Paramount+'s new sci-fi series is only one of the 2026 shows that is trending worldwide on the streaming service. Leading Paramount+'s TV chart in the United States is Dutton Ranch, the Yellowstone spinoff focused on Rip and Beth. That said, while sci-fi and Western TV shows have been performing well at the streamer, Paramount+ is also a great platform for another genre.
If you are looking for thriller series, Paramount+ projects like Lioness, Dexter: Original Sin, and more emerge as the perfect options. In recent years, spy thriller series have become quite popular, with other streaming services coming up with hit shows of the genre, such as The Night Agent, Slow Horses, Black Doves, Ponies, Citadel, and more. Now, Paramount+'s 10-episode spy series returns.
The Agency debuted on Paramount+ with Showtime on December 1, 2024. Its 10 episodes aired weekly, with the spy thriller series led by Fox X-Men franchise star Michael Fassbender concluding its first run on January 26, 2025. Now, over a year later, The Agency season 2 will be released this Sunday, June 21, on Paramount+, and the thriller can only improve from here.
The Agency Season 1 Left Room For Improvement
Led by Fassbender and with a stellar ensemble cast that included names like Richard Gere, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, Katherine Waterston, Dominic West, and more, The Agency season 1 established a compelling and paranoia-filled world for the spy series. Danger could lurk at any corner as deals were cut in the shadows and carefully studied political moves defined how countries and people's lives would change. In season 1, Fassbender's Martian, an undercover CIA agent who comes back to London Station once the mission is done, had to deal with the merging of his two lives, which complicated things.
The Agency season 1 had many promising aspects, such as its cast's gripping performances and exploration of morality. However, the Paramount+ spy series' slow-burn narrative was sometimes just that, too slow. That led to The Agency season 1 earning a 66% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. It leaves the door open for season 2 to improve on those reviews, as the bare bones are there for a solid follow-up. In fact, looking at IMDB, The Agency season 1 started with its lowest-rated episode, a 7.3, and ended with its highest-rated hour, an 8.3. The spy series has already begun to improve.
Paramount+'s The Agency Season 2 Shows Huge Potential
At the end of The Agency season 1, Fassbender's Martian saw his life change. Richardson (Hugh Bonneville) blackmailed him into becoming his informant within the CIA in exchange for securing Samia's safety. The season ended with Martian being welcomed back into the office as a hero after his "accident," but secretly being a traitor. That works as a solid setup for The Agency season 2, which could up the stakes considerably and move at a quicker pace with a more intense storyline. After all, the show's main character should be lying to nearly everyone he knows when The Agency returns.
Additionally, the casting of Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon/Chad Powers) as the Viking, who is reportedly a dangerous man the CIA is after in relation to a military group, is an interesting move due to his expertise in the action department. Helping The Agency season 2 is also the fact that all 10 episodes of the spy thriller series will be released on the same day on Paramount+, rather than weekly like season 1. This is perfect for the espionage genre, as a binge works nicely for a show filled with plot twists, deaths, and an intense tone like The Agency.
Release Date
December 1, 2024
Network
Paramount+ with Showtime
Showrunner
Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
Directors
Joe Wright, Zetna Fuentes, Neil Burger
English (US) ·