User reviews

For anyone who loves games of cat and mouse involved in the spy world then The Agency is for you. It's not the best spy series that I've seen but it's definitely worth watching. Michael Fassbender is perfect for roles like this, as is Jeffery Wright. The two of them are incredibly underrated actors. Add in Richard Gere, Katherine Waterston and Saura Lightfoot-Leon and you have one of the most talented casts on tv. The show might start off slow for some but stay with it because it does pick up. It just takes its time as it builds its world and its characters but if you don't have the patience for slow burn, well told shows then this isn't for you. The Agency does a great job of showing the cost and the sacrifices it takes to be in this line of work. I hope we get several seasons of this.

The Agency is a must watch for anyone a fan of spy thrillers. First of all, the cast is absolutely amazing. It stars Michael Fassbender, Jeffery Wright, Richard Gere and Katherine Waterston. That cast right there is reason enough to five this a try and on top of that it's a really good show too. I won't be surprised to see this show and most of the cast nominated for some awards come award season. The series is about a covert CIA agent (Fassbender) who is ordered to leave his undercover life and return to the field with his ex lover (Waterston) who he's still in love with. His love for her starts to interfere with his real life and the mission. If you're a fan of spy thrillers or a good mystery series then give this a try. You won't be disappointed.

Don't believe the reviews that claim this is masterpiece nor those that claim this is bad. This is thoroughly engaging drama that meanders into the psychological stresses of being an agent more often than not. If you are looking for shoot 'em ups, you're on the wrong train. There is action mind you but that is second to storyline which is as it should be. This is more along the lines of Tinker Taylor rather than James Bond. If that is your cup of tea you will enjoy it.

As others have said the cast is quite good with nary a weak link. There are some traditional tropes throughout relating to the spy game and its role in international intrigue but you can't have it all.

In 'The Agency' three stories compete for your attention.

In one (and the primary story by far) a CIA operative is attempting to rescue another spy who is captured behind Russian Lines near the Ukraine border.

In another, that same operative is attempting to save the life of his lover; a Sudanese Economist.

In the third, we follow the efforts of a young woman, new to the CIA, attempting to move up the ladder and land a prestige spy-assignment in Iran.

What is interesting is that these three stories are not tied together, either in terms of plot or character overlapping. With one exception: the spy 'handler' / 'mother hen' played by a wionderful Katherine Waterston who is linked to each of the three plot-lines. Fiercely protective, fiercely effective, likely in love with our CIA Operative, she is the strong force behind the ten episodes.

For a TV Series, this series' overall production is excellent. Set for the most part in London, U. K. we see that city as both grand and dangerous; its boulevards and architecture perfect backgrounds for the malice and double-dealing behind its walls.

The series is a bit overly complex; particularly the attempt to save the American spy; there are too many Russian Generals involved, too many Russian names that look and sound too much alike to be easy distinguished. This, added to by the story's slow movement / advancement may leave the viewer frustrated. The young woman advancing up the CIA ladder is a story tight, easy to follow, and suspenseful; more interesting is that we're never really certain of her motives. Saving the Sudanese woman is the love interest every good story needs, and in this case, gets.

Michael Fassbender is believable as the worn out CIA Operative. Jeffrey Wright has just the right amount of righteous indignation as Fassbender's immediate superior. Richard Gere as Wright's boss; kind of wasted in a role anyone might have played. I will never forget Jodie Turner Smith as the regal and vulnerable Sudanese woman. Nor Saura Lightfoot-Leon. As the ladder-climbing young agent; terrific.

Here's a series with difficulties, pARticularly in its earlier episodes. And I would never fault anyone for giving up on it. But for those who stick around, I've got the feeling you'll find it worthwhile.

I have not seen the original to compare. However, knowing it was a remake of a French original I approached this with some trepidation as US remakes are usually pretty poor on the whole.

This though I was pleasantly surprised by. It offers something different to the usual spy thrillers focusing more on relationships to agents, colleagues, and loved ones that are often not touched on or rarely developed. Whilst this could still go further than it does those elements are just as important to the story as the main plot line. It's that plot line that is the slow burn as it takes it time to unfold but it is refreshing in a US remake that there is no reliance on action sequences. Action sequences are few and far between and only introduced when necessary. Instead we get a greater focus on the who what and why of the of the various plots and sub plots.

