TV Review: ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’

The new series stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in the story of a pair of agents put together in a fake marriage who develop some real feelings.

(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

Premiering on Prime Video this week, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ loosely –– very loosely –– adapts the 2005 Doug Liman movie that saw Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie playing married assassins unaware of each other’s secret job whose stale relationship is re-ignited when they’re assigned by their competing agencies to take each other out (and we don’t mean on a date).

But the new series shares really only the title and the most basic concept with the movie. Instead, here we have two strangers who apply for a job that sees them partnered up and moving through the various stages of relationships in their fake coupledom even as real feelings develop and the missions become more perilous.

Does ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ hit its target?

Maya Erskine in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ deployed monsters as metaphor for teenage angst, body changes, and concerns. ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ tries a similar trick (though hopefully without the problematic future Joss Whedon of it all), utilizing the central couple’s various experiences as a mirror for a developing relationship.

It’s not a completely 1:1 situation, though some episodes play to that much more than others (episode 5, for example, sees the duo forced into a situation where their charge, played wonderfully by a superbly grumpy Ron Perlman is effectively a substitute child) but in general, the idea works.

Sometimes the balance of character work to action can be off-kilter, and not everything about the main dynamic works (Donald Glover and Maya Erskine have decent chemistry, though it takes some time to find its groove). Which, we suppose is how all relationships start and end up working.

But on the whole, it’s an entertaining peek into the various marker points of the relationship and the series format certainly offers more scope to explore the character levels than anything in the movie.

‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Script and Direction

(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

Though Glover originally developed the show with ‘Fleabag’ creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creative differences saw Waller-Bridge depart and Glover instead create the show with his ‘Atlanta’ cohort Francesca Sloane (who runs the show here).

The writing for the series carries some of the hallmarks of Glover and Sloane’s past work (though none of its experimental, random nature which probably wouldn’t have worked for this). This time around, their focus is on the burgeoning relationships and using the spy missions/job as a giant metaphor for an evolving connection between two people is one that largely works well, even if it does mean there tends to be a larger focus on interaction between the two main characters rather than the action side of things. Jane and John are written decently, though they may end up testing the patience of some audiences.

As for the metaphors, they run the gamut from excellent to exhausting. One episode, where our main pair meet and spend time with another “John” and “Jane” is at times interminable (no fault of the actors involved). But the mission-of-the-week format means that if you don’t spark to one episode, you may well enjoy another.

Directors Hiro Murai, Christian Sprenger and Karena Evans (the first two have ‘Atlanta’ experience on their busy resumes, the latter has focused more on music videos and other TV series) bring a fresh, dynamic look to the show, and if the action moments aren’t quite up there with the likes of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ or ‘Bond’ franchises, that’s because it isn’t the main point here. This is a relationship drama with a side of set-pieces.

‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Performances

(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

With the guest cast almost constantly changing (only one or two people beyond the leads appear in more than a single episode), the weight is very much on Glover and Erskine. As people who have both been the focus of TV series they co-created, they’re both more than able to carry the load of leading roles.

Of the two, Erskine comes off better, getting to show more development than the slightly more disconnected Glover. She’s excited for the opportunity to begin with, but you can really see the weight settle upon her as the season moves on. Keeping the metaphor of the relationship going, she becomes more and more disenfranchised as she realizes she’s holding up more of her end in terms both missions and personal life.

Which is not to say that Glover is bad –– his John Smith is a man who seems far less willing to leave his old life behind (a nod towards the usual commitment issues found more often in men than women) –– and he has some superb moments as the relationship develops and, at times, sours.

(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

Neither of the main pair are natural action stars, but they do their best, aided with a decent stunt team.

Around them is an ever-changing roster of others: Paul Dano is a good-looking neighbor who Jane takes a shine to, while Wagner Moura and Parker Posey are the other John and Jane who share the double date that ends awkwardly (and dangerously). Again, as mentioned above, the actors are perfectly fine in their roles, they’re just let down a little by the episode’s script.

Perlman, meanwhile, is wonderful in his role as the mysterious man that John and Jane are assigned to protect.

‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’: Final Thoughts

(L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

If it sometimes stretches the concept a little thin, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ is an effective mix of spy thriller and marriage drama with the emphasis on the latter.

Those seeking the next ‘Atlanta’ won’t find that here, but then, that wasn’t the point –– and as adaptations of movies go, this at least has the confidence to truly be its own thing.

‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

(L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.' Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

What’s the story of ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?

Two lonely strangers land jobs working for a mysterious spy agency that offers them a glorious life of espionage, wealth, world travel, and a dream brownstone in Manhattan.

The catch? New identities in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. Now hitched, John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) navigate a high-risk mission every week while also facing a new relationship milestone.

Their complex cover story becomes even more complicated when they catch real feelings for each other. What’s riskier: espionage or marriage?