Alex_Rider_(TV_series)
Alex Rider (TV series)
2020 British spy thriller television series
Alex Rider is a British spy thriller television series based on the novel series of the same name by Anthony Horowitz. Adapted by Guy Burt, it stars Otto Farrant as the eponymous character, who is recruited by a subdivision of MI6 as a teenage spy to infiltrate places that others are unable to. The series is Amazon's first scripted British Amazon Original series. The show is jointly produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television, and is the second screen adaptation of the novels, following the 2006 feature film version of the first novel, Stormbreaker.
 | This article may require copy editing for spelling, particularly with respect to character names. (July 2023) |
| Alex Rider | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Guy Burt |
| Based on | Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz |
| Written by | Guy Burt |
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Opening theme |
|
| Composer | Raffertie |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer |
|
| Production locations | |
| Cinematography | Ben Wheeler |
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 43–45 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network |
|
| Release | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) – 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
The eight-episode first season, based on the book Point Blanc, premiered on Amazon Prime Video in the United Kingdom on 4 June 2020. In November 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, adapting the book Eagle Strike. The second season premiered on 3 December 2021 on IMDb TV. In June 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, adapting the book Scorpia. The third and final season premiered on 5 April 2024 on Amazon Freevee. The series has received positive reviews, with praise for the cinematography, score, and performances, particularly for Farrant and O'Connor.
London teenager Alex Rider is recruited by the Department of Special Operations, a subdivision of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), to infiltrate a controversial corrective academy for the wayward offspring of the ultra-rich.[1]
Main
- Otto Farrant as Alex Rider,[2] a highly skilled teenager who is recruited by the Department of Special Operations.
- Stephen Dillane as Alan Blunt,[2] the shrewd head of the Department of Special Operations.
- Vicky McClure as Mrs Jones,[2] deputy head of the Department of Special Operations and Alex's handler.
- Andrew Buchan as Ian Rider (season 1),[2] an agent of the Department of Special Operations and Alex's uncle.
- Brenock O'Connor as Tom Harris,[2] Alex's best friend.
- Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo as Jack Starbright,[2] a UCL graduate from America, who is Alex's primary carer and later Legal Guardian
- Liam Garrigan as Martin Wilby (season 1), an agent of the Department of Special Operations and a colleague of Ian.
- Ace Bhatti as John Crawley,[2] chief of staff of the Department of Special Operations.
- Thomas Levin as Yassen Gregorovitch, a mysterious assassin.
- Haluk Bilginer as Dr Hugo Greif (season 1),[2] director of Point Blanc, a mysterious academy.
- Howard Charles as Wolf (season 1), the leader of a Special Air Service (SAS) squad.
- Nyasha Hatendi as Smithers,[2] the quartermaster of the Department of Special Operations.
- Ana Ularu as Eva Stellenbosch (season 1), Dean of Students at Point Blanc.
- Marli Siu as Kyra Vashenko-Chao,[2] a hacker from Singapore and a student at Point Blanc who keeps to herself. Her character is original to the series.
- Toby Stephens as Damian Cray (season 2),[3] an energetic tech billionaire who is poised to launch a new version of his best-selling computer game, Feathered Serpent.
- Rakie Ayola as Jo Bryne (season 2),[3] a tough new deputy director of the CIA.
- Charithra Chandran as Sabina Pleasance (season 2),[3] a smart and confident teen whose journalist father is writing a book on Damian Cray.
- Gwyneth Keyworth as Evelyn (season 2), Damian Cray's chief programmer.
- Kevin McNally as Max Grendel (season 3), a senior member of the crime syndicate Scorpia.[4][5][6]
- Jason Wong as Nile (season 3), an assassin working for Scorpia.[6][7]
- Sofia Helin as Julia Rothman (season 3), an enigmatic, wealthy widow who is secretly a high ranking agent of Scorpia.[6][7][5]
- Shelley Conn as Laura Kellner (season 3), the ruthless Home Secretary in the British Government.
Recurring
- George Sear as Parker Roscoe (season 1), an American graduate of Point Blanc and the heir to a media empire.
- Andrew Buzzeo as Mr. Boswell (seasons 1–2), Alex and Tom's English teacher.
- Macy Nyman as Steph (seasons 1–2), a student at Alex's school who is attracted to Tom.
- Shalisha James-Davis as Ayisha (season 1), a popular student at Alex's school who has a mutual attraction with him.
- Talitha Wing as Sasha (season 1),[2] a model student at Point Blanc who is attracted to Alex.
- Nathan Clarke as Arrash (season 1),[2] a model student at Point Blanc.
- Katrin Vankova as Laura (season 1),[2] a student at Point Blanc who befriends Alex.
