Forget ‘The Night Agent,’ Prime Video’s 3-Part Spy Thriller Series Is the Perfect Weekend Binge

Prime Video is home to several major hits, including The Boys, Fallout, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and many more acclaimed shows. However, not all the streamer’s series are as well remembered. In fact, one forgotten series is actually the perfect binge-watch for anyone looking for a story full of espionage and action. For fans of shows like The Night Agent and Reacher, Alex Rider is a three-season adventure that deserves more recognition.

The 2020 series is based on Anthony Horowitz‘s 14-book series by the same name. While the Prime Video series doesn’t adapt every book, it uses the familiar framework to create an addictive TV show. While the books are decidedly YA, the series actually ages up the main character, making Alex Rider fitting for all fans of the genre. With all 24 episodes available and the story officially concluded in 2024, it’s a complete spy thriller you can binge from start to finish.

What Is ‘Alex Rider’ About?

Alex Rider follows the titular character, played by Otto Farrant, an orphaned teen living with his uncle Ian (Andrew Buchan), who, unbeknownst to Alex, is an agent for MI6’s Department of Special Operations. However, things suddenly take a turn for Alex when Ian is killed on the job. Unconvinced of the lie that his uncle died in a car accident, Alex pursues his own investigation, following the trail to MI6 and impressing Ian’s boss, Alan Blunt (Stephen Dillane). After Alex learns the truth, Blunt recruits him for a special mission.

Four Netflix characters, four completely different ways of showing up
for somebody. This is the one who fits how you actually do friendship, and what having them in your
life would be like.

You do not do friendship at half volume, and neither does he.
What you want is somebody who says yes to the plan before you have finished describing the
plan.

• Dustin is the friend the entire show runs on: loyal past the point of sense,
  enthusiastic about everything, and incapable of leaving anybody behind.
• You have the same instinct. Your friendships are loud, specific and slightly ridiculous,
  and they last for decades because of it.
• He is also the one person who would take your strangest interest completely seriously,
  which is far rarer than it sounds.
• You would have a group chat. It would never once be quiet.

You are the friend who makes things happen, and so is she.
Together you would be mildly exhausting to everyone around you and completely delighted with
yourselves.

• Emily treats an ordinary Tuesday as something that could be turned into an occasion,
  which is either the best or the worst quality in a friend depending on your energy
  levels.
• You share her refusal to sit still. Neither of you has ever accepted a night in when
  something was happening somewhere else.
• She is far more loyal than people give her credit for. She defends her friends loudly,
  publicly, and occasionally before checking the facts.
• She would post the photo without asking. You would forgive her, because it is a very
  good photo.

You have no patience for pleasant lies, and she has no ability to
tell them. What looks like coldness from the outside is the most reliable friendship on this
list.

• Wednesday never says a kind thing she does not mean, which makes the rare ones count for
  an enormous amount.
• You would rather be told the truth than be made comfortable. She is constitutionally
  incapable of offering you anything else.
• Underneath all of it she is ferociously protective. She simply refuses to make a
  performance out of caring.
• Do not expect a birthday message. Do expect her to ruin anyone who wrongs you.

You look after whoever is having the worst day. So does he. It is
the least strategic way to move through the world and the best possible quality in a friend.

• Gi-hun is not the strongest player in Squid Game, or the cleverest. He is the one who
  keeps choosing to protect somebody else, over and over, at genuine cost to himself.
• You have the same instinct. You notice who is struggling and you stay with them, long
  after anybody would blame you for leaving.
• He is a flawed friend, and that is part of why it lands. He lets people down, then comes
  back and tries again, which is more than most manage.
• He would give you his last chance and never once mention that he had done it.

Alex is tasked with infiltrating Point Blanc, a boarding school where students are going missing. Despite his reluctance, Alex takes his mission seriously, pursuing the investigation that his uncle died pursuing. As risky as Blunt’s plan is, Alex proves to be a surprisingly talented spy, maintaining his cover and enduring interrogation while working against the mysterious Eva Stellenbosch (Ana Ularu) and Dr. Hugo Greif (Haluk Bilginer).

Not only does Alex carry on his uncle’s legacy, but he also uses his courage and quick thinking to overcome the increasingly dangerous enemies he faces. Throughout the series, Alex goes on several missions for the Department, all tailored to his unique advantages as a young and unassuming spy. Alex also begins to uncover secrets about his family that MI6 doesn’t want him to know. This unorthodox take on a 007-esque story offers plenty of shocking twists, making it impossible to stop binging.

Despite Its Changes, ‘Alex Rider’ Is a Solid Book Adaptation

Horowitz’s lengthy novel series provides the show with plenty of material to work with, but Prime Video’s adaptation isn’t exactly like the books. Alex Rider makes bold changes in its approach to the story. Certain elements, like Ian’s death, are taken from the first book, Stormbreaker, but Alex’s first mission is actually pulled from the sequel, Point Blanc. Since the series didn’t have time to adapt every storyline, this change works well, delivering a more exciting book storyline that is perfect for TV audiences. Smaller adjustments, like aging Alex up from 14 to 16, also allow the series to embrace a grittier tone.

In addition to its story changes, the TV series delves more deeply into character, emphasizing Alex’s reluctance to become a spy and, later, his PTSD. In the process, the series strengthens its lead’s relationships with others like his guardian, Jack Starbright (Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo), and best friend, Tom (Brenock O’Connor), who are also given expanded roles. Jack and Tom are brought in immediately, learning about Alex’s work earlier than they do in the books and forming a dedicated support system for him. The show also incorporates new characters, most notably Kyra (Marli Siu), a hacker at Point Blanc, who serves as another ally for Alex.

While these adjustments do change the original narrative, the heart of the books remains the same, with Alex using his impressive abilities to protect those he cares about. In many ways, Prime Video’s adaptation actually improves on the original books, delivering a compelling story that any fans of spy thrillers will want to binge.

Alex Rider