Treason (2022) User Reviews

Average

[efd-10467 · 5/10 · 30 December 2022]

Ridiculous plots destroy what could have been a good show, the twists are so silly and childish they are well beyond belief.

The hero who gets promoted to chief of MI6 is totally clueless, too young and too compromised to even look real.

At every stage, individuals are infiltrating MI6 with a mobile phone while sitting at home, MI6 is this bunch of no nothing guys sitting around in flash offices wearing flash suits cracking jokes and making childish remarks about National security, there doesn't appear to be any security around them or their families, its just too silly.

The episodes move along quickly mainly because the script is si weak and silly it cannot sustain long conversations.

I'm glad it's short...

[pfne · 5/10 · 26 December 2022]

From a magic pen that can hear caller's on a phone, to inept highly trained professionals that can't keep an eye on a boats hatch, there's all manner of idiocy in this show.

I will say, Charlie Cox plays a pretty good part. He's not an outstandingly brilliant actor by any stretch of the imagination, but he's well cast and does his best with the script etc.

Unfortunately, the rest.of the show is subpar spy nonsense with Deus Ex Machinas for every corner they wrote themselves into. It makes for a show you can only really enjoy if you turn logic and rational thought off for a while.

If it had run any longer than it does, I'd have not watched beyond episode 2 because spending 10 or 11 hours with this show would be way way too much.

How cliché

[rogierzaagman · 5/10 · 21 January 2023]

So the main character finds himself to be head of MI6 and within 2 days his wife is already complaining to a friend, who happens to be a CIA spy, about how secret her husband is behaving. So we have a wife who knows her husband is with MI6,which means he can't talk about anything because it comes with the bloody job, and then this?

And then above all other occurring story lines of course his daughter is being kidnapped as well? Seriously ? Oeeeh how exciting. I really wanna see the next episode , but then I don't.

Are the writer and producer of this show taking their audience serieus? Is Netflix taking it's audience serious? Down the drain with this one.

Stop producing this kind of pulp. This serie started with a promising storyline and within minutes the whole thing was blown up.

I had to quit after the first episode

[andreaspersson9403 · 7 January 2023]

This first episode of this show had two things I hate.

1. I can't stand family members of the main character getting kidnapped. It's so predictable and boring, and has been done a thousand times. Because of that, I unfortunately had to quit after the first episode. You could see it coming and it did in the first episode already.

Please, stories don't have to involve bad guys kidnapping family members of the main characters. Try to make believable, thrilling plots without this theme.

2. Spouses getting angry or whiny because their significant others with high level security jobs can't reveal top secret information from their work as a form of communication in their marriage.

Kind of like smelling your own fart

[george-09356 · 6/10 · 28 December 2022]

Oh this had so much potential to be great, but for me it fell way short of Spooks and Slow Horses, disappointing. Anyway, after two episodes I realised it wasn't going to get any better, but I wanted to know the story and it's the week i between Christmas and NY and I've got nothing else to do.

Most of the acting was good but, again it seems the director didn't get the best out of the talent. The show also seems to have lacked a decent budget in post and particularly in music and editing.

That said, if you want a semi-predictable low budget British, London-based spy movie, then this is perfect.

An amateurish espionage mini-series

[georgybettyabraham · 6/10 · 28 December 2022]

The opening episode is intriguing but then it tests your patience. The plot is wafer-thin with so many flaws. Mi6 or CIA agents will laugh out at the way agents operate in this series. Protagonist Andrew's wife Maddy was a captain in artillery and now with the Army hospital, right? But then why the hell is she so stupid in this series? How would such an experienced veteran become an asset of a foreign agency so easily? Actually Oona Chaplin has tried her best, but the character is so underwritten.

Charlie Cox is still not over playing the blind superhero it seems, because in this series, his eyes are still not reflecting much or making us empathised when his character is worried or tensed.

Another good spy binge for the holiday season

[rich-mac · 7/10 · 28 December 2022]

I was nearly swayed by reviews not to watch this latest offering in a season of good spy yarns - what a mistake that would have been.

Sure it has a handful of procedural errors, but Treason is a very good story nonetheless and won't disappoint people who love this kind of show.

Mostly set in London, and boasting a good international cast, Treason will keep you guessing - its intrigue only slightly diminished when it becomes clear who the final traitor is. But like most good spy yarns there's more to it than simply resting on the shoulders of a whodunnit - how the chips fall at the end is equally as important.

A good holiday binge that should keep viewers entertained.

