It was always going to take something special to dethrone Reacher from the number one spot on Amazon Prime Video. We now know what that something is. Mr & Mrs Smith is a brilliant new series reimagining the iconic story of two spies disguised as a married couple. Having watched the first couple of episodes, I'm all in.
The titular couple is now played by Donald Glover (who also co-writes) and Maya Erskine. I mainly know Glover for his comedic work in the likes of Community and Atlanta (and his music) but you should never against a Polymath like him and he has managed to create a brilliant mix of action alongside the comedy he's known for. It reminds me at times of one of my favourite series, Barry.
Episode one opens with a brutal firefight, just to prove that this show isn't pure romcom and then we start to get to know our leads. This is done in a brilliant way with each of the couples performing an anonymous interview with a computer that's part love tester and interrogator. In this sequence and throughout the opening episode, both characters are given more characterisation than the leads in some entire shows, (I know that Jane likes coffee and John likes Green Tea - after one episode!).
Considering their arranged marriage is the main dynamic of the series it makes sense that we are constantly reminded of their differences both in the relationship and on the job. They have different ways of spying, evident from their first mission, (Jane is by the book while John thinks outside the box) and that's what makes them a great team.
That first mission is a great allegory for the show too, the couple get carried away with the fun of it, almost like they actually have been married for ages, but then it ends with a very sudden return to earth. They have signed up for 'high-risk' operations on purpose and this is life or death stuff even if it seems like a game.
You may have just missed Valentine's Day but if you're after a truer romcom experience (i.e. less murder) then try these 5 romcoms you probably haven't seen across all of the best streaming services.
