
In the heyday of television’s rapid expansion, the subtle art of the political thriller seemed to vanish. Its comeback, however, has seen it evolve into a more fast-paced, easily consumable format with action sequences every 20 minutes. Yet, Michael Fassbender’s upcoming Showtime series, The Agency, appears poised to take us back to something reminiscent of shows like Homeland or The Americans. These shows skillfully utilized the surge in crime procedural popularity to dial down the pace a bit. They delved into the undercurrents of political unrest that were prevalent in early 2010s America, where the image of the ideal family or secure state seemed increasingly elusive. As a movie reviewer, I’m eagerly anticipating this return to more thoughtful, nuanced storytelling.