Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) is back. And if she thinks she has successfully escaped her life in the CIA, she is oh-so wrong. Season 5 of "Homeland" looks way different from season 1 but still has the same feel. 

Last Oct. 4, Danes returned to the show's fifth season. As IGN pointed out, the new season has very different set of cast and characters but it is still essentially the same dramatic —and maybe over-the-top — show. It started the drama high with episode 1, "Separation Anxiety," by bringing Carrie right in the middle of the Syrian refugee crisis. Will the "new" Carrie handle things differently? 

Fans of the political-psychological drama are well aware that she left her life in the CIA and opted to raise her child with Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in Berlin. In the premiere episode, viewers saw her taking a new role as head of security for Düring Foundation, owned by billionaire Otto Düring (Sebastian Koch). Just when she thought she was to have a normal life, Düring told her that they would be doing some mission work in the "war zone" in Lebanon. 

The episode was gunning for normalcy. Just like last season's debut, Carrie celebrated a birthday, only this time, it was her daughter Frannie's. And there were no more drone strikes but balloon animals. Also, there was a new guy in Carrie's life. IGN calls him "Brody Light." 

Breaking this normalcy, though, was the return of Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) and the obviously strained relationship between him and Carrie. But fans can expect that the hate is not going to last. 

Coming back in normal "Homeland" fashion is its unique way of altering the perception of good and bad. In the early parts of the episode, viewers were introduced to someone who looks like a potential new enemy. But later, he was revealed as a computer hacker that target terrorist recruitment websites. But that does not zero out the chances that he could still be against the CIA. 

All in all, the elements shown in "Separation Anxiety" make for a strong start to season 5. If the show continues on this path — a reset button that brings everything in a nice place in the middle of drama and thriller — then fans are in for an exciting new season.

"Homeland" season 5 airs on Showtime every Sunday night.