We're often on the hunt for a new series that can 'do it all' so to speak, but rarely do we uncover a "unicorn" TV show that ticks every box.
You know the one we're talking about - a show that has equal parts sex appeal, wry humour, action, a tasty plotline and a stacked cast. In the wake of some long-running shows finishing their run ( we miss you, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), we've found a new buzzy show for you to sink your teeth into.
Enter: the hotly anticipated, new-look Mr & Mrs Smith series now streaming on Prime Video.
This sexy, spy series has been the talk of Hollywood for some months now with pundits and critics eagerly awaiting the release ever since the project was green-lit back in 2021.
With impressive actor-slash-musician Donald Glover on-board as a co-creator, producer and star of the series from the jump, we've been waiting with bated breath to see his Midas touch on this re-imagination of a romantic, spy romp.
Here's everything you need to know about the new series.
What is Mr. and Mrs. Smith about?
In this new eight-part series we are invited to follow a very unique situation that unfolds between the two leads.
Two spies are assigned a new job through an agency where they must front as a married couple while carrying out volatile, risky and high-action hits. On the surface, John Smith (played by Donald Glover) and Jane Smith (played by PEN15 star Maya Erskine) are deadly assassins but underneath their steely exteriors, they're just a couple of lonely strangers yearning for connection.
And look, we've all seen spy stories before, but trust us when we say this one is....different. They're not your regular spies, they're cool spies.
As they embark on globe-trotting, gun-toting missions John and Jane develop genuine feelings for each other which, er, makes the job at hand a little murky. You know what they say - never fall in love with your deadly, assassin hit-job partner - it can make things complicated at the office.
How does this series stack up against the original Mr & Mrs Smith?
If you consider yourself a bit of a Hollywood buff, you'd be well aware that this 2024 interpretation isn't the first time we've seen the words 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' in bright lights. The first Mr & Mrs Smith series launched in 1996 starring Maria Bello and Scott Bakula. While the premise was generally the same (two spies posing as a married couple) this series had a real 90s romantic comedy, almost live audience feel to it, but unfortunately the show never made it past season one.
Following on from the 1996 series came the big blockbuster theatrical release of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2005 starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
This movie gained notoriety for the off-screen antics as much as it did for the on-screen capers. At this point we all know that Brad and Angelina had such explosive chemistry while filming this movie, they continued their love story long after the director called cut (of course until the breakdown of their relationship, but that's another tale for another time).
When it comes to the plotline it slightly differs from the new-look Mr & Mrs Smith - in the movie, the two leads were actually hired to take a hit out on each other whereas, in the Prime Video series they're working alongside each other to carry out the jobs at hand.
The Mr & Mrs Smith story has long been a fan favourite so viewers will no doubt be excited to see where this 2024 remake will take the concept. You can expect it to be much sleeker, more cerebral, comedically sharp and visually unique.
Who has been cast in the new Mr. and Mrs Smith series?
In the Golden Age of Television, everything hinges on the cast and quite frankly they've bloody nailed it with the Mr. and Mrs Smith series.
Donald Glover has emerged as one of the most talented players in Hollywood ever since he debuted his series Atlanta which had a chokehold on millennial and Gen Z audiences across its four-season run.
Playing alongside Glover is Maya Erskine who had a star-making run playing a young high-school student in the hilarious PEN15. Slinking into a more serious and sultry character here will be an interesting departure for her and will let audiences see another side to her incredible talent.
Early reviews for the show have come in and critics are calling the chemistry between Glover and Erskine "intoxicating" - sorry, Brad and Angelina who?
Then moving on to the supporting cast it just keeps getting better. The indomitable Parker Posey (she truly never misses) stars alongside Narcos actor Wagner Moura as another pair of spies; Sarah Paulson plays a couples counsellor and the list goes on with appearances from Alexander Skarsgård, Eiza González, Michaela Coel, and Paul Dano.
You don't get a more seasoned cast than that, folks.
Mr & Mrs Smith is now streaming on Prime Video.