The Agency: The Bends
November 30, 2024 10:13 AM - Season 1, Episode 1 - Subscribe
Season premiere. Adaptation of Le Bureau des Légendes.
Covert CIA agent Martian is called back to London Station. An incident in Belarus puts Bosko and Henry on a collision course with Langley. Danny learns a lesson. Someone unexpectedly reappears in Martian's life.
Covert CIA agent Martian is called back to London Station. An incident in Belarus puts Bosko and Henry on a collision course with Langley. Danny learns a lesson. Someone unexpectedly reappears in Martian's life.
I was okay with the pacing; slow doesn't bother me, as long as the payoff is good. Not much chemistry between Martian and Sami at first, but we'll see how it goes over time.
I've never watched the original French show, but I read that the lead character in it is a lot more "human and soulful" than the version that Fassbender is portraying here. I kind of buy both perspectives. You need to be persuasive and in tune with people to be effective at this job, but at the same time I can see how years in the field can screw you up, especially when you're pulled abruptly from your cover.
posted by extramundane at 7:37 AM on December 2, 2024
I've never watched the original French show, but I read that the lead character in it is a lot more "human and soulful" than the version that Fassbender is portraying here. I kind of buy both perspectives. You need to be persuasive and in tune with people to be effective at this job, but at the same time I can see how years in the field can screw you up, especially when you're pulled abruptly from your cover.
posted by extramundane at 7:37 AM on December 2, 2024
Excepting the final season, Le Bureau was such a terrific show that it hardly needs an adaptation (especially considering how much English was spoken in the multilingual French original) but I'm a sucker for spy shows on Showtime, so I'll have to give this a go.
posted by emelenjr at 9:47 AM on December 2, 2024
posted by emelenjr at 9:47 AM on December 2, 2024
... And, having given it a go, it's not quite shot-for-shot, but it certainly rhymes. The pacing of the French show is slower, but this didn't feel rushed.
posted by emelenjr at 8:12 AM on December 3, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by emelenjr at 8:12 AM on December 3, 2024 [1 favorite]
Fassbender's American accent is pretty gnarly in this.
It's funny and interesting that the French DGSE has been collapsed into just the British CIA field office. I'm wondering what other things will change. Without getting into spoilers, one example is who will be the CIA? That is, DGSE : CIA :: CIA British field office : ____? I guess it could still be the CIA, being its own shitty rival / "ally".
posted by fleacircus at 5:11 AM on December 11
It's funny and interesting that the French DGSE has been collapsed into just the British CIA field office. I'm wondering what other things will change. Without getting into spoilers, one example is who will be the CIA? That is, DGSE : CIA :: CIA British field office : ____? I guess it could still be the CIA, being its own shitty rival / "ally".
posted by fleacircus at 5:11 AM on December 11
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posted by billsaysthis at 10:16 PM on December 1, 2024