“Homeland” ends its seventh season as relevant and edgy as ever.

Seven seasons in, Showtime’s “Homeland” series is still smart, unpredictable, and edge-of-your-seat television. How do they do it? They start with characters, like lead Carrie Mathison (the invaluable Claire Danes), that create audience empathy because they are flawed and relatable human beings. Next, the story’s stakes are the safety and security of the nation, and often, the world. And, perhaps most importantly, it’s difficult to anticipate just where the show is going, from season to season, let alone episode to episode. In fact, this year saw the troubled President Keane (Elizabeth Marvel) battling Congress, Russia, and fake news in ways so startling, it seemed like art was imitating life. Or vice versa. Either way, it made for a high-water mark season.