Gemma Arterton’s new spy drama Secret Service is branded a ‘cliché’ as viewers ‘switch off thriller that lacks ammunition’

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Viewers have criticized Gemma Arterton’s new spy series, calling it predictable and saying they stopped watching after the first episode.

The new show that premiered on ITV on Monday didn’t go over well with viewers, who complained the plot was weak and uninteresting.

Gemma, the actress known for her role in James Bond films, stars in the new drama Secret Service. The series is based on the novel of the same name written by Tom Bradby.

The story centers around Gemma, who plays Kate Henderson, a top MI6 officer in charge of the Russia Desk. Kate discovers that a prominent British politician might be secretly working for Russia.

The show’s premise revolves around Kate discovering a potential Russian spy within the British government – someone close to the Prime Minister. This investigation throws her work and personal life into turmoil.

Gemma acts with Rafe Spall, who plays her husband—a Special Advisor—and Amaka Okafor, who plays The Right Honourable Imogen Conrad MP.

The show’s cast includes Alex Kingston, known for her role in Doctor Who, Mark Stanley from Adolescence, and Rochenda Sandall, who starred in Amandaland.

Before revealing the Russia-connected scheme, the first part of the show focused on Kate’s everyday life, getting her kids ready for school and going to work.

She learned her next assignment was Malta, where she’d meet Lena, an MI6 operative. Lena had infiltrated the home of Igor Borodin, the head of Russian intelligence, working as a nanny to get close to him.

Once Lena installs a device inside the house, Kate learns that a British politician has been diagnosed with cancer and will be resigning from their position.

Viewers hoping for fast-paced excitement from the beginning quickly took to social media to express their disappointment with the first episode, and many stopped watching.

People took to X, previously known as Twitter, to share their initial reactions to something, with one user writing, ‘I’m already losing interest after 10 minutes. Does it improve? I’m finding it boring.’ Another user simply agreed, stating, ‘I’m not enjoying it so far.’

One viewer found the show “a bit dull,” while another admitted they were confused by the beginning and couldn’t follow what was happening.

Another viewer agreed, saying they’d stopped watching because it was confusing. Someone else commented that after 20 minutes, they still had no idea what was happening.

TV critics generally agreed that ITV’s “Secret Service” felt unoriginal. As The Guardian put it, the show tries hard to be innovative, but is weighed down by familiar tropes common in the spy genre.

According to The Telegraph, the show started strong but lost momentum, weighed down by stiff dialogue and frustrating scenes requiring viewers to squint at small text on screens.

The Radio Times criticized Gemma Arterton’s new spy thriller, saying it doesn’t quite deliver and feels overly generic, much like its title, ‘Secret Service’.

But many viewers didn’t feel the same way. One person wrote on X, ‘Interesting. I love spy dramas!’ Another agreed, saying, ‘I’m hooked on Secret Service. It’s not bad – I’m on episode 3.’

Good Housekeeping likened the show to the popular Apple TV series Slow Horses, describing ITV’s new spy thriller as a thrilling and captivating look inside MI6. The series follows Kate Henderson, who leads the Russia Desk and quickly finds herself in deep trouble – and it’s fantastic to watch.

As The Times concluded: ‘Gemma Arterton has a licence to thrill in spy drama.’

This news follows Gemma’s recent revelation that she was secretly pregnant while filming the ITV drama, Secret Service.

Let me tell you, working on a new show while expecting can be… interesting! I was about three and a half months along when we started filming, and things progressed quickly. It got to the point where my baby bump was pretty noticeable, and the producers cleverly used CGI to subtly conceal it on screen. It was a fun challenge, and honestly, a testament to how adaptable everyone was!

Oh my gosh, you guys, I was SO excited to find out that Gemma and Rory Keenan finally had their second baby! I’ve been following Gemma for ages, and I was absolutely thrilled when she announced it earlier this month – apparently, the little one arrived late last year, but they just shared the news! I’m seriously obsessed and can’t wait to see pictures!

The actress recently told The Times about filming the new show, which premieres on Monday. She explained, ‘It’s strange watching it back! I was about three and a half months pregnant when we started, and they cleverly adjusted my costumes to accommodate my growing belly.’

After about six months, the change was so noticeable that they even had to use computer graphics in a few scenes to hide it.

I became skilled at concealing things – using body language like leaning, specific poses, or covering up with bags and crossed arms, things like that.

Gemma explained to ITV that her character isn’t about replacing James Bond with a female version. She highlighted that the series is unique because it also focuses on personal, everyday life alongside the action and espionage.

Raising two teenagers is demanding enough on its own, so how does she manage to keep so much hidden? I could really relate to the challenges of parenthood she was facing, especially with everything else going on.

Secret Service is available to stream in full on ITVX. 

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2026-04-28 12:51