Covert Affairs

Season 1 – 60% – This new addition to the spy series family is unique in at least one way: it has almost never happened to me that the pilot episode was also the best. The first episode brought a beautiful main protagonist, bridges to the past, a charismatic boss, and a very likable partner, all complemented by fast-paced action and a captivating atmosphere... only for each subsequent episode to disappoint and eventually lead to the inevitable realization that the potential of Covert Affairs may not be as great as it originally seemed. Annie and Auggie work great together, but when I am more interested in Ben Mercer than in the routine episodic plots, not everything is working as it should. Just when it seems that the series will sink into mediocrity, a breathtaking finale comes with a good dose of action, which had also started getting neglected, but I remained skeptical about looking forward to the second season. The concept occasionally faltered even over the course of eleven episodes, and the need for a saving idea was almost urgent. Season 2 – 50% – Faced with a successful finale, my rating has risen above average, but there is too much uniformity radiating from the entire series. Auggie is still by far the best and even Jai's storyline does not lead to empty speeches, but the absence of something tangible in Annie's relationships (given the various tough guys in her close vicinity) is already somewhat impossible. Danielle is also a target for dismissal, as every line she says drives me crazy, and the plots built around her make me wonder why the scripts don't fully dive into the spy environment and keep attempting to create a family atmosphere. Either way, the cards are now unexpectedly very clear. But if the creators don't take a risk on doing something more sophisticated with them, Covert Affairs will drop to less favorable ratings. Season 3 – 80% – The last lifeline successfully landed in the right creative hands, and thanks to that, the CIA team delivered a literally incredible performance. The well-utilized missions of the first two seasons are forgotten due to the perfect side characters played by Sarah Clarke and Richard Coyle, and above all – at last – there is a long story full of breathtaking twists and painfully open endings. Those ten episodes were such an exciting experience that I was honestly sorry that most viewers didn't have a chance to push through it due to the difficult start. The second main story arc with Eyal, Khalid, and the Mossad games may have slowed down in pace, but because "emotions" are no longer a foreign word for agents, I will be looking forward to the next spy tactics with a smile for the first time. Season 4 – 70% – The obvious attempt to repeat the concept from the previous season is pleasing, but this time the success somewhat ironically escapes the creators. The first ten episodes keep the tension, motivate you, raise many question marks, and satisfactorily answer them – only for the second part to end up being just a necessary wrap-up, like it was last year. What surprises you the most is that the espionage aspect works much better than the relationship one. Especially towards the end, the tension between Annie and Auggie feels as if it was only included in the script out of obligation to loyal fans. As a result, the sniffing nuisance Calder becomes an unexpectedly functioning piece of the puzzle, with his bulldog nature that he won't give up even for the golden Wilcox. So I will gladly take another look at Covert Affairs in the summer, but I can't shake the feeling that Matt Corman and Chris Ord should slowly start thinking about the ending with all the pomp and circumstance that entails. Season 5 – 50% – Instead of a pleasant swan song, an unnecessarily bitter finish. What could have been even worse ultimately became worse, so Annie and Auggie face each other as strangers, Arthur remains on the sidelines, and Calder, instead of his proven anger, this time sadly ogles a promiscuous girl. The greater luck is (again) the bet on a complete newcomer: Ryan McQuaid, with the charismatic face of Nic Bishop. This blond tough guy confidently came and stole all the good moments. Without him, the search for another anonymous villain, significantly harmed by stretching it over the entire season, would be unworthy suffering, so the fifth year managed to bring at least a tired average – without so much as a single pleasantly surprising idea. In the end, I'm actually glad it got canceled because after this misstep, I probably wouldn't return for a potential sixth season despite all the principles regarding seeing a series through to the end. The creative duo of Matt Corman and Chris Ord confidently proclaimed that they still had many ideas, but even considering the feeling of closure from the last ten minutes, they probably didn't even believe it themselves. Got it. (05/03/2011) (less) (more)