When audiences think of spy thrillers, they often imagine car chases, double agents, and high-octane shootouts. But Prime Video’s latest hit, The Assassin, adds an unexpected twist: at its heart, the series is as much about family as it is about espionage. With Freddie Highmore and Keeley Hawes leading the cast, the show has earned glowing reviews and an enviable 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, quickly cementing its place as one of the streaming platform’s most surprising successes.
The premise is deceptively simple. Julie (played by Hawes) is a retired hitwoman whose quiet life is shattered when her past resurfaces, dragging her son Edward (Highmore) into a deadly world of secrets, betrayal, and danger. What could have been a standard action thriller instead evolves into a layered story that examines the complexities of family relationships under extraordinary pressure.
Highmore’s Edward is no ordinary sidekick. Critics have highlighted the way his character balances tension with humor, grounding the series in relatable emotion. His dynamic with Hawes forms the emotional backbone of the show, transforming The Assassin into more than just a tale of killers and conspiracies. The Guardian praised it as “stylish, witty, tightly written,” while Radio Times called the central relationship “great fun to watch.” These responses suggest that the series resonates not just for its suspense, but for its humanity.
The writing plays a crucial role in achieving this balance. The show’s creators weave sharp dialogue and surprising moments of levity into an otherwise high-stakes plot. Edward’s uneasy adjustment to his mother’s dangerous past injects both tension and comic relief, a combination that keeps viewers hooked. It is precisely this blend — equal parts thriller and character study — that has allowed The Assassin to stand out in a crowded streaming market.
Visually, the series embraces its espionage roots. From shadowy safehouses to tense confrontations, the cinematography enhances the stakes while never overwhelming the human story at its core. The pacing is tight, and the narrative unfolds with enough twists to satisfy fans of the genre without sacrificing depth. For audiences who loved shows like Killing Eve or Ozark, The Assassin offers a similarly addictive mix of style and substance.
For Highmore, the role of Edward is another step in redefining his post-Good Doctor career. After seven seasons as the empathetic Dr. Shaun Murphy, he now leans into moral ambiguity and high tension, demonstrating a versatility that critics have long suspected but audiences are only now beginning to fully appreciate. Hawes, meanwhile, delivers one of her most commanding performances, cementing the mother–son duo as one of television’s most intriguing new partnerships.
The success of The Assassin proves that audiences are hungry for thrillers with emotional weight. By pairing action with intimacy, the series delivers both adrenaline and heart — a rare balance in modern streaming. With glowing reviews and word-of-mouth momentum, The Assassin has become one of Prime Video’s biggest surprises of the year. And for Freddie Highmore, it marks not just a role, but a reinvention — one that signals a thrilling new chapter in his career.