- Earl Cave as James (season 1),[2] the Australian[8] heir to an arms industry corporation and a student at Point Blanc who befriends Alex.
- Daniel Francis-Swaby as Dan Williams (season 2), a law intern working with Jack.
Guest
- Steven Brand as Michael Roscoe (season 1), the CEO of Roscorp Media and Parker's father.
- Llewella Gideon as Miss Baker (season 1), a teacher at Alex's school.
- Simon Shepherd as Sir David Friend (seasons 1–2), the owner of the Friend Foundation, a multi-billion pound food production and distribution empire.
- Ky Discala as Eagle (season 1), the sniper in Wolf's squad.
- Rebecca Scroggs as Snake (season 1), a member of Wolf's squad.
- Ben Peel as Fox (season 1), a member of Wolf's squad.
- Josh Herdman as Stan (season 1), a barber.
- Lucy Akhurst as Lady Caroline Friend (season 1), Sir David's wife.
- Alana Boden as Fiona Friend (season 1), Sir David, and Lady Caroline's spoilt daughter.
- Ralph Prosser as Rafe (season 1), a friend of Fiona.
- Simon Paisley Day as Dr. Baxter (season 1), the physician and physical education teacher at Point Blanc.
- James Gracie as Langham (season 1), Parker's personal assistant.
- Ali Hadji-Heshmati as Jahid (season 1), a friend of Tom and Alex.
| Series | Episodes | Originally released | Network | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | Amazon Prime Video | ||
| 2 | 8 | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | IMDb TV | ||
| 3 | 8 | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) | Amazon Freevee | ||
Season 1 (2020)
| No. overall | No. in season | Episode | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Lies" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| Prior to making arrangements to meet the Department of Special Operations' Director Alan Blunt, New York businessman Michael J. Roscoe is assassinated by a Russian professional hitman, Yassen Gregorovich. Meanwhile, in London, Alex Rider lives with his uncle Ian Rider, who is an undercover Department agent posing as a banker, and their American housekeeper Jack Starbright. His best friend at school is Tom Harris. Ian is tasked with investigating the deaths of Roscoe and a Russian man whose children attended a school called Point Blanc. However, Ian is double-crossed by fellow agent Martin Wilby and is shot dead by Yassen Gregorovitch. The British authorities claim that Ian was killed during a car accident, which arouses Alex's suspicions. Using the Find My Phone function on Tom's phone, Alex finds his uncle's car and discovers that he was not killed during an accident. However, he encounters Blunt and fellow MI6 officer Mrs Jones, who, upon realising Alex's skill, would like to recruit him. Initially, Alex refuses, but upon the Department threatening Jack with deportation and Alex with living in a foster home, he reluctantly decides to help them. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Interrogation" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| After learning the true details of Ian's death from Blunt and Mrs Jones, Alex is visited at school by a man named Geoffrey Daniels, who claims to be a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official trying to get Alan's subdivision shut down for using a teenager in espionage. Realising that it is a test, Alex refuses to provide him with information. On the way home, he is kidnapped by a group led by "Wolf", who interrogates him about Ian Rider and Point Blanc. Alex refuses and is tortured with loud rock music and water. However, Alex escapes, only to discover that his kidnapping was part of a training exercise orchestrated by the Department and that "Daniels" is really an MI6 agent named Smithers. Later, Alex agrees to work for the Department and infiltrate Point Blanc in order to find those who murdered his uncle Ian. Meanwhile, Wilby meets with Yassen and claims that MI6 is unaware that Ian was murdered by a double agent and linked to Point Blanc and Yassen's involvement. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Friends" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| In order to infiltrate Point Blanc, Alex poses as Alex Friend, the spoiled son of wealthy businessman Sir David Friend and his wife, Lady Caroline. He is given a transmitter to MI6, disguised as an MP3 player. Prior to his meeting with Point Blanc's dean Eva Stellenbosch, Alex spends the weekend at the Friends family mansion. Tom struggles to come to terms with Alex's double life as a spy but manages to meet him at the mansion (under the cover of a pizza delivery), where Alex appraises him of the situation. Alex also has to contend with the Friends' spoiled daughter Fiona, who attempts to ambush Alex with her boyfriend Rafe and his friends during a hunting expedition. However, Alex turns the tables on them. Alex later meets with Eva, posing as the Friends' spoiled wayward son. Fiona, angry from her encounter with Alex, tries to blow Alex's cover but is sedated by an undercover maid. Alex then leaves for Point Blanc and arrives at the school in the French mountains. Meanwhile, Tom begins to put together a YouTube documentary on Alex being a spy. