'Homeland' season 6 spoilers, plot news: Premiere pushed to January 2017; Claire Danes dishes on Carrie's new, powerful ally and life post-CIA

"Homeland" season 6 isn't due back until January 2017, so fans are wondering what's in store for Carrie (Claire Danes) and Quinn (Rupert Friend) after that heart-wrenching fifth season finale. With filming slated to start later in the summer, Danes gamely shared some juicy tidbits about the upcoming season.

She, along with executive producer and director Lesli Linka Glatter, gave Entertainment Weekly first dibs on season 6's plot. Danes said while she doesn't know much about it, she does know that the writers have finished a few outlines, so they now "have a general sense of where it's going."

When asked what Carrie's plotline will be, 37-year-old Danes revealed Carrie would be back stateside with her daughter. She also dished out that Carrie would be on medication to help her deal with the guilt she's battling with, saying her character is "probably mentally capable." The series' faithful followers know that Carrie reached a breaking point in season 5, which would explain her reliance on meds.

As for Quinn and Carrie's fate, Danes was secretive, but she did say, "We [she and Quinn] didn't know [when we were filming], but now we know. We shot a couple of different versions [of the ending] just in case."

Glatter also told EW that just before writers get to work on every season, they go to D.C. to talk to "a boatload of intelligence experts" to ensure the show's striking parallelism to reality.

Meanwhile, Deadline reported that Carrie would be trying to lead a normal life now that she's an ex-agent, even working for a foundation that aids Muslims living in the United States. It's also possible that Carrie could form a powerful alliance with a woman of influence – the President of the United States, no less – should she decide to go back to CIA.

It was Showtime's CEO, David Nevins, who confirmed "Homeland" season 6's 2017 premiere. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said the network is in final talks with Fox 21 Television Studios. He said he's "been focused on getting this deal done and not really asking what happens beyond this deal."

The deal he was referring to was "Homeland's" extension beyond season 6, probably with seasons 7 and 8 in the horizon.

"Homeland" season 6 airs in January on Showtime.