Paramount+ might herald this ludicrously starry show like the second coming of Christ, but it’s a self-important mess that moves with the urgency of the recently tranquillised
What a time it is to be a fan of spy shows. Slow Horses has just ended, there is a new remake of The Day of the Jackal, and we are only a few days away from seeing Keira Knightley’s wildly anticipated new Netflix show Black Doves. Even to think about entering a market this crowded, you would have to have wild levels of confidence.
Which brings us to The Agency, a new Paramount+ spy show that could measure its confidence in light years. It is based on the French series Le Bureau des Légendes, a show that has been acclaimed as one of the best ever made. It has been adapted by the Butterworth brothers, who seem to do nothing except make hits. It is produced by George Clooney. The first two episodes are directed by Joe Wright. The cast features Michael Fassbender, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jeffrey Wright and Richard Gere. Paramount is promoting it less like a television programme and more like the second coming of Christ. What could possibly go wrong?
