Prime Video’s Citadel Traps Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden in Performed-Out Spy Sport

Among the many franchises it takes from, “Citadel” is undeniably post-Bond, beginning with its slick two leads, performed by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden. They’re each crafty and quick-witted in a gap scene that takes place eight years in the past on a speedy Italian prepare. Their Citadel spy characters Nadia Sinh and Mason Kane, respectively, are able to thwart some scowling unhealthy guys (who we study are working for Citadel’s new rival spy group, Manticore). However Nadia and Mason have been anticipated, and the unhealthy guys they shoot at and scuffle with all through some uneven modifying practically kill them by blowing up the prepare, launching them to a lake under. Nadia and Mason each survive however lose their recollections within the course of, together with their hot-and-heavy bond that was years within the making.

Mason Kane recovered fairly properly: he went on to stay a quiet home American life (echoes of what the Russos did with Hawkeye) with a spouse, Abby (Ashleigh Cummings), and daughter Hendrix (Caoillin Springall). However that tranquility is challenged when he’s kidnapped by his outdated pc genius and boss Bernard (Stanley Tucci), who then reveals how the evil Manticore has hunted Citadel brokers since that prepare explosion. Now, he wants Mason’s assist to thwart Manticore and save Citadel, subsequently saving his household. To try this, Mason has to trace down Nadia in Spain and get her again within the enterprise.

“Citadel” solely has a couple of fascinating concepts to play with, like how the brokers’ recollections have been saved in little injectable vials, which additionally makes a suitcase carrying them a scorching commodity (and the catalyst for an anti-climactic retrieval scene). However what’s most essential to know concerning the not-so-nuanced spy sport on this sequence from creators Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh, and David Weil, is that Citadel = good guys, Manticore = unhealthy guys. We find out about this dynamic from one in every of many revealing, foolish scenes during which poor Stanley Tucci has to dump a bunch of exposition, his monotone supply like a coded message to how bored he’s. On the finish of episode one, Bernard offers Mason (and us) the low-down: Citadel is a bunch of spies with no nationwide loyalty who’re forces of excellent (the phrase “GOOD” flashes on the display) and have saved the world from potential crises (the headline “Y2K AVERTED” is then used with a straight face). Bernard then gestures Mason to a distinct pc, possibly six toes away, to relate one other slideshow, this time about how unhealthy Manticore is. Crashing inventory markets, oil crises, grid failures, it is so broadly nefarious that it calls for a G.I. Joe cameo to consolation us that this present truly is aware of what it is doing. (No luck.) As a result of Mason and Nadia have eluded their wrath, now it’s as much as the 2 of them to cease Manticore from acquiring all of the nuclear codes on the planet earlier than they obtain world domination or different evil Santa Claus feats.