Since Otto Farrant took over Alex Rider this franchise has gone from strength to strength. There is something about the long form format that lends itself to the Anthony Horowitz books more than movies ever did. Whether or not this has anything to do showrunner Gary Burt is up for debate, but as season 3 makes its debut on Amazon Freevee, Alex Rider has lost none of the dramatic momentum which has gotten the series this far.
The underground terrorist organization Scorpia is still in full effect, looking to unleash a silent killer and establish world domination. Alex, Tom (Brenock O’Connor) and Kyra (Marli Siu) are still up to their necks in trouble, as the hunt leads them onto the sunnier climes of Malta in summertime, while other nefarious operatives keep a subtle eye on their activities. With new additions Max Grendel (Kevin McNally) and unknown entity Julia Rothman (Sofia Helin) peeling back the onion of Alex’s past, season 3 promises to keep fans engaged throughout.
Alan Blunt (Stephen Dillane) and Mrs. Jones (Vicky McClure) might be taking more of a backseat this time round, but their influence still plays a part in shaping proceedings. Likewise, Jack Starbright (Ronke Adekoluejo) has also been relegated to Facetime phone conversations and occasional cut aways to London, while our dynamic trio seem keen to take on Scorpia singlehanded.
Deep in the depths of Scorpia, audiences soon encounter other assailants in the shape of agent Syl (Eline Powell) and the ever resourceful Nile (Jason Wong). As the full extent of this organisation is uncovered through a combination of luck and judgment, Alex Rider comes closer to understanding a fundamental truth about his family. One that hits hard, hits home and gives this young adult drama more than its fair share of poignancy.
Beyond those competing elements, what comes through in the first 3 episodes, is a degree of familiarity. Alex Pettyfer might have carved his own furrow with Stormbreaker back in 2006, but somehow that adaptation missed its mark even if the actor delivered a suitably solid performance in the process. What Amazon have done with this book series almost twenty years on is show what can be done with the long form format.
With Alex Rider what audiences have gotten across two seasons and now a third is an engaging teenage spy series. One that effortlessly bridges the gap between audience demographics yet remains faithful to Alex Rider as a fictional franchise. For those who have yet to stumble on this epic series, now just might be the time to log on to Amazon Freevee and delve into its best kept secret.
Alex Rider Season 3 is available to stream on Amazon Freevee now.
