Homeland may very well be the hottest show on TV, but it's been off the air since season three concluded in December. It was a mesh of raw emotion and governmental intrigue that culminated in the fantastic finale titled The Star. That episode saw some of the series' most beloved characters changed for good.

The biggest change of course is the death of Damian Lewis's character Nicholas Brody. In "The Star," Brody was ripped from an escape vehicle and publicly hung in Iran. His gruesome death was witnessed by his lover Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) from afar. Sadly (or happily, depending on how you see it), she's now carrying Brody's baby. Another change is that two series regulars, those being Brody's wife and daughter, have been demoted in status now that he'll no longer be a part of the show.

Season four is clearly going in a bold new direction, but one thing will stay the same according to The Latin Times. The site believes that Homeland is in line for a fall release date. And The Latin Times believes that Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014 could be the exact date. But if not the fourth season will surely debut around that time. After all, the show first aired on Oct. 2, 2011. And each subsequent season dropped in late September. Either way, this break is unbearably long for fans of the hit cable series.

The progression of the show's plot means that season four's primary backdrop will no longer be the good ole' United States. That being said, E! Online has reported that production in Charlotte, N.C. has ceased. Charlotte stood in for Washington, D.C. over the first three seasons as it was much cheaper to film in the Queen City than the nation's capital. The new season will take place in the Middle East according to show runner Alex Gansa. But the actual filming will take place in South Africa.

"We've been so lucky to work with one of the best crews in the business for the last three seasons in Charlotte," Gansa wrote in a statement. "We knew going into season four that we would need to move the production overseas to tell the story of Carrie returning to the Middle East as chief of station. We are thrilled to have found a new home in Cape Town and look forward to getting season four production off the ground."

Perhaps this production location was chosen due to safety concerns as much as it surely had to do with finances? Whatever the case, the next season is going to be different in many ways.

Will you be cozying up to your loved one and tuning in to see all-new episodes of Homeland on Showtime next fall? Let us know in the comments section below. Also, feel free to talk about your favorite line.