The Recruit

I just finished this binge. My only critical thought is: is it the most plausible show? Probably not - but that is never really the point of these kinds of shows. Just like The Ozarks, Sneaky Pete, or any number of other thriller type shows, the whole point is to follow a brazen, unabashed, resourceful main character into situations that only become progressively more impossible to contend with and see them through. Of course you have to suspend an amount of disbelief, and I am more than willing to do this when the characters are likeable, the dialog/acting is good, the pace is not boring, and its fun and not loaded with finger-wagging pretentious hollywood ideas --- so far this show checks all of the boxes! Not the most amazing thing I've seen, but has me smiling and eagerly clicking 'Next Episode' at the end of each.

There were definitely a few points in this show where I've found myself saying, "Oh man, this is so good," but a few places -namely in the last two episodes- I thought it felt strained by some script choices that were not greatest or most sensible.

Overall, I really found myself enjoying this show. It does fall short of being absolutely amazing because of a couple of points if you are looking for them -- so in honesty, this show is probably ranges between a 7 and a 9, but I definitely have no regrets with this one and recommend it for sure if you're looking for some laid back fun.

This was, simply put, an extremely entertaining series. Episode after episode, you can't imagine where it's going except that the lead character Owen Hendricks, played by Noah Centineo, will get into trouble, more and more trouble and best of all, he'll get everyone else into trouble as well. It doesn't matter that he works for the CIA, he's not CIA material, but he's the only honest to god good person the agency appears to have. He's no Jack Ryan, but he's got more luck than the Michael Connelly character, most of it bad.

The character and how well Centineo plays the part is basically what drives you to watch. He's so endearing, you'll keep calling him names but you can't help to root for him despite the character's poor choices. Why? Because he's a good person who cares for others while he's surrounded in the agency by no one who gives a crap about others. Thankfully he has two friends who care about him and whose best advice is to get the hell out of the CIA. I can think of so many reasons why this is not a typical spy thriller; not typical is key here. How is this entertaining? For the same reason we like ice cream; we just do.

As season ending episodes go, it is not, absolutely not a typical cliffhanger either. By the time the last episode ends, you find yourself so interested in Owen's future you need there to be a season two. You got to have it. A lot of people will be upset at Netflix if there isn't a season two; and I'm one.

The show it's entertaining if you stop thinking that this has to be a documentary with all the accuracy of real espionage. I love how this isn't another he kicks everyone's ass without a scratch type of thing as Netflix has gotten very choreographed on everything they do, this guy gets his ass handed to him and he really does not know how to throw a punch plus he's not this bodybuilding dude with more muscle than brain. All this makes the show different therefore entertaining and changes the pace a little from all this heros on Netflix that can do everything but get hit. Enjoy it for what it is A TV SHOW and not real life because if you want realistic and accurate you need to stick to documentaries and everyone with the jack ryan comparison please understand that isn't realistic either actual government and high stakes spionage doesn't make for an entertaining watch. Give the kid a chance give the show a chance and expect to be entertained not taught a lesson on how the government cia or anything related to it works.

The Recruit is a very promising story, unfolding across two seasons with intrigue and momentum - only for Netflix to ruin it by cancelling the third season. Because of this, I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone.

Watching this show now feels like reading the Harry Potter series, only to be told that book seven won't be published because book six didn't meet sales expectations. It's incredibly frustrating.

Netflix has become notorious for cancelling shows mid-story. Why should viewers commit to a series if the platform refuses to commit to completing the narrative? It's like building a fire only to douse it before it truly burns.

This isn't just disappointing - it undermines the entire viewing experience. Great characters, exciting arcs, and careful world-building are left hanging in the air. For that reason, I give it 1/10 - not for the show's quality, but for the betrayal of its promise.

Wow. The Recruit was even better than I was hoping for. It follows a new CIA recruit who's a lawyer and before he knows it he's in deeper than he ever thought. He gets caught up in an international political thriller when a former CIA asset threatens to expose her relationship with the agency that will cause major problems for everyone. This is directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow, Mr. And Mrs. Smith, American Made, Swingers, etc) who's an absolute terrific director. He usually does major blockbuster movies so this has to be good for him to do. I'm so glad that this is on Netflix so we don't have to wait a week between episodes. I hate that now. This show is definitely a show to binge. I've liked it so much that I already binged the entire first season in the first weekend it came out! I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who's a fan of political action thrillers.