The core framework of the story of The Day of the Jackal may already feel familiar if you’ve seen the earlier film adaptations from 1973 and 1997 (the latter starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere). If you haven’t, both films are absolutely worth watching—they each offer their own interpretation of the same premise.

The 2024 adaptation presents a modernized take on the classic plot, expanded across ten episodes. Eddie Redmayne, whom I’ve previously never been a particular fan of, genuinely surprised me in the best way. His performance as The Jackal is sharp, controlled, and unsettling in all the right places. I might actually need to rethink my opinion of him after this.

Overall, I really enjoyed the series. It maintained tension throughout and kept me consistently engaged. The only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five is the final episode—it felt weaker and didn’t quite deliver the payoff I was hoping for. I’ve noticed this trend lately in other series as well (looking at you, Squid Game Season 2).

Still, I highly recommend watching it, especially at a time when there aren’t many particularly exciting new releases. And good news—Season 2 has already been confirmed.