Wooden Duck

The pilot was pretty underwhelming to begin with, but in this episode there's just way too much nonsense. It seems (re)viewers only care for action once again. Else I don't know what it is with these ratings nowadays. It's supposed to be an intelligent spy show, but for me it doesn't deliver and just feels pretentious. The guy they're trying to exfiltrate is utterly scared for his life and paranoid, yet just casually gets into a car with some random stranger who he believes to be a cab driver? Makes sense. Two/three minimally armed guys on the run, after punching through what is evidently the most useless roadblock ever (in a standard sedan no less), manage to fight off an entire battalion of Russian soldiers with jeeps and armored vehicles... AND EVEN WIN? Gimme a break! I'm hoping we'll get to see a third party involved in the next episode, or some other explanation. Apart from nonsense like this, we've basically seen it all before... and much better. A valuable cast doesn't automatically make your end-product valuable. BUT... it's just episode 2, so there's enough time for it to improve.

This has a great cast and is worth a watch if you like spy stuff. Homeland has set a pretty high bar for showtime spy shows but since that is over, this will work.

I think what makes this worth the watch is the cast, you don't see Richard here in much tv.

This has the potential to be highly predictable in that michael fassbenders african girlfriend is probably more than meets the eye. And making a spy show about the guy chasing the girl doesn't seem like a strong plot device but again, willing to give this a shot based on fassbender, Jeffrey Wright and here all working together.

Tell you what, first episode comes in much stronger than another recent spy show on paramount;Kiefer sutherlands Rabbit Hole. Comparing to another new spy show, The Diplomat on Netflix is probably the better show, but after 1 episode I'll be sticking around to see what The Agency has to offer.

Smart. Pithy, sharp dialogue. No rudimentary explanation or pointless expose to make it easier for general audiences but if you're quick and enjoy the espionage genre you'll catch on quick.

I think that Fassbender is one of the biggest draws of the show for me. His ability to convey his meaning with the subtlest of expressions and eye movements is a masterclass. He's charismatic and carries his characters well, especially the terse and aggressive ones. Would also make for an incredible Bond.

I'm also excitedly waiting for Jeffery Wright to be the center of the show for at least one episode. His caliber of acting is a step above.

Overall I think it would be wise for audiences to judge this show by a full season and not by the first two episodes. I think so far it's very good. Fast paced, not predictable, and smart drama. This is a rare kind of show that needs to be judged by the whole of its effort, and I think it will prove to be brilliant.

The first episode was good, not quite the start I was expecting from a series that had received such high pre-release praise from critics but that was merely the set-up for what transpired in the second episode.

The writing, production, plot lines, character arcs, and acting are all proving themselves to be well-deserved of the high critical praise. I am somewhat familiar with American intelligence, specifically the CIA, and The Agency is showing itself to be consistently realistic in revealing to you the inner workings of its members and the organization itself. The members are very nuanced and in a profession that requires one to hide who they truly are to others, you are left guessing as to the true loyalties and intent of many of the players.

I am looking forward to future episodes and hope the production values remain at the level of this episode, making me happy to watch the series until the very end. A rarity indeed where so many of other series that show any promise whatsoever almost always falls short of any high expectations. Let's hope The Agency is an exception to this rule and so far, it is showing it may well be a delightful departure from most potentially good ideas devolving into mediocrity and disappointment.