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Exclusive: Gabriel Basso Spills on ‘Morally Ambiguous’ Season 2 of The Night Agent and What’s Next

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During the initial season of Netflix’s “The Night Agent,” FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) found himself in both fight-or-flight situations. Accompanied by Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), a cybersecurity CEO being chased by two assassins, he stuck to his mission of keeping her safe while also exposing a White House conspiracy and averting an explosion at Camp David that would have claimed the president’s life. As a novice Night Action operative, Sutherland managed to save the day (and the girl), which soon earned him a promotion to active duty.

In Season 2 of Shawn Ryan’s suspenseful series, the show adds even more complex layers to its narrative – according to Basso, it’s a story that is deeply morally gray. As Peter moves from training to active fieldwork, he encounters not only physical dangers but also ethical dilemmas that blur the lines of his previous clear-cut choices. He returns this time to protect Rose and prevent a devastating chemical explosion in New York City, but Sutherland’s actions – such as lying to an Iranian asset about her family, releasing a detained criminal, and taking on an illicit job from an intelligence broker for crucial, lifesaving information – ultimately cost him his liberty, his relationship with Rose, and lead him towards the same fate as his disgraced father.

According to Basso, Peter is not one who lacks determination. Instead, he possesses a strong sense of conviction. He understands the tasks at hand, but the challenge lies in figuring out the best way to execute them. That’s what makes this season interesting for him.

As I delved into an engaging chat with TIME, acclaimed showrunner Basso unveiled the intricacies of Season 2 – a rollercoaster ride packed with nail-biting stunts, the labyrinthine romance between Peter and Rose, and a pulse-pounding finale that compels our protagonist to embrace the dual role of a double agent.

Bangkok required lots of running and jumping

As a movie reviewer, let me share my thoughts on the pulsating second season opener, which kicks off with an edge-of-your-seat chase through the bustling streets of Bangkok. Filming took place over a two-week span here, and our protagonist Peter, alongside his partner Alice (Brittany Snow), find themselves in a tight spot during a surveillance operation that goes awry. With bullets flying, they’re forced to make a hasty retreat on foot. Unfortunately, Alice meets her demise, but resourceful Peter manages to dodge a grenade by seeking refuge within a building, leap from one window to another across multiple floors, and ultimately evade his pursuer with a daring dive into the nearby river. Basso, who portrays Peter, chuckles as he recounts the scene, admitting that maintaining the illusion of fresh energy was no easy feat: “When they first attack me and I sprint down that road, that’s the first time Peter is sprinting. But that’s the sixth hour I’ve been sprinting,” he laughs. “So it’s like, ‘How do I make this look like I’m not exhausted?’ It’s a delicate balance to strike.

In his eagerness to execute stunts himself whenever necessary, Basso admits that leaping out of a window was actually a collaboration between him and his stunt double, Josiah Nolan. “Josiah leapt from the window to the wire,” he explains, “and then I followed by jumping down onto the van and then off it.” Basically, he is more concerned with maintaining transparency for the audience, referring to it as a slow and gradual revelation of truth, or ‘death by a thousand cuts’. If there’s less deception about what’s happening on set, he believes that there will be less need for acting.

Peter and Rose’s platonic, high-risk relationship

Even though Peter and Rose had a fervent encounter towards the end of Season 1, it appeared they might never cross paths again. However, an unexpected call from Jacob Monroe about her ties to the FBI agent drew Rose into his missing operation in New York City. Initially not the main focus, Rose utilizes her software Adverse to locate Peter and uncover what happened in Bangkok, helping him navigate through the confusion. Unable to resist assisting her friend, she lingers to ensure his safety. Basso admits, “There were moments when I thought, ‘Rose, why are you still here? Why haven’t I made you leave?’

He explains that in Season 1, it seemed everyone thought Rose and Peter’s relationship was healthy, but it was more of a product of their contrasting personalities in an unusual situation. Despite the audience’s desire for them to be together, he believes it wouldn’t make sense for them to instantly rekindle their love amidst danger, saying something like “I know we’re under fire, but I love you” would be unrealistic.

