The Assets

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Jan 2, 2014
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
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Critic Reviews

  1. Denver Post
    Reviewed by: Joanne Ostrow
    Jan 2, 2014
    60
    Not a brilliant effort, but worth a look.
  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    Jan 2, 2014
    60
    Truthfully, it doesn’t add much value to have Grimes’ husband Gary (Julian Ovendon) deliver a melodramatic speech, accompanied by appropriate mood music, about how he married her because he knew she wanted to save the world. Fortunately, the hunt itself has been crisply framed.
  3. The Lincoln Journal Star
    Reviewed by: Jeff Korbelik
    Mar 27, 2014
    58
    In Assets, I wanted more about Ames and his motives--and maybe that will come later--but this is Grimes’ story, right down to how her job affected her home life.
  5. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Dorothy Rabinowitz
    Jan 9, 2014
    50
    The series, unevenly written, frequently given to strange tonal lapses, is nevertheless lively, its dramatization of events abetted by its setting.
  6. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Alessandra Stanley
    Jan 2, 2014
    50
    The Assets is uneven, with some excellent scenes and quite a few bad ones.
  7. Boston Herald
    Reviewed by: Mark A. Perigard
    Jan 2, 2014
    50
    Despite the often eerie parallels to the Showtime thriller, ABC’s eight-part miniseries The Assets is based on fact. That does nothing to make it compelling.
  8. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Lori Rackl
    Dec 30, 2013
    50
    Spy games aren’t nearly as fun when you know who the mole is from the start. That’s the main problem with this unsuspenseful eight-part miniseries.
  9. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    Jan 2, 2014
    40
    It comes across as a rather dull, ineptly produced program that looks like it was filmed with dated technology in plodding style.
  10. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Jan 2, 2014
    40
    he only time The Assets comes alive is when the focus falls on the soon-to-be-notorious turncoat Ames, a compellingly twitchy Paul Rhys.... The Assets reduces the complex world of espionage to laughably simplistic terms.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 15
  3. Negative: 3 out of 15
  1. jeremyp
    Jan 11, 2014
    5
    An interesting tale made dull and stolid by poor writing, listless direction, and a largely Brit cast. Le Carre or Deighton it ain't. I'mAn interesting tale made dull and stolid by poor writing, listless direction, and a largely Brit cast. Le Carre or Deighton it ain't. I'm hoping with all the different directors and writers it'll get some life.… Full Review »
  2. carold
    Oct 2, 2014
    4
    Good and potentially compelling concept made into soap opera quality by wooden acting mixed with overly-emotional, huskily-whispered or loudlyGood and potentially compelling concept made into soap opera quality by wooden acting mixed with overly-emotional, huskily-whispered or loudly argued exchanges between CIA personnel. In what world is it that every CEO or head doctor or chief of staff is a very young, perfectly made-up, blond woman? Jodie Whittaker may be a good actress, but in this series, she comes off as quite unbelievable as a major player in the CIA. It may be the directing, it may be the producers, or everyone involved, but making a potentially tense, political drama into another witless, poorly acted series was not a brilliant idea.… Full Review »
  3. Mydogsamjack
    Aug 3, 2014
    9
    This was an incredible telling of a story I remembered from the headlines. It was exciting and enthralling. Every bit as thrilling asThis was an incredible telling of a story I remembered from the headlines. It was exciting and enthralling. Every bit as thrilling as Netflix's House of Cards. Best series I've seen in a long time.… Full Review »
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