“The Agency.” / “Lady in the Lake.”

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“The Agency” (Paramount+) espionage thriller. Based on the critically acclaimed French series “Le Bureau des Légendes,” created by Éric Rochant, the series deals with the London HQ of the U.S. agency (a.k.a. the CIA) that handles agents, tracks them down, disciplines them etcetera.



       Central character is Michael Fassbender's Brandon, codenamed Martian, previously CIA NOC operative in Africa. He works with boss/es Henry (Jeffrey Wright) and James (Richard Gere). Otherwise focused and unfeeling, Martian's armour is shattered by love interest Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith), a Sudanese anthropologist, and love for daughter Poppy (India Fowler).

       A parallel story is woven in that follows Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon), a new CIA field officer undercover as a geophysics graduate to get on an exchange program to Tehran. She is handled by Naomi (Katherine Waterston), who used to handle Martian. This side story hints of an equally large (geo)political intrigue but it also muddles the current lead story that revolves around Russia/Belarus and Sudan/China. 

       Because of this convoluted maze, “The Agency” gets confused, hackneyed or defocused, even boring. Otherwise, if the series simply zoomed in on a singular plotpoint, it could have been more thrilling as a “thriller.” 🎥💻📽


“Lady in the Lake” (Apple TV+) drama thriller based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman. Premise: In 1960s Baltimore, an investigative journalist working on an unsolved murder clashes with a woman working to advance the agenda of the city's Black community. She ditches her abusive, overbearing husband and Pikesville home to pursue a career as a newspaper reporter. She becomes obsessed with unraveling the mystery of two separate killings.



       Natalie Portman essays Maddie Schwartz, the journalist. Ms Portman manages to carry her otherwise stereotyped character into a compelling dramatic degree amidst a crime noir aura. Problem is, the mystery and intrigue that could have elevated the journey into a riveting social indictment is gone. Or lost in predictable, lumbering sequences. And what's that about the impressionistic ersatz in the penultimate episode? 

       Meanwhile, Moses Ingram as Cleo Johnson, the other central character, is a promising talent. I hope to see her again. 🎥💻📽


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