Makes me angry

[ldennis64 · 6/10 · 26 December 2022]

The whole family is stupid. You are a spy yet you let yourself get compromised. A good agent will know what they need to be looking out for &then the wife of a spy who says for others against her husband. If this is how they operate when a family member is taken they don't need a family. The stupidity makes it hard to watch but I'm intrigued and hope it gets better. I don't understand how a wife can't trust her husband. Everyone is using everyone. Then he creates a mess and trying to clean up the mess. You can't trust a spy yet the spies are constantly asking each other "Trust Me" LOL. Its so laughable. All this spying and manipulation is overwhelming.

Yes, there are some holes in the plot, but ........................

[ak2020 · 8/10 · 26 December 2022]

The first couple of episodes of this powerful thriller do contain some holes in the plot - especially about the role of the MI6 agents.

But keep watching: episodes 3 to 5 strengthen the story, which turns into a very gripping thriller, with a reasonable ending.

I am not giving plot lines away by stating that nobody comes out of this story well - not the MI6, the CIA nor the Russians.

The writers and director have kept the plot moving well in later episodes and the actors all performed well. London once again proved to be an outstanding backdrop - leading to a very entertaining series.

I often give Netflix series a low rating of 2 or 3, but my rating of 8 reflects the entertainment value of watching all 5 episodes. Don't follow those who tell you not to bother watching - do so and form your own opinion.

Engaging spy thriller

[jonwoodh · 7/10 · 29 December 2022]

So it's not the greatest spy thriller, but once you get past the first couple of episodes it picks up steam and becomes quite gripping. Throwing everything in the pot you have dodgy MI6 higher ups, Russian spies, dodgy CIA operatives, British government corruption, blackmailing, assassins, and various conspiracies. For those moaning don't take it so seriously, it's not James Bond. It was good it was wrapped up in 5 episodes. I actually preferred it to the latest Jack Ryan which is more paint by numbers and quite flat in comparison. I particularly enjoyed Ciaran Hinds as the head of MI6, Oona Chaplin as the number 2's ex military wife and Olga Kurylenko as the Russian agent.

Beyond any logic or reason....

[marcus-28749 · 1/10 · 7 January 2023]

So, Apparently the head of MI6 keeps secret a relationship with an enemy operative, even though the enemy have exactly zero leverage on him. Then, he enters a building unarmed, and without back up, even though he is unaware of the number of hostiles inside, and whether they are armed or not. Meanwhile, his wife snoops through his stuff (once again apparently without any leverage or motivation) and feeds it to the CIA. Being totally unbelievable seems to be genetically inherited as his daughter ditches her security detail for no reason other than she wants to walk alone along a deserted canal. Meanwhile, Olga Kurlyenko does her terrible overacting, constantly looking around fearfully (like all highly trained agents do). Then, she and manages to pick up everything she needs for an assassination at the job without any planning or bringing any toolds with her. LIKE WOW !!! If this is an accurate reflection of MI6, the UK is in real trouble. Please sack the script writer.

Edgy, tense, twists & turns...down a rabbit hole & more

[artforartsake18 · 8/10 · 3 January 2023]

I liked it. Acting is convincing, characters well developed It's tense & the pace is moving at a good gallop. There's lots of riders chasing the fox...but who is the fox or foxes? Who the riders? I've read the other reviews...so much anger...everyone has an opinion, we are all different...expecting it to be this or they should of done that...yes maybe...I have those thoughts too BUT I liked it! It was entertaining, the story, characters, situations that unfolded, giving it an energy that pushed it along, to places that surprised...IMHO. & we all have those. So I say watch it & make up your own mind. You'll know soon enough.

Better than the reviews

[gailmoir · 7/10 · 3 January 2023]

I gave it 7 stars. Maybe realistically a 6 but wanted to balance out the stupid ones and twos. I watched all episodes back to back. Kept husband and I intrigued all the way through. Of course there was plot holes, and yes, suspend belief. I'm quite sure this isn't how MI5 or the CIA operate, but it doesn't stop it being a good story. People watch Marvel and can manage to suspend belief and still enjoy it, why so different just because you think it should be.

Excellent acting. Believable characters, even if the wife is annoying for 3 out of the 5 episodes. Fast paced and enjoyable. Give it a go.

Farfetched

[ecstapes · 3/10 · 29 December 2022]

Find it difficult to believe MI6 boss needs to be and is expected to be home for dinner and to put his kids to bed every night. Ridiculous to see the wife overreacting & dishing to her long lost friend that her husband had to go to a record store at 10:00pm to get a gift for someone when she knows his job probably entails weird, secret behaviors and actions. He's a spy, he does spy stuff. You should know this and not get all upset and jealous when he's on his laptop in the middle of the night. I thought the show looked interesting, but shut it off before end of first episode because too far fetched.

