Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a rare reboot that substantially reworks its source rather than merely repeating it. Early reviews praised Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s chemistry, the writing, and the show’s blend of spy action, awkward comedy, and relationship drama. The eight-episode Prime Video series is less interested in glamorous assassin fantasy than in asking whether two strangers forced to pose as spouses can build a real marriage.
Early reviews were strongly positive about Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but they also make clear that this is not a glossy remake of the 2005 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie action film. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s chemistry is the main attraction, while the reboot reshapes the familiar assassin-marriage premise into a relationship drama with spy missions, awkward comedy, and an intentionally scruffier sense of humor.
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The eight-episode first season premiered on Prime Video on February 2, 2024. Critics broadly praised its writing, guest cast, tonal confidence, and especially the way its espionage plot gives John and Jane Smith a reason to confront the problems of an ordinary marriage.
A reboot that changes the premise rather than repeating it
In the 2005 movie, John and Jane Smith are already married when they discover that both spouses secretly work as assassins. The series reverses that setup.
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Glover’s John and Erskine’s Jane begin as strangers who are recruited by a mysterious organization. They receive new identities, are placed into an arranged marriage as cover for their work, and must learn how to function as a couple while carrying out dangerous assignments. The emotional complication arrives gradually: the people who were hired to pretend to be married begin developing a genuine relationship.
That inversion is the key to understanding the show. The question is not simply whether two spouses can survive discovering that the other is a killer. It is whether two emotionally uncertain people can build a real marriage when the relationship began as an assignment.
Donald Glover and Maya Erskine are the show’s strongest weapon
The first-reviews consensus was clearest on the leads. Critics described Glover and Erskine as charming, warm, effortless, and convincing both as a pair and as individual performers. TVLine gave the series an A, highlighting the awkward intimacy and banter that emerge as the missions force John and Jane into increasingly personal situations.
Their chemistry is not based primarily on the glamorous, overtly sexy image associated with Pitt and Jolie. The new Smiths are pricklier and less polished. They can be socially awkward, emotionally guarded, and unsure of their own abilities. That makes their connection feel less like the fantasy of two impossibly cool professionals and more like two lonely people trying to understand one another under unusually bad circumstances.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe Guardian called the relationship refreshingly fun, while Time emphasized the show’s gentler and more romantic version of Glover. The performance still leaves room for his interest in darker comedy and social observation, but the series gives that sensibility a sweeter emotional center. Erskine matches him by making Jane funny, wary, and vulnerable without reducing her to a reaction to John.
Much of the show’s suspense therefore comes from conversation as much as gunfire. A disagreement about trust, sex, money, children, or professional competence can be as consequential as a mission going wrong. The action creates pressure; the relationship determines how that pressure lands.
The spy missions are really relationship tests
Mr. & Mrs. Smith blends several genres instead of settling into one. It can look like an action thriller during an assignment, a romantic comedy when John and Jane try to behave like a normal couple, and an anxious character drama when their cover marriage begins to reveal genuine problems.
Rotten Tomatoes’ early-review roundup captured that mixture by describing the series as part action thriller and part mumblecore romantic comedy. The Guardian similarly viewed each episode as a small-scale Mission: Impossible-style adventure whose real focus remains the couple.
The episode structure makes the relationship metaphor unusually explicit. Official descriptions move through milestones including a first date, a second date, a vacation, a double date, questions about having children, couples therapy, infidelity, and a breakup. These are not unrelated domestic interludes placed between action sequences. They are the season’s progression: every assignment gives John and Jane another opportunity to discover what kind of partnership they are creating.
That approach also explains why the series may feel different from a conventional spy show. The agency, the identities, and the targets provide a framework, but the central mystery is often personal. What do John and Jane actually want? How much of their behavior is performance? Can a relationship created for professional reasons become more honest than the lives they left behind?
More Atlanta than 2005 action spectacle
Several critics argued that the show is spiritually closer to Glover’s Atlanta than to the original Mr. & Mrs. Smith. That comparison points to its offbeat situations, awkward pauses, social observation, and willingness to let discomfort become comedy.
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- Format: DVD Video
- Running Time: 75 Minutes
- Number of Discs: 1
- Studio: Digiview
- Language: English
Time compared the series more favorably to a character-led detective dramedy than to a high-octane action-romance. The Los Angeles Times made a related point: viewers expecting glamorous thrills may be disappointed because this version is more interested in scruffy human comedy than in presenting its protagonists as flawless fantasy figures.
This is a meaningful adaptation choice, not simply a difference in budget or style. The 2005 film’s appeal rested heavily on the spectacle of two movie stars playing an idealized married couple with extraordinary physical and sexual charisma. The series asks what happens when the premise is given to people who are less certain, less experienced, and more recognizably messy.
The result is a reboot that uses the original concept as a launch point rather than treating the film as a plot outline to reproduce. It is an updated reimagining inspired by the movie’s central idea—not a direct continuation of that story.
