If anyone had any doubts about Noah Centineo’s prowess, Netflix’s “The Recruit” will put them to rest. The actor had a brief stint as the internet’s sweetheart when he starred as Peter Kazinsky in Netflix’s “To All the Boys” franchise, and most recently as a superhero in the Justice Society of America in “Black Adam.” But now, he gets his chance to prove that he is a true leading man. In fact, he’s so charming in “The Recruit” that his charm is just what the whole show needs to be genuinely entertaining. Is that really what lawyers in the CIA do? I don’t know anything, and it doesn’t matter. This show isn’t really about the lawyers.
Centineo plays Owen Hendrix, a 24-year-old kid fresh out of law school who is quickly recruited by the CIA. He now works for the Agency’s General Counsel, and generally has no idea what he’s doing. He certainly knows the law, but working as a lawyer for the CIA is a bit different than working in a regular firm, as is his roommate and ex-girlfriend Hannah (Fivele Stewart), who is at odds with her friend and her dangerous job. worried about. There are too many rules people neglect to mention, and Owen only finds out about them by breaking them. Plus, he likes to put himself in danger.
Owen is first tasked with going through the Gremel, or letters received by the CIA from people threatening to reveal classified information. Most Gremels are not reliable, but Owen quickly finds one that is, and he becomes embroiled in an investigation into claims by a woman named Max (Laura Haddock), who is currently in prison for murder and says She used to be CIA. Property. He travels to places like Vienna, Yemen and Phoenix, Arizona, and soon uncovers some sort of conspiracy much to the annoyance of his co-workers (Arti Mann and Colton Dunn) who are determined to intimidate him. Owen just goes with the flow, follows the clues where they lead and adapts instinctively to whatever is around him. As a result, he ends up in a lot of sticky situations that require him to talk his way out, and this is what he does best.
Owen is no James Bond, which is partly what makes him so refreshingly watchable. He has to be instructed over the phone on how to take down a murderer, and apologizes for commandeering a car to get away. There are elements of the NBC show “Chuck”, but Owen doesn’t have a computer in his mind. All he has is a law degree, a sense of humor and a will to live. She also has a slightly eccentric but supportive boss (Vondy Curtis-Hall), both breathing down her neck and patting her on the back, and Owen and Max make an awkward pairing much to her chagrin. His colleagues have trouble trusting him, mostly because he seems so charming and so dumb that he has something to hide, as he is sometimes good at his job.
The show is also a showcase for creator Alexei Holley, who proves once again that he’s a master at putting the lovable crime solver in challenging situations. ABC’s “The Rookie,” which Hawley also created, is a surprisingly accomplished, entertaining and thoughtful network police procedural, and “The Recruit” shows what Hawley can do with a streaming service budget and binge-watching model. The result is a mix of sorts between an episodic procedural and a serial spy thriller, which makes for a thoroughly enjoyable binge.
It’s funny and smart at every turn, and there are many turns to take as Owen’s gremlin case leads him on a wild goose chase all over the world, closely followed by spies, assassins, Russian mob members, and many different women. goes. Everyone has some sort of understandable obsession with him. He’s a little messy, but he looks messy – for the most part, when he’s not dealing with anxiety attacks and refuses to admit it. People who work in the CIA have to be constantly reminded, everyone has to be a little crazy. The work is dark, but Hawley’s characters never completely lose their quirkiness amid gunfire, sometimes to their detriment.
There’s nothing new or particularly revolutionary in “The Recruit” and there are times where the Gremel case becomes confusing as the show speeds through the information that Owen is working with. It might not work with a different kind of actor in the lead role, but Centineo makes it flow effortlessly and proves he’s still at the beginning of what should be quite the career. The show itself also clearly sets up a second season, and it could have a long life (whatever that means on Netflix) as it expands the way it tells stories. There are hints that there are other stories to tell in the world of CIA lawyers, such as when we get a brief subplot about the government accidentally building a murder robot, and it would be nice not to end every spy story in Russia. Are.
For now though, this first season of “The Recruit” is totally worth eight hours.
‘The Recruit’ Season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
