The Agencyis based on a French TV series,Le Bureau des Légendes. The original show ran for five seasons, amassing several awards along the way, which meansMichael Fassbendermight be in for the long haul if the English-language adaptation finds similar success with its first season.The Agencyfollows Fassbender’s “Martian,” an undercover CIA agent who is called back to London Station after spending years on a mission. Things get out of control when a woman from his past reappears, leading to his real identity and undercover life clashing as more mysteries begin to form.
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.
I was intrigued about the prospect of seeing Fassbender star in a TV series, as he had not been part of one in quite some time.The Agencyfelt like the perfect way for the actor to get back onto the small screen, and the show’s first trailer immediately sold me on its potential, especially after watching the actor in a recent, but not too dissimilar, project. In directorDavid Fincher’sThe Killer, Fassbender showed that he can excel as a man of action in a world of mystery. InThe Agency, he trades his hitman persona for a spy.
The Agency Presents Classic Spy Scenarios
The Agencymight not reinvent the wheel, but in the three episodes I viewed, the thriller series hits all the right notes fora good spy story. First is its lead character. Different from how he was a cold-blooded hitman inThe Killer, Fassbender’s Martian is a much more emotional man. That is not to say that he doesn’t present a calm and collected exterior to those at the CIA and anyone else he interacts with. However, Martian’s years on assignment and events in his personal life certainly affect the character and throw him off his game.
It is interesting to see how Fassbender’s Martian slowly starts to figure out that things might not be what they seem, though he is not sure of what to believe in anymore.
Like in any good spy story the mysteries make for a big part of the story, and the serieshas quite a few of them stacking up. It’s interesting to see how Martian slowly starts to figure out that things might not be what they seem, though he is not sure of what to believe in anymore.The Agencywas filmed in different countries across the globe, which is fitting for its expansive story. It does a decent job of creating tension, both in dynamic action scenes and in quieter moments with two or more characters just talking.
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From a technical standpoint, the show does a great job.The Agencyhas beautiful visuals and its cinematography complements the score nicely to heighten the tension of certain moments. While some storylines are more or less predictable, there are more interesting mysteries to make up for them. In addition,The Agencyhas a star-studded ensemble that makes a lot of the exposition — a major issue that plagues the show’s dialogue — work most of the time. Fassbender is always engaging when he is onscreen, but a handful of other stars also deserve praise.
Michael Fassbender Leads A Talented Ensemble
Dramatic Performances Add To The Mysteries
Fassbender is a powerhouse actor. That is no secret, and the star does a great job of anchoringThe Agency. Martian is always on point, be it in more dramatic moments showing his authority within the show’s world of espionage, a couple of funny scenes, or more emotional moments when he peels back the character’s layers. As he had to live as someone else for years, Martian’s past and his present conflict with one another and a huge part of that comes in the form of Jodie Turner-Smith’s Sami Zahir.
Zahir is poised for big things inThe Agency, with her storyline being one of the show’s biggest, and Turner-Smith’s performance in the role packs an emotional punch.
Turner-Smith makes Sami a charming and complex character. We get to see flashes of what her time with Martian was like when he was undercover and that helps inform the character’s reappearance. Zahir is poised for big things inThe Agency, with her storyline being one of the show’s biggest, and Turner-Smith’s performance in the role packs an emotional punch. As for the other members of Martian’s CIA division, Jeffrey Wright’s Henry and Richard Gere’s Bosko are the voices of authority. Gere’s character is a more by-the-books official, contrasting well with Wright’s, who tends to let emotions seep through.
The rest of the cast is great, with Katherine Waterston’s Naomi and John Magaro’s Owen adding a nice dynamic to the show. Saura Lightfoot-Leon’s Danny shows a lot of promise, both as an agent and a potential player in the rest of the season’s events. However, after having watched only the season’s first three episodes, I feel like she could have done more than she has so far.The Agencysets up many mysteries that could lead to exciting twists, with a few already happening, so season 1 could end strongly to tease a continuation of the spy series.
The Agency’s first two episodes will be released on November 29 on Paramount+ with Showtime. The rest of season 1’s 10 episodes will be released weekly.
