I’ve seen all the well-known spy series of the last few years: Reacher, The Night Agent, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and whatever they’re called. There’s something about these agents – these professionally charismatic and resilient men in dangerous situations. But after watching it, I always get an unpleasant feeling: There could have been more.
Of all things, the action comedy reboot of the completely over-the-top 00s film Mr. & Mrs. Smith is my salvation. If someone had told me that a week ago, I would have smiled tiredly. And then I saw the first episodes. From today on you can also stream the first season of Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Amazon.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Amazon is better than The Night Agent, Reacher & Co. – because it is more than just a spy thriller
The 2003 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith has cult status. Not because it’s particularly good, but because perhaps Hollywood’s biggest stars at the time, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, met and fell in love while filming. You play a hitman couple who have yet to discover each other’s identities. Sparks and bullets fly.
The new series Mr. & Mrs. Smith does it a little differently: Here the two agents knowingly agree to a marriage with the other spy without knowing each other beforehand. They get a marriage certificate, guns, a beautiful house and risky assignments. Although they make a pact not to have sex and to stick to a business relationship, the plan is already gone in episode 2. The comedic spy thriller becomes an entertaining mix traditional spy action, cringe workplace comedy à la The Office and a fantastic love story between John and Jane Smith.
Amazon
Mr. & Mrs. Smith: a love story disguised as spy action
The two lovers (and arguments) are played by Community and Atlanta star Donald Glover and PEN15 creator Maya Erskine. Rarely have I seen such amazing chemistry from the first second. Both their comedy timing, when they have to choke together while breaking bones, and their erotic attraction, when they tear off each other’s clothes while watching cartoons, are spot-on.
The first season of the series is divided into the individual phases of a love relationship. We’ve got the first date, the second date, the kids question, couples therapy and more. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a love story charged with extremely entertaining spy action.
This is what I’ve been missing so far: Mr. & Mrs. Smith makes full use of the case-of-the-week principle
Not only do they take on a new relationship phase in each episode, but also a new case. And this so-called Case of the Week Principle is a blessing for the series. She is allowed to try things out wildly and uses every new case to get to know John and Jane Smith better in these absurd situations. The two don’t have to save the world every time like Peter Strickland in The Night Agent or like Jack Ryan. It’s hard enough not to shoot each other as a killer couple.
I love shows like Supernatural and The Blacklist that focus on a different case each episode, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith brings that to the spy genre in a big way.
The cases are extremely funny when guest star Ron Perlman, as a person to be protected, behaves like a stubborn child and doesn’t want to take his medicine. They are disturbingly bizarre when they accidentally kill their target with an overdose of truth serum. They are also incredibly uncomfortable when they sit on the couch in couples therapy with guest star Sarah Paulson and bark at each other without a point or comma. You can already tell that the series is not lacking in ideas and by no means fantastically chosen actors.
Amazon
Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Stubborn Ron Perlman is transported away
My favorite episode is the chance encounter with another pair of killers, played by the two charisma slingers Parker Posey (Lost in Space) and Narcos lead actor Wagner Moura. Like two children hungry for praise, our two agents throw themselves at their more experienced colleagues. This is extremely uncomfortable in an extremely entertaining way.
The case-of-the-week principle not only makes surprising guest appearances possible, but also… Location change in every episode makes Mr. & Mrs. Smith unique in the spy genre: They are snowed in at the ski hotel, shooting along Lake Como in Italy and much more. This really boosts the show value and clearly sets Mr. & Mrs. Smith apart from the CGI monotony of the series competition.
All eight episodes of Mr. & Mrs. Smith are now available as a subscription on Amazon Prime Video.
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