Gemma Arterton’s new spy thriller series has been branded a ‘cliché’ by furious viewers who hit out they ‘switched off’ after tuning into the first episode.
The show, which launched on ITV on Monday night, failed to impress with its viewers as they fumed the storyline ‘lacked ammunition’.
Former Bond girl Gemma, 40, plays the leading lady in the new drama Secret Service, which is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Tom Bradby.
The storyline follows Gemma as Kate Henderson, an MI6 officer and head of Russia Desk, as she learns a senior British politician could be a potential Russian asset.
The synopsis teases: ‘When evidence points to a high-level Russian mole inside the UK government, possibly among the contenders to replace an ailing Prime Minister, Kate’s professional and family lives collide dangerously.’
Gemma stars alongside the likes of Rafe Spall as her husband, a Special Advisor, and Amaka Okafor as The Rt Hon. Imogen Conrad MP.
Gemma Arterton’s new spy thriller series has been branded a ‘cliché’ by furious viewers who hit out they ‘switched off’ after tuning into the first episode
Former Bond girl Gemma, 40, plays the leading lady in the new drama Secret Service, which is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Tom Bradby (pictured: Avi Nash and Gemma)
The cast also features former Doctor Who star Alex Kingston, Adolescence’s Mark Stanley and Amandaland star Rochenda Sandall.
Ahead of uncovering the Russian-linked plot, the first episode followed Kate in her home life, preparing her children for school and heading off to work.
She was then told she would be heading to Malta to meet MI6 asset Lena, who was working closely with a target – head of Russian intelligence Igor Borodin – by being placed in his family home as a nanny.
After Lena plants a device in the home, Kate soon hears that a British politician has been diagnosed with cancer and is stepping down from their role.
However, viewers who were expecting high-octane action from the start soon found themselves taking to social media to complain about the debut episode, and ‘switching off’.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one penned: ‘This is losing me in 10 mins. Does it get better? I’m bored,’ another agreed: ‘Hmmmm….Not feeling it so far.’
A third added: ‘This is a bit dull,’ as another suggested that they were struggling to understand ‘what was going on’ in the first few minutes of the drama.
A fifth viewer concurred: ‘I have given up, and turned it off,’ as a sixth continued: ’20 mins in and still no clue what the hell is going on.’
The cast also features former Doctor Who star Alex Kingston, Adolescence’s Mark Stanley and Amandaland star Rochenda Sandall
Many TV reviewers were in agreement, with The Guardian writing: ‘ITV’s Secret Service rummages through its faux-leather briefcase for fresh ideas. Not the easiest of tasks, given the number of cliches that swirl around the genre’s cufflinks.’
While The Telegraph added: ‘After a buzzy start, the series slows down, lumbering the cast with wooden dialogue and too many annoying scenes where we have to strain to read text messages and text on computer screens.’
And the Radio Times penned:’ Gemma Arterton’s spy thriller lacks ammunition… Secret Service ends up feeling – like its title – a little too generic.’
However, many other viewers were quick to disagree, with someone else penning on X: ‘Interesting. Love spy drama,’ as another agreed: ‘Binging Secret Service. Not bad so far. On Episode 3.’
While Good Housekeeping compared it to hit Apple TV series Slow Horses, adding: ‘ITV’s bold new spy thriller takes us right to the heart of MI6 where Kate Henderson heads up the Russia Desk and finds herself in some serious trouble (that’s an understatement) – and it’s utterly glorious viewing.’
As The Times concluded: ‘Gemma Arterton has a licence to thrill in spy drama.’
It comes after Gemma opened up about her secret pregnancy that took place as she filmed the new ITV drama Secret Service.
The actress explained that she was three and a half months pregnant when shooting for the new show began – and eventually producers had no option but to use CGI to hide her ‘very obvious’ bump.
Gemma welcomed her second child with her husband Rory Keenan late last year and shared the news earlier this month.
The actress spoke to The Times about filming the new show which airs on Monday: ‘I can so see it when I watch it. I started at about three and a half months pregnant and they just kept expanding the waistlines.
‘By the end, I was six months and it was just undeniable and I think they had to do a bit of CGI on a couple of shots because it was very obvious.
‘I mastered the art of, you know, the lean that hides it, certain positions, bags, arms crossed, all that.’
Gemma told ITV of her role on the series: ‘There has been lots of talk about a female Bond and it’s not like that. What sets this apart from a lot of others is that it looks at the domestic as well.
‘She is a mother of two teenagers, she has a busy life, how do you live a life with so much secrecy? It’s hard enough being a parent, without all this other stuff on top. I really connected with that actually.’
Secret Service is available to stream in full on ITVX.
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