Days after debuting, a new spy thriller has quickly established itself as a hit. The subgenre is experiencing a bit of a resurgence in streaming, with shows like Peacock’sThe Day of the Jackal, the Apple TV+ dramedySlow Horses, and Netflix’s recentBlack Doveswhich stars Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw. Each of those shows comes from a notably different storytelling angle, though they’ve all managed to stand out. Boosted by positive reviews,Black Dovesmay be among the best yet, a thriller that unfolds over the Christmas holidays and features a hilariously abrupt kill scene early on.
The Agency Is A Hit On Streaming
Michael Fassbender Leads The Adaptation
The Agencyis standing out on the streaming charts mere days after its premiere. Inspired by the French dramaLe Bureau des Legendesand debuting on Paramount+ with Showtime on November 29,The Agencyfollows covert CIA agent Martian (Michael Fassbender). He is forced to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. But when a former flame reappears, romance starts up again and sends them both down a path of espionage and intrigue.
Reelgood uses first-party data from interactions with movies and TV shows on the platform in real-time.
Reelgood, which tracks audience interest,reveals thatThe Agencyhad a strong debut. For the week of November 28 to December 4,the Showtime series came in fourth on the overall charts. On the television charts,The Agencyhad an even better showing and came in third. The charts were led once again byYellowstone, followed by fellow Taylor Sheridan dramaLandman.
Reelgood’s TV Top 10 List (Nov. 28 – Dec. 4)
1
Yellowstoneseason 5 part 2
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Arcane
Netflix
With asupporting cast ofThe Agencythat includes Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, Katherine Waterston, John Magaro, Alex Reznik, Andrew Brooke,Harriet Sansom Harris, India Fowler, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Reza Brojerdi and Richard Gere, the thriller has already shown signs of success. It ranks asShowtime’s most-streamed new series in history, according to Paramount Global, and the new numbers back that up. All told, it’s a powerful start for the spy saga created by Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth. But the response from audience and critics is more divided.
Critics Are A Bit Lukewarm On The Spy Adaptation
On Rotten Tomatoes,The Agencycurrently holds a 66% based on 32 reviews. That breaks down to a solid but unspectacular 6.10/10. The consensus reads: “Emphasizing spycraft’s heavy toll to both intriguing and tiresome effect, The Agency situates its all-star cast in a sumptuously-shot world of espionage.” However,the audience score is significantly better, hovering in the high 80% levelbased on more than 50 ratings.
Jez and John-Henry Butterworth are the writers and executive producers ofThe Agency, withHannadirector Joe Wright also executive producing and directing the first two episodes. Fassbender also executive produces, as do Keith Cox and Nina L. Diaz for Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin and Bob Yari of 101 Studios, George Clooney and Grant Heslov via Smokehouse Pictures, Alex Berger for The Originals Productions, and Ashley Stern and Pascal Breton for Federation Studios.
There is a bit of a split amongst critics, as well, rather than general agreement. Some reviews make the argument that the thriller is too serious for its own good, becoming a slog to watch despite the talented ensemble and an engaging lead performance from Fassbender. This comes through in Robert Lloyd’s review for theLos Angeles Times, noting that “it’s hard to work up more than a cursory interest in anyone’s fate.” This sentiment is echoed in other reviews, which findThe Agencysuffers for being occasionally intriguing but far from a must-see. Other critics have a kinder view of the Showtime series, withFelipe Rangel’s review forScreen Rantcalling it “enthralling”.
Brian Tallerico’s review forRogerEbert.compraises the fact that the show “balances the complexity of the world of espionage with the humanity of the people who hold it together” in a way that other spy dramas haven’t done as well in recent memory. The distance between the two opinions, between finding the characters hard to care about and lauding their humanity, perhaps demonstrates thatThe Agencyhas some definite flaws but is still capable of drawing out an exceedingly positive response.
Our Take On The Agency
Quick Success Means An Early Renewal
The Agencyseason 2is already confirmed at Showtime. Even though the critics' response to the show has been a bit more subdued, especially compared to the acclaimed French version, the mix of a charismatic leading star and a winning genre looks to have elevated Showtime’s latest into a favorite amongst the crowd that enjoys spy thrillers.
The Agency
Cast
The Agency is a 2024 espionage thriller following covert CIA agent Martian, who is recalled to London Station, disrupting his undercover life. As a former romance rekindles, Martian’s career and true identity are jeopardized, leading him into a high-stakes world of international intrigue and deception.
