Just a little over three months in the past, Netflix launched The Recruit, an action-thriller collection starring Noah Centineo as a younger worker on the CIA who will get in over his head when he is involuntarily thrust into a world conspiracy. Hitting the streamer this week is The Night Agent, an action-thriller collection starring Gabriel Basso as a younger worker on the FBI who will get in over his head when he is involuntarily thrust into a world conspiracy. There’s positively a sample right here.
It’s laborious to not examine these two reveals — not solely are each Netflix originals, however the plots of each really feel extraordinarily related. Just swap out one US intelligence and safety service for an additional. You cannot actually fault both collection or make the declare that The Night Agent is a ripoff of The Recruit, as these have been each doubtless shot throughout the identical timeframe. Prime Video has espionage-themed titles corresponding to Jack Ryan, Reacher, and The Terminal List which have all drawn in huge numbers, so why cannot Netflix get in on the enjoyable and construct out its personal slate?
The Night Agent, which is predicated on the novel of the identical title by Matthew Quirk, facilities on Peter Sutherland (Basso), a younger FBI worker who works within the basement of The White House throughout a graveyard shift the place his important job is to reply an emergency line that not often rings. Months earlier than the beginning of the collection, Peter survived a terrorist assault on a subway system, with a number of conspiracy-minded people believing him to be concerned. Right when Peter’s once-promising profession appears to be turning into an uneventful slog, he receives an pressing name from tech CEO Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), who bears witness to the assassination of her aunt and uncle. Peter quickly finds himself tasked with defending Rose and begins to uncover the reality that ties collectively the terrorist assault in addition to the assassinations that time to there being a mole throughout the White House. Unfortunately for him, he is additionally a suspect.
One is likely to be fast to think about The Night Agent to be one more conspiracy thriller collection filled with the identical clichés and contrivances that you simply’d anticipate. It’s true that this is not probably the most authentic present of the yr, however on the similar time, that does not stop it from being an extremely partaking watch. With 10 episodes, every clocking in round 45 to 50 minutes, The Night Agent is thrilling, addicting, and efficiently in a position to steadiness a storyline that might have simply turn into over-complicated. We’ve seen reveals like this that begin off promising however then fall sufferer to an overcomplicated plot the place for those who even blink, you could be lacking a key plot element. That is not what The Night Agent is. The storyline is concise and simple to observe with out ever descending into simplicity. While there are actually moments that are not probably the most real looking, it by no means takes you out or makes you cease caring.
Known for creating and co-creating collection corresponding to The Shield, Timeless, and S.W.A.T., Shawn Ryan is an skilled at crafting thrilling programming, and The Night Agent is not any completely different. In truth, the present’s brisk pacing virtually makes it really feel extra like a film, and that is one of many important the reason why the collection works in addition to it does. The cliffhangers on the finish of every episode virtually demand that you simply keep seated and watch the subsequent episode. There’s not often a boring second, and it has the precise steadiness of motion, political intrigue, and familial drama — all whereas by no means shedding deal with the plot at giant, leading to greater than a satisfying first season.
Amidst all of the chaos, The Night Agent additionally has a powerful coronary heart; via the course of the season, we be taught not solely about Peter’s relationship together with his late father and his reasoning behind becoming a member of the FBI, however we additionally get to attach with Rose and perceive her story. Basso and Buchanan are completely solid as Peter and Rose, elevating their characters past simply the archetypes you may anticipate from a collection like this. They have a pure chemistry with each other and whereas their relationship does go in some surprising instructions, it is their supply that makes you in a position to go along with it. Hong Chau, who appears to be like to be lastly getting her due along with her lately acclaimed roles in The Whale, The Menu, and Poker Face, continues her profitable streak within the position of Diane Farr, the U.S. Chief of Staff. Chau is clearly the most important stand-out; her character is without doubt one of the extra sophisticated ones among the many ensemble, typically current in a grey space and both at odds with our heroes or attempting to help them. Chau reveals a transparent understanding of her character, proving as soon as once more that she’s some of the versatile actresses working in the present day. There are facets of Diane which are a bit underwritten, however fortuitously, Chau’s performing overshadows her character’s shortcomings.
At instances, the present borders on changing into too melodramatic in its writing. The plot, whereas compelling, is as predictable as you’d anticipate, with not quite a lot of surprises. Some of the twists additionally aren’t almost as stunning or shocking because the script clearly thinks they’re. That’s to not say that the execution is boring, nevertheless it does have a really acquainted sense to it. In the pantheon of action-thrillers on streaming, The Night Agent is certainly one of many extra memorable ones. Those who fell in love with The Recruit will really feel proper at residence with the brand new collection, and people in want of one other motion title as they await the return of Reacher can even be greater than happy. This is not breaking any new floor by way of its style, nevertheless it does handle to take what works in earlier reveals and run with it —which in actuality, is all one can ask for. If it ain’t broke, do not repair it.
Rating: B
All episodes of The Night Agent at the moment are streaming on Netflix.