Prime Video’s 2-Part Spy Thriller Is Quietly Becoming a Streaming Sensation

Three years ago, Prime Video set off with an ambitious plan to weave an intricate international web of espionage with the Citadel franchise, and it kicked off with the story of Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Singh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). Since then, the series has jet-setted around the world, making stops in Italy and India, but it has finally returned to its roots with a second installment of the treacherous and fun fight against the evil organization, Manticore. The forgotten gem returns with a bang, quickly climbing Prime Video’s streaming charts as fans rediscover the action-packed universe of Citadel or join the mission for the first time.

It’s no surprise that Citadel’s return has been met with fanfare, since the show itself is perfect weekend binge material. Despite the serious nature of espionage, the Prime Video series never takes itself too seriously. From outrageous technology to a suffocating atmosphere where you are constantly second-guessing everyone’s motivations, Citadel doesn’t hold back with its punches or its budget — the spy version of Marvel and just as addictive.

‘Citadel’ Is an Action-Packed Spy Show That Hits Every Genre Staple

The very first scene of Citadel embodies everything you need to know going into the show. Two elite spies working for the titular agency, who also happen to be in love, are on board a train and leap into a highly stylized, formidable, and extravagant action sequence, which ends in a raging inferno. Both seasons are just as deliciously dramatic and high-stakes as this single sequence. Nadia and Mason survive the explosion, but their memories are wiped, and they go on to live separate lives until Citadel’s last remaining agent, Bernard (Stanley Tucci), drags them into the fold again. From there, the show pummels through secret missions, ulterior motives, lavish disguises, veiled threats, not-so-veiled threats, and a truckload of action.

Citadel does not do anything half-heartedly. The show doesn’t just lean into genre staples; it embellishes them with a large budget and a chaotic intensity that makes it impossible to look away. Immediately, we are enthralled by the magnitude and grandeur of the sets, from that initial train to the blinking lights of the underground spy headquarters, each constructed to be gawked at. Similarly, at the center of each season are pieces of all-powerful technology that are inconceivably outrageous, but perfectly suited to the show. Both Citadel and Manticore agents race against each other to get their hands on a ubiquitous device that can hack any network in the world, while the second season delivers a chip that can completely control a human’s brain. Tying everything together are dizzying shootouts and gnarly stunts, creating the ultimate compilation of espionage clichés that any fan will have fun consuming.

Deception and Suspense Create an Immersive Atmosphere in ‘Citadel’

Around the genre clichés is the most essential element every good spy show must have: an atmosphere of deception. We may bear witness to the extravagance of the set pieces and the action sequences, but it is the untrustworthiness of the characters that invites us to engage with the show. Every character holds their own secrets, even if they don’t know it themselves, whether it is the central couple or the new unruly additions in Season 2. All of this is heightened by the fact that there is a mole in Citadel who fed information to Manticore before the events of the series, allowing the evil corporation to wipe out the agency in one fell swoop. And when the mole’s identity is revealed, the mystery and the complications only become deeper.

Every performance in Citadel is designed to keep the audience off-balance, even if the characters turn into cartoonish action figures during a fun fight sequence. Jones plays Nadia with a smooth grace that is far too clean to trust, while Madden plays Mason with a bumbling awkwardness that contrasts with his deadly muscle memory. Season 2 also throws in a disruptive whirlwind of an agent played by Jack Reynor, who keeps us on our toes, while Matt Berry‘s huge personality and Tucci’s wry delivery are the reliable sparks of dark humor that cement the show’s penchant for not taking itself too seriously.

Citadel doesn’t try to be anything other than a fun joyride with every spy show cliché, from the outrageous visual elements to the variety of performances that only get better once you get into Season 2. Audiences are evidently appreciating the absurdity of the series as it climbs into the platform’s top ten and has remained there for a couple of weeks. So, if you have yet to embark on the high-octane chase for inconceivable technology and elusive truth, then you need to watch this easy-to-binge show.