MOVIE REVIEW – Just three months ago, Netflix released The Recruit, an action-thriller starring Noah Centineo as a young CIA employee who unexpectedly finds himself at the center of an international conspiracy. Now, The Night Agent lands on the streaming platform, featuring Gabriel Basso as an FBI agent who—unsurprisingly—ends up caught in an international conspiracy. The similarities are hard to ignore.

It’s nearly impossible not to compare these two series—both are Netflix originals, and both have strikingly similar plots. Swap out one U.S. intelligence agency for another, and the setup remains largely the same. Neither show can be accused of copying the other, as they were likely produced around the same time. With Jack Ryan, Reacher, and The Terminal List drawing massive audiences on Prime Video, it only makes sense that Netflix would carve out its own niche in the espionage-thriller space.

A Simple Yet Effective Thriller

Based on Matthew Quirk’s novel of the same name, The Night Agent follows Peter Sutherland (Basso), a young FBI agent who works the graveyard shift in the White House basement, tasked with monitoring an emergency line that rarely rings. Months before the events of the series, Peter survives a terrorist attack on the subway, but conspiracy theorists suspect he was involved. Just when his once-promising career starts to stagnate, he receives an urgent call from tech CEO Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), who has just witnessed the assassination of her aunt and uncle. Charged with protecting Rose, Peter soon uncovers a web of connections linking the terrorist attack and the murders—suggesting that a mole is hiding within the White House. Unfortunately, he also becomes a suspect.

At first glance, The Night Agent seems like just another spy thriller filled with the usual clichés and predictable twists. While it doesn’t bring anything groundbreaking to the genre, it still manages to be a thoroughly entertaining ride. With 10 episodes averaging 45 to 50 minutes each, the show maintains a gripping pace without becoming convoluted. Many series of this type start strong but lose themselves in unnecessarily complex narratives, making it easy for viewers to miss key details if they so much as blink. That’s not the case here. The story remains tight and easy to follow without feeling overly simplistic. While certain moments stretch believability, they never break immersion.

Strong Pacing and Even Stronger Performances

Shawn Ryan, known for creating The Shield, Timeless, and S.W.A.T., is no stranger to crafting compelling television, and The Night Agent is no exception. The show’s snappy pacing makes it feel more like a long film than a traditional TV series, and that’s one of its greatest strengths. The cliffhangers at the end of each episode practically demand that viewers continue watching. It’s a near-perfect blend of action, political intrigue, and personal drama, all without losing focus on the main plot.

Beyond the thrills, The Night Agent also has genuine heart. As the season progresses, we learn more about Peter’s complicated relationship with his late father and the motivations that led him to join the FBI. Meanwhile, Rose’s backstory also unfolds, adding emotional weight to her character. Basso and Buchanan deliver standout performances, elevating their roles beyond genre archetypes. Their natural chemistry ensures that even the more unexpected story beats feel authentic.

Among the supporting cast, Hong Chau (The Whale, The Menu, Poker Face) shines as White House Chief of Staff Diane Farr. Her character exists in a gray area, sometimes obstructing the protagonists and other times assisting them. Chau brings depth to the role, making her one of the most memorable figures in the series. While some aspects of Diane’s arc feel underwritten, Chau’s performance more than makes up for it.

Not Revolutionary, But Solid

At times, the series flirts with melodrama, and its plot is fairly predictable. Some twists don’t land with the impact the script seems to expect. However, that doesn’t make the story any less engaging—it simply feels familiar. Within Netflix’s growing lineup of espionage thrillers, The Night Agent stands out as one of the more polished entries. Fans of The Recruit will find a lot to love here, while those waiting for Reacher’s return will have a solid binge-worthy alternative. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it successfully builds on what works. After all, if it isn’t broken, why fix it?

-Gergely Herpai  „BadSector”-