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Deep Cover" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| Upon arriving at Point Blanc Academy, Alex's belongings are searched but he is allowed to keep Smithers' fake MP3 player, which contains a transmitter. At the academy, Alex befriends James, Kyra, and Laura but finds that Sasha and Arrash are estranged from the group. Maintaining his cover as a troublemaker, Alex creates a mess while washing dishes. Alex defies Dr Greif, the head of the academy, and is slapped by Eva. Back in London, MI6 realises that Martin's story about Ian's death being linked to North Korea is false and they begin bugging him. Martin visits Jack's home and obtains a photo of Alex. The Department closes in on Martin, but he is assassinated by Yassen before they can get to him. Back at the Academy, Laura becomes sick and is admitted to the infirmary. While brushing his teeth, Alex is drugged and passes out. He wakes up, dazed, to find he is being prepared for some sort of operation. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Secrets" | Christopher Smith | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| Alex relates his strange 'dream' to Kyra and James, who tell him that they have both had similar dreams/experiences. Laura returned to the group and changed; she now sits with Arrash and Sasha instead of Alex, Kyra, and James. James tells Kyra and Alex they have to escape. Meanwhile, Yassen investigates Alex and encounters Tom in the process. The Department attempts to contact a code on Martin's mobile phone, but his superiors realize that it is a security breach and disconnect it. While visiting Point Blanc to brief Dr Greif about the new security protocols following the breach, Yassen has a brief encounter with Alex. Alex, Kyra, and James break into Greif's office and reset all the doors in Point Blanc. During the escape attempt, James is caught by Eva and taken into her office. Parker Roscoe assumes control of his father's media company, Roscorp, which draws the attention of the Department. Alex and Kyra attempt to track down James and Eva on the Academy's second floor and witness plastic surgeon Dr. Baxter being murdered by Dr Greif. Eva reveals that she intends to "deal with Kyra" the next day. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Escape" | Christopher Smith | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| At breakfast, James returns to the group, now changed, just like Laura. He joins Arrash, Sasha, and Laura, outnumbering Alex and Kyra. Kyra, knowing that she is next, tells Alex they need to escape now, but Alex still needs answers to his uncle's death. Continuing his investigation, he goes to the basement and discovers that the original Point Blanc students have been imprisoned and that they have been replaced by both male and female clones of Dr Greif's. Meanwhile, in London, Tom's YouTube video draws the attention of the "Parker Roscoe" impostor, who wants to find out about Alex Friend. Parker and his minder, Mr. Langham, interrogate Tom, who is rescued by the Department after Jack alerts them to Tom's whereabouts. Parker's clone impostor is arrested. Alex is soon captured by Greif, who reveals his nefarious plans to reshape the global order using his clones to control key industries. Alex is then tortured, but manages to escape with the help of Kyra and escapes the academy in an improvised snowboard, promising to come back for Kyra. Despite escaping from the pursuing guards on snowmobiles, Alex is knocked down by a snow-plough on a road at the bottom of the mountain. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Incursion" | Christopher Smith | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| The truck driver calls an ambulance for Alex, who is taken to a hospital; this is reported to Dr. Greif and Eva. Eva travels to the hospital to make certain of Alex's demise; however, having gotten there first, MI6 in disguise fakes Alex's death. Alex convinces the rest of the Department's team, including Mrs Jones and "Wolf", to help him rescue the other students. In London, Blunt and Smithers learn that "Parker" is a clone of Dr. Greif, who has undergone surgery and bone restructuring to look and sound like the real Parker. They use a voiceprint of Parker's modulated voice to convince Dr. Greif that Alex was not a threat and that Tom has been eliminated. MI6 storm the academy, subdue the guards and capture the clones. Alex is lured by the Kyra clone into a trap with Eva but manages to evade her as she is killed in a laboratory explosion. Wolf and his team find the real Kyra, who has freed the other students. Dr. Greif is taken prisoner (but refuses to cooperate when interrogated by Blunt), the clones are apprehended and Alex returns home. However, back at an empty Point Blanc, Alex's clone imposter emerges from the rubble. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Truth" | Christopher Smith | Guy Burt | 4 June 2020 (2020-06-04) | |
| Seeking revenge against Alex, the Clone Alex travels to London. Meanwhile, Kyra learns that her parents are dead and escapes the Department's safehouse. She visits Alex's school, talking to Tom about Point Blanc before they part ways. The Clone Alex ruins Alex's relationships with Tom and Ayisha, a girl who is in love with Alex. Meanwhile, Yassen assassinates Dr. Greif to conceal his true employers. Still troubled by his recent adventure and frayed friendship with Tom, Alex tells Mrs Jones about his encounter with a man with a scar. Mrs. Jones realises that Yassen Gregorovitch, whom the Department thought dead, is still alive and that Scorpia, a known terrorist organisation, has come out of hiding. The Department also realises that Dr Greif's eighth clone is missing. At the school prom, the Clone Alex apprehends Tom, demanding that Alex meet him. Alex fights his Clone on the school grounds as the Department arrives. Tom manages to subdue the Clone Alex, who is arrested by the Department but breaks free. Yassen assassinates the Clone, saving Alex's life. While Alex wants to return to a normal life, Blunt appears to have other plans for him. | ||||||
