Condor (TV series)

Condor is an American thriller television series based on the novel "Six Days of the Condor" by James Grady and its 1975 film adaptation "Three Days of the Condor" written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel. The series stars Max Irons. The series was created by Todd Katzberg, Jason Smilovic, and Ken Robinson and premiered on June 6, 2018 on Audience. In July 2018, the series had been renewed for a second season, although in January 2020, Audience announced it would be ending operations in its current format. The second season, already filmed at the time of the announcement, premiered on June 9, 2020, on C More and RTÉ2.
In December 2020, its existing two seasons were picked up by Epix, which will air them in 2021.
Premise.
"Condor" is described by DirecTV as following
Joe Turner is a young CIA analyst whose idealism is tested when he stumbles onto a terrible but brilliant plan that threatens the lives of millions. Turner is an idealistic millennial who secretly joins the CIA hoping to reform it from within. But when everyone in his office is massacred by professional killers, this brilliant analyst is forced out of his ivory tower think tank and into battle with the most dangerous elements in the military-industrial complex. If he is to have any chance of surviving, Joe will have to do things he never imagined himself capable of – and discover that no one knows their true character until they’ve been tested under fire.
Episodes.
Each episode's title is borrowed from a quote, which is displayed along its author.
Production.
Development.
On May 13, 2016, it was announced that DirecTV had given the production a series order. Production companies involved with the series were reported to include Skydance Television and MGM Television. On February 6, 2017, it was announced that Jason Smilovic and Todd Katzberg would write the series. Smilovic will also act as showrunner and executive produce alongside Katzberg, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Marcy Ross. On March 27, 2017, Andrew McCarthy mentioned in an interview with "Parade" that he would serve as an executive producer for the series and direct a few episodes. On April 6, 2017, it was announced that Lawrence Trilling would direct the series' first three episodes and act as an executive producer.
On July 27, 2018, it was announced during the annual Television Critics Association's summer press tour that the series had been renewed for a second season.
Casting.
On February 6, 2017, it was announced that Max Irons had been cast in the series' lead role. In April 2017, it was reported that Brendan Fraser, William Hurt, Bob Balaban, Leem Lubany, Kristen Hager, and Angel Bonanni had joined the main cast and that Mira Sorvino, Christina Moses, Katherine Cunningham, Gabriel Hogan, Kristoffer Polaha, and Kate Vernon had been cast in recurring roles. On August 25, 2017, it was announced that Mouna Traoré and Ellen Wong had joined the cast in a recurring capacity.
Filming.
Principal photography for the series was expected to last from April 23 to August 15, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Filming primarily took place at Cinespace Film Studios' Kipling Avenue facility. On May 30, 2017, Jack Lakey, a "Toronto Star" columnist, contacted the city's film liaison office, after "Condor" crew members allegedly bullied local residents. In Lakey's follow-up article the next day he quoted film industry workers, who supported those working on the production. Filming for the second season began on April 29, 2019 and ended on August 29, 2019.
Release.
Marketing.
On February 22, 2018, Audience released a behind-the-scenes video for the series.
Premiere.
On March 10, 2018, the series held its official premiere in Austin, Texas at the annual South by Southwest Film Festival. Audience also hosted an interactive experience called "Condor Headquarters" during the festival. Guests to the exhibit were offered the chance to participate in authentic CIA activities such as skill tests, physical and digital technology tactics, lie detection, and environmental analysis. The experience also allowed guests to win prizes and screen exclusive content from the series.
In June 2018, the series was screened at the annual ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas. A question-and-answer session followed the screening featuring director/executive producer Lawrence Trilling and cast members Leem Lubany, Katherine Cunningham, Kristen Hager, and Kristoffer Polaha.
Reception.
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an 86% approval rating with an average rating of 6.67 out of 10 based on 14 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads: ""Condor" never aspires to be a realistic depiction of spy games – instead, it excels at evoking a uniquely 21st century brand of paranoia with its slick concept and propulsive pacing." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 66 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
In a positive review, "IndieWire"s Ben Travers praised the series calling it "a Smartly Expanded Adaptation" and saying that it was "a solid spy story that updates the right elements without tarnishing old treasures."