Engaging Brit Spy Mini-Series

[Imdboost · 4 January 2023]

Do you feel ready for a British spy story? Of course you do, and it doesn't disappoint and quite suitable for binge watching with only 5 episodes. Chaplin is great, those expressive eyes! MI6 story with all the usual trappings of scheming for power and a bit of blackmail (kompromat) thrown in. If you were looking for lots of gun battles including "let's get out of here" dialogue you might go elsewhere, (but we do have at least one gun battle/exchange) I would encourage Brit spy or police drama fans to take this one in......... Decent acting, suitably engaging story and I can recommend it without reserve.

Actually not too bad

[degrees-33365 · 7/10 · 27 December 2022]

I feel that a lot of the armchair-agents out there are giving this show an unfairly low rating. It's not a documentary for heaven's sake - it's a rather entertaining show set w/in the world of espionage and family drama.

Great acting, action is not bad and the plot is pretty engaging. Sure, you have to suspend your sense of what might be 'real' a bit but it's pretty good escapism for a few hours.

I enjoyed it - probably because I set my expecations.

I'd say a 7/10 is a fair rating for this.

I feel that a lot of the armchair-agents out there are giving this show an unfairly low rating. It's not a documentary for heaven's sake - it's a rather entertaining show set w/in the world of espionage and family drama.

Great acting, action is not bad and the plot is pretty engaging. Sure, you have to suspend your sense of what might be 'real' a bit but it's pretty good escapism for a few hours.

I enjoyed it - probably because I set my expecations.

I'd say a 7/10 is a fair rating for this.

Believe the bad reviews.

[ealander · 6/10 · 29 January 2023]

This series is neither suspenseful nor a thriller. It seemed like it had potential In the beginning, so I was dubious of the terrible reviews. However this quickly devolved to being the bland and forgettable tripe that seems to have infected all streaming services. This is a very condensed series. It's like they threw every spy thriller cliche and plot twist into a few shows at the expense of character development and pacing, and removed any common sense or logic. The only thing that sets this apart from all the other forgettable shows of this genre is that there aren't nonstop car chases or gunfights. Big snore.

Not a very believable story line. Too many cliches. Still the pace was good.

[TeamGadar · 6/10 · 31 December 2022]

While the pace of the story is good and keeps one engaged, the plot is not very believable.

I like Charlie Cox (from Daredevil series) and he fits the role well, I think the character itself was quite shallow, like most other characters. Can't believe how stupidly and illogically some of the characters behave (especially Charlie's ex-Army wife).

The CIA has unlimited ability to operate inside the UK? Not a likely scenario.

I wonder if there will be a sequel as someone actually got away with murder.

The surprise in the series was Olga, who actually put in a decent performance despite a weak character/role. Ciaran Hinds puts in a decent performance.

Overall it seemed that they wanted to finish the series quickly and tried to wrap it up without much buildup. The ending fell flat in my opinion, despite the one shock event that seemed forced in.

Moderately entertaining; but not especially plausible

[kxztstr · 6/10 · 28 December 2022]

It's not a bad way to kill a few hours. I've spent countless time on worse. It's is entertaining for sure, plenty of action and less of the classic spy drama. More Bourne like than Tinker Tailor, plenty of action and excitement. But it's painfully implausible; just way too much happens way too quickly. Not to mention some painful gaps in plot. It turns the spy agency thriller le Carre made famous and serialises it into something a touch too cartoonish.

Nevertheless, if you need some time to kill - you could for sure do worse and there is something in it for him and her. Not a bad date night choice.

glad that I plod on...

[putneychick · 8/10 · 30 December 2022]

The first two episodes were really dragging but the suspense was slowly building up and I think it was the excellent acting by Olga that kept me up with hope:-) True enough, the pace picked up and it was really an exciting thriller with lots of plot twists and ultimate betrayal till the very end. Even the main star had an unexpected ending The storyline may have some loose ends but I love the cast with some stellar acting. They managed to pull off the series all neatly wrapped up in 5 episodes. Good entertainment, wonderful backdrop of central London in many of the scenes and fantastic cinematography as well on the landscape as well as the inside of some of most beautiful homes.

recommended espionage thriller

[urthpainter · 7/10 · 7 January 2023]

If the first episode is found even slightly interesting? I strongly recommend a complete watch through all five episodes. The pace and entertainment is a bit up and down though the majority of the full arc, but a really good final episode completes this mini-series. It's pretty unusual (unfortunately) when the final episode is the best part of any TV show, so this series gets some added merit from this viewer. There is a chance that this story could be continued, as the ending is left open in many ways, but even if that isn't the case, Treason is complete in this single run.

I'd say the first episode foreshadows a big plot twist, just by the nature of the genre - which would be a spin off of a government agency thriller. Anyone who as seen enough of this type of story expects treachery, intrigue and unexpected outcomes. Which is a little ironic if you think about it... But! Treason keeps it pretty fresh with some (truly) unexpected outcomes, that unfold in interesting ways.

