The Cast Of The Night Agent Already Feels Pressured To Up The Ante In Season 2
Spoilers for "The Night Agent" follow.
"The Night Agent" proved to be a success for Netflix, so it's no surprise the platform has renewed the political thriller for a second season. Adapted from a novel by Matthew Quirk, "The Night Agent" follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso). He works in the White House's basement, and every shift, he sits next to a phone, waiting for calls from "Night Action" agents in case of an emergency. Peter's first call comes from Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), a niece of two Night Action agents. Rose narrowly escaped a home invasion that claimed her aunt and uncle's lives; she and Peter get thrown into a conspiracy that goes up to the Oval Office.
Quirk's novel was a standalone story, but the series had a more open ending — the creators were aware more seasons were on the table. After preventing the assassination of President Michelle Travers (Kari Matchett), Peter is offered a role in Night Action. Only in the finale does he truly become the Night Agent. The finale ends with him flying off after receiving his first mission.
Where will season 2 take us? Even Basso himself doesn't know yet. However, the star reflected on his hopes for the follow-up season during an interview with USA Today:
"Due to the response [to] the show, the level that everyone enjoyed it and how many hours people sunk in, I feel really responsible and obligated to make season 2 a step up from season 1. Season 1 was the pilot season, and we're still trying to get our footing for the show."
Now that Peter finally has a sense of direction in his life, it makes sense that "The Night Agent" will go full steam ahead for season 2.
Where to go?
Series creator Shawn Ryan will be returning for season 2 of "The Night Agent" alongside Basso. In an interview with Deadline, Ryan hinted at how he and his team would approach more seasons of the show.
"The initial pitch for this show that we sold to Netflix was that each season would tell its own, mostly self-enclosed, a beginning, middle and end story, and any future seasons would include a few but not most of the characters that we saw in the previous season."
The season 1 finale reflects this; the supporting cast's stories are all resolved but there are opportunities to tell more stories in this world. So besides Peter, who else will be back in season 2? I'd bet good money on Rose. She and Peter get together in the end and she waves him off on his flight in the finale's closing scene. President Travers' return seems like a safe bet too.
On the other hand — Secret Service agents Erik Monks (D.B. Woodside) and Ben Almora (Enrique Murciano), plus the assassin pair Ellen (Eve Harlow) and Dale (Phoenix Raei), all met their doom in season 1. Chelsea Arrington (Fola Evans-Akingbola) and Maddie Redfield (Sarah Desjardins) survived, but their stories seem concluded. The same goes for co-conspirators White House Chief of Staff Diane Farr (Hong Chau) and former Vice President Redfield (Christopher Shyer), who end the season imprisoned. The villainous Gordon Wick (Ben Cotton), however, escapes, the only conspirator to do so — following his trail seems like an obvious route for season 2.
Even without following source material, the self-contained approach of "The Night Agent" is reminiscent of the thriller books it shares a genre with.
"The Night Agent" is streaming on Netflix. Season 2 is set to be released in 2024.