Fidelity, bravery, and integrity—the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s motto—is something that is clearly shown within the first two seasons of “The Night Agent” through the strict loyalty and empathy of the main character despite the chaotic circumstances.
On Jan. 23, 2025, season two was released to eager audiences. While season one loosely follows the plot of Matthew Quirk’s book of the same name, the second season creates its own story. Following the success of season one, season two dives into the world of international crime, conspiracy, and internal leaks within the government as the main characters seek to uncover a conspiracy involving an abandoned secret government initiative to develop chemical weapons that could be used for nefarious purposes.
Season one’s plot is systematic and linear. It focuses solely on FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) and young tech entrepreneur Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan) and cuts to scenes of Secret Service agents Chelsea Arlington (Fola Evans-Akingbola), Erik Monks (D.B. Woodside), and the vice president’s daughter, Maddie Redfield (Sarah Desjardins). The two sets of characters eventually unite at the climax of the season in a dangerous and captivating display of action, testing the characters’ stamina and stability.
Unlike its predecessor, season two haphazardly switches between three sets of characters: Peter and Rose, Iranian informant Noor Taheri (Arienne Mandi), and the criminals seeking out secret files. It almost entirely abandons the more developed characters of season one for an entirely new set of characters in season two.
Between the seasons, the stakes are raised when Peter’s first official mission as a Night Action agent goes awry, and he disappears. Considering his abandonment treasonous, nobody in the FBI can find him. Not only is this surprising, but it’s out of character. Peter, in the first season, was very much a rule follower. Now, he uncharacteristically splits from the FBI, causing trouble for those who care about him.
After returning to California at the end of season one, Rose became the lead developer for AdVerse, an advertising software company. When she receives a strange phone call asking for Peter’s location, she alters AdVerse’s code and scans the Internet for photos or mentions of him. Assuming he is in danger, she sets out on a mission to find him.
After reuniting, the two main characters work to help Noor, an aide to the Ambassador of the Iranian Mission, as she sells confidential information to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in an attempt to get her family out of Iran.
Noor serves as an essential asset to both Peter and Rose. She is vital in unraveling the leak, obtaining information about an abandoned secret project and stopping the information from getting into the wrong hands.
The plot of season two can be condensed into three broad arcs. The first is Peter going absent without leave (AWOL), continuing his mission despite his partner being killed, Rose looking for him, and their reunion. The second is meeting with Noor to find out what the leaked information was and who received it. The third is finding and later busting the secret project the criminals of the season attempt to complete.
Though these arcs weave together, each continuing the overall story, the writing struggles to connect these plotlines neatly. Instead, the arcs are harshly cut together, hindering the fluidity of the plot and the ability to understand what is going on in a particular scene. Some moments with the new characters, such as the introduction to Noor and the second arc, felt like a completely different show. Scenes like that felt foreign and unfamiliar to the controlled atmosphere introduced in season one.
Characterization is a feature that is lacking in season two. Throughout season one, the characters are clear. Peter is a determined, empathetic agent who values loyalty over everything; Rose is an inspiring and clever cyber-security expert; Agent Arlington is confident and proud; Agent Monks is a respected agent recovering from his shameful past; and Maddie is a naive young adult.
While season one is confident in the characters, season two is not. Without Peter’s support, as a character with a near unwavering personality, a majority of the characters in the cast would flounder under the pressures of their stressful environments.
An example is Rose, a young tech entrepreneur who is dragged into the world of espionage. The Rose of season two is a disappointing downgrade. In season one, Rose decrypts the incriminating hard drive, all while narrowly escaping from both assassins and the authorities. Despite the punchy action throughout season two, Rose is reduced to a passive sidekick instead of the clever hacker of the past. She shows little agency and refuses to leave Peter’s side. The Rose of season one, after reuniting with Peter, would have offered to consult with the FBI and advocated for herself.
The most pressing issue of the plot is that the ending ends right where it began at the start of the season: Peter and Rose are separated. In a world where audiences do not know if their favorite shows will get another season, this is not only repetitive and redundant, but it is also unsatisfactory. It’s excellent news, then, that season three is in the works to tie up any loose ends.
In all the ways that “The Night Agent” is problematic in writing and characterization, it has a certain charm. The show has been nominated for the People’s Choice Awards for “The Bingeworthy Show of the Year,” and fans have congregated across multiple social media platforms to express their love for the engaging story.
Season two allows audiences to truly understand the complexities of espionage, the risks informants take, and the multi-dimensional logic behind criminals.
While overall acceptable as a stereotypical action thriller, season two of the “The Night Agent” doesn’t stand up to the standards that the previous season set in regards to characters and writing. Though it stumbles through its storytelling, its gritty world and high-stake tension keep viewers coming back for more. With season three on the horizon, here’s to hoping “The Night Agent” finds its footing again—because the mission is far from over!