Season 2 (2021)
 | This episode's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (December 2021) |
| No. overall | No. in season | Episode | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "Surf" | Rebecca Gatward | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| Alex is having PTSD episodes and hallucinates with visions of Yassen wherever he goes. To help him, Jack suggests they take a camping trip with Tom to Cornwall during the school break. In Cornwall, Tom is addicted to "Feathered Serpent", a new game on his tablet. Whilst chasing after a hallucination of Yassen, Alex meets Sabina Pleasance, a girl who is staying in a lodge. Later, he takes Sabina out while her internet is being fixed by a man who Alex recognizes as Yassen himself, but chalks it up to another hallucination. As Alex and Sabina are walking, an explosion occurs at the lodge. Alex enters the burning lodge and rescues Sabina's father, Ed. The police tell Alex the explosion was the result of a gas leak. They start to suspect Alex may have caused it, so he gives them a card to call MI6, but the number is not recognised. Returning home, Alex heads to MI6's headquarters, only to find them empty. Alex spots a camera, which Alan Blunt uses to watch him. | ||||||
| 10 | 2 | "Hunt" | Rebecca Gatward | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| Alan Blunt and Mrs Jones meet with Jo Byrne, the CIA's Deputy Director to discuss a Pentagon hack that almost stole nuclear launch codes, and believes the perpetrator is named 'Smoking Mirror'. Three months before, Ed tried to obtain information from Smoking Mirror about Damian Cray, to no avail. Alex searches for MI6. Later, he meets Sabina in the hospital to check on Ed, only for Alex to spot Mirror entering his room, who escapes. Alex, Jack, and Tom later try to figure out a way to find MI6. Jack suggests he go see if the family's Friend knows anything. David Friend reluctantly tells Alex about a club Alan Blunt frequents in. Alex and Tom stake out the club and wait for Alan to leave. To follow Alan and avoid detection, Tom straps a GoPro to the former's car, which Alex chases, before getting captured by MI6 with Smoking Mirror getting away. At MI6, Alex tells them of Yassen in Cornwall, though Alan claims they have been watching Yassen for six months, a lie, and he has been nowhere near there. As Alex leaves MI6, Mrs. Jones catches up with him to console him. He says that, if they will not do anything, he will. | ||||||
| 11 | 3 | "Mirror" | Rebecca Gatward | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| In Amsterdam, Damian Cray prepares for the release of Feathered Serpent 2. MI6 struggles to locate Smoking Mirror, who hides out in a survival shelter. Alex and Sabina enter Sabina's home to find out what Ed knows about Damian but find no information. Meanwhile, Mirror watches the pair through Ed's laptop camera and tries to identify who Alex is. Tom, infatuated by the fight he caught on camera between Alex and MI6, notices a bike leave the scene with its number plate showing. Alex takes this information to Smithers. Smithers takes it to MI6 who keeps an eye on CCTV cameras; he lies about how he came across this information. At home, Alex learns Jack will be working alongside Damian. His home is soon hacked by Mirror, who warns him to stop snooping around. The next day, Alex gets a call from Mirror to meet at a warehouse alone. Upon arrival, Alex meets with Mirror; however, they are interrupted by Yassen, who shoots Mirror dead. Yassen chases Alex, not knowing it is him he is chasing. Once he realises, he lets Alex escape. MI6 arrives and finds Mirror's body. | ||||||
| 12 | 4 | "Serpent" | Rebecca Gatward | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| MI6 investigates Smoking Mirror's hideout. Mrs Jones realises there may be hidden cameras they can use to find out more information, and succeeds in finding some. Damian asks his staff to track down the top Feathered Serpent player. Alex tells Sabina what he knows about the attempted murder on Ed. Thinking Alex is crazy, she asks him to stay away from her. Alex tells Smithers about Damian. They also discuss Charlie Roper, another man who knew Ed and works for Damian. Aided by Tom, Alex manages to speak privately with Charlie and discuss Ed's attempted murder and Damian's obsession with the game. To help him understand more on the game, Charlie helps Alex pose as the top player 'K7'. At a pre-launch event, Alex and other streamers are invited to try an augmented reality version of the first Feathered Serpent, with the prize of beating it being the first copy of the sequel. Alex is almost beaten down by the game's real damage to him, but manages to escape the building with Feathered Serpent 2 with the help of the real K7: Kyra. Damian later tells Yassen that Alex ruined the event. Yassen promises to do something about it. | ||||||