I found it compelling, with Michael Fassbender as Martian/Paul excellent in the main role ably supported by an excellent cast.

There is one thread throughout that seems to have little relevance to everything else that is going on but I suspect it is there because it will become much more important in subsequent series. However, it appears as a little padding to this series, although it is an interesting and watchable side plot. That and the slow burn stop it from becoming a 10/10 series but overall it is well with the watch.

A well-made series where Richard Gere and Michael Fassbender are wasted on it and play at 40-55 percent of their abilities and instead of the latter, though playing nicely and convincingly good, I would have liked to see Richard Armitage in his place and rank. The Russian and Ukrainian situations and visuals are mostly good as well as are the scenes with Sami Zahir and Danny.

A little suspension of disbelief here and there and you got yourself ten convincing episodes of high value targets drama.

Please bear in mind that it's mostly done right without stellar realism that are impossible to reach at a fictional level without making fuss, creating conflicts and deteriorating the storylines' plots.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 7.5
• Production value/impact: 7
• Development: 8
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 8
• Acting: 8
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8.5
• VFX: 8.5
• Music/score/sound: 7
• Depth: 7
• Logic: 6.5
• Flow: 7.5
• Political/Drama/thriller/psychology/sp i: 7
• Ending: 7.

One of the best shows I've seen in years. It started out a bit slow, but after a few episodes I was so hooked that I binged all 10 episodes in one day.

It's rare that you finish a show and you're actually sad that it ended. I could have easily watched more of this. Hope there's another season coming in the future.

It's not perfect, there are a few small things that annoyed me, but overall a very good experience watching this. The only thing that really bothered me was the Dr. Blake character. She seemed out of place and I thought her acting was not up to par with the rest of the cast. It also made no sense for her to be always in the room when talking about highly secretive operational stuff.

Anyway, Michael Fassbender was amazing as usual and I've always liked Richard Gere, so this is easily a 9/10 for me.

10 episodes of slow, intellectual bliss about the never-failing CIA and its crew of spooks. Has the odd blip of speed, but mainly a plodding, stubborn show of incredible entertainment.

An absolute stellar cast mixed with wonderful writing create a show well worth watching. Fassenger carries the weight as the star whose fallen inove and teying to balance his private life with the job. Along with Wright, Gere, Waterston, Margaro and Turner-Smith, who all provide great characters, the story is full of informative moments and surprising turns.

Who knows who the good guys are is an interesting question throughout the series, never letting up right up to the final second. Totally clandestine and beautifully mysterious for those who love the spy genre.

A story that unveils the humanness of tradesmen and women in the most controversial business of all time. By the way the characters are built and portrayed any wild guess can be true. Great dim visuals for indoor scenes screams it's all business. Excellent work with camera and visuals. Great work with audio and background music. Intro music is very relatable and mood setting. Performances by the whole cast felt very natural, and it was well chosen group. This is not the regular spy drama we come across but rather a portrayal of the toll it takes for operatives to serve their countries while surviving.

This series is a disappointment so far, "The Bureau" was a Stunning series, well developed, realistic, Excellent dialogue, excellent casting, I could go on. The Agency is none of those things. Dialogue is facile and forced , the acting not in the same league and plotline thin after 2 episodes, trying to copy its French counterpart just shows how good the French are at serious dramatic TV and how crass the American influence has made this series. It may gel and improve but the signs aren't good. If you are watching this new series, do yourself a favour and watch the Bureau, its superb by comparison.

I must say that I was lucky enough that a couple of years ago I bindge-watched The Bureau and to be honest is probably one of the best things I have ever watched. Nothing up until this point was even remotely close to it. There is a correlation between the two series, obviously it was mentioned that it was "influenced" by it, but tbh I wasn't expecting similar storyline. Don't get me wrong, the series up until this point is amazing, great cast, good cinematography, but it wasn't something I haven't already seen in the French version. It's too early to say how it will turned out to be, but I highly suggest to anyone who hasn't watched the Bureau to watch it. You won't regret it. After Fassbender played professional hitman in David Finchers movie The Killer, and I saw he was in the cast, I immediately knew he is a great choice for the role. Those type of series actually require certain amount of concentration while watching them, so you can keep up with all the characters in the storyline and the little details about them. It's not something you would watch, while riding your bike on the indoor trainer. Some would even consider them slow paced, maybe even boring, but exactly those characteristics and complicated personal battles that the characters have, plus the slow buildup of tension, is what makes them great in my opinion. Those type of series you either love them, or you don't like them at all, there isn't a middle ground.

