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‘Jack Ryan’ Meets ‘The Americans’ in This Tense Paramount+ Spy Thriller
Collider has published a recommendation piece spotlighting The Agency, a spy thriller streaming on Paramount+ that the writer argues deserves far more attention than it has received. The article positions the series as a rare blend of the two dominant modes of the genre — the geopolitical intrigue of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and the emotionally driven, identity-focused drama of The Americans — and praises it as one of the smartest contemporary espionage shows on television.
The Agency premiered in late 2024 and features a notable cast led by Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere, yet the piece notes it has generated little buzz. Fassbender plays Brandon Colby, a CIA operative codenamed "Martian", who has spent six years undercover in Africa before being abruptly recalled to London Station. Rather than opening with the construction of a cover identity, as many spy stories do, the series begins by dismantling one, forcing its protagonist to shed his carefully built persona and re-enter a world he has been absent from for more than half a decade.
In short
- Paramount+'s The Agency is an under-watched, highly praised spy thriller.
- It blends Jack Ryan's intrigue with The Americans' emotional depth.
- Fassbender leads as a CIA operative recalled from six years undercover.
Explained simply
The Agency is a spy thriller series on Paramount+ that premiered in late 2024. It centres on Brandon Colby, a CIA operative who has spent six years working undercover in Africa before being recalled to his agency's London station.
The series stars Michael Fassbender as Colby, with Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere in supporting roles. The story begins with Colby dismantling the false identity he built during his years undercover, forcing him to abandon his carefully constructed persona and navigate his return to the intelligence world.