The Showtime program “Homeland” has been in trouble for some time now.
The once critically lauded show has slowly slipped from favor during its six-season run. On Metacritic, a website that aggregates critical reviews and offers average ratings for TV shows, “Homeland” scored a 92 of 100 for its first season in 2011. That dropped to a 68 for its sixth season, which wrapped up in April.
Now some fans, incensed by what happened in this season’s finale, have taken out a full-page ad to vent their frustration. The ad, in the form of an open letter, appeared in the Aug. 23 edition of the Hollywood Reporter and took the creative team behind “Homeland” to task for, among other things, killing off beloved character Peter Quinn, played by Rupert Friend.
“We are a group of passionate ‘Homeland’ fans representing thousands of aggrieved viewers and fans who have banded together in protest to found #NotOurHomeland,” the ad began.
Quinn was a covert CIA agent who suffered from PTSD, a stroke and drug addiction during the show’s run. He died in a desperate attempt to save fellow agent Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes, and the president-elect of the United States, Elizabeth Keane, played by Elizabeth Marvel.
In his death scene, Quinn sneaks the women into the back of a car, then tries to drive past a row of armed men attempting to kill them. In the process, he’s fatally shot, but the women escape unharmed.
Although much of the letter questioned the show’s treatment of Quinn, it also accused the show’s creators of handling irresponsibly sensitive subjects such as the “treatment of veterans, those who suffer from PTSD, and survivors of stroke or sexual abuse.” It didn’t detail the grievances or say how these subjects should have been handled.
The group claimed in the letter to have raised “over $4,000 in support of prominent veterans charity because you refused to honor Peter Quinn.” It did not name the organization, but it invited the creators to match their contribution.
A post on the group’s website suggested the donations will go to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides various types of support to military personnel and their families.
“It has been over four months since your sixth season concluded. In the midst of a mass exodus of your most loyal and devoted viewers, we have asked repeatedly for you to address your audience and the unceremonious end to a character that you openly acknowledge was beloved by millions. You have been silent. We are asking again,” the letter stated.
The message wasn’t lost on “Homeland” showrunner Alex Gansa, who lamented that fans feel this way in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the very publication that ran the advertisement.
“It is painful to hear that even a small segment of our devoted audience is disappointed in Homeland,” the statement read. “Until now, I have refrained from commenting publicly on the death of Peter Quinn, believing that Rupert Friend’s heart-wrenching performance should speak for itself. I have not changed my view. Suffice to say that I mourn the loss of Peter Quinn as much as anybody and that the character was created not to denigrate but to honor the men and women who devote their lives to keeping America safe. In my eyes, he died a hero.”
The statement suggested the show won’t be changing its story line to suit a group of unhappy fans, many of whom took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
