Homeland showrunner Alex Gansa explains Brody's death in Season 3 finale, Season 4 plan

The Season 3 finale of Homeland featured the controversial death of a major character that was somehow utterly shocking but completely expected at the same time. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) is no longer a part of the show after Iranian officials hung him publicly. So what happens now?

That's one of the many questions tackled by showrunner Alex Gansa in a post-show interview with EW.com. First, here's what Gansa had to say to fans who are upset with Brody's death and refusing to watch the show next season:

"[Sighs] You know, I would say this: We're sad too. We mourn not only the character's passing, but also a phenomenal actor, Damian Lewis, not being on our stages. But the show is going to move on, and it will move on with some of its fans, if not all of its fans. Some people want it to be a spy show, some want it to be a love show, some people want it to be god knows what. We're not going to satisfy everybody. And Brody's demise, it felt like the right time to us. And his shelf life as a interesting vital character whose presence on screen felt compelling every time he was on it, was coming to a close. And I think you can look at his limited appearances this season was testament to that. We wanted him in front of the camera when it meant something."

Gansa also revealed plenty of more information in the interview, including:

-       The issue of Carrie and her baby will be "front and center" during Season 4.

-       Jessica Brody (Morena Baccarin) and Dana Brody (Morgan Saylor) could return next season even though neither actress is a series regular anymore.

-       Mandy Patinkin will return as a series regular as Saul Berenson in Season 4.

-       It's "highly doubtful" that Brody would appear again in a flashback or dream sequence.

Check out the full interview here to learn more about Season 4.

In other Homeland news, the show delivered its highest rating ever with 2.4 million viewers for the initial 9 p.m. airing and 2.9 million viewers after the rerun later in the night. The Season 3 finale was up 27 percent from the Season 2 finale and Homeland stands as the highest-rated show on Showtime. In fact, Season 3 averaged more than seven million viewers per week after factoring in DVR and all other viewing methods. That last figure represents an all-time high for the network and even eclipses Dexter.