S01.E01: The Camp

[AnimeMania]

Imogen (Elisabeth Moss) visits a refugee camp in the remote mountains on the Turkish and Syrian border, and among the chaos, she seeks out Adilah (Yumna Marwan), who has been separated and detained from the rest of the refugees.

Premiere Date: April 30, 2024      Hulu   

[Snazzy Daisy]

“The most American American, America has ever produced.”

Max Peterson is a little OTT. The scuffle at the airport with Malik Amar is ridiculous. Two experienced intelligence officers will not behave like that in public. This scene and these 2 one-dimensional characters have muddled the tone of the series, to a certain extent.

There must be a reason why Imogen gets herself personally involved with the handsome DGSE agent (Malik) in the first place. She could have a target in mind, probably based on the intel from her previous mission(s) and he is the easy way in.

Imogen can smile all she wants and be approachable but she cannot hide her cunning nature.

At this point, Imogen herself isn’t sure about Adilah’s identity. Is she the real Adilah El Idrissi?

In Imogen/Adilah’s cat and mouse game, who’s the genie and who’s the devil?

[Just Here]

The airport cold open was too pretentious and more of an example of telling, rather than showing. Also, for a series that looks to be going for a grounded/realistic style, the use of Hollywood!Interpol is disappointing.

Additionally, as noted by @Snazzy Daisy, the CIA officer character is one of the show's weak links.  A more subtle character would have provided an opportunity for a subplot with Malik that in some ways parallels and in other ways contrasts with the Imogen/Adilah cat-and-mouse plot.  E.g., are both the male officers working together for the same motives, or does one have different priorities.

[Bluesky]

The actress with the facial tics.  Great.  I’m not sure I can watch her, she’s miscast and will ruin the show. 

[smartymarty]

Didn't care for Imogen's smarmy trying to be friends with Adilah. If Adilah is in fact a major ISIS commander, she would see right through that.