This is a remake of the french version Le bureau des légendes. It's almost the same. So I am questioning why. Why? Why does the American film-industry make all these remakes? Even if this is not bad, I couldn't give it more than 6, because IT'S A REMAKE. Where are all the creative minds that write good original content? It has gotten a trend, that every successful movie or series made in Europe is bought by Hollywood producers. So why not watch the original at first? Do it. Watch the original. It's quite good. To be honest, it's much better. Hollywood, you need to change your attitude...Sorry.

This is one of the better new shows so far this year. The Agency is a show where you can't be playing on your phone, cooking dinner or doing something else, it requires your undivided attention. It's a show that never gets stale. I can't remember ever being bored, even for one episode. I loved every second of every episode and I think you will to if you give it a chance. The entire cast is fantastic, led by the incredible gifted Michael Fassbender. I've already watched this show twice from beginning to end. I saw that it's already been renewed for another season and I'm sure it'll be just as good as the first.

If you liked The day of the Jackal and you're a fan of spy series you gonna like it. It's not over yet I'm still waiting for the next episode and I'm already writing about it that's how good it is. Casting there's nothing to say it's just great I'm even surprised this show didn't get more traction or publicity. Michael is just outstanding he's just the best at playing morally questionable characters. The screenplay and plot line might be a bit complex if you're not used to this genre but I like how they have so many things going. It's definitely more realistic than The day of the Jackal makes you feels like everything is actually happening in real life which add to the suspense they're so good at building, they just know how to keep you up your toes. I'm sure they gonna have a great ending although I don't want it to end but they're already renewed for season 2 so that's a good sign.

I got other reviews on shows and movies I've liked or disliked if you're interested check for more and remember it's just personal opinion you're entitled to feel different.

I was looking forward to watching this series, having watched the previous series with Beau Bridges...however, what is the deal with all the background noise?

It's not music...Most of it sounds like a romp through an industrial metal mill with all the clanging and banging.

There was a time when music accompanied a show as background, not something that sounds grandma throwing every pot and pan in the kitchen at the dog.

And it is suppose to accompany the show, not drown out the dialogue, which is the better part of the show.

Take lesson from Pete Carpenter or someone else who knows how to write a piece of music and a hellava good theme song.

This series is essentially a scene-by-scene imitation of what many consider to be the best series ever created, "The Bureau." If you haven't yet experienced the captivating storytelling of the French series "The Bureau," I strongly urge you to watch it first.

Even though this adaptation may boast a cast featuring more recognizable actors, it ultimately falls short when it comes to the richness of the narrative and the emotional depth of the characters. In "The Bureau," viewers become genuinely invested in the intricacies of the plot and the personal journeys of the characters, which is a significant aspect that this imitation fails to capture. The original series stands out for its authenticity and complexity, making it a must-see for anyone interested in top-tier television.

Haven't yet watched the original 2015 French series on which it's based so don't know how much this adaptation varies.

One thing I can say for sure is the lead character is certainly unlikeable. Reminds me of Emily Blunt's Kate Macer in "Sicario." Initially, she seems to be the protagonist, someone you invest in & root for, but as the story unfolds she becomes a stone in the shoe, a monkey wrench in the gears, despite all the warnings and big-picture overview she's been given.

Same goes for Fassbender's character here. Dude is a walking train wreck. How can we root for him?

It becomes tiresome. And IMO, that's not a way to win over an audience. There have to be mini-victories along the way to keep me engaged. Not a continual downward slide that creates cruel collateral damage. And not one big, implausible, jelly roll of synthesis at the end that supposedly ties a nice neat knot together around everything.

The Agency should've been right up my alley. The acting, locations and set design are all first-rate.

One the minus side, in no particular order:

-I didn't particularly believe Jodie Turner Smith here, who's been good in other things. I found her wardrobe lovely, and distracting. Wondering if an Ethiopian economist would actually have a movie star-ish unlimited clothing budget pulled me out of the plot.

