Netflix’s 14-Episode Spy Thriller The Recruit Remains a Great Weekend Binge—Forget Night Agent Comparisons

A troubling first assignment

During his first week at the CIA, Owen’s colleagues Lester and Violet assign him to sort through graymail: letters threatening to reveal government secrets. Most appear unimportant, but Max Meladze, a former CIA asset imprisoned in Arizona for murder, says she can expose American operatives in Russia and Belarus.

Owen must determine whether Max is telling the truth and assess what she knows about the agency. His investigation draws attention, taking him as far as Yemen to look into one of her past acquaintances, despite the danger he faces along the way.

An uneasy partnership

Max is not simply waiting for rescue. She has her own agenda, and neither she nor Owen can fully trust the other as their arrangement develops. The tension between them grows as Owen discovers how much Max has kept from him. Their relationship becomes a notable part of the series as the lawyer tries to navigate a case that reaches beyond his initial assignment.

A lawyer out of his depth

Noah Centineo plays Owen as relatable and somewhat awkward, carrying over a quality familiar from Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before films. Rather than becoming a convincing operative right away, Owen tends to talk, negotiate and improvise, with mixed results.

The supporting cast adds character to the agency’s workplace. Kristian Bruun plays anxious colleague Janus Ferber, while Vondie Curtis-Hall portrays Walter Nyland, Owen’s boss and the CIA’s general counsel.

Two seasons, 14 episodes

Created by Alexi Hawley, whose work includes The Rookie, The Recruit debuted on Netflix in December 2022. Its second season arrived in January 2025, shifting the story to South Korea.

Netflix canceled the show in March 2025, after 14 episodes had been produced. For viewers seeking a series in the vein of The Night Agent, the show offers a spy story centered on a young lawyer whose choices often make an already difficult situation worse.