A new Peacock spy thriller is making a fast impact on the streaming charts. The spy subgenre has enjoyed some solid additions in recent years, whether it's the breakout Apple TV+ series Slow Horses or the David Fincher film The Killer on Netflix. Both of these titles come at the story from a different starting point, with The Killer cheekily asking the question of what it would be like if a skilled assassin wasn't quite as good as he believed. Slow Horses, meanwhile, is based on the Mick Herron novels and centers on the lowly dwellers of Slough House.

There are, of course, the established thrillers on the big screen, with a new Mission: Impossible soon to arrive and potentially eying its last installment with Tom Cruise at the center of the story. The pleasure of an old-fashioned spy saga that's new while still honoring the established cat-and-mouse tropes has been somewhat lacking. One of the newest entries on the streaming charts serves as a bit of a corrective.

The Day Of The Jackal Is A Streaming Hit

It's Just Behind Yellowstone

The Day of the Jackal, led by Fantastic Beats star Eddie Redmayne and No Time to Die's Lashana Lynch, debuted strong on Rotten Tomatoes, currently holding an 84% based on 44 reviews, which averages out to a high of 7.60/10. The audience score is also solid, coming in at 77% based on more than 100 ratings. Mary Kassel's review for Screen Rant was glowing, noting in part that the series “actually refreshes the genre.”

Reelgood's ranking uses first-party data from interactions with movies and TV shows on the platform in real-time from Reelgood's s in the United States.

Reelgood, which tracks audience interest, shares that The Day of the Jackal is starting strong on the streaming charts. The series, which streams on Peacock, recently debuted and took the No. 2 in the TV-centric Top 10 for the week of November 14 through to November 20, across all platforms. The television list was topped by the returning juggernaut Yellowstone season 5. On the overall charts, which includes movies, Jackal comes in at No. 4. Check out where The Day of the Jackal landed in Reelgood's overall November 14-20 chart below:

What's The Day Of The Jackal About?

It's Based On A Classic Novel

Based on the Frederick Forsyth novel, which has previous film adaptations, The Day of the Jackal tracks the unrivaled and elusive lone assassin known as the Jackal (Redmayne). The lone assassin makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. However, following his latest kill, the Jackal meets his match when he comes across a relentless British intelligence officer (Lynch) who tries to capture the Jackal. What ensues is a chase all over Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.

Day of the Jackal's cast also includes Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance, Richard Dormer, Chukwudi Iwuji, Lia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Eleanor Matsuura, Jonjo O’Neill, and Sule Rimi. It hails from showrunner Ronan Bennett, who also executive produces with Redmayne, Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant, and Brian Kirk. It's a co-production of Sky Studios and Universal Television, with Carnival Film and Television.

Why Is The Day Of The Jackal Connecting With Audiences & Critics?

The Show Is A Good Time

The Day of the Jackal season 2 is already confirmed, with the news coming after the thriller adaptation earned the top ranking on Peacock's charts. Part of the reason for the show's good fortune, and an aspect that keeps coming back in reviews, is that the show is fast and fun. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “A globetrotting thriller made eerily plausible by Eddie Redmayne’s reptilian performance, The Day of the Jackal turns dark deeds into good fun.”

Digging deeper into the response to the Peacock and Sky Original, the performances of Redmayne and Lynch are consistently praised. This comes through in Esther Zuckerman's review for The New York Times, writing: “If Redmayne’s portrayal of the Jackal is steeped in mystery, Lynch’s take on Bianca is a stirring mix of impulsivity and cunning.” Similar sentiments are echoed in other reviews, which underline how much the spy thriller thrives because of its successful casting.

The Day of the Jackal was adapted for three films: the 1973 movie of the same name, 1988's August 1, and 1997's The Jackal, which starred Bruce Willis.

But the response has not been uniformly positive. Some critics and viewers have dinged the series for its pacing and episode count, common complaints in an era of television where several projects feel like they are feature-length films that are extended for the small screen's sake. Still, that is not an agreed-upon area of weakness, as The Day of the Jackal has also been praised for exploring areas that the film versions could not.

Our Take On The Day Of The Jackal

It Might Be Best To Binge It

The Day of the Jackal season 1 will conclude on December 12, with three episodes remaining. The knowledge that there will be a second installment has a way of altering expectations for viewers who have been following it and others who might have it in the queue to watch later on. Perhaps with the early renewal announcement, Peacock and Sky are priming viewers to get ready for a cliffhanger.

Whatever the case, with the holidays coming up and a general down period before the start of the new year, it may be best to hold on and keep The Day of the Jackal for a binge. It may well be the case that, despite the pacing issues that might exist and other flaws that prevented the series from receiving more unanimous praise, the story works better and is more engaging when taking in several episodes at once.

The remaining three episodes of The Day of the Jackal release Thursdays on Peacock.

Source: Reelgood