The Agency: Series 1 (Paramount+) - Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

MICHAEL Fassbender top lines one of the best casts in ages for a TV series, helping to turn The Agency into a really quality drama that rewards patience.

An adaptation of Eric Rochant’s acclaimed French series The Bureau, the series also stars Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Dominic West, Katherine Waterston and Saura Lightfoot-Leon (to name but a few).

Unlike a lot of more direct, action driven thrillers, this is very much a slow burn - more John Le Carre than Jason Bourne or Black Doves (which, given the current proliferation of spy shows, is no bad thing).

There are some great set pieces. But the emphasis is more on the psychology of spying… it’s emotional burden both in terms of the toll it extracts on one’s own self and the people around them.

But it’s also not averse to exposing the darker side of spycraft - the covert deals, the betrayals, the lies and the torture. The compromised morality and ethics of those forced to make difficult choices, especially when set against the context of the Ukraine-Russia conflict or the threats posed by countries such as Iran and China.

There are a lot of stories and characters at play here. Primarily, we’re focused on CIA special agent Martian (Fassbender) as he returns to London after spending six years undercover in Ethiopia to acclimate to civilian life.

Martian’s previous mission was terminated early, forcing him to abandon his lover, Sami (Turner-Smith), yet offering him another chance to reconnect with his teenage daughter, Poppy (India Fowler), and working with agency head of strategy Henry (Wright) and head of office Bosko (Gere) just as news breaks that an operative has gone rogue in Belarus - and may be about to fall into Russian hands.

While juggling a difficult caseload, Martian also realised that Sami has come to London as part of a delegation of African leaders seeking to broker a secret deal with the Chinese - prompting Martian to try to recruit her in order to rekindle their relationship, yet remaining careful not to blow his cover or expose the secrets of his affair to his CIA handler Naomi (Waterston).

Simultaneously, there’s new recruit Danny (American Primeval’s Lightfoot-Leon), who is being tutored by Naomi and Martian to embark on her first mission in Iran, as well as the sudden arrival of Dr Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris), who has been sent to evaluate mental health across the department, much to the chagrin of all concerned.

Scripted by the Butterworth brothers (Jez and John-Henry), produced by George Clooney and co-directed by the likes of Joe (Hanna) Wright, Grant Heslov and Neil Burger, The Agency is a complex beast that takes a while to come together. But as it does, there’s a deep sense of reward with several twists guaranteed to surprise.

It’s tense, sometimes violent but emotionally compelling, with the odd moment of humour to punctuate the seriousness of what is at stake. And it pulls few punches in the way it challenges its main players, putting them through the wringer.

Fassbender is particularly compelling as the main focal point, his Martian a mostly experienced and composed operator capable of keeping himself one step ahead of his pursuers. But with so many operations to juggle, his ability to do so becomes severely compromised - his emotions and loyalties continually tested as his desperation (particularly in relation to his love for Sami) mounts.

He is the spy who has perhaps seen too much and been forced to place country before self too often - a predicament that complicates his ability to make sound judgements as he observes the broken relationships that now litter his life.

Where Martian is perhaps jaded, Danny is just embarking on her career, learning the ropes and keen to do whatever is takes (and burn whoever it takes) to succeed in her mission and establish herself as a valuable CIA asset. Her journey to Iran is frought with similar peril to Martian’s home front mission, but it’s an intriguing juxtaposition of ideals. Lightfoot-Leon is similarly great, presenting a steely, determined presence.

Surrounding them are quality support turns from the likes of the always brilliant Wright (striking up a nice chemistry with Fassbender), Gere as the continually under pressure boss and John Magaro (also riding high off the acclaim from September 5) as another colleague who finds himself caught up in the tense situation surrounding the rogue agent.

Downton Abbey and Paddington stalwart Bonneville also does great work as a duplicitous British agent who has a key role to play in the latter stages of the series.

The Agency may be too serious and slow paced for spy fans favouring the more instant gratification and grandstanding of shows like Black Doves and Slow Horses, but by offering something different, it offers a more sombre and perhaps more realistic insight into the complexity of the spy game and the emotional cost of playing it.

A second season is in the works. And that’s very good news as these are characters you should want to return to.