Showtime Renews 'Homeland' for Fifth Season and 'The Affair' For A Second

Showtime announced today that the network will be re-upping its commitment to Sunday night pairing Homeland and The Affair, with both returning for 2015, reports deadline.com. 

The fourth season of Homeland has widely been hailed as a return to form, and, as ew.com reports, has been averaging 6 million viewers an episode. It remains one of the flagship shows for the network, with Claire Danes having won two Emmys for her portrayal of lead character, CIA agent Carrie Mathison. Co-lead Damian Lewis left the show after its third season, and the program relocated most of its first-half action for its 12-episode fourth season to Pakistan, a move that has paid dividends for the spy drama after a lacklustre third season. Even if it often pushes the edges of believability - leaving many to question whether a fourth season was even necessary - it's still obviously a huge priority for the network.   

The Affair, meanwhile has parlayed a strong cast led by Dominic West, Ruth Wilson and Maura Tierney into much critical acclaim. The program looks at an extramarital affair from each of the character's aspects, and has been given a new 10-episode run for its second year. It's number aren't as impressive as Homeland's, obviously, but with so much critical goodwill surrounding the show, the network clearly feel it's worth investing in. 

Said Showtime's David Nevins in a statement, "In its fourth season, Homeland has brilliantly reinvented itself. It continues to capture the attention of a devoted fan base, and has provided an enviable platform for the successful launch of The Affair."

"With thought-provoking, relevant and addictive storylines, both series have been embraced, dissected and much debated week after week. We're excited to see more from these complex shows in 2015."

Both programs air from 9 p.m. ET Sundays on Showtime.