10-Part 'Jason Bourne Meets Jack Ryan' Spy Series Was A Bad Idea From The Start

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Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Ultimatum

Published Aug 21, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT

Laura Hurley has been writing about the entertainment industry for more than twelve years, after a decade as a content producer and editor at CinemaBlend after writing for WhatCulture and Examiner. Attending events like SCAD TVfest and San Diego Comic-Con over the course of her career, she has been immersed in the world of network, streaming, and cable TV.

Ongoing spy TV shows can be difficult to pull off, and hits like The Americans and Slow Horses are few and far between. Another project seemed like it was guaranteed for success, thanks to heavy ties to Matt Damon's successful Bourne Identity franchise. Treadstone, a television prequel/sequel to the films, had an interesting premise to go along with the connection to the movies. Instead, the first and only season proved that good ideas don't always translate to a good finished product.

Treadstone premiered on USA Network on September 24, 2019, and would ultimately only run for a ten-episode first season. The format explored the origin story of the black-ops program that created Jason Bourne, as well as how it was operating in the present day. Jeremy Irvine starred as John Randolph Bentley, and he was surrounded by a cast including future The Pitt actress Tracy Ifeachor, Han Hyo-joo, Omar Metwally, Brian J. Smith, and Michelle Forbes, among others.

Treadstone Was A Noble Effort That Simply Didn't Work

Jeremy Irvine as John Randolph Bentley in Treadstone

The timing likely didn't help Treadstone. A few years had passed since the last Bourne movie, so the franchise was out of the cultural zeitgeist. Prime Video's Jack Ryan had also premiered the previous year, so the market for a spy TV show was already being dominated by John Krasinski's show.

Treadstone's Dual Timeline Was An Intriguing Premise That The Show Wasted

Jeremy Irvine in Treadstone as John Randolph Bentley

To the show's credit, Treadstone did elevate the story beyond a straightforward spy format that could have been difficult to sustain. Unfortunately, even Treadstone didn't make the best use of the dual timeline.