'Homeland' season 6 spoilers, news: Episode 1 now available on streaming and on-demand platforms; showrunner explains Quinn's return

Quinn (Rupert Friend) is seen to be alive when Showtime's "Homeland" returns for its 6th season, but he's no longer the same man fans have come to know.
When season 5 wrapped up, viewers were almost certain that they had seen the last of Quinn. Despite being tortured in a sarin gas chamber, he managed to survive thanks to one of his captors named Qasim (Alireza Bayram). Quinn developed a relationship with him, and since Qasim was conflicted about his group's mission, he decided to inject Quinn with an antidote to the sarin.
Showrunner Alex Gansa recently caught up with Entertainment Weekly, and he explained that letting Quinn stay alive wasn't part of their original plan. However, Qasim and Quinn's interesting dynamic made a huge impact on the character's fate. "As that relationship between them developed, we thought, 'Wouldn't it be interesting if this guy saved Quinn's life?'" Gansa said. "And that led to the whole idea of him not dying in that environment," the showrunner added.
Friend was also present during the interview, and he teased that Quinn will be a different person when the story picks up. "Peter has been to hell and come back, and not necessarily come back in one piece," the actor shared. "He's not really even sure if his life is one that's worth living," he went on to say. Details on how damaged Quinn remains under wraps, but it's safe to assume that he'll be in the worst shape.
As an early treat for fans, Showtime made the "Homeland" season 6 premiere available on all of its streaming and on-demand platforms before its TV debut. The network is known for making season openers available to subscribers before the official premiere date, with several shows like "Shameless," "Masters of Sex," "Billions," and "The Affair" receiving the same treatment.
The sixth season of "Homeland" officially premieres on Sunday, Jan. 15, at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.