A notable guest cast adds variety
The first season’s supporting cast is another reason the early reviews were enthusiastic. The guest performers include John Turturro, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Parker Posey, Wagner Moura, Michaela Coel, Alexander Skarsgård, and Eiza González.
Their appearances give individual missions distinct personalities and help the series shift between comedy, menace, melancholy, and unease. TheWrap praised the combination of drama, comedy, and high-profile guest appearances, along with the offbeat aesthetic associated with Glover and director Hiro Murai’s earlier collaborations.
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Glover and Francesca Sloane are credited as co-creators, and Glover is also an executive producer. Murai is among the season’s directors. That creative pedigree helps explain the show’s confidence in unusual tonal transitions: a scene can begin as a tense operation and end as an uncomfortable conversation about domestic expectations.
What the early reviews criticized
The praise was substantial but not unanimous or unqualified. The Verge’s review excerpt acknowledged some rough patches, and Time argued that the pace occasionally drags. Time also suggested that some episodes might have benefited from being shorter.
That reservation follows naturally from the show’s priorities. Because the missions are designed to advance the relationship, an episode may spend more time on atmosphere, silence, or emotional fallout than an action-first viewer expects. The series is often more interested in how John and Jane process an event than in maximizing the event’s spectacle.
The New Yorker also emphasized the characters’ awkwardness, civilian softness, and emotional and economic uncertainty. Those qualities are central to the reboot’s identity, but they will not appeal equally to everyone. If the main reason to revisit the property is the sleek fantasy of Pitt and Jolie trading fire while looking impossibly composed, this version may feel deliberately underpowered.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Even the contrast in the leads’ star image matters. The New Yorker noted that Glover and Erskine’s pairing relies less on overt sex appeal than the original film’s. The show treats that not as a deficiency to hide, but as a way to make its protagonists more vulnerable and its romance more gradual.
How critics and audiences received the season
Rotten Tomatoes’ current season page lists a 90% Tomatometer score from 122 critic reviews and a 66% audience score from more than 1,000 ratings. Those figures can change as the site adds or recalculates reviews, so they should be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent verdict.
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- Format: DVD
- Language: English
- Subtitle: English, Spanish, French, Korean, None (All removable)
- Region Code: Region 0 (1/2/3/4/5/6)
- Screen: NTSC / Wide Screen Color
The difference between the critic and audience scores is also useful context. Critics largely responded to the show’s reinvention of the premise, its lead performances, and its blend of genres. Some viewers looking for a straightforward action series—or a close reproduction of the 2005 movie—may be less receptive to the slower, more relationship-centered approach.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to watch Mr. & Mrs. Smith
All eight episodes of Season 1 are available exclusively on Prime Video. The season was released in full on February 2, 2024, rather than being rolled out weekly. Access and membership pricing can vary by country and may change, so check the current Prime Video and Amazon Prime terms before subscribing.
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Is Season 2 happening?
Amazon’s official entertainment page says that Season 2 is in production. It identifies Anna Ouyang Moench as a new showrunner, writer, and executive producer working alongside Glover, with Erskine serving as an executive producer for the second season.
Production details are subject to change, and the available information does not establish a release date. The first season’s ending and any future story developments should therefore be considered separately from the confirmed basic production update.
Should you watch the reboot?
Watch it if you want a spy series in which the missions are mainly a pressure cooker for a developing relationship. Glover and Erskine give the show a persuasive emotional center, and the guest cast, writing, and genre shifts make the eight episodes more distinctive than a routine remake.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallApproach it cautiously if you want the 2005 film’s glossy action-romance formula. This is not a sequel, and it is not trying to make John and Jane into polished super-spies. Its central appeal is the opposite: two strangers with unstable identities attempting to create something genuine while lying for a living.
For a comparison watch, the original Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) is available in physical-media editions, including DVD and an unrated Blu-ray listing from retailers. Those releases are for the Brad Pitt–Angelina Jolie film, not the 2024 series. The series’ 24-track digital soundtrack by David Fleming was released through Amazon Music on February 2, 2024, and is a separate option for viewers drawn to its atmosphere and score.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2024 Mr. & Mrs. Smith a sequel to the 2005 movie?
No. The 2024 series is an updated reimagining inspired by the film’s premise, not a direct continuation. In the series, John and Jane begin as strangers recruited into an arranged marriage for espionage work.
Where can I watch Mr. & Mrs. Smith?
All eight episodes of the first season are available exclusively on Prime Video. Availability and membership terms can vary by region and change over time.
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Yes. Amazon’s official entertainment page says Season 2 is in production and names Anna Ouyang Moench as the new showrunner, writer, and executive producer alongside Donald Glover. A release date was not established in the available information.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Mr. & Mrs. Smith works best as a relationship dramedy disguised as a spy thriller. Critics broadly praised Donald Glover and Maya Erskine’s chemistry and the show’s willingness to reinvent the movie’s premise, while noting occasional pacing problems and a deliberate move away from glossy action spectacle. All eight episodes of Season 1 are streaming on Prime Video.
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