Mama rates what is worth your time and money of the pay-cable offerings:
“Homeland” (Sunday, 9 p.m., Showtime)
We were probably supposed to cheer when we found out Carrie (Claire Danes) and Saul (Mandy Patinkin) were working together all this time, to gasp when we learned that Saul and Javadi’s (Shaun Toub) blood feud goes way back, and squeal when we discovered that Carrie has a bun in the oven, but each reveal only elicited groans from Mama, who has grown tired of this show’s sudden, gotcha explanations. Even the explosions have lost their entertainment value as the exhausting series burns through its twisty plots.
“Dancing on the Edge” (Saturday, 9 p.m., Starz)
The finale to this elegant, five-part miniseries will wrap up the black jazz band’s fight to make it in 1930s London. Although the show never picked up much speed, the fantastic acting — led by “12 Years a Slave” star Chiwetel Ejiofor — carried the plodding parts, and the beautifully shot jazz era can help you forgive any plot holes. This is the kind of show that could help Starz break out of its blood-and-boobs image, if anyone ever watched it.
“Boardwalk Empire” (Sunday, 9 p.m., HBO)
After last week’s stellar episode, the pieces are in place for the showdown between Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright) and Chalky (Michael Kenneth Williams), whom Nucky (Steve Buscemi) unreasonably dissed. As the season finishes up this month, expect more characters in exile to make the kind of “triumphant” return that Van Alden (Michael Shannon) pulled off as he finally revealed his true identity — just before shooting all the witnesses. When this Prohibition-era show starts moving, as it did halfway through this season, you remember why you haven’t cancelled your subscription to HBO.
“Strike Back: Origins” (Friday, 10 p.m., Cinemax)
The re-packaged prequel miniseries is not really designed for a “Strike Back” fan — it is way too quiet and smart to measure up to the regular series’ mindless, action-movie standards. But if you want to see what all the British fans loved about the original series, starring Richard “Hobbit” Armitage and Andrew Lincoln, there are worse ways to spend six hours of your life.
Oh Baby: If you prefer not to pay for your television, the best drama on TV right now is CBS’s “The Good Wife.” Never has a law firm breakup been so much fun and captivating. And stunningly, it’s on a network.