Between the final season of Yellowstone, the first season of Landman, and this, all debuting in November, Paramount+ is certainly ending the year on a high note.

New trailer.

First two episodes debut this Friday...

I started this last night. I have a feeling I'm going to like it after watching the first episode.

In hindsight, I wish I would've waited until after the new year to watch it, since now I'll have to wait to watch it every week. For some reason, I'm not a fan of waiting a week anymore. I wish they would drop 2 a week so that I could keep the flow better. I may hold off and then just re-watch it starting in January since the last episode drops on Jan 24.

Good to hear.

With the holidays, I haven't had a chance to dive in yet, but plan on doing so this week for sure.

Since they got the CIA logo wrong, I assume this is without their cooperation?

I enjoyed the pilot episode last night. Sorta gave me original homeland vibes which I liked.

I really enjoyed the first two episodes. This is much better than Fassbender's last 2 movies - Next Goal Wins and The Killer. Given that it's Intelligence work based in London it's easy to compare to Slow Horses but this is way more serious in nature so it's probably better to compare with John le Carre material, even though it's American espionage. I'm not sure if I like this or Landman more at the moment, they're both solid in their own way. It's definitely more intriguing than season 2 of Silo.

Funny thing is I envisioned Fassbender as the main character (James Reece) in the Terminal List series when I read them. It took me a while to figure out who the actor is my mind was, but it was him.

First episode was good.

Spy thriller series “The Agency” has scored a speedy Season 2 renewal at Paramount+ with Showtime.

Per Paramount and VideoAmp, the first episode has drawn 5.1 million viewers globally, which Paramount says makes it Showtime’s most watched new series ever. https://t.co/35oQkQgr13

— Variety (@Variety) December 4, 2024

Finally had a chance to dive in.

FANTASTIC pilot.

It's basically if David Fincher directed a spy series and I am all the way here for it.

Just incredible vibes all around.

It's super slick, confident as hell, looks amazing, I love the intrigue, and the cast is, of course, stacked.

I'm about to knock out the second episode, then the third later this weekend, and I already can't wait.

First two episodes together are better than most movies released this year.

Great cast, interesting premise, cool locales.

TCTTS said:

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I don't understand why Paramount isn't promoting the hell out of this show.

I don't understand why every outlet isn't writing more about it.

I don't understand why this thread isn't popping off.

Because three episodes in and so far this is easily one of the top five shows of the year, if not top three, with quite possibly the best cast of the year.

Is it on the level of Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Succession, etc.

No.

But it's the best spy series in years, is in the top 2% of all TV in terms of filmmaking (i.e. the cinematography, editing, music, etc), and most importantly, seems right up so many people's alley here.

In other words, if you're reading this, love great TV - especially spy/special ops content, political thrillers, etc - and don't have Paramount+ yet...

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Man I love Jennifer Love Hewitt.

But I need to check this out.

I'm digging the series but my wife is even more into it than I am. That's unusual for a spy series, but I'll take it.

So again, the streaming service is not enough? I have to upgrade to a showtime plan?

This is getting ridiculous...

There are two ways to watch…

- On Paramount+ with Showtime, which is $12.99/month, as opposed to $7.99/month for Paramount+ only.

- or -

- Subscribe to Showtime via your cable provider, then watch either live, via DVR, or On Demand.

New episodes premiere Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime, then premiere/air two days later on Sunday nights via Showtime/your cable provider.

That said, I do agree that the Showtime add-on to Paramount+ is a needlessly complicated step. Thankfully, David Ellison and the new Paramount owners finally take over the company in the first half of 2025, and it sounds like they have big plans for Paramount+, want to streamline/upgrade it, potentially lose the Showtime branding altogether, etc. But for the time being this is where we are.

Yeah, I figured. We went YouTube TV a few years ago and still feel like we have added things right and left only to be nickle and dimed and still miss out on shows I want to watch...

I think at times it has tried too hard, both in tone and dialogue,, especially in episode 1. There hasn't been a single smile in the whole series that I remember for example, seemingly a dozen references about how hard a life it is etc. we get it, it's a somber tough job. But it's getting better in that regard as it finds its story and focuses on that. I'm definitely still watching.

oragator said:

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I think at times it has tried too hard, both in tone and dialogue,, especially in episode 1. There hasn't been a single smile in the whole series that I remember for example, seemingly a dozen references about how hard a life it is etc. we get it, it's a somber tough job. But it's getting better in that regard as it finds its story and focuses on that. I'm definitely still watching.

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They're definitely going for a darker vibe more than a Slow Horses vibe. That's why I love Slow Horses, regardless of how serious the show is there's an undercurrent of comedy, and not just with Lamb, pretty much all the characters have a sense of humor. This is going for the angle of soul-crushing intelligence work where no one can be trusted. There's no glamour to the agents, I can appreciate that angle since I've enjoyed films like A Most Wanted Man and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I'm glad people are watching the show because it's not the kind of material everyone can latch onto. I really enjoyed the first two episodes but the third was a little slow for me. Visually this show feels like it's trying to look like a Fincher production, which also helps keep me hooked.

PS - I just don't get why Jodie Turner-Smith is the actress du jour this year. She's been in The Agency, Bad Monkey, and The Acolyte which are all big shows for 3 different networks.

Totally agree. This show has been really good so far.

Show has been great so far. Wish I could binge it, instead of the wait. I'm actually enjoying it better than landman, which I love.

Phenomenal episode tonight, with a hell of an ending. Three more to go, and this season is already in my top three of 2024 so far (alongside Industry and Fallout).

I'm digging the series but my wife is even more into it than I am. That's unusual for a spy series, but I'll take it.

Excellent show. Wife and I love it.

I don't have paramount, but I'm thinking of getting it for Landman, and other various shows that sound good. This one may be up my alley. But not if it tries to be another Bourne series where they all know karate, can shoot the wings off a fly on Pluto, or any of that nonsense. Is this show another one of those?

Thanks

aTmAg said:

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I don't have paramount, but I'm thinking of getting it for Landman, and other various shows that sound good. This one may be up my alley. But not if it tries to be another Bourne series where they all know karate, can shoot the wings off a fly on Pluto, or any of that nonsense. Is this show another one of those?

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Keep in mind you'll need Paramount Plus with the Showtime upgrade to watch The Agency. I've actually watched Paramount Plus a lot more than I thought I would have. It's definitely not like the Bourne series, it's way more dry. It's like if you removed the humor from Slow Horses and I don't mean that as an insult, only to illustrate the difference in tone. Way more in common with A Most Wanted Man or Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy than Bourne.

I turned it off during episode one. After reading this thread, I'm going to give it another shot. I'm looking for my next series to stream.