Entertainment
Peacock’s Forgotten 13-Episode Spy Show Is Still a Near-Perfect Weekend Binge 6 Years Later
Whether or not he enjoys it, David Schwimmer‘s career was always going to be defined by his iconic role as Ross “Pivot!” Gellar in Friends. After all, him and his five co-stars made history in one of the most watched and beloved sitcoms of all-time. But while that will always be true, Schwimmer has gone on to have an expansive career, including credits in directing, voice-acting, and his scene-stealing moments in TV shows like American Crime Story and Will & Grace.
Among his lesser-seen titles is a 2020 British series that never got the attention or love it deserved. Alongside Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed, Schwimmer created another iconic character in Intelligence, a hidden gem series that ran for two seasons and a one-episode special.
David Schimmer Steals the Show in ‘Intelligence’
Longtime fans of Friends or Schwimmer’s work will perhaps be unsurprised to hear that Schwimmer absolutely commands the screen in Intelligence. The series, created and written by Mohammed himself, follows Schwimmer as Jerry Bernstein, a pompous NSA agent who joins a cyber-crimes unit at the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ). From the get-go, Schwimmer’s Jerry is clearly different to Ross. While both characters are known for their intelligence and expertise in their fields, Ross had a goofiness and softness to him that made him endearing to audiences. Jerry, on the other hand, comes off as arrogant, harsh, and quite problematic, at least in the beginning.
Through his hard shell, however, Jerry still manages to be quite funny. “Chief among [the cast] is Schwimmer’s beautifully unhinged, physically invigorating, and surprisingly vulnerable leading performance,” wrote Gregory Lawrence in his review for Collider after Intelligence‘s release. “His Jerry is unhinged in the best way possible. In these six episodes, Schwimmer reveals himself to be a brusque, tight, and utterly professional physical comedian; there are pratfalls, triple takes, slides across surfaces, all delivered with panache and intention.”
Schwimmer Aside, ‘Intelligence’ Is an Impressive Ensemble Comedy
But while Schwimmer certainly shines on the show, Intelligence works because it’s an ensemble comedy with a cast that compliments his energy. Mohammed, best known for his role as the shy yet secretly cunning Nate in Ted Lasso, continues his streak as the timid but never-to-be-underestimated Joseph Harries, a people-pleasing and socially awkward computer analyst. Alongside Jerry, they become an unlikely duo, and the perfect counterpart for one another onscreen. Together, their chemistry carries the show and delivers hilarious moments time and time again.
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The cast is then completed by the rest of the GCHQ team, led by Christine Clark (Sylvestra Le Touzel), a veteran intelligence officer, master hacker Tuva Olson (Gana Bayarsaikhan), and squirrelly cryptoanalyst Mary Needham (Jane Stanness). “Le Touzel plays the ‘frustrated voice of reason’ with perfection, and I love when the show lets her have a twinkle in her eye herself,” Lawrence described in his review. “Stanness’ character could be one-note in another actor’s hands, but she gives her an intriguing amount of depth underneath the surface. For my money, Bayarsaikhan might be the breakout performer of the show. Her Tuva is enigmatic, strong, sharpened to a diamond force, punching us in the gut with her no-nonsense attitude.”
With all that said, while Intelligence has flown under the radar for most audiences since its release in 2020, the series unexpectedly meshes a workplace comedy with a spy series, leading to a fresh new take on both genres. With Schwimmer front and center and Mohammed shining once again as the sidekick, Intelligence has continued to establish itself as one of Peacock’s most must-see comedies.
- Release Date
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2020 – 2023-00-00
- Network
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Sky One
- Directors
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Matt Lipsey
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