode, I think the season wouldn't have felt complete."

Saying he was "excited" about the episode when he first saw it, he also argued that season three's climax also happened in the penultimate episode, with the (year-old spoiler alert, people!) shocking death of Brody (Damien Lewis), the series' male lead.

"Last season, Brody hung in the 11th episode," he explained. "So we won't always have to end with the most climactic story-stuff."