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The highly anticipated Cold War thriller Spy/Master is all set for its arrival on HBO Max on Friday, May 19, 2023. According to IMDb, the show will have six episodes. The show follows the story of Victor Godeanu, a high-ranking officer in Romania’s secret service, advisor to President Nicolae Ceaușescu, and a spy who decides to defect in 1978.
The official synopsis for the show, as per HBO Max, reads:
"SPY/MASTER is set during the height of the Cold War and covers a week in the life of fictional character Victor Godeanu, played by Secăreanu ("God's Own Country," "Ammonite," "Happy Valley"), the right-hand man and closest advisor to Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. However, Godeanu is also a secret agent for the KGB and must escape Romania and Ceaușescu before his cover is blown."
It further continues:
"With only one shot at staying alive, he uses a diplomatic trip to Germany as a springboard to the United States. Helped by an undercover Stasi agent and former flame played by Svenja Jung ("Deutschland89"), and an up-and-coming CIA agent played by Parker Sawyers ("Southside with You"), Godeanu must elude the KGB and his own country's spooks, fully aware that his defection is putting his family back home in mortal danger."
However, the series' high expectations are not only a result of its unique and refreshing storyline but also the fact that the show houses an incredibly talented cast, including the likes of Alec Secăreanu, Svenja Jung, and Parker Sawyers in the lead roles. The show is created by Adina Sădeanu and Kirsten Peters and directed by Christopher Smith, with cinematography by Ben Wheeler and Ádám Fillenz. Antony Root and Johnathan Young are executive producers for HBO Max, with Ioanina Pavel as the creative producer.
Spy/Master promises to be a thrilling escapade for viewers
HBO Max Romania released the trailer for Spy/Master on April 25, 2023, and it has managed to catch the attention of many, creating quite a fanbase already for its intriguing storyline. The espionage drama will follow the story of Victor Godeanu, an advisor to President Nicolae Ceaușescu, who decides to defect.
The trailer gives us a very brief insight into the show and offers a glimpse into Victor Godeanu's life as he converses with the police and tells them about his choice to defect. Being in a very controversial and sensitive position, he is then shown escaping many near-death scenarios as he's followed all around the country by men sent by the different espionage agencies.
We are also shown snippets featuring many other characters, but not many details are known pertaining to their roles. In an interview with Variety, creator Adina Sădeanu talked about the show's portrayal of Romanian culture and also shed a little light on the show's characters and storyline:
“We are happy to break the ice as the first Romanian show in Berlin. I definitely think the show will be seen differently now than when we first started to develop it. But my interest at that time was not about making a political statement about West versus East. It was about these characters, trying to navigate very precarious situations.”
He further stated that he decided to embrace Victor’s duplicity and commented:
“All these people [he meets] are crushed by history, in a way. He has a plan, he is the king, and he used to have everything at his fingertips. But then – boom – something happens. He becomes a pawn in somebody else’s game. He wakes up one day and realizes that no one is welcoming him with open arms. The only way for the pawn to become a king once again is to make it until the end.”
The unpredictability of the plot is sure to be the highlight of Spy/Master, as the trailer suggests, and viewers can expect a thoroughly entertaining and riveting series with an incredible cast to add to its flair.
More details about Spy/Master's cast
Spy/Master houses a talented star cast, with Alec Secăreanu in the lead role of Victor Godeanu. Based on the trailer for the series, the actor promises to deliver a stunning performance in the show as he manages to flawlessly dive into his character. He has previously starred in many other projects, including God's Own Country, Amulet, The Bike Thief, and Ruxx, among many others.
The show's cast also includes other characters essaying pivotal roles, including the likes of Parker Sawyers (who plays Frank Jackson), Svenja Jung (who plays Ingrid), Ana Ularu (who plays Carmen), Aiden McArdle (who plays Walter Simpson), and Claudiu Bleont (who plays Nicolae Ceausescu).
Spy/Master will be available to stream on HBO Max on May 19, 2023.
