Hard Landing – As the seventh episode of The Agency begins, Dalaga (David Harewood) asks Sami Zahir (Jodie Turner-Smith) how she’s holding up. Sami claims yesterday was nothing because she just needed some air. Dalaga read the paper she published in Addis. Sami claims women’s bodies are a battleground. He knows the paper almost got her excluded from the negotiations. Dalaga admits it’s accurate and it’s what is happening in Khartoum. He warns her that men in Khartoum will arrest her family if she goes out for fresh air again. Later, Sami calls Martian (Michael Fassbender) to tell him what Dalaga said. He tells her to keep her cool and do whatever she’s acted. Martian says he’ll work it out and call her back. Martian tells Poppy (India Fowler) to stay put as a precaution. She isn’t happy. Outside, Martian tells a woman to keep an eye on his daughter.

Next, Bosko (Richard Gere) and the others talk about Valhalla and the Russians. Martian joins them as Blair (Ambreen Razia) talks about Volchok. Owen (John Magaro) says Valhalla forces poured into Syria, Libya, and Iraq after Crimea. They can succeed in theaters where coalition forces have failed. They don’t care who is and who isn’t a civilian. All Valhalla units are registered abroad so Russia has zero responsibility. Henry Ogletree (Jeffrey Wright) says they’re picking up tension between Russian command and Valhalla. Martin says it’s caused Volchok to become more security-conscious and insular. On his bases, an unauthorized cell phone is grounds for a death sentence. Martian says they’re working on an asset they could deploy. He’s not going to want to do it. Poppy leaves the flat. Martian and Owen try to convince Alexei Orekhov (Marcin Zarzeczny) to work with them. They’re generous enough to offer him American citizenship and healthcare.

Martian says they can send him to Belarus and trade documents through a back channel that identifies him as a CIA asset. Alexei knows she didn’t really have a choice. He tells Martian that he’s trapped as well. Poppy hangs out with a friend at the London Institute of Economics. Guo (Curtis Lum) follows Poppy. Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) helps Jerome (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) with his box. He reveals he’s going to Iran after Reza phoned him yesterday. Guo is separated from Poppy who is kidnapped by Martian’s agent friend, Dozer. She tells Poppy to listen next time and to do as she’s told. Danny calls Reza (Reza Brojerdi). She asks if he wants to go on another run. Martian learns that Dozer (Ray BLK) has brought Poppy to the office. He admits he had one more left. Henry asks Martian why Beijing field operatives were following his daughter. Naomi (Katherine Waterston) and Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris) listen to Martian as he says he believes he was followed twice in the past week.

He believes Richardson was right and there are secret negotiations taking place in London. Both sides meet daily at 73 Kensington Park Gardens at a mansion belonging to Chinese national Eric Huang. The talks are between the military government and the rebel forces in Sudan. Sami is playing a role as a geopolitical expert. Henry questions why he engaged at all. Martian thinks Sami Zahir is of enormous value. He believes he can recruit her. Henry speaks to Bosko about it. Bosko says to get her. Jerome finds out that his bike tire is flat. He asks Edward (Elham Ehsas) for a pump. Martian tells Poppy that she’ll be asked a few questions and taken to her mom’s place. He whispers to her to tell her what to say. Edward fixes Jerome’s bike and asks him not to go to Iran. Edward warns him not to mention this conversation to anyone. Naomi and Dr. Blake question Martian about Sami. Naomi says they’re usually told to close off communications gently.

Martian says he saw her three days later for lunch and she told him about the negotiations. Blake asks if she’s still in love with him and whether they can use it. Martian says he will if he gets the chance. Blake tells Martian to convince Sami that she’s coming home instead of betraying her home. In the bathroom, Blake tells Naomi that Martian is in love with Sami. Naomi admits she already knew that. She insists her relationship here is one of professional proximity. Martian tells Henry that he has some thoughts about this approach. He explains that they have Sami under house arrest and they follow her wherever she goes. They talk to Naomi about a way to meet Sami without drawing attention. They agree to send an email threatening to pull her visa unless she comes in and explains. Henry says he needs to brief Langley on Coyote and Sami Zahir. Henry and Naomi discuss whether Martian should be running the operation.

He asks her to find something concrete and bring it to him. Osman (Kurt Egyiawan) learns about the email later. Sami insists it’s nothing. Osman asks if she’s trying to get sent home. Poppy returns to Martian. He tells her that something he was working on cropped up there in London. Martian says it was a fire drill, nothing burned down, and the test is complete. He says she got him out of trouble and everything is good now. Simon (Bilal Hasna) calls Martian to say Sami has made an appointment to meet Mr. Kent-Jones at 10 a.m. at the Royal College tomorrow. Naomi goes over her interview with Martian who talks about getting with Sami if his mission is over. In Belarus, Alexei is kidnapped off the street. He’s taken to a building where he tells Leo that he’s with the trucking company. Alexei is told General Volchok will see him how. General Volchok (Juris Zagars) asks Alexei who he works for. He claims he works for the Babrujka Haulage company. Volchok asks Sylviya (Tanya Shpadi) what the email said. Alexei says what he’s about to say could get him killed.

He claims Volchok has been getting screwed by his boss for a lot of money. Alexei says they screw him by 25% on every invoice for fuel. He goes on to say he came because he doesn’t want to be killed. A soldier puts a gun to the back of Alexei’s neck. Volchok says he needs to check something. He questions where Alexei got his balls. Owen, Martian, and the others learn about Alexei making contact with Volchok. Simon says he was with a barber and a bodyguard. Martian suspects the bodyguard is Alexander Bulgov. The last person is the secretary, Sylviya. Danny contacts Edward to say it’s time for plan B since Jerome hasn’t backed down. Jerome receives a call from Edward who calls him bicycle man. Edward says he borrowed Isabel’s phone. Edward tells him he’ll die if he goes to Iran. Jerome calls Isabel and learns she’s just fine. He tells her not to go near that guy. Volchok learns more about Alexei. He admits he doesn’t believe him.

Volchok is convinced the Americans are behind this. Danny is in bed with Edward now that their plan has worked. Edward asks Danny how long she’s going. She admits she can’t tell him. He shouldn’t even know where she’s going. He asks if they’re just having sex. Danny says no but they could. Osman takes Sami to the meeting and makes sure she’s ready for it. Osman goes in with her and leaves when she meets Alex Kent Jones (Tim Samuels). Alex steps out of the room and Martian enters seconds later. Sami calls him Paul. Martian says no.

 

The Agency Review

The seventh episode of The Agency was more of the same, dull and lackadaisical. Everything about the series is really dry without genuine emotions. We’re supposed to care about these characters, especially when they’re in life-or-death situations. Nevertheless, that’s impossible because the characters are so wooden and one-dimensional.

There’s no chemistry between Martian and Sami although that seems to matter more than anything else. The casting of Danny is baffling to the point of making the character unbelievable and it doesn’t help that she’s easy to dislike anyway. We can only hope Danny’s true intentions in Iran are uncovered and she’s publicly flogged to breathe at least some intensity into the show.

There isn’t a single character here to genuinely care about with some of them being less sympathetic than others. It’s hard not to see the early renewal as anything other than a colossal mistake given the lackluster quality of the series and the lack of viewer interest. Something needs to happen in the next few episodes.

Otherwise, the series has been the equivalent of downing an entire bottle of NyQuil and not remembering or caring about any of the disjointed pieces in the morning. The episode scores a 4 out of 10. Recaps of The Agency can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Join the discussion here.