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The Assets

The Assets

2014Miniseries1 season8 episodes~60 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

1985 serves as the backdrop to the final showdown of the Cold War when Sandy and her partner Jeanne Vertefeuille vowed to find the mole that would turn out to be the most notorious traitor in US history, Aldrich Ames. Sandy is in a race against time to save the Soviet intelligence officers from being caught and killed. Living her own double life at home, this beautiful wife and mother vowed to stop at nothing until she uncovered the truth.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Assets?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Assets to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about The Assets?

The Assets earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Assets worth watching?

The Assets' Midcredits score is the 67th percentile of all shows, from 2.6K ratings across 2 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

67th percentile

Better received than 67% of shows

84th percentile among Thriller65th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)59th
Approval (how many liked it)72nd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

73 /100

59th percentile of all shows

83rd percentile among Thriller57th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

80% liked it

72nd percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Thriller70th percentile among 2010s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

62nd percentile

2.5K ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Thriller65th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 8% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow-paced, talky spy drama focused on procedures rather than action.

Fans praised

  • factual dramatization of the Ames case
  • strong lead performance by Jodie Whittaker
  • atmospheric Cold War realism

Detractors panned

  • melodramatic and old-fashioned execution
  • one-dimensional character writing, especially Grimes's infallibility

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

mostly British cast doing American accents; Whittaker praised, Ames actor criticized as hammy

AtmosphereDivisive60

conveys Cold War drabness and CIA office tedium

Plot and storyDivisive50

faithful to real events but no suspense since mole is known from start

TensionDivisive45

minimal suspense due to known outcome; fans find it gripping nonetheless

Dialogue45

cringey lines like 'That's why they pay me the big bucks' and repetitive 'you know I can't talk about that'

CharactersDivisive40

Grimes portrayed as infallible; Ames lacks depth; supporting characters thin

PacingDivisive40

slow and methodical; fans call it thoughtful, detractors call it a slog

Originality30

derivative of Le Carré-style procedurals; familiar tropes and clichés

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 20 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2014 · 8 episodes

  • S1E1

    My Name Is Aldrich Ames

    Jan 2, 201440 min
  • S1E2

    Jewel in the Crown

    Jan 9, 201442 min
  • S1E3

    Trip to Vienna

    Jun 21, 201442 min
  • S1E4

    What's Done is Done

    Jun 28, 201442 min
  • S1E5

    Check Mate

    Jul 27, 201442 min
  • S1E6

    Small Useless Truth

    Jul 27, 201442 min
  • S1E7

    The Straw Poll

    Aug 3, 201442 min
  • S1E8

    Avenger

    Aug 3, 201442 minFinale

Watch experience

What is The Assets like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseContemplative
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 6% of shows: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its Cold War spy drama straight, treating the material with gravity and avoiding irony.
The rideThe series sustains a brooding tension, with the middle episodes focusing on the painstaking investigation and the moral weight of the betrayal.
StructureThe story uses flashbacks to show past events that connect to the present investigation, adding depth to the hunt.
Episode formatEach episode advances the single, continuous investigation into the mole.
Season formatOne season tells a complete story of the CIA mole hunt, though it was canceled after the first season.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingInfuriating · 4% of shows: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves the viewer pondering the cost of betrayal and the systemic failures that allowed a mole to operate, while also provoking outrage at the damage done.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe series follows a CIA officer and her partner hunting a mole who is betraying Soviet assets, making the oppressive betrayal within the intelligence agency the monster to overcome.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7% (this title)
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of showsLoyalty · 7% of showsPurpose
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores how institutional corruption and a traitor's actions erode trust, juxtaposed against Grimes's unwavering dedication to her duty.
StanceThe series examines the corruption and betrayal within the intelligence community through a sober, investigative lens.

The world

Late 20th centuryInstitutionalUrbanRealistic
AmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingCIA headquarters and international espionage hubs during the late Cold War

Content guide

Is The Assets okay for kids?

TV-14

The Assets is rated TV-14. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at mild (33/100) and language at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Russia16+
Overall
Moderate · 3 of 5 categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 votes across 3 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Assets have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Assets?

Cast

Jodie Whittaker
as Sandy Grimes
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Paul Rhys
as Aldrich Ames
Harriet Walter
as Jeanne Vertefeuille
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ralph Brown
as Wallace Austin
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Stuart Milligan
as Arthur O'Neill
Christina Cole
as Louisa Tilton
Catalina Denis
as Rosario Ames
Lex Shrapnel
as Mitch Weaver
Julian Ovenden
as Gary Grimes
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Goran Kostic
as Cherkashin
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

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