-Centering a main plot line around an agent unknown to us was a letdown; his potential rescuers were a much more interesting thread.

-I really disliked the music, starting with the melodramatic theme song by Jack White (whom I visualized tearing at his shirt during his tortured delivery).

-Martian's (Michael Fassbender) daughter Poppy reeked of a plot device, then disappeared. No particular loss. The actress seemed too old for a role written as young for her years.

-Is it even remotely believable that a spy undergoing mandated therapy-while making life and death decisions-could opt out of sessions for weeks without generating (alarmed) reporting to their superior(s)?

The Agency sagged in the middle...so much so I almost quit it. Ultimately I found the finale so anti-climactic I missed that it *was* the finale; I'd been awaiting another episode.

In brief, well short of spellbinding suspense.

Probably the best CIA series I've watched so far. From the very first episode, it grabbed my attention and never let go. The entire cast delivered outstanding performances, keeping me thoroughly invested from start to finish.

Michael Fassbender, as always, brought his A-game, delivering a captivating and nuanced performance that added layers of complexity to his character. His ability to balance intensity with subtle emotional depth made his portrayal compelling. I was also particularly impressed by Saura Lightfoot-Leon, whose performance added depth and authenticity to the story. Her character felt incredibly real, and her presence on screen was commanding and emotionally resonant.

Beyond the stellar performances, the series excelled in its pacing, storytelling, and tension. Every episode was meticulously crafted, with sharp writing and gripping twists that kept me on edge. The cinematography and direction also played a crucial role in creating an immersive and atmospheric experience, elevating the sense of realism and urgency that a great espionage thriller demands.

For fans of the genre, The Agency is an absolute must-watch. It masterfully blends action, intelligence, and character-driven drama, making it one of the most compelling spy thrillers in recent years.

We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Namely, that to meet the ever-increasing demand for streaming content, creators on this side of the pond are borrowing entire shows from overseas. This year, 2024, France has been the source for two major N. A. releases, namely High Potential (a clone of the hit French series known as "HPI") and now, with THE AGENCY 2024, a clone of Le Bureau Des Legends (one of the most popular French TV shows of all time, running from 2015 to 2020). Cloning and repatriating does not always guarantee an exact replica. For example, many critics consider the new western version of HPI, High Potential, an actual improvement over the original. Based on the first episode of Agency, this reviewer feels the show should at least hold its own with its iconic overseas counterpart. The writing is sharp and Fassbender -- yet another A-level film star crossing over to the small screen -- seldom disappoints. We take it for granted that major plot arcs will be tweaked to allow for the ever-changing political landscape. But so far, so good. Recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Sometimes a little hard to follow, especially in the beginning. But the acting is superb, the plot... Or three of them... Intertwine well and provide a very dramatic spy thriller. It keeps you guessing until the very end. Is he or isn't he? Will they or won't they? I loved the production value in the various locations. It was also very much a timely series, using issues like China, Iran, a role in Africa, and central themes, like love, connection, duty. Definitely one of the better series I have seen this season. Well worth the watch... And as a matter of fact, I watched it a second time and binged.

I really wanted to like "The Agency" more, but there's a level of unbelievability that I just could not overcome.

The Good: The actors are all good. As is to be expected from some big name and veteran actors. But even the lesser known cast do quite a good job. Production value and editing are also good.

The Bad: There are too many plots and sub-plots, some of them quite over the top, that just takes you completely out of suspension of disbelief. Fastbender's character simply becomes ridiculous.

Ultimately, I just don't see how the writers are going to resolve everything without using some kind of deus ex machina to get them out of all the situations that they have put everyone in.

But I really hope they can.

There dont seem to be any real human beings with real human emotions in this series. Yes I get it that spies are not supposed to have any emotional entanglements, but that just makes all of these characters unrelatable. The story is abstract, unemotional & hard to follow. Even the main character who has a relationship is completely unrelatable. The writers may think this series is clever but since no one ever feels anything, it is impossible to get attached to the outcome for any of the characters. Why would I care what happens to any of them when they really dont have any human emotions. It reminds me of another abstract spy series - Black Dove. Now compare this with the Tehran TV series which is a true thriller where you really get to care about what happens to the lead character. Dont waste your time on The Agency.