# Patriot (2015)

> A burned-out intelligence officer goes undercover as a Midwestern pipe-firm employee to stop Iran's nuclear program, and the cover slowly eats at him.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/56982

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 18
- Episode runtime: 52 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy, drama, thriller
- Created by: Steven Conrad
- Network: Prime Video
- Cast: Michael Dorman, Terry O'Quinn, Kurtwood Smith, Michael Chernus, Kathleen Munroe, Aliette Opheim, Chris Conrad, Gil Bellows
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4687882/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: melancholic, anxious, deadpan, philosophical, somber

## What critics say

Critics and audiences acclaim Patriot as a unique, quirky blend of dark comedy and tense spy drama, praised for its writing, performances and deliberate craft.

## Synopsis

Patriot (2015-2018) is an American dark comedy spy series created by Steven Conrad for Amazon Prime Video. Michael Dorman plays intelligence officer John Tavner, who must abandon every safety net and assume a non-official cover as a mid-level employee at a Midwestern industrial piping firm, with the goal of preventing Iran from going nuclear. Terry O'Quinn co-stars as Tom Tavner, while Kurtwood Smith plays Leslie Claret and Kathleen Munroe plays Alice Tavner, and the family and handler relationships pull at the protagonist from every side. The engine of the show is the gap between a lonely operative's secret mission and the banal demands of a corporate office, where every errand carries real jeopardy. The series spans two seasons totaling eighteen episodes, following one continuing story rather than a case of the week. It is set in the present-day American heartland and Europe, with its espionage grounded in the post 9/11 security world. The tone is melancholy and anxious, with deadpan humor sitting beside genuine dread and philosophical reflection. Its unhurried visual style, built on long takes and slow push-ins, favors quiet character moments. Fans of Barry, The Americans and Homeland will find resonance here.

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