| 13 | 5 | "Threats" | Jon Jones | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| Alex, Kyra, Tom and Jack discuss who could be hiding in the game. At MI6, Alan Blunt tells Jo she should cancel the American President's visit to the UK for her safety; the president who is a friend of Damian as they believe someone is trying to get to the President through Damian. Meanwhile, Damian asks Evelyn, a staff member of his, to look into how somebody could pretend to be K7 at his event. Charlie tells Sabina he believes in what Alex told her. In order to look into the game's code, Kyra blacks out the postcode area of Alex's school so they can use the IT room, temporarily shutting school services. MI6 bring Alex in and tell him to stop looking into Damian. They then ask Damian to delay his event for his own safety, to no avail. Damian requests Charlie to stay with him, knowing he has been leaking information to Ed. Alex returns to school, where they find redacted code, and the only place they can access it is at Craystar Headquarters in Amsterdam. Alex removes all tracking devices MI6 placed in his belongings and heads to Amsterdam with Kyra and Tom through the Eurostar. | ||||||
| 14 | 6 | "Heist" | Jon Jones | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| Alex, Kyra and Tom arrive in Amsterdam, where they research how they will infiltrate Craystar. Tom eventually distracts a driver that comes in and out of the building while Alex uses a card machine Kyra stole earlier to create a boss-level key card. Alex and Kyra then sneak into the driver's truck. Meanwhile, MI6 look into the staff working at Damian's dinner to see if there are any ties to Scorpia. Damian is nervous around MI6 compromising what he has planned, and goes to Yassen for help. Later, Damian takes Charlie to Amsterdam to show him the truth. Alex and Kyra infiltrate the facility and manage to hack into Evelyn's terminal and download the code, but do not have enough time to download it before Damian arrives with Charlie and Evelyn, so they hide. Yassen sets up the head of security of Damian's party as MI6 find ties between him and old Scorpia records. In Amsterdam, Damian tells Charlie he paid for the hit on Ed, and talks about killing a million people to save a hundred million. Charlie refuses to be a part of Damian's plan. Just as Damian is about to shoot Charlie, Alex comes out of hiding to stop him, though Charlie is killed anyway. | ||||||
| 15 | 7 | "Assassin" | Jon Jones | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| Damian demands Alex to reveal why he is at Craystar, to no avail. Threatening to hurt him and Kyra, Damian locks them in a room to reconsider. MI6 look into the head of security they detained and believe they may have been tricked. Meanwhile, Jack is doing contracting work at Craystar in London and is contacted by Tom, who has not heard from Alex. Tom convinces Jack to create a distraction, break into Evelyn's laptop and send an e-mail telling the world the launch for Feathered Serpent 2 has been cancelled. Evelyn realises what is going on and suggests Damian to go live on air to resolve the issue. Alex and Kyra break out of Craystar Amsterdam with the game code. As they run and catch up with Tom, Damian uses a drone to kill them, but he fails. Jack is dismissed from her job after being found out about what she did. Alex, Kyra and Tom return to London and hand Mrs. Jones the code. At home, Alex gets a call regarding a vial with a thumbprint he stole from Damian, who wants it back. In return, Damian will release Sabina, who Yassen kidnapped earlier. | ||||||
| 16 | 8 | "Strike" | Jon Jones | Guy Burt | 3 December 2021 (2021-12-03) | |
| Alex surrenders the thumbprint, revealed to be the President's. Damian then orders Alex and Sabina killed, but Yassen suggests keeping them as prisoners instead. Damian heads to Air Force One's base, bringing Sabina along as collateral. Alex escapes and hides in a truck heading for the airbase. Tom finds Alex's door left open, spots Alex's phone over an envelope that Tom returned to him with a tracker, which is missing, and informs MI6. MI6 believe the dinner to be a trap and evacuate the President. Damian gets on board Air Force One, and the game is launched. Using 200 million logins to the game, Damian creates a super computer capable of obtaining the nuclear launch codes. Using deep fake technology, he poses as the President and sets nukes for launch, which will wipe out areas of the world drugs are known to come from, killing 1.14 million civilians. Alex and Sabina try to stop him, injuring Yassen in the process. However, Damian manages to subdue Alex. Before Damian can murder Alex, Yassen kills Damian. He then says to Alex: "Find Widow, find Scorpia". While Yassen escapes, Alex stops the launch. As a thank you by MI6, Jack is made Alex's permanent legal guardian. | ||||||
Season 3 (2024)
| No. overall | No. in season | Episode | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | "Widow" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 18 | 2 | "Lab" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 19 | 3 | "Enemy" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 20 | 4 | "Recruit" | Andreas Prochaska | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 21 | 5 | "Revenge" | Brian O`Malley | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 22 | 6 | "Target" | Brian O`Malley | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 23 | 7 | "The Shot" | Brian O`Malley | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
| 24 | 8 | "Invisible Sword" | Brian O`Malley | Guy Burt | 5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) |
Development
In May 2017, Variety reported that Eleventh Hour Films had optioned the film rights for Horowitz's Alex Rider series and would produce the series for ITV. Guy Burt was attached as showrunner.[9] The series is directed by Andreas Prochaska and Christopher Smith.
