The Recruit (2022)
TV show · 2022 · Drama, Crime, Action & Adventure · English
Curator score: 4.7/10 (64.7K ratings)
Tagline: Spy meets Seoul.
Recruited out of law school by the CIA, a daredevil young attorney leaps unprepared into the dangerous world of international espionage.
Ratings:
- Curator score: 4.7/10
- IMDb: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
- Metacritic: 63
- TMDB: 7.5/10
Production: Entertainment One, Hypnotic, Perfectman Pictures
Cast: Noah Centineo, Colton Dunn, Aarti Mann, Fivel Stewart, Kristian Bruun, Kaylah Zander, Maddie Hasson, Angel Parker, Teo Yoo, Vondie Curtis-Hall
Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict: A slick, fast-moving spy romp with strong banter and easy binge appeal, but it leans more on charm and cliffhangers than airtight espionage logic. Season 1 is the stronger, more energetic run; Season 2 broadens the conspiracy and keeps the pace up, though it doesn’t fully deepen the stakes before the cancellation lands.
Best for: Viewers who like light, glossy espionage shows; Fans of fast dialogue and buddy-comedy energy inside a thriller; People looking for an easy Netflix binge with short episodes; Audiences who prefer momentum over realism
Skip if: You want grounded, procedural spycraft; You dislike shows that prioritize style and twists over depth; You prefer fully resolved endings; You want a darker, more serious intelligence drama
Overview: The Recruit is built for speed: a young CIA lawyer gets thrown into a world of assassins, black sites, and shifting loyalties, and the show keeps the engine humming with jokes, reversals, and constant movement. It works best when it embraces its own slightly absurd premise and lets the ensemble play off one another, especially in the office and field-adjacent scenes.
Worth noting: Noah Centineo gives the series a likable, scrappy center, and the supporting cast helps sell the workplace-espionage hybrid. The tone sits somewhere between a glossy network adventure and a streaming-era conspiracy thriller, which makes it easy to watch even when the plotting gets a little convenient.
Bottom line: Season 1 is the most satisfying stretch, with the cleanest balance of humor and danger. Season 2 adds scale and some welcome international flavor, but the cancellation means the larger arcs never fully land. If you’re in the mood for a breezy spy series rather than a prestige intelligence drama, it’s a solid, if imperfect, pick.
Recommended similar titles:
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- The Americans (2013 · Curator 9.7/10 (124.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu)
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Topics: spy thriller, action-comedy, workplace drama, conspiracy, fast-paced, bingeable, modern espionage, light tone, streaming series
https://watchlist.tannermartz.com/apple/tv-show/the-recruit/210916
The Recruit (2022)
TV show · 2022 · Drama, Crime, Action & Adventure · English
Curator score: 4.7/10 (64.7K ratings)
Spy meets Seoul.
Overview Recruited out of law school by the CIA, a daredevil young attorney leaps unprepared into the dangerous world of international espionage.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.7/10
IMDb: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Metacritic: 63
TMDB: 7.5/10
Production Entertainment One, Hypnotic, Perfectman Pictures
Cast Noah Centineo, Colton Dunn, Aarti Mann, Fivel Stewart, Kristian Bruun, Kaylah Zander, Maddie Hasson, Angel Parker, Teo Yoo, Vondie Curtis-Hall
Where to watch Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A slick, fast-moving spy romp with strong banter and easy binge appeal, but it leans more on charm and cliffhangers than airtight espionage logic. Season 1 is the stronger, more energetic run; Season 2 broadens the conspiracy and keeps the pace up, though it doesn’t fully deepen the stakes before the cancellation lands.
Best for
Viewers who like light, glossy espionage shows
Fans of fast dialogue and buddy-comedy energy inside a thriller
People looking for an easy Netflix binge with short episodes
Audiences who prefer momentum over realism
Skip if
You want grounded, procedural spycraft
You dislike shows that prioritize style and twists over depth
You prefer fully resolved endings
You want a darker, more serious intelligence drama
Overview
The Recruit is built for speed: a young CIA lawyer gets thrown into a world of assassins, black sites, and shifting loyalties, and the show keeps the engine humming with jokes, reversals, and constant movement. It works best when it embraces its own slightly absurd premise and lets the ensemble play off one another, especially in the office and field-adjacent scenes.
Worth noting
Noah Centineo gives the series a likable, scrappy center, and the supporting cast helps sell the workplace-espionage hybrid. The tone sits somewhere between a glossy network adventure and a streaming-era conspiracy thriller, which makes it easy to watch even when the plotting gets a little convenient.
Bottom line
Season 1 is the most satisfying stretch, with the cleanest balance of humor and danger. Season 2 adds scale and some welcome international flavor, but the cancellation means the larger arcs never fully land. If you’re in the mood for a breezy spy series rather than a prestige intelligence drama, it’s a solid, if imperfect, pick.
Recommended similar titles
2023 · Curator 5.9/10 (160.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Another Netflix-friendly conspiracy thriller with propulsive pacing, government secrets, and easy binge appeal.
2011 · Curator 8.7/10 (385.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu
For viewers who want CIA intrigue with higher stakes, sharper tension, and a more intense political dimension.
2013 · Curator 9.7/10 (124.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu
A prestige spy drama that rewards patience with layered tradecraft, moral conflict, and sustained tension.
2001 · Curator 5.9/10 (58.3K ratings) · Where to watch: Disney Plus
Stylish, twisty espionage adventure with a strong mix of action, identity games, and serialized momentum.
2001 · Curator 9.8/10 (208.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu, Sun Nxt
High-pressure government thriller energy, constant escalation, and a relentless pace that keeps episodes moving.
2018 · Curator 7.9/10 (170.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
A compact, high-tension political thriller with conspiracy elements and strong forward momentum.
2022 · Curator 6.2/10 (63.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu
A more mature, character-driven spy story with action, secrets, and a strong sense of danger.
2022 · Curator 9.4/10 (146.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Apple TV Plus
Sharper, darker intelligence work with biting humor and a dysfunctional-team dynamic that fans of office banter may enjoy.
2018 · Curator 5.7/10 (193.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
Big, polished espionage action with international stakes and a mainstream thriller rhythm.
2023 · Curator 8.4/10 (97.5K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
For viewers who like political maneuvering, sharp dialogue, and a modern, bingeable tension engine.
2011 · Curator 8.2/10 (209.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A smart, serialized thriller that starts procedural and grows into a larger conspiracy with strong momentum.
2024 · Curator 3.8/10 (29.3K ratings) · Where to watch: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Spectrum On Demand
A contemporary espionage drama with a more grounded, prestige-minded take on intelligence work.
Topics
spy thriller, action-comedy, workplace drama, conspiracy, fast-paced, bingeable, modern espionage, light tone, streaming series
Open The Recruit (2022) on Curator TV