The preparation behind hand-to-hand combat 

In The Night Agent, there are numerous intense fight scenes that it’s hard to keep track of. However, these scenes demand seamless collaboration among the cast and crew, often with only a few days for preparation. According to Basso, much of this coordination is owed to the fight coordinator and camera operators who meticulously arrange movements and sequences to appear spontaneous. “I believe that this show truly shines when we’re filming fights,” Basso notes. “Everyone needs to be operating at peak efficiency.

He notes: “The mental aspect of this combat is particularly tough for me since, whether it’s genuine or staged, the aim is always to inflict pain on your opponent. It’s as if, he dodges my jab by moving his head outside. I’ll feint the jab and follow with a high kick instead. In simulated fighting, I need to convincingly land this blow for the cameras. I have to act. I must remember the scripted moves, yet ensure they don’t appear rehearsed.

The toughest fight scene this season involves a chemical lab situated within a factory, where Peter must don a gas mask to fend off terrorists assaulting him. “Inhaling those substances and seeing through them was tough,” he admits. “It’s as if they said, ‘Attempt not to strike this man,’ but you can’t see clearly and you can barely breathe. You’re swinging this punch, hoping it lands hard without hitting [the stuntman].

A fate like his father’s

In Season 1, Peter was often troubled by the ghost of his late father, while in Season 2, his father’s memory continued to linger. Some decisions Peter made in these seasons put him at odds with his country, such as releasing Solomon from custody, arranging a meeting with Monroe, and stealing a file from the U.N., which were all questionable actions. However, Peter was driven by a strong sense of duty towards the greater good, and he wanted to save Rose and find out more about the terrorists’ locations.

As a movie critic, I find myself often reflecting on themes and lessons within films, and one such concept that resonated deeply in the latest release is the idea of ‘target fixation.’ In skydiving and rally driving, this refers to the dangerous tendency to zero in on a particular target, shutting out everything else, and inevitably colliding with it, regardless of intention.

In the movie’s narrative, this concept is beautifully illustrated through the character of Peter, who finds himself unwittingly following in his father’s footsteps despite his initial resistance. It’s a profound realization for him, as he acknowledges that his desire to avoid becoming like his father is irrelevant – he’s already playing the game.

This insight serves as an essential moment in the film, reminding us all that our intentions may not always align with our actions, and that sometimes, we must confront the path we find ourselves on, whether we wanted it or not.

As a cinephile, I found myself in an intriguing predicament: my treacherous actions led me to be in Monroe’s confidence, a situation that Catherine and the FBI saw as an opportunity rather than locking me up. “Catherine understands that I’m ready to bend rules to achieve results,” I explained. “Monroe recognizes that I aspire to do what’s right in the end.” I admitted, however, that I was a risky investment, or as I put it, “a liability.

He declares, “I pushed Catherine into a restroom, isn’t that right?” He adds, “If you touch a superior officer, it doesn’t matter if you turn up for work the following day; that incident will linger in their memory forever. I’m a risk to Rose, to Catherine, to Monroe. I might be a double agent, but I don’t believe anyone wants to collaborate with me. This is a pragmatic, morally fluid situation, and it’s a precarious position to find oneself in, I suspect.

Peter’s superhero speech

Before Peter makes the decision to surrender to the police, hoping for another opportunity with the FBI, he speaks earnestly to Rose, using dialogue reminiscent of Spider-Man. He urges her to forget about him and refrain from involvement in his activities any longer. “I believe it’s the burden of being accountable for someone else’s life and understanding that she’s not a secret agent—she’s unaware of all this information,” Basso explains.

He states that although Peter may deeply care or love this woman, the government’s awareness of her existence now makes it safer for her not to be near him. It is a selfless, morally correct action to prioritize her safety over personal feelings, even if it causes distress.

Season 3 promises more thrills

In essence, Peter serves as a double agent, and Monroe holds significant influence over the president and the White House. What lies ahead in Season 3 remains intriguing, as Basso hints that some questions from Season 2 are starting to be resolved, while others continue to unfold. As for Peter, his situation remains complex, as he grapples with the question of whether he can regain hero status after the events of Season 2, or if he is destined to maintain a neutral position until he meets an untimely end.

Basso hints at a heavy load of events. ‘This season is quite intense,’ he remarks. ‘I wouldn’t say it’s less busy, but there seems to be a greater significance attached to everything. It feels like Sean and the team are gearing up for something extraordinary.’

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2025-01-30 22:07

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