Image via Netflix
Published Feb 19, 2026, 3:01 AM EST
Jen Vestuto is a TV Features Writer for Collider. A born and raised New Yorker, she started her career on set as a production assistant for shows like Law & Order: SVU and Person of Interest. In LA, she worked in the writers' rooms for The Vampire Diaries and Nancy Drew. Along with her writing partner, she joined the writing staff of Nancy Drew in Season 2 and stayed on the run of the show, which ended in 2022 with Season 4.
Jen grew up on Long Island in a loud Italian family. She's been writing creatively since she was in elementary school and would often make her younger sister act out scenes from her favorite movies with her. Jen is also a massive sports fan and was an athlete herself growing up.
Writing features for Collider gives her the opportunity to share her passion for great storytelling and compelling characters.
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When Shawn Ryan’s The Night Agent premiered on Netflix in 2023, it took the streaming world by surprise. What initially looked like a solid but familiar political thriller quickly became one of the platform’s most-watched series of all time, tapping into a craving for high-stakes, old-school espionage storytelling that felt modern and compelling enough to hook viewers instantly. Season 1 worked because it combined high-octane action with sharp political intrigue while introducing its audience to the high-pressure world of Night Action, all anchored by Gabriel Basso’s compelling and grounded performance as Peter Sutherland.
Season 2 expanded that world significantly, pulling Peter out of the White House and sending him across the globe while introducing new characters, international threats, and a more tangled political conspiracy. While there were certainly solid moments in Season 2, it sometimes felt overpacked, juggling so many moving pieces that the plot grew convoluted and the emotional throughline occasionally got lost. With its return, however, The Night Agent returns to its roots, delivering a tighter, more focused season that feels completely sure of itself — and easily the strongest the series has produced so far.
What Is 'The Night Agent' Season 3 About?
Off the heels of Season 2, Peter is still operating as a double agent, waiting for a call from intelligence broker Jacob Monroe (Louis Herthum), when he takes on what initially appears to be a straightforward mission: track down FinCEN employee Jay Batra (Suraj Sharma), a man accused of murdering his boss after uncovering sensitive government intel. But when Peter locates Jay in Istanbul, it quickly becomes clear that nothing about this case is simple. What begins as a manhunt spirals into a sprawling investigation involving dark money, political influence, and paid assassins determined to eliminate anyone who gets too close. Teaming up with relentless journalist Isabel De Leon (Genesis Rodriguez), Peter finds himself chasing a conspiracy that turns out to hit much closer to home.
Meanwhile, back in Washington, Season 1 fan favorite Chelsea Arrington (Fola Evans-Akingbola) is once again stationed inside the White House, now serving in the Secret Service detail for President Richard Hagen (Ward Horton) and First Lady Jenny Hagen (Jennifer Morrison). It’s Chelsea who first senses that something isn’t adding up, and her instincts begin to point toward tensions and secrets within the administration that don’t align with the public image being projected. With Hagen’s presidency already shadowed by the election manipulation revealed in Season 2, it’s easy to assume corruption will flow from the usual places. But Season 3 cleverly subverts expectations, and as Peter's investigation and Chelsea's concerns begin to converge, The Night Agent delivers some of its most satisfying storytelling yet.
Rose's Absence Makes Room for 'The Night Agent's Strongest Ensemble Yet in Season 3
Going into Season 3, one of the biggest talking points was the absence of Luciane Buchanan's Rose. While she was central to Season 1, by the end of Season 2, it felt like the right creative decision, and that's not a knock on Buchanan's performance. What bonded Peter and Rose was trauma and survival, not a sustainable future, and Season 2 often struggled to justify keeping her in Peter's increasingly dangerous orbit. Rather than forcing that relationship to continue, Season 3 lets it rest while still keeping Rose as Peter's moral compass, ensuring her impact on him isn't cheapened by her absence.
This shake-up in the cast also makes room for a stronger supporting ensemble. It's genuinely thrilling to see Fola Evans-Akingbola reprise her role as Chelsea Arrington after only a brief appearance last season. Her return adds emotional grounding and a shared history with Peter that feels earned, and Evans-Akingbola continues to prove she's one of the show's most reliable presences while, frankly, being a total badass this season. Jennifer Morrison brings complexity to First Lady Jenny Hagen, playing her as both supportive spouse and quietly ambitious political force. Stephen Moyer is deeply unsettling as "The Father," a contract killer who balances tenderness toward his son with chilling ruthlessness. David Lyons, as Peter's new Night Action partner, Adam, injects volatility and occasional levity, keeping both Peter and the audience unsure of where his allegiances truly lie.
The standout addition to the show's cast in Season 3 is Genesis Rodriguez as journalist Isabel De Leon. She's sharp, relentless, and emotionally layered, with a backstory that unfolds naturally over the course of the season. Rodriguez is magnetic on screen, and her dynamic with Gabriel Basso crackles. Isabel is the kind of reporter who prioritizes justice and truth, even when it puts her directly in harm’s way. Her instinct for transparency, which collides with Peter’s instinct for secrecy, creates a constant, electric tension that fuels some of the season’s most compelling moments.
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'The Night Agent' Season 3 Showcases Gabriel Basso at His Best
Image via NetflixThe Night Agent Season 3 firmly establishes Gabriel Basso as the show’s greatest asset. Back in Season 1, Basso spoke about the importance of doing his own stunts, and that commitment pays off in a major way here. The action is expertly balanced and always feels earned, culminating in a standout sequence that, without giving too much away, features a spectacular car chase that ends in an underwater fistfight. That moment, along with several others, ranks among the most impressive action set pieces on television in a while.
What truly elevates the show's action, though, is how vulnerable Season 3 allows Peter to be. It calls to mind Daniel Craig’s Bond in Casino Royale or Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt in recent Mission: Impossible installments, where heroes known for their skill are allowed to get genuinely beaten down. Shawn Ryan and his writers aren’t afraid to let Peter take real punishment this season. He gets hurt. A lot. He relies on allies. He barely escapes situations that feel truly lethal. That vulnerability allows Basso to expand his range, and we see him at his best, particularly in scenes opposite Stephen Moyer, where Peter feels more exposed than ever. Even with a strong ensemble around him, it’s Basso who ultimately carries the weight of the show.
With The Night Agent Season 3, Ryan and his creative team deliver a thriller that feels both entertaining and purposeful. It’s a far more disciplined approach than Season 2, and it clearly lays the groundwork for an even bigger fourth season. While a formal renewal hasn't been ordered, the writers are already at work, with plans to film at least part of the next chapter in Los Angeles. By tightening its storytelling, deepening its characters, and delivering deliberate, hard-hitting action sequences, The Night Agent has officially delivered its strongest season yet.
The Night Agent Season 3 premieres February 19, with all 10 episodes dropping on Netflix.
Release Date March 23, 2023
Network Netflix
Directors Adam Arkin, Guy Ferland, Millicent Shelton, Ramaa Mosley
Writers Seth Fisher, Munis Rashid, Corey Deshon
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Luciane Buchanan
Rose Larkin
Pros & Cons
- The show returns to its Season 1 roots, delivering a tight and cohesive plot.
- It's great having Fola Evans-Akingbola back as a series regular.
- Gabriel Basso delivers his strongest work, including the most intense action scenes of the series.
- Some secondary subplots could've used a bit more breathing room and stronger conclusions.
English (US) ·