Slow Horses fans, pay attention! Another brilliant spy thriller has entered the game and it goes by the name of The Agency. The Paramount+ drama, which broke streaming records with its first series in 2024 and has just started filming its second, is what we’d call a spy series with heart - and it’s giving Slow Horses some serious competition.
Produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, the gripping espionage drama stars Michael Fassbender as CIA agent Martian who has an exceptional track record as one of the agency's most reliable operatives - until he finds himself caught between his duties and a matter of the heart. When it aired on Showtime in the US, it became the most streamed new series in the history of the network, with UK audiences following suit and quickly falling for its charm - as well as the brilliant Michael Fassbender, of course.
While we await the arrival of series 2 on our screens, here's everything you need to know about The Agency, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.
What is The Agency about?
Based on the French series Le Bureau des Légendes, the first 10-part series introduced us to Brandon Colby, AKA Martian (played by Michael Fassbender), a CIA agent who spent years undercover in Sudan, before being called back to HQ in London. When the past love, Samia Zahir (played by Jodie Turner-Smith), who he left behind reappeared, romance was reignited – and his career, his real identity and his mission were pitted against his heart.
Breaking protocol, he decided to contact Samia again – aware of the risk of her being an undercover agent. At the same time, Martian’s return to London raised suspicion, and a another agent, Coyote (Alex Reznik), was captured by the KGB in Minsk, Belarus, raising the possibility of other field agents being exposed. Cue the start of a pretty major crisis.
What will happen in The Agency series 2?
If you haven’t seen the first series may want to skip over the next bit as we’re about to give away some spoilers. At the end of series 1, we saw Martian successful facilitate the return of Coyote, who had been held for ransom in Minsk, and become a hero to his colleagues.
However, MI6 agent James Richardson (Hugh Bonneville) also compromised him. In return for his life, Richardson demanded he served as a double agent for MI6 within the CIA, and Martian had no choice but to agree. In series 2, we'll find him walking an increasingly dangerous line as he tries to save Samia, who's now a political prisoner in Sudan.
According to Paramount+, he's prepared to go further than ever to rescue her, even if it means pushing past the point of treachery. And the only way out, it seems, is deeper in.
Addressing the plot of series 2, Michael Fassbender told The Hollywood Reporter: "Everything that’s introduced in the first season just tightens now. I’m glad that the audience responded to the first season because it is a bit of a slow burn and you’re sort of introduced to these characters and each of their different stories, and then things start ramping up. It doesn’t let up right from the first episode of season two. It ratchets through the 10 episodes."
Who will star in The Agency series 2?
The cast of The Agency series 2 includes:
- Michael Fassbender as Martian
- Jeffrey Wright as Henry Ogletree
- Jodie Turner-Smith as Samia Zahir
- Richard Gere as Bosko
- Katherine Waterston as Naomi
- Harriet Sansom Harris as Dr Rachel Blake
- John Magaro as Owen
- Andrew Brooke as Grandpa
- India Fowler as Poppy
- Saura Lightfoot-Leon as Danny
- Hugh Bonneville as James Richardson
- Reza Brojerdi as Reza
- Alex Reznik as Coyote
- Dominic West
- Medalion Rahimi
- Tessa Ferrer
- Clayne Crawford
- Keanush Tafreshi
- Raza Jaffrey
Is there a trailer for The Agency series 2?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Agency series 2 below.
Is The Agency any good?
Yes – as we mentioned, when it aired in the US, it became the most streamed new Showtime series in the history of the network. It was a hit with UK audiences, too, but as Michael Fassbender suggested, it’s a bit of a slow burn, so you do need to persevere through the first couple of episodes before it gets really good. By the killer final episode, you’ll be well and truly hooked.
How can I watch The Agency series 2?
The Agency series 2 will premiere on Sunday 21st June on Paramount+. In the meantime, you can catch up on the first series on Paramount+.
