What if your first job out of law school threw you straight into the CIA and the world of international espionage? That’s exactly what happens to Owen Hendricks in The Recruit, but does this mix of legal drama and high-stakes spy action create a thrilling ride, or does it push the limits of believability?

With season two now streaming on Netflix, let’s break down what makes this Netflix series unique, where it delivers, and where it might lose you. If you love spy thrillers with a twist, stick around to find out if this is your next binge-worthy series.

You can read the review below or watch the video review on YouTube:

Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), a rookie CIA lawyer, is assigned to sift through gray mail — letters from people claiming to have classified agency secrets. Most are nonsense, but one from Max Meladze, a Russian woman, stands out. Something about her intel feels different, so Owen pushes to investigate.

When they meet, it’s clear Max isn’t bluffing — she knows things she shouldn’t, posing a real threat to national security. From there, Owen is pulled into a world of agency politics, field ops, and dangerous international entanglements — far beyond what a lawyer should handle, yet oddly suited to his skill set.

Season two expands the scope, introducing new characters — none as compelling as Max but still well-developed. While season one is U.S.-based, this time Owen heads to South Korea to assist a local spy in rescuing his kidnapped wife, facing fresh challenges in unfamiliar territory.

However, some of Owen’s scrapes stretch believability. A first-year lawyer surviving situations that could take out a senior agent? The show justifies it well enough with his legal skills, quick thinking, and negotiation tactics, though some moments feel far-fetched.

Similarly, his ability to move across borders and into high-stakes operations with minimal hassle is eyebrow-raising — but that’s standard for spy thrillers. At least the show keeps him human: Owen takes hits, makes mistakes, and faces real consequences, keeping the tension grounded even when reality bends a bit.

First Impressions

So, what makes The Recruit stand out from other shows like The Night Agent, which is a similar but much more predictable spy thriller? Really, it’s Owen Hendricks who sets the show apart because he isn’t a typical super slick spy. He’s just an incredibly likable, average guy who is good at his job, which basically means he doesn’t do stupid things for the sole purpose of moving the plot forward. This shouldn’t be such a big deal, but it is! And it’s so refreshing! Even though he’s pretty much always out of his depth as the “new guy,” he has a knack for talking his way into (and out of) trouble. He feels like an ordinary, smart guy, who you would want to hang out with in real life.

Sure, you get what you’d expect from a spy thriller, but The Recruit avoids falling into predictable patterns. Instead of relying on nonstop shootouts and explosions, the show leans into the legal side of the CIA and the political navigation needed to survive inter office drama on Capitol Hill, which is something you don’t often see in espionage dramas. That legal framework is what makes this show different, offering a fresh perspective on the spy genre while still delivering plenty of action and suspense.

What’s especially fun is how The Recruit blends legal drama, espionage, and comedy. It takes itself seriously enough to deliver high-stakes intrigue but knows when to lighten the mood. The humor comes from awkward situations, office politics, and Owen’s own ability to get into trouble in just about every way possible. That balance of tension and levity makes the show engaging from start to finish.

How The Recruit Stands Out

One of the show’s biggest strengths is how well it captures the absurdity of office politics in a place where everyone is trying to maintain plausible deniability while dealing with national security issues. Unlike the high-adrenaline, globe-trotting action of Jack Ryan or the clandestine Night Agent, The Recruit grounds its story in the legal and bureaucratic side of intelligence work. It’s less about elite field agents with endless resources and more about what it’s like to be the new guy who is trying to survive an agency where knowing the law doesn’t always mean you or your job are safe.

What Works?

The CIA doesn’t operate in a vacuum, and Owen quickly finds himself navigating conflicts between other US agencies, foreign governments, and various political players. That realistic tension keeps things compelling, without over-rotating toward the unrealistic or melodramatic story lines that we often see when a series tries to be taking seriously.

It’s also refreshing that the series leans into the corporate style work ethic in an honest way, showing he good and the bad, which allows the legal office drama to keep the high-stakes world of intelligence feeling grounded. There’s also an intense DC vibe that gives a sense of what it must be like to live and work in the area with everyone knowing “someone” important and how they are constantly having to think about how everything they do will be perceived by others. It really does feel like Office Space and meets Law & Order while doing a quick lunch date with The Bourne Identity. It just feels so different from everything else we see on TV, which is why it works so well.

Recommendation

So, is The Recruit worth watching? Absolutely. It’s fun, smart, and engaging. Whether you like action, legal drama, office politics, or spy thrillers, this show offers a bit of everything. I started watching it just for some “noise” in my house, an within 20 minutes, The Recruit had me focused on the TV rather than the things I was trying to work on in the house. That’s a sign of really good writing and production work. The fact that season two holds up just as well as season one is a testament to the show’s solid storytelling, making it easy to recommend as watch-worthy!

Final Thoughts

However, I just learned that Netflix hasn’t renewed The Recruit for a third season. So, Netflix, you suck. This is a good show and you should have renewed it and not released it opposite of Reacher and The Night Agent. It just got lost in the shuffle. Anyway …

So, what do you think? Do you like spy drama or legal thrillers? Have you seen The Recruit? Did you like it? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!