When it debuted in 2023, Netflix's twisty conspiracy thriller The Night Agent was instantly bingeable thanks to its unpretentious premise, earnest cast, slick action sequences and a plot that expanded faster than you can say “spy”.
It centres around Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), a low-level FBI agent tasked with manning a phone in the White House that undercover agents call when they need immediate assistance. The phone never rings, but one night it does, throwing Peter into the high-stakes world of espionage that eventually leads him to an assassination plot against the US President.
The Night Agent was Netflix's most-watched series in 2023 with 98.2 million views in its first 91 days. It is also the seventh most popular English show of all time and reached the top spot in Netflix’s top 10 in 87 countries and was number one in the global top 10 for four consecutive weeks. The second season premiered on Netflix on January 24, giving fans another chance for an action-packed viewing spree.
What happens in season two of The Night Agent?
(Spoiler alert for season one)
After saving the US President's life, Peter is officially made a night agent at the end of season one, and is seen hopping onto a jet where he is handed a tablet that reads: “Night Action: Mission Brief”.
While season one mostly focuses on internal US politics, show creator Shawn Ryan ups the stakes in season two by going international. There is a powerful European warlord to contend with, and an Iranian mission to the UN that may or may not have a nefarious link to that warlord. There is also a slimy intelligence broker who may be controlling the incoming US President, putting the fate of the entire world at risk.
Set 10 months after the end of the first season, the action in season two begins fast and furious. Peter is on a mission in Bangkok, tailing a man who is about to sell sensitive information to billionaire intelligence broker Jacob Monroe (Louis Herthum). However, Peter's partner is killed and when their cover is blown, he is forced to go into hiding.
Peter's handler Catherine Weaver (Amanda Warren) tracks him down with the help of Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), his love interest and ally who is also a cybersecurity expert. The three then work together to find out who leaked the details of Peter's mission and what Monroe plans to do with the stolen information, as the body count rises.
They are assisted by Noor Taheri (Arienne Mandi), an aide at the Iranian Mission who needs their help to extract her mother and brother from Iran. They soon discover a plot to cause global pandemonium, with the UN headquarters in New York the target.
Season two ending explained
(Spoiler alert)
By the end of season two, Peter is a disgraced night agent after stealing sensitive UN documents for Monroe in order to save Rose. We find out that Monroe wanted the documents to exchange them for dirt against dishonest Governor Hagan's (Ward Horton) political opponent in the US presidential elections.
Hagan uses the information from Monroe to make his opponent back out of the elections, essentially granting Hagan the White House. That means Peter had unwittingly been a part of Hagan's rise to become US President.
With the country's future now at stake, Catherine offers Peter a lifeline – to work as a double agent for Monroe, who is set to control the US President, and to monitor them both for the FBI, setting the stage for another season.
Will there be season three of The Night Agent?
Yes. Netflix has announced a third season and production has already started in Istanbul. Basso will return as Peter, along with new cast members including Suraj Sharma, best known for his lead role in the 2012 Oscar-nominated film Life of Pi. Others include True Blood star Stephen Moyer, Australian actor David Lyons, as well as American actresses Jennifer Morrison and Genesis Rodriguez.