In July 2018, Variety reported that Eleventh Hour Films would be teaming up with Sony Pictures Television to produce an eight-episode adaptation of Point Blanc, the second book in the Alex Rider series. Horowitz served as an executive producer on the series. Sony Pictures Television's international and worldwide distribution divisions under Wayne Garvie and Keith Le Goy were attached to the series. Sony was responsible for funding and looking for broadcasting or platform distributors.[1]
On 10 November 2020, the series was renewed for a second season that adapted the fourth book in the Alex Rider series, Eagle Strike.[10][11]
As of 12 May 2021, a third season was in development.[12] In August 2022, the series was renewed for its third season that adapted the fifth book in the Alex Rider series, Scorpia with production reportedly having begun in October 2022.[13] In February 2024, the series was confirmed to end with the third season.[14]
Casting
It was announced on 23 April 2019 that Otto Farrant would star as the titular character.[15] More cast members were announced the following day, including Brenock O'Connor, Stephen Dillane, Vicky McClure, Jon Brackenridge, Andrew Buchan, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, Ace Bhatti and Nyasha Hatendi.[16]
Toby Stephens, Rakie Ayola, and Charithra Chandran joined the cast for season 2.[3]
Kevin McNally joined the cast for season 3 in an unspecified villainous role.[5]
Filming
The first season was produced over six months, beginning in March 2019.[17] Filming locations included London and, for the French Alps scenes, around Sinaia in Prahova County, Romania.[18]
As it was meant to be renewed earlier, principal photography for the second season was initially set to take place in late 2020 before being pushed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] The series began production in February 2021 in Bristol, England, at the old buildings near Cumberland Basin, The Watershed & Queen Square (with Canary Wharf graphically imposed behind). In February the crew were spotted filming scenes at Goldney Hall.[20][21][22] Filming moved to Cornwall in March 2021 and at Widemouth Bay where Otto Farrant was spotted on set.[23][24] Production also took place in Cardiff in March where the city was reportedly doubling for London in some shots.[25] In April 2021, it was reported that Alex Rider was filming at Cotswold Airport during the night. Filming was done mostly on an ex British Airways Boeing 747-400 aircraft, the aircraft in question was G-CIVB and was used to shoot the final 2 episodes.[26] In June 2021, author Anthony Horowitz tweeted that filming for Season 2 had concluded.[27]
Filming of the third season began in Bristol during October 2022, with production expected to take place over six months in the United Kingdom and Croatia.[28][29] In November 2022, production reportedly took place at Cardiff Bay Barrage.[30] Filming was also conducted in Gloucester in December 2022, with production reportedly due to finish in March 2023.[31] Location filming also took place in Malta.[7]
Marketing
While promoting the series, lead star Otto Farrant praised the show for addressing societal shifts which allowed men to talk about their feelings, sensitivities, and vulnerabilities. He also stated that the series would appeal to a new teenage audience that was discovering the Alex Rider novel series for the first time by avoiding darker themes.[32]
In early December 2021, Alex Rider creator and executive producer Anthony Horowitz confirmed that the second season would explore the protagonist's struggle with post traumatic stress disorder following the events of the first season, and that the second season would adapt the events of the fourth novel Eagle Strike. Toby Stephens, who played the antagonistic Damian Cray, described his character as less flamboyant than the book version, and drew inspiration from "Big Tech" entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk for his character. Returning cast member Ronke Adékoluęjo confirmed that the second season would explore her continuing her role as Alex's guardian while pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer.[33]
Distribution
The eight-episode first season was released on Amazon Prime Video in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 4 June 2020,[34] and was released on Amazon Prime Video in Australia, Germany, and Austria later in mid-2020.[35] In New Zealand, the television series is distributed by TVNZ+.[36] The show premiered on Prime in Canada, Italy, and Latin America, and on Amazon's IMDb TV in the United States.[37][38][11] In December 2021, season 1 of Alex Rider was aired on E4 in the United Kingdom and became available on its streaming platform All 4.
