‘Covert Affairs,’ Season One: A Sleek Interesting Spy Thriller!

Though not an uncommon concept, at the time USA Network aired its Covert Affairs, season one debut season, the light hearted spy thriller seemed more novelty than normal.

Covert Affairs, Season One (2010) TV Review

In the wake of heart break, naturally the thing to do is join the CIA. True maybe most people don’t make this choice in order to heal from being left on a romantic beach, but that is exactly what Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) does.

While in Sri Lanka, she meets and shares a whirlwind romance with Ben Mercer (Eion Baily), a man teaching English in the small village. Then one morning he leaves a cryptic note and is gone. Once back home, and living in her sister Danielle’s gatehouse, Annie determines never again to let love affect her so, and so she agrees to be recruited by the CIA. There she hopes to utilize her six language skills, but while training, Langley puts her on an easy mission.

Overwhelmed at the pace at which she is read into one of the agency’s most secretive branches, Annie must work as a Russian defectors handler, all while realizing that she may be a pawn in this spy game. 

Since “researching” USA Network, I have come to realize that they don’t abuse their status as a cable network as much as some do (I won’t name names). They are meticulous about their programming choices (each show has to radiate generally happy moods even in the bad times). Though I only watch four or five of their programs, that theme is true
of each. One of their newest, Covert Affairs is quite impressive. Bourne Identity originator Doug Liman steers this, and reflections of his influence is obvious in the premiere. This includes a high-octane car chase to its mysterious origins which sets the stage for its debut season; we’re immediately drawn into Annie’s story. An opening episode that sets the pace for this season.

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Any good spy show hopefully allows the good guys lots of wins. Annie is one of those heroine’s who feels deeply about her choices; her abilities make her ideal for this work, but she also struggles with the lying this work asks. Particularly relevant and poignant to this is a conversation she shares with one of her co-workers when she questions him about the job becoming easier. Several of the characters continue in these easy-going manners and have dynamic chemistry. Especially Annie and her tech genius, Auggie. These two are impossibly cute (I dare you not to like them together) together. Plus to keep things interesting, there are a couple of potential romances for Annie. Likely just for those of us who cannot resist a good love story. *wink*   

Red herrings and secrets are the main affairs of the freshman season. Luckily the show has multiple season renewals. Rounding out the cast is also Kari Matchett, Peter Gallegher, and Christopher Gorham. Writers have quite the full docket of characters to invest in, even in their weakest moments and its heroine is more relatable than your average spy thriller because she walks into something unknown, and is merely trying to navigate the ways of the world – much like the rest of us.   

Content: unfortunately, there are a few suggestive flashbacks of an intimate relationship, removal of clothing and the like. Another scene shows lovers dressing after spending the night together. Elsewhere there are accusations throughout that a man has an extra-marital affair as well as some sexual innuendoes [Annie plays a hooker for a job]. Annie interrupts her sister and brother-in-law’s impromptu intimate reunion; implications suggest Annie spends the night with her ex in the finale. There is some gunfire and mild profanity. The series is TV-14.