The Agency: Central Intelligence

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.

Brilliant best show I have watched in a while Really well cast and stylishly done Roll on series 2.

The clothes were fabulous Great pace to it and you needed to pay full attention No scrolling on your phone and semi watching or you were lost Surprised not more talk about this show Can't wait for next series as I said.

The Agency is a remake from « bureau des legendes » , a tv series from 2014-2015 with Mathieu Kassovitz as main character.

Some scenes are the exact same but quickly of course it diverts with a plot more in line with actual geopolitics. The cast is good and it may be for once much more realistic with the operation mode of an agency than many movies or shows on the topic. It starts slow and there would be material for several seasons. Let's see if with time it will be as good as Homeland, although that one had uneven seasons and episodes. Glad to see Richard Gere as station chief, and Jeffrey Wright in a role better than Felix Letissier in the James Bond movies!

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.

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.