As the curtain rises on the new Prime Video series “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” it’s quickly apparent that this is not your average spy story. This is no replica of the infamous 2005 blockbuster. Instead, the series emerges as a unique entity, entangling the gritty intricacies of espionage within the delicate fibers of marital drama. At the core of the narrative are the newly introduced characters John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine), who find themselves entwined in an artificial marriage, a cover for their true identities as undercover agents.
Framing modern espionage through the prism of a domestic dramedy, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” ensnares the viewers’ empathy for a relationship that, while fictitious in its inception, grows increasingly real as danger looms closer. Scripted by Francesca Sloane alongside Donald Glover, the series adopts a chatbot named ‘Hihi’ to assign John and Jane their risky tasks, a stark contrast to Villanelle’s cryptic postcards in “Killing Eve”. Hihi’s shadowy operations cast our protagonists as a phony couple undertaking perilous missions that transcend mere theatrics.
Their tale unfolds within a New York brownstone—two wedding rings delivered in an envelope signal the commencement of their covert lives together. The episodes’ titles, ranging from ‘First Date’ to ‘First Vacation’ and ‘Infidelity’, serve as beacons to the show’s intimate gaze on the relationship’s evolution. Yet, Sloane and Glover sow seeds of action into this domestic terrain, interweaving moments of gunfire and adrenalized upheaval amongst the mundane, tension-filled, and vulnerable beats of John and Jane’s partnership.
The deftly executed comedy, bearing the touch of Executive Producer Hiro Murai, wields a deadpan style that slices through the dramatic tapestry, enriching the show’s contemporary sensibility. This is further amplified by the parade of guest stars such as Paul Dano, John Turturro, Sharon Horgan, Wagner Moura, and Parker Posey, whose cameos inject refreshing dynamism into the couple’s transition from novices to spy-craft connoisseurs. Yet, with professional growth comes personal discord; the episodic leaps through time unravel their increasingly tumultuous marital accord.
“Mr. & Mrs. Smith” commences with a tight balancing act, juxtaposing the rush of an espionage operation against the fluctuations of a nascent partnership. The scale, however, tips rather quickly toward the complexities of this relationship, perhaps to a fault. It is difficult to avoid drawing parallels to FX’s “The Americans”, with its deep exploration of character complexity in a similar situation. Nevertheless, in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, there seems to be a certain reticence or even reluctance to delve deeply into the essence of John and Jane as individuals.
Questions arise about whether this lack of personal focus on the title characters is a deliberate narrative choice or an oversight caused by time constraints. Either way, the result is a slight diminishing of investment in their feuds, calling for a closer examination of their personal motivations and responses to the tumult they unleash upon the world.
The iteration of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” on Prime Video could be described as a somber and sensitive portrayal of romance set against a backdrop of clandestine activity. A tight eight-episode run makes it an enticing binge, initially teasing spectators with the promise of high-adrenaline spy theatrics, only to pivot their expectations toward the more intimate stakes of John and Jane’s shared journey. Yet, there remains a palpable sense of untapped potential lingering within the show’s framework, inviting thoughts on what further depths could have been explored.
Ultimately, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” presents a largely captivating, yet imperfect, blend of love and espionage. As the series ends, one is left with reflections on the paths untaken, anticipating the possibility of an even stronger execution in the future. It is now available for audiences to explore and form their own interpretations on Prime Video.
