The recent television season that aired on the premium cable network Showtime was anything but satisfying. They said goodbye to one of their longest running series (“Dexter”), leading to one of the worst television finales in the history of network television. Showtime also regrettably introduced the world to “Ray Donovan,” a show too invested in its dark, gritty nature to include a relevant and interesting storyline. One could say that the quality of this network has reached rock bottom with these past seasons of television, but fear not, because two brilliant shows are here to take their place.

Last Sunday brought us the third season of the critically acclaimed “Homeland,” as well as the brilliant new series “Masters Of Sex,” both of which are making Showtime one of the strongest networks this fall television season. It’s not that other networks don’t have good shows, but for a network to not have a single terrible show in its lineup is pretty spectacular. “Homeland” might worry some people because of arguments regarding last season. Some praised it; some liked half of it, while others felt it was beginning to lose its edge. Regardless, “Homeland” has come back with a strong opening, placing the CIA in the aftermath of last seasons shocking finale. Carrie (Clare Danes) and Saul (Mandy Patinkin) are at the head of the situation, trying to deal with terrorist threats, all while desperately trying to get America to put their trust back in the CIA. Meanwhile the Brody family is coming to terms with patriarch Nick (Damien Lewis) currently on the run as a traitor of the United States. This season also welcomes playwright and actor Tracy Letts as Senator Andrew Lockhart, the Committee Chairman hoping to make the CIA pay for their incompetence, and F. Murray Abraham as Saul’s mentor. It looks like an interesting season, full of the same tension and intrigue that made the previous two so compelling. It will also be interesting to see how Nick Brody is brought back to the plot, seeing as he is now a fugitive, completely out of the picture.

The superior of the two series’ however, is “Masters Of Sex.” Yes, it’s a show about sex, and it’s rather explicit, both in dialogue and actions, but that’s not all the show is. It’s more a period character study than anything else, examining the lives of William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) as they become pioneers in the advances of sexual understanding. Rather than being a show along the lines of soft-core pornography, the show digs deep into its main characters, drawing from their insecurities and their flaws, while also exposing the brilliance and daring personalities both possess. The show also benefits from the veteran performances of Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale in supporting roles. It’s a very interesting show, and one that deserves a lot of buzz for its great dialogue, and fantastic performances.

Showtime may have been in a rut for a while, but with two strong shows leading this fall television season, I don’t think they have much to worry about.