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As "Homeland" heads into its sixth season, perhaps the most surprising plot development is that Mandy Patinkin is still a member of the cast.

Sure, the Showtime drama has seen all sorts of terror plots, deadly explosions and even a vice president of the United States who was killed when his pacemaker was hacked. But that was fiction.

That Patinkin is still starring as CIA operative Saul Berenson is a fact. And it's unprecedented. This is, after all, a guy who quit two other shows.

In 1994, Patinkin starred as Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on the successful CBS drama "Chicago Hope." It was an ensemble drama, but he was the show's linchpin.

He won an Emmy for that first season, then announced he was leaving the show — to spend more time with his wife and children.

Hard to argue with that reasoning, and Patinkin certainly seemed sincere when he talked about his reasons at the time.

He returned for the final season in 1999-2000.

In 2005, CBS signed Patinkin as the lead of "Criminal Minds," a drama about a team that hunts serial killers. He quit after two seasons, citing the unending stream of kidnapping, rape and murder that he said was "destructive to his soul."

Can't argue with that, either. But, still, Patinkin knew what the show was about when he signed on, even if the degree of the violence was greater than he expected.

(In 2003-04, Patinkin starred in the Showtime series "Dead Like Me," but it was canceled after 29 episodes … so he didn't have to quit.)

In 2011, it was back to Showtime (a CBS subsidiary) for "Homeland." And not only has Patinkin stuck around for six seasons, including the one that begins next Sunday — 60 episodes in all — but he's planning to be there for Seasons 7 and 8, which Showtime has already ordered.

"I'm hoping that Mandy learns to be more and more like Saul, because I like Saul better than I like Mandy," Patinkin said with a smile.

"I don't," interjected his co-star, Claire Danes.

While "Homeland" has more than its share of violence, it's a very different show than "Criminal Minds." It's a better fit with Patinkin's world view.

"It ignites my life on almost every level," said Patinkin, who raved about the writing.

"I was a bit drop-jawed when I read the pilot," he said. "And as we did the first season, and each script came along, and I just could not believe it. As I turned every page, it just got more and more extraordinary."

He heaped praise on his fellow actors, writers, producers, directors and crew. And he believes that "Homeland's" plotlines about dealing with terrorism "create a conversation" that does good.

But he said he's particularly pleased that, in success, "Homeland" has given him the "opportunity to do some human rights work."

The actor has traveled the world speaking up for the oppressed and speaking out against the oppressors.

Patinkin said he's grateful he is "able to be the voice for so many people who have no voice. And that's just some of the gifts, aside from loving the part and the character itself, and learning from him, and wanting to be more like him."

Season 6 of "Homeland" debuts Sunday, Jan. 15, at 10 p.m on Showtime. For subscribers, the first episode is already available on the Showtime streaming service, Showtime on Demand and Showtime Anytime.

Scott D. Pierce covers television for The Salt Lake Tribune . Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce.