CITADEL is a lackluster global spy thriller that features stale writing and a mountain of disbelief to sludge through. It is one of those that could have, should have been so much better. I almost cheered when it was over, but alas it set itself up for a possible third season.
The actors truly had nothing to work with when it came to those almighty, powerful, emotional arcs. Their characters never really rose high enough to care. It was a shame, because I am a fan of the ensemble members that included Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Keskey Manville, Merle Dandridfe, and Gabriel Leone. The talent was present. The written words were not.
CITADEL did have an intriguing plot, and if viewers are a fan of kung-fu like fight scenes, then each episode will be compelling. For me, it just got old, although I do usually like a series that has the chutzpah to take down featured characters. More of this would have been better especially when most were constantly beaten with killer blows. CITADEL had a lot of promise, but its “poor me” syndrome got in its own way.
CITADEL is streaming on Amazon Prime.
