Based on the popular Israeli show, “Hatufim” (2009?2010), the series follows CIA operative Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) as she investigates Sergeant Brody (Damian Lewis), whose loyalties may have shifted during the eight years in which he was held hostage in Afghanistan. The rest of the CIA and the entire nation see Brody as a great American hero, but Mathison suspects he may be an al?Qaida agent, and foresees possible destruction.

The Emmy-winning Danes makes Mathison appear to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown every time she is on screen. Danes’ stellar acting adds immense tension to many scenes; she takes seemingly simple tasks and makes them monumental in magnitude and scope.

Mathison secretly takes anti?psychotic medication and always seems to be one mistake away from being fired, and “Homeland” uses both of these dramatic hinges to its advantage. It becomes hard for viewers to distinguish between her believable delusions and actual threats that only she notices. This ambiguity paints Mathison as a microcosm for the larger struggle with terrorism — her intense paranoia makes it difficult for her to sort out genuine from delusional concerns.

Even more disconcertingly, the viewer knows Mathison is watching Brody and his wife’s sex scene voyeuristically from her surveillance monitor. Mathison quickly slips into obsession about learning the truth about Brody — so much so that she seems to pose a greater threat to society than the questionable Brody himself.

The quiet sense of menace that lurks through almost every scene of this brilliant new show makes “Homeland” an edge?of?your?seat thriller. The show is filled with gritty and realistic details, and yet it is still hard to tell exactly where the show is going to go next. A television thriller with top?notch acting, suspenseful atmosphere and a thoughtful plot, “Homeland” should capture the attention of many viewers.