etflix’s The Recruit is back for a second season that, somehow, manages to be even more ridiculous than the first. What started as a fun, slightly over-the-top spy drama about a rookie CIA lawyer stumbling into CIA operations has now turned into a full-fledged fantasy where everything miraculously works out for the protagonist, no matter how little sense it makes.

Owen Hendricks, played by Noah Centineo, is still, basically a lawyer. That is his job. He is not a trained field agent, not a spy, not someone who should be running around different countries, outrunning trained operatives, dodging bullets or negotiating with dangerous people. Yet, there he is, effortlessly pulling off missions that should require years of experience and training. The show does not even try to show how he is able to do all this. One minute, he is in South Korea, the next in Europe, then back in the States. At no point does he show any sign of exhaustion or jet lag. He is always at 100 per cent, ready to go as if long-haul flights and constant stress mean nothing.

Then there is the Russian spy, Nichka. If there ever was a checklist for stereotypical female spies, she would tick every box. Mysterious? Check. Deadly but alluring? Check. Zero personality beyond her role as a femme fatale? Also, check. The show does nothing interesting with her character, making her yet another forgettable addition to an already weak lineup.

Speaking of weak characters, Janus is built up as a paranoid mastermind. But his paranoia seems to come from nowhere. It is downright baseless. He is anxious all the time and the show expects that to be enough. Similarly, CIA officers, Lester and Violet, appear to hold some unexplained grudge against Owen. Their hostility feels forced. It is as if the writers needed to insert workplace conflict without actually explaining it.

Then, there is the Omar Maskati twist, which feels like a desperate attempt to shock the audience rather than add anything meaningful to the story. It is the kind of plot turn that is supposed to be clever but ends up feeling completely unnecessary. The show already had too much going on and throwing in a half-baked twist only made it worse.

The most frustrating part is that Owen’s mission was not even about saving some high-stakes CIA intelligence, even though that is what the show made it seem like. No, it turns out that he was really just trying to redeem himself by saving someone else’s love story. The supposed ‘major secrets’ Owen was trying to protect ultimately took a backseat to his personal quest for redemption. The whole thing becomes so small and personal, completely undermining the global-scale espionage story the show was supposedly telling.

The biggest problem with The Recruit Season 2 is that, despite all the running, shooting and betrayals, none of it feels exciting. The show throws in many twists and subplots, but none of those makes the season worthwhile. The characters are flat, the stakes do not feel real and the writing is all over the place.

Walter Nyland, supposed to be a key CIA figure, also contributes little of actual importance. His role is presented as crucial, but his actions have no real weight. He exists in the background, acting authoritative without any substance to back it up. Dawn Gilbane, another operative, has barely any meaningful presence. Her character could have been removed entirely, and the show would have remained the same.

Then there’s Yoo Jin. Not only is she unnecessary, but the show forces some weird backstory where Owen’s father apparently died in Korea, and now his childhood connection also happens to be there? It is such a lazy way to tie things together. Instead of making the world feel big and unpredictable, it makes everything feel ridiculously coincidental.

As for action, the scene where Owen and Yoo Jin escape on a motorbike, crashing through a crowded market, is straight out of a Bollywood film. They are seen racing through narrow streets, sending fruit stalls flying and dodging bullets. It does not fit the tone the show is trying to set. Instead of being thrilling, it feels silly.

The final boat scene is even worse. Yoo Jin somehow manages to locate Owen in the vast ocean because sure, why not? Then Owen singlehandedly saves the Korean couple and they all escape without anyone noticing. The entire setup is laughably convenient, making it impossible to take any of it seriously.

The biggest problem with The Recruit Season 2 is that, despite all the running, shooting and betrayals, nothing feels exciting. The show throws in many twists and subplots but none of those make the season worthwhile. The characters are flat, the stakes do not feel real and the writing is all over the place.

This show could have been much better if it stuck to its original premise. The idea of an inexperienced lawyer getting pulled into CIA operations was fun because it was ridiculous in a way that made sense. Now, the show acts like Owen is some top-tier agent, making it impossible to believe anything that happens.

Can one compare this to The Night Agent, another Netflix spy thriller? That show was not perfect, but at least made sense. The protagonist had some training, the action sequences felt grounded and the stakes were clear. The Recruit just throws in chaos and hopes no one questions it.

Whether Netflix renews the show or not, does not really matter.

The author is a freelance contributor