Noah Centineo has gone from romantic leading man to quasi-action star. The heartthrob from Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie franchise plays the lead in The Recruit, a new 8-episode Netflix series about a CIA lawyer’s first days on the job which turn chaotic in short order — a series that also rocketed straight to #1 on the streaming giant upon its release Friday.
#1 Netflix series in the US: The Recruit
basic plot: Centineo’s rookie CIA lawyer becomes enmeshed in high-stakes international power politics when a former asset threatens to expose the nature of her long-term relationship with the spy agency unless it exonerates her of a serious crime.
Moreover, The Recruit caps what’s been a jam-packed year for spy- and spy-adjacent releases from streamers like Netflix, which also this year has given audiences series like In From the Cold and the fantastic German-language Kleo. And December 26 will see the debut of another Netflix series along these same lines: Treason, starring Daredevil’s Charlie Cox as MI6 agent Adam Lawrence whose career and life are upended when his past catches up with him in the form of Kara, a Russian spy.
The Recruit, meanwhile, is executive-produced by Centineo, Doug Liman, Gene Klein, David Bartis, Adam Ciralsky, and Alexi Hawley — who also serves as creator and showrunner. And besides Centineo, the Netflix series’ stars include Laura Haddock, Fivel Stewart, Vondie Curtis Hall, Kristian Bruun, Aarti Mann, Colton Dunn, and Daniel Quincy Annoh.
The two other biggest series
As for what other Netflix series are dominating the platform at the moment in its home market of the US, they’re two of its other recent big releases: The Addams Family spinoff Wednesday, and the gossipy docuseries Harry & Meghan.
Wednesday
As for the former (#2 on Netflix in the US today) the Jenna Ortega-led series about the Addams Family’s black-clad, pigtailed and death-obsessed daughter became the third Netflix series ever to cross the 1 billion hours viewed mark — a fear that it accomplished in less than a month after its debut on the streamer.
Reportedly, a Season 2 renewal from Netflix is coming sometime early next year.
Harry & Meghan
Meanwhile, the #3 Netflix series in the US today is the controversial docuseries from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who’ve produced what might just be the most divisive release of 2022. On Rotten Tomatoes, for example, their 6-episode Netflix show has earned a 42% score from critics, as well as a super-terrible 16% from audiences.
Not to be deterred, however, the Royal Couple has a new Netflix release coming on December 31 — Live to Lead, which will feature interviews with global leaders.
