Shaun Evans thriller Betrayal feels like it was made in a different era – and not in a good way

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Spy thrillers are common on television, so any new show needs to grab our attention fast. This is especially true now that a fantastic series like The Night Manager has recently returned.

ITV’s new show, Betrayal, immediately sets itself apart by presenting a realistic take on espionage. It focuses not only on the main character, John, and his work, but also on the difficulties he’s facing in his failing marriage, making his personal life central to the story.

Both of these ideas have promise, but turning them into reality presents a challenge. The difficulty lies in actually making them work.

Despite trying to offer a new perspective on a familiar genre, this series feels surprisingly old-fashioned, especially in how it depicts John’s problems in his marriage.

Right from the start of the first episode, we meet John, played by Shaun Evans, and his wife Claire (Romola Garai) in marriage counseling. They’ve been married for ten years and have two children, but their relationship is struggling, mainly due to the pressures of John’s work at MI5.

Claire wishes John would spend more time at home so she could focus on her career instead of constantly managing childcare. She’s also frustrated by his hidden activities, and when he faces a work investigation, she secretly hopes it will encourage him to leave his job and pursue a different path.

John feels like he doesn’t quite fit in at work and understands the company has changed without him. However, he’s dedicated to his career and plans to stay, despite any complaints he might have. He’s particularly frustrated with Claire’s constant nagging.

John is concerned that Claire is becoming too friendly with her boss, Martin. However, his worry might stem from his own past – he previously had an affair with a coworker, which has made Claire hesitant to trust him.

The content itself isn’t unbelievable or old-fashioned, but the portrayal of the wife as constantly nagging feels surprisingly outdated. This is especially true because we don’t learn much about Claire as a person beyond her roles as a mother and wife.

While she works and wants to advance her career, it feels like this is just something happening to John, not a core part of her personality that we’re invested in seeing develop.

Sometimes, the show seems to push viewers to root for John and dislike Claire. A good example is when John wants to invite his mother for Christmas – the way it’s presented is extremely biased, making Claire appear unnecessarily mean and unsympathetic.

Around fifteen years ago, actress Anna Gunn, who played Skyler in Breaking Bad, received a lot of unfair online hate. Some fans strongly disliked her character because she constantly questioned her husband, Walter White, and opposed his criminal activities.

At that point, Walt was making and selling methamphetamine illegally. Many fans, myself included, believe Skyler’s response was completely understandable considering the danger and devastation Walt brought to her family.

With “Betrayal,” defending the husband’s actions is trickier. Look, marital imbalance and disagreements over childcare are relatable and valid issues. However, as a viewer, I genuinely felt the film wanted me to be firmly on John’s side, and honestly, it’s a pretty straightforward case of wanting you to root for him without a lot of complicated moral questions.

He might not be perfect, but he’s looking into a possible terrorist threat in the UK. If this means Claire misses out on a promotion or doesn’t get to see what he does every day, most people would agree it’s a worthwhile sacrifice to protect the public.

It’s difficult to sympathize with Claire’s perspective if we don’t see her daily life or understand her struggles. Without witnessing her challenges as a parent, or the impact of his infidelity, it’s hard to truly care about her feelings, even if we acknowledge the justified distrust she feels.

This storyline feels strange and doesn’t quite fit with what audiences expect from TV in 2026. We’ve had a lot of discussions about prioritizing stories focused on women, and modern TV also values complex and subtle storytelling, making this plot feel particularly out of touch.

Honestly, this particular plotline just didn’t grab me. It wasn’t just that it was a distraction – it really stuck out – but it was also just… predictable. As a fan of the series, I’ve seen this ‘marriage and espionage’ angle done before, and this iteration didn’t offer any fresh insights. It felt like it was rehashing old ground, and the idea of relationships falling apart, whether it’s spies or just regular people, wasn’t presented in any new or interesting way.

Beyond that, the workplace drama John is caught up in isn’t very engaging. Surprisingly, a lot of the movie focuses on John complaining about current social issues and office disagreements. While this might be a more modern topic, it feels like a well-worn and overused storyline we’ve seen many times in the last five to ten years.

It’s ironic that the show’s spy and investigation elements, which focus on Iran, are actually quite relevant today. However, even these parts are underwhelming because the story prioritizes realism over thrilling action. Without the constant mentions of MI5, you’d easily mistake this for a standard detective show.

It’s truly unfortunate that the series doesn’t make better use of its actors, especially Shaun Evans, who delivers a remarkably strong performance. He brings a raw, emotional, and often funny energy to the role, and his dedication to the project is clear.

Romola Garai delivers a performance that surpasses the quality of the script, and Zahra Ahmadi finally gets the spotlight she deserves, with her character Mehreen’s story being the most captivating part of the show. A second season of Betrayal could be really successful if it centered more on the dynamic between John and Mehreen, minimized the focus on John’s personal life, and included more action.

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This show is unfortunately a bit of a mess. It feels stuck between older ideas about marriage and a very serious attempt at realism, which unfortunately makes it forget that spy stories should be enjoyable.

Betrayal will premiere at 9pm on Sunday 8th February on ITV1 and ITVX in 2026.

Don’t miss ‘Betrayal’! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at the international production company Fremantle. He has a BA in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-02-08 11:05