From Squid Game to Stranger Things, Netflix has had many breakout hits over the years and this week sees the return of one of their most successful ones. Based on the novel of the same name by author Matthew Quirk, The Night Agent debuted on the streaming service in March 2023 becoming an instant hit.
Immediately drawing in viewers, within a week it was renewed for a second season which given Netflix's long history with cancelling shows, was admittedly surprising. But they were clearly right to do so as it was their most watched series of that year and currently ranks as Netflix's seventh most popular English language show of all time.
However, whilst the numbers are impressive that's not something that the show's star Gabriel Basso, who portrays FBI agent Peter Sutherland, really thinks about. Catching up with the actor ahead of season 2's premiere, which sees Sutherland once again unravel a dangerous conspiracy that threatens the world, 12DOVE asked him whether he felt any pressure filming the show's sophomore chapter given how popular it is.
And his answer was incredibly honest, with Basso admitting that he's not too fussed about the show's viewing numbers as what matters to him is that the crew are proud of their work. As he explains, this meant he didn't feel pressure going into season 2: "There is an awareness of how big the show is but I wouldn't say it's a pressure that makes you nervous. At least not for me. I’m not saying that I'm relaxed all the time, it’s more that it’s so many people you can’t even wrap your head around it, holding yourself accountable to hundreds of thousands of people, it's just kind of ridiculous."
Basso continues: "And so the people that I'm accountable to are the crew, knowing that the crew are there every day to work and that I have a job to make the show good, and that the writers put time in to make it good, and that Shawn [Ryan, creator] is overseeing it. I just try to make it as simple as possible. And if I can look at the crew at the end of the day and we all shake hands saying ‘you did well’, like I feel good about this show, then I feel good about it. If the whole world hated it but all the crew was proud of it, I'd be fine."
Only time will tell if the second instalment is as popular as the first, but Netflix are clearly feeling confident given that a third season is already in the works. There's therefore plenty more Night Agent to come.
The Night Agent season 2 releases via Netflix on January 23. For more to add to your watch list, here's our picks of the best Netflix shows to stream right now.
