SERIES REVIEW – It seems that the latest mantra of streaming service providers is to produce series that can be described as “female Jack Ryan”. These are spy thrillers where the line between right and wrong is clearly drawn and the protagonist is always a charismatic, likable female agent. Last year, for example, SkyShowtime (Paramount+ in the U.S.) premiered Taylor Sheridan’s Special Ops: Lioness, about a female CIA agent who becomes part of a terrorist group. The series provides an in-depth analysis of the consequences of the characters’ dangerous and morally complex work, both professionally and personally, while delivering important messages about the global impact of U.S. foreign policy, peppered with memorable action sequences and dialogue.

The Veil, which FX has created for Hulu (and which will probably be added to Disney Plus sooner or later), which once again tries to follow the female Jack Ryan formula, only makes me long for another season of Lioness. Because The Veil is like Lioness, but without all the deeper content. It’s an expensive, character-driven production that ostensibly looks like a true “premium series” but isn’t. It is politically neutral, its narrative is generally easy to follow, but at times it is a little confusing and at other times it is just flat. The Veil is a cleverly crafted and relatively entertaining spy thriller series that is relatively entertaining, but once it is over it will quickly fade into obscurity.

Secrets and betrayal

The plot revolves around Elisabeth Moss as Imogen Salter (not her real name), an MI6 agent with an unparalleled talent for seeing through people’s lies and extracting the truth. She is also haunted by a mysterious past that is constantly shrouded in secrecy, only hints of which are revealed over the course of the first four episodes. Like the tough agents he is, he drinks and smokes and is, of course, excellent at his job, but empty inside. He’s basically nothing more than a proper British female James Bond – except for the lack of spectacular action sequences and “glamour”.

Salter’s mission is to transport Adilah El Idrissi (Yumna Marwan), an ISIS fighter, from a refugee camp on the Syrian-Turkish border to France, where she is from. Along the way, Imogen must decide whether Adilah is just a disgruntled low-ranking member who simply wants to go home to her daughter in Paris, as she claims, or if she is in fact the “Djinn Al Raqqa,” a high-ranking commander planning a terrorist attack against the United States.

Twists and turns

A seemingly simple premise, but one that leaves room for twists and uncertainties, as Adilah and Imogen are not entirely honest with each other, but neither are they entirely lying about who they claim to be. What is certain is that, emotionally at least, they are completely honest with each other. And because they have so much in common, they actually kind of like each other. Over the course of the first few episodes, as they get to know each other, the comedy of an odd couple unfolds in the form of a road movie that is also a mixture of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Homeland.

Meanwhile, in the background, the French and American secret services argue over who should lead the operation. With Imogen’s lover Malik Amar (Dali Benssalah) representing the French DGSE and Max Peterson (Josh Charles) the CIA, Imogen plays the two men off against each other to achieve the mission’s goal, which she wants to run as independently as if it were her own personal business.

Great style, good performances, but all too superficial

Charles, the Emmy-nominated veteran of In My Husband’s Defense, is again a standout as the cool, brash, irritating but all the more effective American CIA agent. Lebanese actress Yumna Marwan, in her first American production as Adilah, plays a mysterious character whose true identity is often unclear, even to herself.

But the show is really carried on the back of Moss, who is not only the star but also the series’ executive producer. As the self-consciously charming Imogen, the veteran of Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale adds new layers to an already impressive repertoire that has made him one of the most prominent television actors of his generation. His performance conveys the image of a truly dangerous and icy agent behind a friendly exterior, reminiscent of Daniel Craig’s James Bond. He is both charming and cunning, and with these qualities he can easily sweep people off their feet and manipulate them to perfection. Moss’ acting here is perhaps more routine (though her English accent is a little clunky and forced at times), and we don’t see the depth she showed in, say, Brilliant Girls, but the actress’ natural charisma can bring even an underwritten character to life.

The script for the series, written by prolific British writer Steven Knight, is clichéd but effective. The story avoids the complications that often make spy movies confusing, but it never becomes predictable or boring. The directing duo, Daina Reed (Brilliant Girls) and Damon Thomas (Killing Eve), often use clever, elegant aerial shots that enhance the atmosphere of the series’ continental locations. The Veil was filmed in Turkey, France and the United Kingdom, and these diverse locations provide a stunning backdrop for the action.

Too many clichés, not enough depth and substance

In the end, however, The Veil emphasizes style over substance. The show does not focus on the characters or the reality that surrounds them. It does not discuss Imogen’s reasons for becoming an intelligence agent, nor Adilah’s motivations for joining ISIS. The characters never seem like real people, just a bunch of clichés and sketchy, sketchy characters (for example, Adilah is a terrorist but also a fan of Shakespeare – how these two qualities fit together is not sufficiently developed), so The Veil remains rather superficial. It doesn’t have a message like the Lioness series: “We’re just raising the next generation to be terrorists.” So The Veil is an exciting spy show, but it is too superficial. It’s about characters who don’t know themselves, and unfortunately the six episodes of the series don’t answer any of our questions.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-