A pair of Syrian hackers targets Bashar Assad’s police servers but ends up uncovering data of international consequence beyond their initial intent. They seek political asylum in Europe in exchange for the information they possess. The French government assigns veteran operative Gabriel Delage to expel the intruders from the country. (Vincent Kassel). Meanwhile, London endures a wave of cyberattacks that seem to reach the heart of essential infrastructure, from the Thames control systems to rail and aviation networks. Alison Rhodey, an adviser to the Home Secretary, takes charge of the case. (Eva Green) It turns out she shares a complicated past with Delage.
Credit is given to the way Link toys with the premise for most of the first episode, giving the impression of a spy thriller about post-Brexit Europe. Yet, by the close of the chapter, it becomes clear that the spy angle, while entertaining, largely serves as a stage for melodrama. The initial doubts creep in as the finale approaches, when Eva Green delivers a poignant performance under the rain to Massive Attack’s Teardrop and revisits that moment several times. The blend of genres doesn’t quite cohere, and the espionage thread suffers as a result. The story drifts toward a tentative, ambiguous ending that feels predictable even near the midpoint, offering perhaps a straightforward Brexit reflection rather than a deep provocation. Still, the visual energy keeps the pace brisk enough to watch Kassel navigate through crowded city streets and square off against more cartoonish antagonists. The direction, credited to Stephen Hopkins—a filmmaker with a varied filmography that stretches from the Predator franchise to television thrillers such as 24—appears to scramble to justify its own ambitious setup.
Overall, viewers hoping for a taut stealth thriller from this show may want to temper their expectations and instead prepare for a melodramatic ride. Those who are generally satisfied with character dynamics may not be disappointed. Green and Kassel trade sharp glances and electric stares, with action sometimes interrupted by quiet, tension-filled pauses. If the production team narrows the gap between the leads just a touch, the result might slide into an unexpectedly steamy, even provocative beat—though the series does not cross into explicit territory. The performers elevate material that could feel self-indulgent, lifting it into a high-end dramatic tier. As the finale arrives, there is a lingering sense that the creators have drifted away from the core intrigue and into a cat-and-mouse melodrama. It would be fair to say that the momentum shifts away from danger and toward sentimentality, with a mantra of romantic closeness recurring in the background and the ever-present Massive Attack cue cushioning the emotional beats. The central question remains: what is the real fight against terrorism when the storytelling leans so heavily on romance and personal history? The answer, hinted at but not fully explored, leaves the audience with more questions than solid conclusions.