Gray

You'd think a show about a former spy coming in from the cold and helping hunt down a mole would be action packed. But you would be wrong. Over the course of the (first and likely only) season there was surprisingly little action in this series. And I don't just mean action in terms of fight scenes or car chases. I mean very little actually *happens* in this show. The lack of action is especially surprising given that there were several plot lines that could have been further explored or developed but that were needlessly left unresolved at the end of eight episodes. I'm not sure if this was meant as setup for a second season, but given how underwhelming the first season was, I can't imagine watching a second. On the plus side, the performances were strong and it's always nice to see Patricia Clarkson, Rupert Everett, and Lydia West. They just deserve better writing.

I see that some are not impressed by the show. It seems that the main basis for that is that it's claimed to be dull, etc. The only way that's true is if one is looking for a James Bond style action show. It's not that. It's much more in the style of classic slow burner spy movies. Not that I thought it was slow burner-the tension was broadly kept bubbling along and not as predictable as one would expect. There was only one part of one episode where I wondered where the plot went, but it climbed out of that hole fairly quickly. I was originally watching this while working out, but the last few episodes I binged on the couch, bc I wanted to see what happened. It's a good spy show, it doesn't imagine a female spy is physically stronger than a man larger than her, it does image, though, that she's very silver and sneaky, so using her ostensible weaknesses as strengths, which I think came off well. The only issue I have is that I can't tell if the season ended or if my platform is missing a show, etc. I got to episode 8, and it did not feel like a season ending.

Its just not believable this waspy grandmother is the CIAs only option to root out a mole, and the lack of action is needed as it would be doubly unbelievable if the main character could do anything if any action or violence arose. Clarkson's narrow range on full and tedious display - the troubled neurotic she seems to push in every role she plays is just not believable as a rare and insightful operative . Dialogue is dull, little tension, weak secondary acting with with minimal subplot and a tedious been there done that main plot. The 6/10 reviews it seems to be getting say it all - Ive taught screenwriting at college - this is hard to watch and I gave up eventually.

I wish American TV shows would stop with cliffhangers or sorts. Like just wrap up a series and then make a better reason if you get renewed. It's easy. Just follow the Scandinavian method of TV.

Great show. Which annoyed me by it's ending so I knocked off a star.

Because I have to write more in order to qualify I will say this. Patricia Clarkson is weirdly transcendent and you can't take your eyes off her. Rupert Everett freaked me out that he could possibly actually be like that, but I felt some of the other characters were sadly not delved into enough. Actually we don't get much back story which I think is another fault. Maybe I should take another star off. I'll think on that.

Season one started slow, none of the agents working with her showed a normal level of skill that usually these agents have in films. Gray was the one that had it. Sara is given an attention that isn't required in a similar setting, she isn't brought-up to it naturally. The whole series lacks a motility, and the only one that makes it is Gray. Is it a great series, I don't know, cause all the other characters are acting like NPC's and some with a small character defined roles. When it comes to veterans playing the secret service game, I like the Red film series and the Slow Horses TV series. This one is not a contender in that segment. It's a series that hopes to be many things with a unique take, and only fairly justifies it's intention. It doesn't go above and beyond. I am not a fan of cliffhanger's but it seems like a second season is already being filmed.