ITV's highly anticipated thriller Secret Service has finally made its debut, but viewers are far from impressed. The spy drama, starring Gemma Arterton as senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson, premiered on April 27, 2026, and quickly drew complaints from audiences who found the first episode lackluster.
Plot Overview
The series follows Kate Henderson, who uncovers intelligence suggesting a high-ranking British politician is working for Russia. Determined to expose the traitor, she risks everything. The first episode opens with a glimpse of Kate's chaotic home life, as her children prepare for school and her husband Stuart, a political adviser to the home secretary, gets ready for work. Kate then heads to Malta to meet her asset Lena, who works as a nanny for Igor Borodin, the head of the Russian secret service. Lena smuggles a listening device into Borodin's villa, allowing Kate to overhear an explosive conversation: a British politician has cancer and is about to resign.
Viewer Reactions
Despite the dramatic setup, many viewers took to social media to express their disappointment. One wrote: "This is losing me in 10 mins. Does it get better? I’m bored. #SecretService." Another said: "Hmmmm….Not feeling it so far #SecretService." A third fumed: "This is a bit dull #SecretService." Some were confused, with one fan saying: "I already don't understand what's going on #SecretService," and another adding: "20 mins in and still no clue what the hell is going on." One viewer simply stated: "I have given up, and turned it off #SecretService."
However, not all reactions were negative. Some viewers enjoyed the show, with one writing: "Interesting. Love spy drama #SecretService." Another added: "Binging #secretservice on ITV. Not bad so far. On Episode 3."
Secret Service is based on a best-selling novel by a famous presenter and is available to stream on ITVX.
