Good points, Brody was largely absent from season 3 and it was still a good season. However, I think us knowing that Brody was still out there and his story unresolved is what kept me coming back for more. With that element gone, anything they set up now would have to be from scratch with only a passing connection to the original story. The new stories could stand on their own, if done right.

I would like to see them explore more of the repercussions on Brody's family (his wife anyway, I'd prefer never to see the daughter on screen again), but Faber is the character I'd really want to see explored further. If he's busy with The Blacklist, I wonder if he'd make time for Homeland. Jessica as an outcast housewife has limited potential in a spy thriller, though threats against her from terrorists could prolong the Brody storyline. I wonder if the son learning about his father's exploits and following in his footsteps (as a marine or as a jihadist) would be a worthwhile story to explore, though he's too young so they'd have to advance the time frame.