The Agency
The Agency
Now Showing

The Agency

"Truth is a moving target."

7.3
Yr 2024
Status Returning Series
Drama Mystery
Your Verdict
Unrated

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Back
Series Brief

Overview

Covert CIA agent Martian is ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind unexpectedly reappears, their romance reignites, pitting his career, his real identity and his mission against his heart while hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 67 /100

Critical reception for The Agency is distinctly divided, largely centering on the show's deliberate, slow-burn pacing and subdued tone. Positive reviews applaud the series as an icy, sophisticated, and realistic CIA drama that avoids typical espionage tropes in favor of an immersive character study. Outlets praising the show highlight Michael Fassbender's grounded lead performance, the sharp dialogue, and the pervasive atmosphere of surveillance and unease.

Conversely, several critics found the drama excessively sluggish and emotionally detached. Detractors argue that despite a star-studded ensemble, the narrative often feels like a humorless slog that collapses under the weight of its own self-importance. While it may not satisfy viewers hunting for non-stop action, supporters maintain that patient audiences will find a tense, well-crafted thriller.

“This is a slow, ambling show that, at times, feels as if it is collapsing under the weight of its own self-importance.”

“A fabulously gripping series that's realistic and immersive, with excellent characters.”

“This solid but somewhat lifeless spy thriller plays by the rules, even when its characters don't.”

“The Agency does not reinvent the wheel, but it offers a great turn from Michael Fassbender in the lead role and a few intriguing mysteries to unravel.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Spectrum On Demand
US
fuboTV
US
Paramount Plus Apple TV channel
US • UK • CA
Show 6 more
Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
US
Paramount Plus
UK • CA
Paramount Plus Essential
US
Paramount Plus Premium
US • CA • UK
Paramount Plus Basic with Ads
CA • UK
Paramount+ Amazon Channel
CA • US • UK
Why fans love it

The Agency balances the mechanics of a political thriller with the deliberate pace of a character study. By grounding the high-stakes world of international espionage in the somber reality of a man leaving his identity behind, the show prioritizes atmosphere over loud spectacle. London functions as more than a backdrop, providing a textured, muted environment for the tension to unfold as long-buried secrets surface.

Michael Fassbender anchors the drama with a performance that emphasizes the internal friction of a spy caught between professional duty and personal attachments. The series focuses on the understated fallout of a compromised mission rather than leaning into explosive action tropes. It treats the complications of a reignited romance as a primary source of suspense, making the bureaucratic machinery of the CIA feel as dangerous as the physical threats lurking in the city.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 20
Longest run 20 eps
Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender
as Brandon 'Martian' Colby / Paul Lewis
20 episodes
Jeffrey Wright
Jeffrey Wright
as Henry Ogletree
20 episodes
Jodie Turner-Smith
Jodie Turner-Smith
as Dr Samia 'Sami' Zahir
20 episodes
Katherine Waterston
Katherine Waterston
as Naomi Ford
20 episodes
Harriet Sansom Harris
Harriet Sansom Harris
as Dr Rachel Blake
20 episodes
John Magaro
John Magaro
as Owen Lublin
20 episodes
Saura Lightfoot-Leon
Saura Lightfoot-Leon
as Daniela 'Danny' Ruiz Morata
20 episodes
India Fowler
India Fowler
as Poppy Cunningham
20 episodes
Show 67 more
Andrew Brooke as Grandpa 20 episodes Christian Ochoa Lavernia as Grandma 10 episodes Reza Brojerdi as Reza Mortazevi 20 episodes Ambreen Razia as Blair 18 episodes Alex Reznik as Piotr 'Coyote' Rybak 11 episodes Richard Gere as James 'Bosko' Bradley 20 episodes Dominic West as CIA Director 7 episodes Adam Nagaitis as Grandma 8 episodes Bilal Hasna as Simon 20 episodes Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Ben 8 episodes Edward Holcroft as Dr Charlie Remy 5 episodes Emma Lau as Amelia - China Ops 4 episodes Annabel Mullion as Emily Ogletree 3 episodes Marcin Zarzeczny as Orekhov 3 episodes Sergej Onopko as Dr Koval 4 episodes Oleksandr Rudynskyi as Boutenko 4 episodes Elena Saurel as Ms Robinshaw 13 episodes Dmitry Turchaninov as Interrogator / Ski Mask One 2 episodes Jack Jagodka as Interrogator / Ski Mask Two 2 episodes Pääru Oja as Man in Tracksuit / Special OP 2 episodes Timothy Harker as Manager, Institute 2 episodes Kurt Egyiawan as Osman 12 episodes David Harewood as Dalaga 7 episodes Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Jerome 3 episodes Jessie Mei Li as Rose 2 episodes Akpore Uzoh as Negotiator 3 episodes Hugh Bonneville as James Richardson 12 episodes Elham Ehsas as Edward 2 episodes Abdullahi Islaw as Abdel 4 episodes Violet Verigo as Administrator Cultural Heritage 2 episodes Curtis Lum as Guo 4 episodes Juris Žagars as General Volchok 5 episodes Anthony Edridge as Secretary of State 3 episodes Ray BLK as Dozer 7 episodes Vladimir Angelove as Leo 3 episodes Tanya Shpadi as Sylviya 2 episodes Dmitry Sharakois as Sasha 2 episodes Afsheen Misaghi as Iranian Interrogator Man 2 episodes Marko Leht as Valhalla Mercenary 2 episodes Michael Lindall as SAC/SOG Commander J. Pruitt 4 episodes Sabrina Chow Yee Wu as Raine Miller 17 episodes Clayne Crawford as Viking 9 episodes Keanush Tafreshi as Hassan Zamani 9 episodes Medalion Rahimi as Darya 5 episodes Thomas Coombes as Tom 10 episodes Raza Jaffrey as Craig 9 episodes Nasser Memarzia as Majid Zamani 4 episodes Shaheen Jafargholi as Zak 2 episodes Tej Obano as Guard 5 episodes Tessa Ferrer as Robyn Crawford 5 episodes Charles Mnene as Adil 3 episodes Lucy Newman-Williams as Lizzy Crawford 2 episodes Ali Zayn as Karim 3 episodes Savvy Clement as Officer Jones 3 episodes Mamad Heidari as Captain Esmaeili 2 episodes Rudy Ruggiero as Isaac Lelov 2 episodes Reza Shademan as Major Nazari 3 episodes Amir El-Masry as Saeed Al Bukhatir 5 episodes Andrei Zayats as Vlad 3 episodes Erik Alens as Vladimir 3 episodes Oleg Levin as Valhalla Soldier 3 episodes Andrii Zamiatin as Valhalla Mercenary 4 episodes Joaquim Tivoukou as Paris 3 episodes Steve Tagheu as Crossbow 3 episodes Christian Friedel as Nils Jansen 4 episodes Trond Fausa Aurvåg as Mikkel De Bruyne 3 episodes Alain Ali Washnevsky as Colonel Yousefi 3 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Agency overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

london, england spy undercover agent remake political thriller cia agent spy thriller spycraft grim foreboding
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
December 01, 2024
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
306