Should You Try It: The Day of the Jackal on Peacock

We’re making our way through the Fall which means that our appointments and obligations are ramping up, while some high-profile new shows are making their way to screens. But how do you know if it’s worth squeezing them into the schedule? That’s where this series comes into play as we give you the information you need to make an informed decision. Today it’s a highly anticipated drama from NBC.

Series: The Day of the Jackal

Where to Find It: The first five episodes are now streaming on Peacock with the rest of the 10-episode series dropping Thursdays.

What’s It About: This series is based on the novel of the same name from Frederick Forsyth. This isn’t the first time that it’s been adapted for the screen. It was adapted as a film of the same name in 1973, then later used as inspiration for the 1997-film The Jackal featuring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. This time it’s been adapted to series by Ronan Bennett, who is the writer behind the series Top Boy.

It follows a skilled assassin dubbed The Jackal (Eddie Redmayne) as he plies his craft on jobs throughout Europe. He does all this while trying to maintain a personal life with the woman he loves, her family, and their son. But his activities soon draw the attention of some authorities. Among them is agent Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch).

Pullman is an expert when it comes to snipers. She knows how they work and is determined to get The Jackal off the board. That sets up a game of cat-and-mouse as each tries to execute their mission.

You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of the cast, a fan of the story, or just a fan of a slow-paced drama series.

One Man’s Opinion of The Day of the Jackal

I was drawn to this series because I liked the set up and the trailer along with the cast. And all those things work well here. Redmayne is a fine actor, as is Lynch. The locations are interesting and when The Jackal is on a job, it’s fascinating to see how the wheels of the narrative turn. But there’s a reason this was previously adapted as a more contained feature.

In order to stretch it to series length, you have to dive into more of the personal and home life. In theory that could be interesting. In practice, those sequences in the early episodes feel like the drag. With episodes hovering near an hour run time, it feels like a somewhat dry presentation. I like the premise and the potential, but I’m less sold on how the series is constructed through the first couple episode.