Netflix’s newest series, “In From The Cold,” does many things right and also has a few missteps along the way. But, if you are looking for a new series with great action, solid twists, & depth
with characters to binge through this weekend. Give “In From The Cold” a shot.
The series’ opening has our mother-daughter duo arriving in Madrid for an ice skating tournament with the team. Jenny (played by Margarita Levieva) leaves her daughter in the hotel when she gets hit with sleeping gas on the elevator. She awakes in a mysterious room, and we are then told of who she is, an ex-Russian spy. From this point, we are in for a ride with twists and a few low moments that bring this series to a solid conclusion.
The marketing leading up to the series hints at this “superpower” that Jenny (real name Anya) has; I have conflicting thoughts. On the one hand, the reveal is quite shocking as it adds to the mystery of who Anya is. But, on the other hand, it changes this show from being just a thriller/action series to sci-fi.
I love superhero shows, and many of those have fantastical elements, but I wonder if this show needed this “superpower” for the series to work. Then again, the opening sequence adds another “element” to the fantastical side of this series.
We follow two timelines in this series, each with its positives and negatives. In 1994, we followed young Anya working under Svetlana (Alyona Khmelnitskaya) on a critical mission. We flashback to this timeline quite often, and there are times when nothing happens. There are some major reveals, but we could have focused more on the present-day as the story was vastly more interesting.
The other timeline, present-day, feels more thought out with Anya being brought back to her Russian spy life. Her relationship with her daughter Becca (Lydia Fleming) could have been more focused on from my perspective. We got some great moments with them, but it was too few and far between each one.
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Becca has a storyline on her own that had me questioning her motivation and decision-making. She is essential to the overall story, but most of the time, she is sidelined for her mother, Anya, to focus on more.
With her bringing up her father from time to time, there was more story to explore with her relationship with her parents. There was more to explore with her overall, but sadly this didn’t happen due to other storylines.
There are some great action sequences throughout the season, and each felt impactful. In some cases, shows throw in an action scene to spice up an episode. Each time there was a fight during this series, it mattered because of the narrative—high praise to the stunt team and the camera operators for creating and sequencing these scenes. Action scenes can often be hard to follow; extra care went into crafting these high-intensity moments, and it shows.
They were easy to follow along, which made them better for it. I want to briefly talk about Chauncey (Cillian O’Sullivan) and Chris (Charles Brice). Chauncey finds Jenny, revealing he knows she is Anya. He comes across as unlikeable and downright aggressive to get what he wants. His character growth comes across well, and it took its time.
He could have been more likable, but it could have been worse. Chris is the comedic relief and was a nice change of pace of character to this story. I wish we would have learned more about him as the series went on. One major critique I have for “In From The Cold” is its length; it could have easily been longer. There could have been more of a buildup to Jenny, who seems like a normal mother, to being revealed as an ex-Russian spy nicknamed “The Whisper.”
With only eight episodes, the story sometimes doesn’t let moments breathe, and it feels like we are on a race to the finish line. It’s ok to slow things down when need be. Not every moment feels rushed, but with specific plot points, they were. If the team behind the series had added two additional episodes to reach ten or even get thirteen total, this could have made this first season a more enjoyable experience. Based on the ending, it’s clear that the team behind the series is expecting another season.
Before the final moment, I felt this could be a limited series. Then seeing the last moment makes you see the whole show from a different perspective. It’s well thought out and makes the journey to this moment better. Netflix should consider bringing this series back for another season; there is a lot yet to explore in this world.
In closing, “In From The Cold” soars with its action, twists, and character relationships. However, it sadly lacks the short duration of its first season, and some of the plotlines end rather quickly. In addition, additional episodes would have helped the world build more and maybe added more depth to the flashbacks that needed more of it. Nevertheless, there are some moments to discuss with this new Netflix series, and hopefully, more seasons to follow will add to it.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
About In From The Cold
During a European vacation with her daughter, an American single mom’s life is turned upside down when the CIA forces her to confront her long-buried past as a Russian spy who was also the product of a highly classified KGB experiment granting her special abilities. After a mysterious string of manic and murderous incidents suggests someone with her exact abilities is targeting innocent people, Jenny (Margarita Levieva) is forced out of hiding to stop this villain or risk losing the family and new life she has built.
Adam Glass (Supernatural, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, The Chi) serves as Showrunner and Executive Producer.
In From The Cold is now streaming on Netflix.
