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Netflix only added Danish thriller The Asset a day ago, but the morally-murky six episodes are already proving popular with subscribers.
The crime drama lays out an intricate web of deception behind the scenes at Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service.
Our lead character and police recruit Tea (Clara Dessau) is asked to trade in the day job for life as an undercover operative, in the hopes of befriending Ashley (Maria Cordsen), the wife of a prominent drug smuggler.
Tea obliges and reinvents herself as the jeweller Sara, all to infiltrate the criminal network that has long eluded the intelligence service.
With the help of her new identity, Tea starts to grow close to Ashley and is soon privy to the harsh realities of life under her outlaw husband’s thumb.
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If The Departed taught us anything, it’s that the day-in, day-out grind of life undercover takes a toll. And as Tea fully immerses herself in the job, she starts to question where her loyalties really lie.
Ahead of the show’s release on Monday, The Asset’s conceptual director and co-writer, Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm, said he was drawn to the drama because it explores ‘identity and loyalty under extreme pressure’ – so expect a tense feel to proceedings.
He told Netflix’s Tudum: ‘Through Tea’s journey, we see how far someone is willing to go to do what they believe is right – also when the lines between good and evil become blurred.
‘I have always wanted to work on a crime series that puts its characters, their development, and their relations to each other at the very centre of the story. This is precisely what The Asset does.’
What other thrillers can you stream now?
- Blood. A dark family crime saga that kicks off with a young woman’s return to her Irish hometown in the wake of her mother’s sudden death, only for her to start suspecting her dad.
- Incognito. A Dutch thriller that takes us into the world of espionage, with another troubled cop to add to TV’s overflowing back catalogue of the type.
- The Iris Affair. The story of Iris Nixon, who is invited to work for a charismatic entrepreneur after solving a series of complex online puzzles and quizzes.
- Frauds. It’s hard to go far wrong when two of Britain’s best actors go toe-to-toe in a heated heist drama that delves into messy friendship.
Despite having been on the streaming platform for little over a day, viewers have already torn through the six episodes and shared their thoughts on the show on IMDb – where the thriller currently holds a 7.3 rating out of 10.
The Asset: Key details
Cast: Clara Dessau, Maria Cordsen, Afshin Firouzi, Nicolas Bro, Soheil Bavi, Arian Kashef, Lara Ly Melic Skovgaard
Directors: Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm (Conceptual Director) and Kasper Barfoed
Writers: Frederik Ringtved, Adam August, Samanou Acheche Sahlstrøm, Johanne Algren, Astrid Øye and Oscar Giese
Episode count: Six
Writing reviews of the drama, @RiverMan49 labelled the show ‘an intense, delicately produced crime thriller’, while @tshabalalasiyabonga described it as ‘a gripping dive into espionage’.
‘The Asset captivates viewers with its intense storytelling and complex characters,’ they wrote. ‘It’s a must-watch for fans of thrillers and character-driven stories. Highly recommended!’
The Asset is available to stream on Netflix now.
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