Skip to content
Wherever I Look Logo

Wherever I Look

  • HomeExpand
    • About Wherever I LookExpand
      • Our Writers
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Cookie & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • HTML Sitemap
  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Character Guide
  • Live Performances
  • Videos
Wherever I Look Logo
Wherever I Look

Home - Positive (Watch This) - The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 – Review | A Late Addition To Best Shows Of 2024

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 – Review | A Late Addition To Best Shows Of 2024

Through Eddie Redmayne’s work and the development of his character, “The Jackal,” we get perhaps one of the best antiheroes of the year.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted onDecember 15, 2024 9:34 AMDecember 15, 2024 4:44 PM Hours Updated onDecember 15, 2024 4:44 PM
Bianca and Alexander separated by a fake mirror

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.


Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.


  • Plot Summary
  • Review
    • Audience
    • Highlights
      • How The Jackal Operates As An Assassin
      • Humanizing The Jackal Doesn't Ruin The Character
    • On The Fence
      • How The Heroes Are Crafted Pales In Comparison To The Would-Be Villain
    • Check Out Our Coverage Of This Season

Number of Episodes10
Season Premiere11/7/2024
Season Finale12/12/2024
NetworkPeacock, Sky
Genre(s)Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Character NameActor
The JackalEddie Redmayne
BiancaLashana Lynch
NormanRichard Dormer
Ulle Dag CharlesKhalid Abdalla
NuriaÚrsula Corberó
PaulSule Rimi

Plot Summary

After the assassination of a German politician, Europe is on high alert, and questions about who the killer is, how they landed such a masterful shot, and what their origins are run rampant throughout various agencies, such as MI:6. That is when Bianca comes in, an ambitious MI:6 agent who finds herself having to force her way into rooms and conversations to take the lead on this case.

But, the person she is up against, code-named “The Jackal,” isn’t simply a sniper with notable talents. From his ability to evade police with disguises to his relationship with a man named Norman who collaborates with him to create weapons capable of not only his shots but bypassing security, “The Jackal” is unlike what many have seen. This is why both ne’er-do-wells and MI:6 seek him out as his next target, a man named UIle Dag Charles, threatens the world markets with his product “River,” which proposes utter financial transparency.

Review

Our Rating (82/100): Positive (Watch This)

While “The Day Of The Jackal” may have heroes who can feel underwhelming at times, there is no denying The Jackal, in terms of writing and performance, compensates in such a way you almost think he was too good ever truly to have a match.

Audience

“The Day Of The Jackal” is for those who love spy dramas. Those who don’t focus on the villain of the week but on a notably formidable one who always seems to be multiple steps ahead of our hero, sometimes by design.

Highlights

How The Jackal Operates As An Assassin

Eddie Redmayne as Charles

What makes “The Day Of The Jackal” special is the intensity of its violence. When “The Jackal” is in a situation either completing a job or, on occasion, making a statement, there is a tone to the scene that doesn’t match the thrill most action sequences usually have. Rather, since “The Jackal” is a sniper, it is about the anxiety, the patience, breath control, and what each shot or act is meant to do. Even when moving quicker, Redmayne and the creatives push you never to feel like anything is done to be flashy.

In many ways, “The Day Of The Jackal” tries to push you to, similar to “Civil War” in some ways, get you to appreciate the power of bullets. The only difference is, while “Civil War” pushed you to acknowledge the sound of violence, I’d submit “The Day Of The Jackal” wants you to understand the quieting and acceptance of violence as an option carefully chosen rather than recklessly pursued.  

Humanizing The Jackal Doesn’t Ruin The Character

Ursula Corbero as Nuria

Throughout the first season of “The Day Of The Jackal,” “The Jackal” chooses many names. One of the most often used is “Charles,” which his wife, Nuria, calls him. Now, you may think that demystifying such a character could ruin him. However, it allows a level of complexity not always seen when you humanize the would-be villain.

For one, “The Day Of The Jackal” often parallels Charles and Bianca’s lives as they struggle to be good at their jobs and maintain some form of personal life, especially a relationship involving at least one kid. This helps you see them as two sides of the same coin and that, in a different life, they could be on opposing sides, if not the same.

One reason this becomes notably clear, beyond their personal lives, as the season goes on, is that Bianca and Charles produce collateral damage in the form of many people who didn’t need to die. Bianca’s deaths mainly involve witnesses and other people she tries to use to get to Charles, and the deaths in Charles’ line of work involve people who get too close or become liabilities.

It is in showing no hero is without blood on their hands and no villain purely a monster that Charles, even when the show fully breaks down his backstory, remains engaging, someone you find yourself rooting for, but also recognize is capable of great and notable violence.