The second season was released by IMDb TV in the United Kingdom and the United States on 3 December 2021, and on Amazon Prime Video in Australia, Canada, Italy, Germany, Latin America, and New Zealand.[11][39][40]
In Asia, both the first and second seasons are available on SonyLIV (in India) and AXN (in Southeast Asia).[41]
The third season was released on Amazon Freevee in the United Kingdom and the United States on 5 April 2024.[14]
For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 86% approval rating, with an average rating of 6.4/10 based on 27 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Alex Rider's first season takes a minute to find it's [sic] footing, but once it does, it proves a solid entry into the espionage game that the whole family can enjoy."[42] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 67 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[43]
Reviewing for The Guardian, Lucy Mangan gave the series three out of five stars, describing it as an "improbable, action-packed romp for all your escapism needs." She described Alex Rider as a teenage James Bond, praising the lead star Otto Farrant for bringing more to the role than was written into what she described as a "serviceable script." She described the series as a blend of Jason Bourne and Spooks.[44] NME's Will Richards gave the series three out of five stars, describing it as a second-chance for the Alex Rider series following the failure of the 2006 Stormbreaker movie adaptation. Richards observed that the series avoided the clichéd James Bond gadgets for the first two episodes. Richards praised Farrant's performance as Alex Rider but opined that the series needed tinkering to identify its target audience. Richards also described co-star Brenock O'Connor's performance as Alex's best friend Tom Harris as charismatic. While praising Marli Siu's character Kyra as a worthy addition to the male-centric world of the series, he expressed disappointment that Vicky McClure and Stephen Dillane's characters were under-utilised.[32]
Ed Cumming of The Independent awarded the series three out of five stars, describing it as "stylish but not sanitised, catching more of the books' momentum and bringing them up to speed with the 21st century". He regarded Alex Rider as more faithful to the series than the 2006 Stormbreaker film. He also praised Farrant's version of Alex Rider as more plausible than Alex Pettyfer's version of the character, describing the former as "a teenage schoolboy with a footballer haircut but less of a male-model energy." Cumming also praised the series for aiming at both young adults and adults, inclusion of modern communications technologies like smartphones and social media, and more diverse cast.[45] The Spinoff's reviewer Sam Brooks praised the TV series for capturing the spirit of the original novel series and appealing to both teenagers and adult fans who had grown up reading the novel series. Brooks also praised Farrant's performance as Alex Rider, opining that he nailed the soul of the teenage protagonist by capturing his strengths, moods, and fears.[36]
The Telegraph's Anita Singh gave the series four out of five stars, describing it as "slick and stylish, bringing the stories up-to-date with smartphones and cybertechnology while sticking to the spirit of Boy's Own adventures". She regarded it as far superior to the 2006 film and praised the series for its unique cinematography of London. Singh also positively compared it to the Bourne franchise and praised the series for being able to entertain adults and teenagers alike.[46] Emmy Griffiths of Hello! magazine compared the television series favourably to the 2006 film, praising the show's pacing, worldbuilding, and family-oriented audience. She described the series as both a "coming-of-age tale" for Alex Rider with a police-procedural subplot focusing on MI6's efforts to track down Alex's uncle Ian's killer. Griffiths also praised Farrant, McClure, and O'Connor's performances.[47]
- Clarke, Stewart (24 July 2018). "Alex Rider Series Heads to TV with Sony, Eleventh Hour". Variety. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- "When will the Alex Rider TV series be released?". Radio Times. 22 January 2020.
- Lang, Jamie (1 February 2021). "'Alex Rider' Season 2 Casting Details Announced – Global Bulletin". Variety. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- "KEVIN MCNALLY". Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- "EXCLUSIVE: Actor Kevin McNally talks Pirates of the Caribbean, politics, and ITV drama Stonehouse". euroweeklynews.com. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- "'Alex Rider' Season 3 Lines Up New Foes for the Junior James Bond". 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- "Sofia Helin, Shelley Conn, Kevin McNally, Jason Wong Join Season 3 Cast of Amazon Freevee's 'Alex Rider'". 19 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- Leane, Rob (8 June 2020). "Amazon's Alex Rider TV Show: Differences From the Stormbreaker and Point Blanc Books". Den of Geek. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
Alex gets chummy with a pupil named James in both versions, but the book one is German and the TV one is Australian, played by Earl Cave.
- Clarke, Stewart (31 May 2017). "Alex Rider Books Being Developed Into Series by ITV, Eleventh Hour Films". Variety.
