Peacock’s The Copenhagen Test Offers a Slowly Unfolding Sci-Fi Espionage Experience
Peacock’s new series The Copenhagen Test, created by Thomas Brandon and executive produced by James Wan, follows intelligence analyst Alexander Hale, played by Simu Liu, as he uncovers a shocking breach in his own mind. Hale, an analyst with the subagency “The Orphanage,” experiences unusual headaches that reveal he has been hacked through a secret government program involving nanites. The series charts his attempts to determine whom he can trust, while colleagues debate whether he has turned rogue or is a victim of a hidden adversary. Melissa Barrera portrays Michelle, a bartender whose past connection to Alexander plays a pivotal role in the titular “test” that the show gradually explores. Other key cast members include Brian D’Arcy James as Orphanage head Moira, Saul Rubinek as Alexander’s mentor-turned-restaurateur Victor, and Adam Godley as the shadowy Henry.
Early Episodes Establish Setup Before Delivering Action and Intrigue
The first half of The Copenhagen Test focuses heavily on exposition, with repeated explanations and monologues that outline the series’ complex premise. Viewers are introduced to multiple layers of the Orphanage, from analysts on the lower floor to operatives on the upper floor handling high-level investigations. Despite the initial slow pacing, the series begins to reward patient viewers in its later episodes. Directed by Vincenzo Natali and Nima Nourizadeh, the fifth and seventh episodes feature semi-memorable set-pieces and fight sequences, while supporting characters bring depth and intrigue to the story. The show’s exploration of themes like choice, conscience, and trust culminates in a finale where the “Copenhagen Test” itself is revisited, tying together narrative threads introduced throughout the season. According to the review by Vulture, the series improves considerably after its midpoint, hinting at the smartly intricate storytelling it aims to deliver.
