THE COPENHAGEN TEST Review: Under Surveillance

When 'The Enemy' is listening, what do you say?

The Copenhagen Test
All 8 episodes debut tomorrow, Saturday, December 27, only on Peacock TV.

Pleasantly sturdy, The Copenhagen Test is filled with the kind of character twists and narrative turns that we've come to expect from modern spy thrillers, as well as an enjoyable plethora of running, jumping, fighting, and shooting scenes.

Created by Thomas Brandon (Legacies), who serves as co-showrunner with Jennifer Yale, the show gives off a strong whiff of balderdash from its opening sequence, but that's not a bad thing. It simply means that it is playing up to expectations, so we are not expected to take everything we are seeing at face value.

This is especially true in the first episode, as all the primary players are introduced -- though we are not certain of their place in this espionage universe. What is most welcome from the start is Simu Liu as the protagonist, Alexander Hale.

He is a first-generation Chinese-American who is working as an intelligence analyst at a mysterious government agency that is meant to keep an eye on all the other government espionage agencies. In the past, for another agency, Alexander worked in the field. Naturally, he yearns to return to the field, to (literally) move upstairs, and get back in the thick of things.

Throughout the first episode, it becomes clear that Alexander is under suspicion, for reason(s) that are not detailed. His every move is tracked by the operatives who are upstairs at the agency, notably Sinclair Daniel as Parker and Brian d'Arcy James as Moira, her boss, and the manager of the operation against Alexander.

Meanwhile, Alexander makes nice with a friendly bartender named Michelle (Melissa Barrera) and suffers from painful flashbacks, which are obviously something even worse than migraines. It's not until the second episode that all the various pieces of the puzzle begin to be assembled, including the always intense Mark O'Brien as fellow downstairs analyst Cobb, newly elevated to The Upstairs, and Kathleen Chalfant as the head of the mysterious agency.

Here, I must note that the agency's incredibly handsome headquarters does not in any way, shape, or form resemble a government agency -- it's far too lavish and wasteful of resources, to a ridiculous degree, as is the special, oversized key that uplocks The Upstairs. C'mon, it's outright silly!

That aside, The Copenhagen Test perks and pops at a steady, satisfying pace. It cannot help but feel like a U.S. broadcast network show, meant to debut weekly, and thus featuring a surfeit of explanations to make sure the viewer is never lost, at least after its first episode. In its present format, with all eight episodes debuting together, the repetition becomes needless.

Simu Liu makes for a more restrained protagonist than usual, which is refreshing. His Alexander Hale is the rarest of things nowadays: a protagonist who is believably quiet, studious, and thoughtful, the type of person who never draws attention to himself. And that strikes me as the conduct of a true surveillance agent: someone who is obsessed with observation.

Melissa Barrera as Melissa and Sinclair Daniel as Parker are the other standouts for me in a very good cast. One is guarded and hardened; the other is new to spy games, yet has good instincts for what is required. They play off each other well and switch roles as needed, in that sometimes the voice of experience speaks louder with her actions, and the newbie displays greater perception that belies her inexperience.

Over the eight episodes, The Copenhagen Test proves itself as a well-made potboiler. It may not be the finest cut of beef, but sometimes, all you need is meat and potatoes, cooked to perfection.