Unlike AMC's Rubicon which premiered two days ago, Covert Affairs has a bright, cheery shell. Whereas Rubicon is sure to make viewers know trouble it afoot, Covert Affairs is not overtly dark, but there are hints of more, possibly something grand, in the fashion of Rubicon.
Exactly how far the boundaries will be pushed is another story. With Rubicon, we know there are no limits, given AMC's track record and the current pacing. With Covert Affairs, it's a much different situation. Maintaining a upbeat tone allowed USA to become successful with standalone episodes. How far can/will the writers push the idea that Arthur and Joan are in it alone? How deep will Annie get in the spy world?
Alone and on the run in a foreign country, Annie tries to survive and finish her mission, meeting an experienced Mossad agent along the way. She experiences the death of an agent first hand and realizes that the spy world can be very cold and unrelenting. At the same time, the leak to the reporter becomes the top priority, and that means Auggie is in for questioning--and that he's unavailable to guide Annie, increasing Auggie's frustration with his current position.
The plot remained average as it has been since the pilot, but Piper Perabo was still great and the actions scenes were solid. For the first time, Arthur and Joan served a purpose, molding the big picture as Annie, Auggie, and those underneath them must deal with the internal politics. All the pieces are coming together, making Covert Affairs one of the better shows of the summer.
Score: 8.7/10
