The Streaming Action-Packed Spy Thriller Series Better Than The Original
These days, reboots of existing intellectual property (IP) seem to be the only projects that get made anymore, with most big studios squeezing the life out of any recognizable characters or works they can get their hands on. However, sometimes these reboots are made with enough love and care to carve out a path all their own with the existing characters, offering adaptations that are even better than the original project. Amazon Prime Video’s recent Mr. & Mrs. Smith series serves as a shining example of this phenomenon, with the series completely overshadowing the 2005 film of the same name.
The Electrifying Original
2005’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith starred real-life celebrity power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, as a married couple who, unbeknownst to one another, each work for a rival spy agency. As the film progresses, the couple must weigh their love for one another against work orders that demand they kill each other, resulting in an action-packed love story loaded with equal parts romantic chemistry and massive explosions. While the 2024 Mr. & Mrs. Smith series retains the angle of a married couple working as spies, very few details carry over from the original movie.
Making It Up As They Go Along
Instead, Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star as the eponymous John and Jane Smith, who seek employment from a mysterious spy agency after being shut out of other government and military positions due to their underlying character flaws. Once employed by the agency, Mr. and Mrs. Smith are paired together, placed into a legally binding marriage, and tasked with carrying out complex high-risk spy missions as a team. In stark contrast to Pitt and Jolie, who had immediate chemistry risked by their occupation, Glover and Erskine’s characters are thrust together unceremoniously and must find the chemistry with one another as it comes.
The Series Has Time To Breathe
The Mr. & Mrs. Smith series was created and adapted for streaming by Donald Glover in partnership with Atlanta and Fargo writer/producer Francesca Sloane. The series premiered all eight of its hour-long episodes in February 2024, to mostly positive reviews, with many fans arguing that the series’ fascinating writing and startling humanity completely outshines the 2005 film. The series also stars a revolving door of guest actors, including Paul Dano, Parker Posey, Alexander Skarsgård, Ron Perlman, John Turturro, and Donald Glover’s real-life mom, Beverly Glover, in her acting debut.
A Smash Hit With The Critics And Audience
Mr. & Mrs. Smith currently touts a 90 percent certified fresh critic score from the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, with fans and critics alike already demanding updates on additional seasons. The season one finale ends on something of a cliffhanger, leaving fans itching to find out what becomes of John and Jane. At this time, Amazon Prime Video has not officially ordered a second season of the show, though they also haven’t formally canceled the program, so the fate of a second season currently remains in limbo.
The Right Way To Do A Remake
For those interested in checking the series out, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video today. The series doesn’t directly connect to the 2005 film, so you won’t need to catch the movie in order to understand the plot of the new hit show.
