Quantity One on Netflix is a weekly highlight on no matter is at present the most well-liked factor on the world’s hottest streaming service. Generally it’ll be a film. Generally it’ll be a TV present. No matter it’s, lots of people are clearly watching, and we’ll attempt to perceive why with a fast overview. Right this moment, we’re taking a look at Season 2 of the thriller sequence The Evening Agent. The next comprises spoilers by the Season 2 finale, “Purchaser’s Regret.”
When The Evening Agent premiered in 2023, it proved to be addictive viewing. Season 1 of the Netflix thriller derived numerous its energy from its core premise, constructed on a traditional trope — the enticing younger couple on the run from no scarcity of nefarious forces. On this case, the nefarious forces had been attempting to assassinate the President of america, with rogue agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) and cybersecurity professional Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan) doing their greatest to cease stated assassination — with a bit of bit of constructing out alongside the way in which.
On the finish of Season 1, Rose and Peter reluctantly parted to dwell very totally different lives: Rose returning to work in Silicon Valley, whereas Peter lastly acquired promoted to the extent of full Evening Agent. But it surely was fairly clear their story wasn’t over, a promise made good early into Season 2 of the present. Selecting up a number of months after Season 1, Peter as soon as once more finds himself in a lethal state of affairs, a brand new conspiracy that additionally entangles Rose after she tries to trace Peter down.
There’s no actual want right here to enter the specifics of the conspiracy that Peter and Rose should thwart this season — it entails lethal chemical weapons, the UN, an Iranian defector, and a mission wherein Peter has to put on a really snazzy waistcoat, with the accompanying twists designed to maintain the viewers on edge. And all through most of it, Peter and Rose work very a lot as a workforce, with Peter’s handler Catherine (Amanda Warren) observing greater than as soon as that they function nicely collectively.
Which is why the tip of Season 2 is so irritating, as Peter turns himself into the authorities for among the mild treason he dedicated over the course of the season — after he and Rose basically break up, him pressuring her to understand that their relationship places her in peril. Whereas up to now, Rose has confirmed to be very dangerous at listening to Peter when he tells her to go away and save herself, this time it appears to be sticking: In her remaining scene of the season, she affirms that she’s returning to her life in California, and gained’t attempt to contact him once more.
The Evening Agent has already been renewed for a 3rd season, however that doesn’t imply Rose will return: In an interview with Deadline printed after Season 2’s premiere, creator Shawn Ryan in actual fact implied that Rose wouldn’t be a serious a part of Season 3, given the way in which her character and Peter are on totally different paths. “We’re nonetheless figuring all of that out. What I’d say is that we don’t need to artificially create a state of affairs the place characters should be a part of a particular season frequently,” he stated.
A minimum of Ryan is being sort about decreasing expectations for the place Season 3 may go — which, based mostly on early reviews, will embrace Istanbul earlier than returning to New York, the place Peter will cope with new sequence regulars together with Jennifer Morrison, Stephen Moyer, and Genesis Rodriguez. Luciane Buchanan shouldn’t be on the solid listing.
As a viewer, I admittedly love a superb love story (particularly one the place the primary couple is dealing with epic exterior odds). However my frustration right here goes past a craving for love, as a result of all through Season 2, the present is at its most compelling when Peter and Rose are working collectively to cease no matter calamities are in play. For each line of dialogue meant to reaffirm that Rose actually needs a traditional life, we get a scene wherein she as soon as once more proves her mettle as an operative, unofficial or not. It’s a way more attention-grabbing present when the 2 of them are working collectively… and lacks that very same spark once they’re aside.
The truth that Rose has a traditional life to return to (whereas Peter’s neck-deep on this world of spycraft) is a pressure that comes up quite a bit over the course of Season 2, together with the dilemma maybe greatest summed up by the film Pace: “Relationships that begin below intense circumstances, they by no means final.” All of this could be a good concern… if The Evening Agent had been a grounded relationship drama, and never a high-octane spy thriller. Issues about poisonous don’t precisely really feel relevant to a TV present about ultra-secret spy companies and worldwide intrigue.
What actually stands out in regards to the determination to interrupt up Peter and Rose is the idea that there could be nothing attention-grabbing about watching two folks strive to determine be in love whereas additionally doing spycraft — to not point out the idea {that a} Will They/Received’t They romance is just attention-grabbing so long as the core query stays unanswered. There are sufficient scenes in Season 2 which show in any other case.
On the plus facet, no less than The Evening Agent didn’t select to fridge Rose, killing her as a means of motivating Peter additional in his quest. Wanting again on the Bourne movies, 24, numerous James Bond films… It’s nearly a shock she survived, provided that it might have given the writers a simple method to shut the guide on Rose and transfer ahead with no matter derrings-do will happen in Season 3.
As an alternative, Season 2 of The Evening Agent ends on an unsatisfying word, with no promise that Season 3 will function any of the identical chemistry which made the primary two seasons so watchable. As an alternative, it might find yourself being one other spy thriller in quest of a spark… leaving Netflix viewers in quest of one thing else to look at.
The Evening Agent is streaming now on Netflix.
