"Homeland" season 3 has a premiere date of September 29, but Brody (Damian Lewis) will notably be absent from the premiere. When will Brody return to "Homeland" episodes?

Last time we saw Brody on "Homeland" was at the end of season 2, when he was on the run after allegedly being framed for an attack that killed hundreds at a CIA memorial for the vice president, TVGuide reports. CIA handler Carrie (Claire Danes) helped him escape across the border, and thus won't make an appearance in the premiere.

According to TVGuide, Brody will be absent from at least the first two episodes of season 3.

"It was strictly a function of the story and where the story was taking us," executive producer Alex Gansa told reporters at the Television Critics Association's fall TV previews, TVGuide reports.

He explained why the Emmy-winning leading man would be kept out of the beginning of season 3.

"There is so much transpiring on the ground in Washington that Brody's flight from America made it impossible to include that story line in the first couple of episodes," Gansa said.

So what has Brody been up across the border? Damian Lewis himself recently dished some spoilers about his character, The Latinos Post reports.

"He's disappeared into a network, a tunnel system, an exfiltration system that Carrie has affected," Lewis said. "He's the most-wanted criminal in the world at this point. He has to lay low. When you do see Brody, hopefully what will be of interest to the audience is: What state will he be in? Is he hidden away securely somewhere or is he lost?"

"There are points in the season where you will question whether Brody does want to live," Lewis added. "Uppermost in his mind is his family, always. But honestly, at this point, if he's caught, he's going to the chair."

"There is so much overwhelming evidence against him and there is such a great need for a scapegoat and for the CIA to make a recovery, and for the US president, that fictional president who is there at the White House at the time, to make a recovery [and] bring someone to justice," Lewis said.