<P> Homeland is an American espionage thriller television series developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War created by Gideon Raff . The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison, a CIA operations officer . The first three seasons focus on Mathison's belief that an American prisoner of war, Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) was turned by the enemy, and now poses a significant risk to national security . The subsequent seasons follow Mathison's continued covert work . The series premiered in the United States on Showtime on October 2, 2011 . </P> <P> As of April 9, 2017, 72 episodes of Homeland have aired, concluding the sixth season . The series has been renewed for a seventh and eighth season . The seventh season is scheduled to premiere on February 11, 2018 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Season </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Episodes </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Originally aired </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> First aired </Th> <Th> Last aired </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> October 2, 2011 (2011 - 10 - 02) </Td> <Td> December 18, 2011 (2011 - 12 - 18) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> September 30, 2012 (2012 - 09 - 30) </Td> <Td> December 16, 2012 (2012 - 12 - 16) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> September 29, 2013 (2013 - 09 - 29) </Td> <Td> December 15, 2013 (2013 - 12 - 15) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> October 5, 2014 (2014 - 10 - 05) </Td> <Td> December 21, 2014 (2014 - 12 - 21) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 5 </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> October 4, 2015 (2015 - 10 - 04) </Td> <Td> December 20, 2015 (2015 - 12 - 20) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> 6 </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 12 </Td> <Td_colspan="1"> January 15, 2017 (2017 - 01 - 15) </Td> <Td> April 9, 2017 (2017 - 04 - 09) </Td> </Tr> </Table>

How many series of homeland have been made