A Massive Win for Netflix

Action, thrill, suspense and drama are in surplus in Netflix’s new hit series “The Night Agent.” Since its release on March 23, the show has taken off. It held the exclusive number one spot on Netflix’s top 10 list for over a month and was renewed for a second season just days after its premiere. With all of this buzz, one would expect the show to be something extraordinary, and that’s exactly what it is. With its absolutely mind boggling plot, its unprecedented thrill and suspense and its exceedingly good quality of acting, “The Night Agent” feels much more like a high budget, blockbuster film than an under-marketed original series, making it one of the greatest series ever. 

There’s no denying that there is an extreme surplus of political thrillers and that many of them are, well, mediocre. All too often, these political thrillers have repetitive, unoriginal plots that lose the viewer’s interest after just one or two episodes. This scenario is most definitely not the case in “The Night Agent,” which sports what is arguably the greatest plot in the entirety of the genre. Opening the first episode, FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) receives an unexpected phone call from stranger Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), who is in dire need as she escapes two assassins. Immediately, Sutherland and Larkin are brought together by Diane Farr (Hong Chau), the United States Chief of Staff, and as the duo’s relationship grows, they begin to uncover a conspiracy within the highest ranks of government. Despite being full of twists, the plot remains entirely manageable and latches viewers in, making it nearly impossible not to binge. 

Obviously, the necessary aspect of any good thriller is the thrill. “The Night Agent” absolutely excels in this department. Somehow in the first 20 minutes of the first episode, the show creates as much thrill and suspense as the finales of many of its competitors, and from then on, it only ramps up. As Sutherland and Larkin delve further and further into the turmoil of the White House, the danger ramps up to the max, managing to keep viewers actively engaged for the entire duration of the show. “The Night Agent” is one of those shows where there’s never a dull moment, and a major reason behind this was this thrill. 

While “The Night Agent” does have a few big name actors, the fact that the majority of the cast is relatively unknown is a major part of what makes the series so great. Sometimes, when smaller productions like “The Night Agent” cast all of these big name actors, they can downplay their roles, because they don’t need to give it their all. Whether it was for that reason or not, the “The Night Agent’s” casting of Basso and Buchanan paid off significantly. The duo, both of whom have fairly limited resumes, put on show-making performances. The chemistry between the two was just something else, and it really made the show that much more enjoyable. Outside of the two protagonists, the supporting cast of Chau, the two assassins (Eve Harlow and Phoenix Raei), Chelsea Arrington (Fola Ecans-Akingbola), etc… were all equally great. Despite not having a plethora of big name actors, “The Night Agent’s” quality of acting is a major part of what makes it such a great watch. 

With its captivating plot, its edge of your seat thrill and suspense and its compelling performances, “The Night Agent” lands itself a spot in the upper echelon of all TV series, no matter the genre. This 10 episode masterpiece is available to stream exclusively on Netflix, and will be sure to keep any viewer drawn to the TV for hours on end.