Sleeper Cell

:

Season 1
  • Network: SHOWTIME
  • Series Premiere Date: Dec 4, 2005
Season #: 2, 1
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 26
  3. Negative: 2 out of 26
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Critic Reviews

  1. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    100
    In theme and execution, in caliber of performance and level of dramatic tension, "Sleeper Cell" is an impressive, relentlessly gripping drama.
  2. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    80
    This engrossing and unnerving nail-biter is a rare treat: a thriller with a brain and a soul.
    All this critic's reviews
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Barry Garron
    80
    This is a first-rate series that explores the hearts and minds of terrorists even as it presents scene after scene of suspense and action.
  5. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Robert Abele
    80
    At times it plays like a hybrid of the ticking-bomb thrills from ["24"] and the moral thorniness that undergirds HBO’s excellent crime series The Wire.
  6. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    80
    An eerie -- and excellent -- new series that makes ''24" look more than ever like a broadly drawn comic strip.
  7. Newsday
    Reviewed by: Diane Werts
    80
    A rich character drama and riveting suspenser that makes Fox's "24" seem lackluster.
  8. Orlando Sentinel
    Reviewed by: Hal Boedeker
    80
    Sleeper Cell moves with more sophistication than most crime dramas.
  9. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    80
    Smart, thrilling and politically timely, "Sleeper Cell" works overtime to mix believable character drama with jolts of surprising plot twists.
  10. Detroit Free Press
    Reviewed by: Mike Duffy
    75
    "Sleeper Cell" works as a smart, sharply styled thriller about a very serious subject.
  11. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: Tom Gliatto
    75
    The second half builds steadily and surely toward a potential meet-and-greet with the apocalypse. [12 Dec 2005, p.39]
    All this critic's reviews
  12. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Alessandra Stanley
    70
    "Sleeper Cell" is better than "24."
  13. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Dorothy Rabinowitz
    70
    Highly compelling most of the time.
  14. San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa Times
    Reviewed by: Charlie McCollum
    70
    While it is more intriguing than gripping, the drama has considerable power in its best moments, many of which will come in the last episodes.
  15. Time
    Reviewed by: James Poniewozik
    70
    Imperfect but chilling.... In the end, Sleeper Cell is every bit as nailbiting as 24, with one crucial difference: neither the terrorists nor the Feds are supergeniuses.
  16. PopMatters
    Reviewed by: Cynthia Fuchs
    70
    Sleeper Cell is compelling television primarily for its excellent performances and chilling premises, rather than its plots. Alarming as these may be, they are rendered here with predictable rising and falling action, a bit of romance, and some tidily resolved conflicts.

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best TV Season of 2005
29
#29 Most Discussed TV Season of 2005
11
#11 Most Shared TV Season of 2005

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 57 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 57
  3. Negative: 9 out of 57
  1. Tss5078
    Dec 7, 2014
    8
    It is a common misconception that Sleeper Cell was cables first failed attempt to recreate the hit show 24, in a more extreme format, and thatIt is a common misconception that Sleeper Cell was cables first failed attempt to recreate the hit show 24, in a more extreme format, and that Sleeper Cell was the precursor to the smash hit Homeland. In reality, Sleeper Cell was a highly rated mini-series that was picked up for another year. The show was actually the inspiration for Homeland, as if one were to take Sleeper Cell and mix it with 24, the result would be Homeland.

    The story follows Darwyn Al-Sayeed (Michale Ealy), the FBI's best undercover agent, who also happens to be a Muslim, making him the perfect choice to infiltrate the domestic side of Al-Queda. Darwyn poses as a recently paroled Islamic militant, who wants to strike a blow against the country that imprisoned him.

    Through his prison contacts, Darwyn is connected to a mysterious man named Farik (Oded Fehr), who even the FBI can't identify. Through a series of tests, Farik introduces Darwyn to the rest of his cell and together they start to plan an attack on Los Angeles.

    Michael Ealy stars and played the role of Darwyn as if it were specifically written for him. Ealy is the kind of actor who is easily recognized from dozens of minor movie roles, but I've never seen him star before. The character he's playing, Darwyn, is basically Jack Bauer with a lot more self-control. He's cool and collected, but ready to take action at a moments notice, making for a great character.

    Ealy is paired with Oded Fehr, of the Mummy series, and he too was terrific. Obviously you need an actor with a Middle Eastern background to play this role, but Farik isn't you're typical Al-Queda, as he is able to easily fit into the suburban community. Farik is a ruthless killer, but also has a peaceful, caring side, that really comes across in the episode where they go to Mexico.

    Sleeper Cell has all the action and edge of your seat drama that 24 had, and more, because let's face it, This was a cable show. Thanks to a top notch cast, some well known Directors, and a great team of Writers, Sleeper Cell was a sleeper hit on Showtime, that was easily overlooked, because it was only on for a short time. Besides only having 18 episodes, Showtime originally presented the show in a very strange way, airing all the episodes on back to back nights. This means that combined, both seasons were on the air for less than a month, and in a time before on demand had gotten popular. That is why this series was so overlooked, but thanks to Netflix, Me and thousands of others have been exposed to this hidden gem, that is worth every second that you put into to watching it.    … Full Review »
  2. taverner
    Apr 15, 2012
    1
    What a bad show. The dialogue, acting, plot and music is all just horrible. Beyond unrealistic (in the worst ways).

    A friend recommended this    What a bad show. The dialogue, acting, plot and music is all just horrible. Beyond unrealistic (in the worst ways).

    A friend recommended this and said it was similar to Homeland. This show is much worse and a far cry from Homeland. I'm surprised that the ctritic's and user reviews are so high.    … Full Review »
  3. DQS
    Jul 20, 2007
    5
    Wildly uneven episode to episode, and character to character. The dialogue seems borrowed from Tom Clancy novels (which is not a compliment) Wildly uneven episode to episode, and character to character. The dialogue seems borrowed from Tom Clancy novels (which is not a compliment) and most of the characters are two dimensional (some less than that). If you're watching just for action - search elsewhere. If you're watching for a dialectic on America's confusion of Islam with Terrorism - search elsewhere.… Full Review »
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