The new Showtime series, inspired by the French show “The Bureau,” takes viewers on a captivating journey with Michael Fassbender as a spy. After years of undercover life, he now faces the challenge of readjusting to normalcy. This story unfolds mostly within the London office of the CIA, where one of its key agents, code named “Martian,” has been abruptly recalled from a mission in Ethiopia. He had been undercover there for six years, living as Paul and falling in love with Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith), a Sudanese historian and political activist. The end of the mission and their relationship is a difficult transition for him.

Experience the Intricacies of a Spy's Life

Martian's Struggle to Reintegrate

Pity the CIA agents with their enhanced interrogation techniques and meddling; it's the spies who truly suffer. Martian, after six years undercover, is now grappling with the reality of leaving his life as Paul and ending his relationship with Sami. He insists to his boss (Jeffrey Wright), “This isn’t national security; this is personal.” But the boss firmly responds, “It’s the agency. Nothing is personal!” This internal conflict shows the complexity of a spy's life. Fassbender's performance is truly mesmerizing, giving viewers a glimpse into the life of a liar who loves. We constantly question his motives and the authenticity of his vulnerable moments. His interactions with the agency's therapist (Harriet Sansom Harris) add another layer to the story. Living undercover for so long makes reintegration into real life a difficult task.The series deploys many spy-show standards, such as the rookie who needs everything explained and the ambitious but naive flunkies. There are also secretly cooperative foreign attaches and higher-ups who drop monologue wisdom on the heroes. These elements add to the overall intrigue of the story.

The London Setting and the Surveillance Atmosphere

“The Agency” is set in a pallid grayscape of London where even the mall is dreary. Real life here is the same color as CCTV footage, and every move is surveilled. This constant unease is a central theme of the show. As the saying goes, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you. The show's reflective-surfaces budget is impressive, putting some national GDPs to shame. It creates a visually distinct and tense atmosphere that enhances the spy story.The other story lines for secondary and tertiary characters feel relatively unmoored compared to Martian's main arc. However, the overall presentation of the series is very slick and overtly fancy-schmancy. It keeps the viewers engaged with its well-crafted plot and visual elements.