- "'Alex Rider' Officially Renewed for Season 2 at Amazon's IMDb TV". The Hollywood Reporter. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- Petski, Denise (10 November 2020). "'Alex Rider' Renewed For Season 2 By IMDb TV". Deadline. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- "Production Weekly - Issue 1246 - Thursday, May 13, 2021 / 131 Listings - 30 Pages". Production Weekly. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- "'Alex Rider' Renewed for Season 3 at Amazon Freevee, Production Begins this Fall". Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- Petski, Denise (29 February 2024). "Alex Rider To End With Season 3, Premiere Date Set At Freevee". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- White, Peter (23 April 2019). "Sony Pictures Television Finds Its 'Alex Rider' With 'Mrs Wilson' Star Otto Farrant To Play Teen Superspy". Deadline. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- White, Peter (24 April 2019). "'Alex Rider': 'Game Of Thrones' Stars Brenock O'Connor & Stephen Dillane, 'Broadchurch's Andrew Buchan & 'Line of Duty's Vicky McClure Join Teen Superspy Drama". Deadline. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- Khera, Japleen (13 August 2020). "Where Is Alex Rider Filmed? TV Show Filming Locations". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- Llewellyn, Tom (4 June 2020). "Amazon Prime: Where was Alex Rider filmed? Spy drama fakes the French Alps!". HITC. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- Kanter, Jake (17 June 2020). "Sony Spy Drama 'Alex Rider' Set To Be Renewed For Second Season". Deadline. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- Kanter, Jake (3 November 2020). "'Alex Rider': Sony-Backed Eleventh Hour Poised To Shoot Season 2 From January". Deadline. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- Daniels, Nia. "Amazon's Alex Rider S2 begins Bristol shoot". KFTV. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- Raven, Maddy (4 February 2021). "'Alex Rider' Season 2 starts filming at Goldney Hall". Epigram. University of Bristol.
- Becquart, Charlotte (4 March 2021). "Filming of Cornwall surfing scene for series caught on camera". CornwallLive.
- Becquart, Charlotte (2 March 2021). "Film crews in Cornwall to shoot Amazon Prime series". CornwallLive.
- Deacon, Thomas (8 March 2021). "Amazon Prime filming transforms Cardiff street into London scene". WalesOnline.
- Horowitz, Anthony [@AnthonyHorowitz] (18 June 2021). "Season Two of Alex Rider finished shooting today. Congratulations to Otto, Brenock and all! As a special souvenir t…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Daniels, Nia (14 October 2022). "Alex Rider 3 becomes first major production to shoot at new studio TBY2". KFTV. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- "Alex Rider (Season 3)". Production List | Film & Television Industry Alliance. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- Daniels, Nia (14 October 2022). "Cardiff Bay Barrage to close for filming of Amazon Prime series". walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- Daniels, Nia (14 October 2022). "TV spy drama Alex Rider filmed in Gloucester city centre". gloucestershirelive.co.ukk. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- Richards, Will (5 June 2020). "'Alex Rider' review: a fresh start for the teenage super-spy". NME. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- Holbrook, Damian (3 December 2021). "'Alex Rider' Season 2 Takes Aim at a New Villain… and a Hero's Mental Health". TV Insider. TV Guide. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- Kanter, Jake (13 May 2020). "'Alex Rider': Amazon Snags UK Rights To Anthony Horowitz Spy Franchise". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- Mitovich, Matt Webb (14 July 2020). "Alex Rider Spy Novel Adaptation Lands Stateside Home on IMDb TV". TVLine. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- Brooks, Sam (5 June 2020). "Bond, Teen Bond: The brilliance of the Alex Rider series". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- "Coming of Age Spy Series Alex Rider to Premiere as an IMDb TV Original in the U.S. and as an Amazon Original for Germany, Austria and Latin America" (Press release). Amazon. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020 – via Business Wire.
- Kanter, Jake (14 July 2020). "'Alex Rider': Amazon Streamer IMDb TV Takes U.S. Rights To Sony Spy Series". Deadline. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Caruso, Nick (11 October 2021). "Alex Rider First Look: Watch Season 2 Teaser and Get Premiere Date". TVLine. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- Middleton, Richard (29 September 2021). "Amazon launches AVOD streamer IMDb TV in UK". TBI Vision. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
- "What's Hot - AXN ASIA". AXN. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021.
- "Alex Rider: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- "Alex Rider: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- Managan, Lucy (4 June 2020). "Alex Rider review – slick, silly fun with the teenage James Bond". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- Cuming, Ed (3 June 2020). "Alex Rider review: Buckle up for polished yet safe spy thriller that leaves 2006's Stormbreaker in the dust". The Independent. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- Singh, Anita (4 June 2020). "Alex Rider, review: Jason Bourne Jr will keep the whole family entertained". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- Griffiths, Emmy (4 June 2020). "Alex Rider Amazon show is the adaptation fans have been waiting for". Hello!. Archived from the original on 6 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
