There’s a question at play in nearly every spy drama, and it’s a tough one: Can a covert operative be in a truly loving relationship when that romance is built on a state-sanctioned lie? TVLine put forth the idea during a recent conversation with Michael Fassbender,

The actor plays an operative called back to London from the undercover life he leads in Ethiopia in this suspenseful series on Paramount+ with Showtime that also features Jeffrey Wright and Richard Gere.

The espionage thriller “The Agency” on Paramount+ is gorgeously shot meditation on the toll of obscuring your identity for the CIA.

He hasn’t done much TV since a 2001 role in Steven Spielberg’s Band of Brothers helped launch his career, but getting a chance to star in an espionage thriller that explores the sacrifice of covert work is exactly the type of work Fassbender relishes.

"The Agency" promises intrigue, espionage and CIA secrets, bolstered by a heavyweight cast and high-gloss production values reflective of its premium cable berth on Paramount+ With Showtime. Unfortunately,

Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere also star in the drama created by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, which looks at the world of international espionage through the London CIA station.