@wolfkin With respect to the spy part of the show, it was clear from the start that this show isn't really an action spy thriller, the spy plot is just there to facilitate an artificial reason for two strangers to be stuck together and have some kind of amusing relationship issues. Being spies is more just a running gag but I'm guessing the film versions were a bit more spy focused so people watching this are coming into it with the wrong mindset. In ep 6 the drama is irrelevant of their actual job but their job serves as a joke in showing that they have to change everything they do to fit with a very different job description. The fact they can do that and their relationship issues are regular things rather than deep moral turmoil caused by their job, is the reason this episode can work as a comedy.
I think they are having a little trouble setting the tone of the show so they viewers will get it more easily. In many ways this episode would have worked better earlier in the season but they probably thought they had to have the baby episode first. I'm guessing that if enough people make it through the season and they make a 2nd one, viewers will be on board and they shows creators will be settled into a rhythm so long as they don't feel like they need to do something crazy different.
artificial reason for two strangers to be stuck together and have some kind of amusing relationship issues
Agreed. I just don't find their relationship issues compelling. It's too dull for a spy show and not meaty enough for a relationship show. and IMO most of the early episodes are just failing on all fronts.
Being spies is more just a running gag
Disagreed. mostly because of the word gag. it carries a tone of humor that this doesn't have.
the film versions
One film but before the film there was a CBS crime drama series starring Scott Bakula of Quantum Leap fame. But yes. In the film version (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) it was definitely way more bombastic and action packed. From what I've read the CBS show plotwise was more similar to this. Two spies have to work as a married couple. In the movie it was two people who were a married couple but unknown to each other they were spies on opposite teams.
Review by wolfkinBlockedParent2024-02-06T05:23:01Z— updated 2024-02-11T20:44:38Z
Okay so let's talk about episodes 5 and 6.
Ron Pearlmen was an utter delight. I can't not say that. He always is. Just is. Even here in this lackluster role. That said the second half of the season is a noticeable upswing. I really like even this episode and what it's doing character-wise. Plot-wise it was nonsense but it's not like it's going anywhere anyway at least now I'm starting to enjoy the ride. The interplay between our leads is interesting even if the again the fact that they are spies is not. What I find fascinating is that there's more narrative flow and consistency in the titles and descriptions than there is in the show. It's like they prepared the show with the titles and synopsis long before they started filming. Because this
Is an entire different level than what even this episode is. This is fun and goofy and comical in a way that not even at it's best the show is. Maybe on a scene by scene basis you might find something worthy of the type of gassing in the title/synopsis but most of it is very different. It's lazier, more laid back, less invested. Which to say yet again I don't put on Maya and Donald. They're solid but the writing and directing just don't care. It's weird to look at this show and say "Well at least True Lies the TV Show tried." I mean the True Lies show bombed like 70-80% of it's run time but at least they were going for something. The jokes were sometimes dumb but they came (a little too) consistently.
As for episode 6? Well honestly it's my favorite episode so far. It's fun in a way that few episodes have been until now. Holy snap it just occurred to me. Part of it is the missing intrigue. As I've said before this is a show with zero guile. I mean they're spies but spies in this world is a gig job. Anyone signs up anyone gets in and the AI runs you like an uber app. It's dumb and boring and uninteresting. But here... here they have to lie. They have to
explaintranslate and keep things up in front of a therapist who, imo, Sarah Paulson made utterly adorable "Yeah! Whatever DID happen to Mya?" I died. She was hilarious. It's amazing how just getting the formula right finally lets everything shine. The spycraft is minimized but it doesn't matter because I'm having a ball watching Maya and Donald rehash their relationship. A relationship I actually care about this episode. "The therapist episode" shows the potential of this series.