The Assassin

This is a brilliant spoof assassin/spy comedy. The actors all play it totally straight and the result is hilarious. The plot is spectacularly convoluted and the characters all hide who they really are. There are twists and turns in abundance. A truly joyous spy romp. Grab some snacks and sit back for a great romp.

We watched the first episode last night. Just baffled by the whole thing.

Is it supposed to be a comedy or is it supposed to be a serious action drama? We couldn't tell.

I hadn't read reviews here on IMDB before watching and have only just read through the 16 that are currently posted and was relieved to see that there are as many confused about it as we were.

Some seem to genuinely think it's supposed to be a comedy and that those not used to British humour just aren't getting it. We've watched loads of British tongue-in-cheek type series and The Assassin (so far) is't like anything we've seen out of the UK before. I'm not convinced.

Others think it is so bad that it is just coming across as being intended as a comedy. Again, not too sure.

We just think it's just not working.

What struck me after watching is that it SHOULD have been done as an obvious comedy but wasn't and it is so bizarre that it is coming across as a failed comedy.

I love Keeley Hawes and I have to say this isn't her fault. Maybe she didn't know how to play it.

It occurred to me that it needed someone with a Bruce Willis type sense of wry humour to play the role (keeping it as a female obviously). Maybe a John McClane type of character who finds himself in a serious situation but is wisecracking his (or her in this case) way through it. That might have worked. But not Keeley playing it absolutely straight and us wondering what it is supposed to be.

Can I add, too, that the scene with the sniper in episode 1 was just so ridiculous that it came across as almost funny. Funny without being funny or intended to be funny. A sniper tries to take out Keeley Hawes character. They can't of course, because otherwise there wouldn't be a series. Shot after shot misses the mark and I think with all the reloading we are talking maybe 30 bullets in all but just guessing. But the thing is this: bullets that miss Keeley don't just bounce off the ground or other obstacles; most of them seem to hit bystanders square in the heart and killing all of them. How can you not laugh at this sort of nonsense? How can writers expect audience to believe this is serious when this is the way something is written and so ludicrouse.

Confused? Well we certainly were.

Love Keeley Hawes & Freddie Highmore in everything they've done, such talented actors. In this they are also fabulous but the script & some of the cast let them down. It went from a fun farce to what felt like a dated daytime soap opera. Not great & certainly not interesting enough to make me want to watch more than the 1st episode & that was painful.

Why did Keeley do this awful series? Didn't she read the script? Terrible casting too. Freddie is terrible. The story is a mess. Lots of sarcasm, which is poorly delivered. There are plenty of better series out there. This one is just very poor. Lots of dreary characters. Jack Davenport had a short and daft appearance too. Avoid if I were you.

I rarely bother writing reviews, but having read some of the reviews here, felt I had to say a few things, as it seems people are taking this series far too seriously and not getting the daft and dry British humour of the show.

Before watching, I guessed this would be a ludicrous plot and would be a parody of the whole "retired assassin" genre. I mean, Keeley Hawes as a menopausal super assassin and her son played by the eternally child-like Freddie Highmore? Yeah, this is no John Wick lol.

Of course it's not a masterpiece, but it's great fun throughout, never gets boring and is well written and acted - and ridiculously violent and gory for good measure. It's a massive pisstake, as we say in the UK, of the entire "badass comes back from retirement" movie/TV trope. You almost expect Keeley Hawes character to get out a tissue and wipe the blood off her son's cheek throughout.

It's completely unbelievable, but then that's the point. It's also incredibly funny and enjoyable, and "knows" it is ridiculous, so it knowingly takes us viewers along for the ride. Just sit back and enjoy that ride and you'll not be disappointed.