The Assets

There is a lot of press about the low ratings this series has gotten and much info about ABC canceling the show after the first 2 episodes,. (now they are running the last episodes on Sunday afternoons) I don't understand why the low ratings. It is an excellent production based on the true Aldrich Ames spy story. I found every episode informative intriguing and factual. Its a great spy story. I am long time reader of spy and mystery books and found the series to be quite good. I will now find and read the book. highly recommended. be sure and watch the last episode (9) about the true facts and photos of the story. I streamed all 9 episodes on netflix.

Based on a true story, Sandy Grimes (Jodie Whittaker) is a CIA officer trying to cultivate assets in the Soviet Union. Little does she knows, there is a mole in her office she sees every day. Aldrich Ames (Paul Rhys) has been selling CIA secrets to the Soviets.

It's obvious that ABC had no confidence in this show/mini-series. They put it out at the end of the holiday seasons with little or no advertising. It's meant to be nothing more than cannon fodder going into the Winter Olympics. Nobody was paying attention, and nobody watched. It's not a surprise that they canceled it after 2 episodes especially considering the anemic ratings.

I did like the realistic (read not flashy) spy craft. But that's all I found interesting. I like Jodie Whittaker in some of her work. The problem is that we know from the start who the mole is. There isn't much mystery in any of this. Without any mystery, there isn't much driving this show. The audience is just waiting for the CIA to catch the guy. It's probably better as a shorter mini-series. It just doesn't have the flash bang whiz pow of modern TV.

First of all, I would like to say that we started watching this series in 2013. When it was time for the third episode, we were totally hooked. But the third episode was nowhere to be found. Looking online we found that there wasn't enough interest in this program? We couldn't believe it, so very happy that it was being shown this season.

The acting, the presentation of each episode had us eagerly waiting for the next episode. This was a story about a regular human being who chose to do the wrong thing and this continued for years. It was heart wrenching to see the results of his behavior, the loss of life which ensued.

There were many characters in this story who were anxious the get to the truth, but only two who worked many days, years of long hours, despite the time away from family and friends.

Again this person was leading a regular life, married with a young child, but was unable to change his ways. Watching the evolution of the case against this person was a lesson in the workings of bureaucracy. It was unclear what the outcome would be. Great series, worth watching

I was greatly disappointed when The Assets was canceled just after two episodes. Considering that about 30% of the US knows what the three branches of government are but probably know Miley's latest twerking episode or which size bra one of those inane Kardashian sisters is wearing, I am not surprised that a series which stretched one's mental capacities would be canceled.

I watched it on Netflix and found it to be a fascinating story of how a very weak and malleable Aldrich Ames was willing to sell his country's secrets just to keep his second wife in the lap of luxury. It captured the grizzly reality of the KGB and the evils of communism. I know in some circles, it is not kosher to criticize communism. Perhaps that was another indictment of this series.

I would highly recommend it- great acting, realistic recreations of the 1980s and wonderful storyline.

ABC, just go on back to the mental junk food of half hour long strings of juvenile sexual innuendos peppered with near-continuous canned laughter. Based on a mere 2 episodes, I give The Assets an "8" for the potential of what might have been as compared to what the major networks are more comfortably determined to feed us. I was hopeful it would continue to hold my attention.

A couple of criticisms; the flashbacks seemed a little too frequent and hard to tell when they ended. And regarding Grimes' home life scenes; I didn't care for the stereotypical sullen teen, and Grimes' repeated line to her husband "you know I can't talk about that", I wondered how soon that would get tiresome. Those minor annoyances might have smoothed out in future episodes, BUT WE'LL NEVER KNOW! Hey Netflix, HBO, somebody, anybody!

The Ames spy scandal is worthy of quality dramatization, in spite of the fact that, yes, we know how it turned out (Titanic, Lincoln, any WWII movie - we knew in advance how those turned out). There are so many true stories out there so worthy of being dramatized; read about Douglas McKiernan, the first CIA agent killed in the line of duty - an incredible story!