On The Fence

How The Heroes Are Crafted Pales In Comparison To The Would-Be Villain

Sule Rimi as Paul and Lashana Lynch as Bianca

While Bianca and Charles mirror each other, it can often feel like Bianca is playing catch up and rarely, if ever, meets Charles at his level. This goes well beyond her investigation and bleeds into the development of the character. Though you may come to care about Charles’ marriage and his family drama, the same may not be said about Bianca.

Yes, she is married to Paul, who has more of a life outside of Bianca than Nuria does Charles, but he isn’t made to be interesting. Their shared daughter doesn’t add much either, even when she has her life threatened. Also, even when both Bianca and Charles face the possibility of separation or divorce, you don’t find yourself mourning the possibility of Bianca losing Paul.

To put it plainly, Bianca feels like a neutered hero. Taking note of her work in MI:6, as much as you can get this sense of her being an underdog, having to fight often or convince people she knows what she is doing, it doesn’t add to your investment. In fact, with every stumble she makes, you may find yourself applauding while worrying that she may get the upper hand by the show deciding to diminish Charles for Bianca’s benefit.

Thankfully, that last part doesn’t happen, but with Bianca rarely giving us a hero’s journey worth siding with, you’ll constantly feel, until the finale, that with “The Day Of The Jackal” being renewed, while Bianca could be replaceable, this show would experience a massive slump if it tried to replace Charles.  

Check Out Our Coverage Of This Season

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Season Finale Recap & Review | Bianca Meets the Jackal

It had to happen eventually. Bianca lays eyes on The Jackal, and they find themselves in a situation where they must either run, fight, or die, and running doesn’t seem…

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 9 – Recap and Review

They always say that when there is a will, there is a way, and in a pivotal episode, The Jackal pushes to see if that can be true for his…

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 8 – Recap and Review

Alongside Bianca visiting Larry, we learn the truth about who Alexander Duggan was.

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 7 – Recap and Review

It’s the night of UDC’s presentation, and everyone is in position – will Charles notch another kill?

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 6 – Recap and Review

As Charles has to find creative ways to get back to Estonia, Bianca seems closer and closer to making him fail at his job.

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 5 – Recap and Review

Bianca finally catches a break, and the timing couldn’t be worse for Charles.

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 4 – Recap and Review

As Charles preps for his next assassination, Bianca tries to hold onto the faith instilled in her.

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 3 – Recap and Review

Charles swaps with Bianca to bring action to “The Day Of The Jackal,” as Bianca deals with Alison and a potential mole.

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 2 – Recap and Review

The villains continue to win as Bianca scrambles against time with limited resources to succeed.

The Day Of The Jackal: Season 1 Episode 1 – Recap and Review

“The Day of The Jackal” introduces us to an ambitious agent and a deadly assassin who aren’t on a collision course yet, but you can see it will be explosive…

Check out our page for this series, which features more recaps, reviews, and articles, or our TV series page for our latest recaps, reviews, and recommendations.

TV Shows We’re Covering This Season

  • New Saga
  • Summer Pockets
  • The Chi
  • The Water Magician
  • Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentosho
  • The Summer Hikaru Died
  • Ready To Love
  • Wednesday
  • The Summer I Turned Pretty


Follow/Subscribe To Our External Pages

  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Amazon
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X

Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)

Listed Under Categories: Positive (Watch This), Season Review, TV Shows

Related Tags: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Eddie Redmayne, KHALID ABDALLA, Lashana Lynch, Peacock, RICHARD DORMER, SKY, SULE RIMI, The Day Of The Jackal, Thriller, Úrsula Corberó

Amari Allah

Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been writing reviews since 2010, with a focus on dramas and comedies.

Facebook Instagram YouTube

Post navigation

Previous Previous
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines: Season 1 – Review
NextContinue
My Brilliant Friend: Season 4 – Review | Too Much Is Rushed To End On A High Note

Site Pages

  • Home
  • About Wherever I Look
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie & Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer & Disclosure Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • HTML Sitemap
  • Our Writers
The Wherever I Look logo featuring a film reel, a video game controller, old school TV set, a stage, and more done by artist Dean Nelson.

The overall goal of Wherever I Look is to fill in that space between the average fan and critic and advise you on what’s worth experiencing.

Category Pages

  • Articles
  • Character Guide
  • Collected Quotes
  • Live Peformances
  • Movies
  • Our Latest Reviews
  • TV Series
  • Video Page
Scroll to top

Wherever I Look logo

Welcome to Wherever I Look, your go-to destination for insightful and personable reviews of the latest TV episodes, movies, and live performances. Also, dive into our character guides and discover what’s truly worth your time.

  • Home
    • About Wherever I Look
      • Our Writers
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Cookie & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • HTML Sitemap
  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Character Guide
  • Live Performances
  • Videos
Search