And what is Treason? Basically we, the viewers begin with a high ranking MI-6 member who is thrust into intrigue when his superior, the MI-6 highest ranking official, is the victim of a targeted attack. Hijinks ensues, and we learn all about Adam Lawrence, his history in MI-6, his family, friends, and life in general. There are aspects of this show that are painfully easy to spoil, so I recommend Not doing a lot of research - just watch the first episode, and go from there.

I think Treason could been truly great had the five part script been scrutinized and refined. Honestly, too much of the content is just normal life stuff - which I think is very intentional to ground the show, characters and family that are presented. But to be honest, the two kids are boring characters that add nothing to the shows entertainment (I think they were intended to feel like main characters, but end up drifting into plot device/periphery territory). The three main characters are well fleshed out, but... why not make them even more epic? With greater accomplishments (or shame) in their history? The three main characters are interesting, but I think the writers missed an opportunity to make all three unforgettable type characters, and instead? They are merely good, likable characters. There are a small handful of additional characters that all serve their purpose, but they too are pretty thin in terms of development. My biggest critique of Treason would be all character development, that really could put this show over the top, but instead feels... just serviceable.

So really good TV show, but not great - and! If these actors want to continue these roles? And producers/production in place? They could still really up their backstory in a new series, and have a lot of fun with these established characters. I'd like to see that.

When I Gave Up

[andrewrye-06535 · 3/10 · 10 January 2023]

I was looking forward to this but the current 6.5 score is way too high.

There were too many stupid things happening and it really stretches believability.

How does someone walk into a club frequented by high Government Ministers and poison a drink and never gets challenged once? Then just walks out. No CCTV in the club and apparently none in the street either. Van hits a bicycle and therefore must be connected, how did they figure that? Again no CCTV? In London? The highest user of street CCTV in the world? It was even on the screen behind the cop when she called. Atrocious writing.

Why risk sending books to C in hospital when she already knew his number? This after saying she doesn't make mistakes, appalling.

A vapid wife, over enthusiastic pre-teen son and moody teenage daughter, how surprising. He has a highly classified and secretive job and the dumb wife runs to a friend to complain that he seems distant, stopped at a shop at 10pm to pick up a present and suspects it may have been a drop. Said friend then slips a recorder to her to record their conversations.... I turned it off.

A 3 is generous, I'm on holiday. There was no character I liked and it moved too fast to let me get to know who was who and why this guy was a 2IC when he just looked dumbfounded all the time.

Better than I thought

[dbeaton-07996 · 8/10 · 27 December 2022]

The plot lurched into action with some fairly questionable premises, but I hung around, and it only got better as it went along. It's a spy story with a lot of nasty and corrupt forces that put the protagonists into almost impossible corners. The last half of the series is where it starts to roll. That part has acts of courage and desperation to achieve at least an honorable conclusion to a very messed up situation.

The CIA, MI6, and most of all, the entrenched government bureaucracy that rewards greed and blackmail do not fair well. It's a struggle between decent people caught in a horrible situation, and their all-powerful antagonists who have the system behind them. The protagonists don't come through it unscathed, but it's a satisfying ending, and that's been rather rare of late on Netflix.

[6.5] Asphalted with bumps and loopholes

[cjonesas · 6/10 · 28 October 2023]

An underachieved mini-series with underused everything, being the cast, acting, screenplay and storyline plots, events, situations and all the semi twists & turns that arose from them.

5 episodes are not enough, have been jumbled too intricately and unbelievably for the understanding and appreciation, also finishing it with loose ends and plot holes without a satisfying and tying second season is just a mistake in my opinion and waste of resources, money and actors.

It could have been great without rushed and semi mumbo everything. It had a good cast, more than good photography and settings, but its asphalted path were full of bumps and holes.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 6.5
• Development: 7
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 6
• Acting: 7
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8
• VFX: 7
• Music/score: 6.5
• Depth: 6.5
• Logic: 4.5
• Flow: 6
• Action/drama/thriller: 6.5
• Ending: 5.5.

Who Wrote This Rubbish?

[douglasmcbroom · 2/10 · 27 December 2022]

Sadly the same guy (Matt Charman) who wrote the brilliant 'Bridge of Spies!'

It seems everything Netflix touches turns to dreck. They have the reverse Midas Touch.

I am a big fan of both Charley Cox and Ciarán Hinds, but the Sophomoric dialogue and film-school plot lines swamp them right out of the gate. A couple of bumblers manage to come up with a plan that involves walking right into a posh private club, putting on an apron, serving a drink to the Head of MI6 and no one asks: "Who the bloody Hell are you?" Then it goes straight downhill from there.

I was looking forward to a taught, intelligent, clever spy caper and instead I got 'Treason,' which is what this series should be charged with.