High-stakes marriage. Action. Global travel. It’s been twenty years since Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie redefined the power couple, and honestly, we haven’t been the same since. When Amazon first announced a Mr. & Mrs. Smith series without the original stars, the internet was skeptical. People were annoyed. They thought it was another soulless cash grab. But then Donald Glover and Maya Erskine showed up, and suddenly, the "spy marriage" wasn't just about guns—it was about laundry, insecurities, and how hard it is to actually like the person you love.
The reality of Mr. & Mrs. Smith has always been a weird blend of fantasy and relatable domestic dread. Most people forget the 2005 movie was actually based on an even older 1996 TV show. It's a concept that keeps coming back because it taps into a universal truth: you never really know who you're sleeping next to.
The Evolution of the Smith Dynamic
In the Pitt-Jolie era, the hook was simple. They were two top-tier assassins working for rival agencies. Neither knew the other's secret. It was a classic "oops, my spouse is trying to kill me" scenario. It worked because the chemistry was nuclear. The 2005 film, directed by Doug Liman, wasn't trying to be deep. It was trying to be sexy. It succeeded. It made $487 million globally and effectively birthed "Brangelina."
But the 2024 series flipped the script. In this version, John and Jane Smith are strangers who sign up for a job. The agency, a mysterious entity known only as "Hihi," pairs them up. They aren't rivals; they’re partners. They know from day one that they are spies.
This change sounds minor, but it's massive. It shifts the drama from "when will they find out?" to "can these two broken people actually make a life together?" It’s a workplace drama disguised as a thriller. The action is almost secondary to the awkwardness of moving into a multi-million dollar brownstone with a stranger and trying to figure out if they're a cat person or a dog person.
Why the Donald Glover Version Hit Different
Glover’s John Smith isn't a suave super-spy. He’s a guy who got kicked out of the military and has a weirdly close relationship with his mom. Maya Erskine’s Jane is prickly, avoidant, and probably has a personality disorder. They aren't "cool." They're messy.
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The show focused on "missions" that felt more like therapy sessions. One episode has them shadowing a high-value target in the Italian Dolomites. They aren't just worried about the target; they’re fighting because Jane thinks John is too needy. It’s hilarious. It’s also deeply uncomfortable. This isn't the James Bond version of spying. It’s the "I have to share a bathroom with you for the next thirty years" version.
Critics like Francesca Orsi at Amazon MGM Studios have noted that the show’s success came from its willingness to be "genre-bending." It’s not a sitcom, but it's funny. It’s not a pure drama, but people cry. It’s not John Wick, but people definitely die.
The Hihi Mystery and the Cost of Failure
What makes the new Mr. & Mrs. Smith world so stressful is the agency. In the original movie, the agencies were corporate and faceless. In the series, Hihi is an AI-driven, chat-based overlord. You get three "fails." After that? You’re "retired." And in this world, retirement involves a sniper rifle.
This adds a layer of existential dread that the movie lacked. In the movie, the Smiths were the best in the world. In the show, they’re mid-tier. They’re replaceable. That feeling of being a cog in a giant, uncaring machine resonates with anyone who’s ever had a corporate job, even if your job doesn't involve kidnapping billionaires.
The Problem With Reboots (And How They Dodged It)
Usually, reboots fail because they try to recreate the "lightning in a bottle" of the original stars. You cannot recreate Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2005. You just can't. The producers—including showrunner Francesca Sloane—knew this. They didn't try to out-sexy the movie. They decided to out-weird it.
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They also leaned into guest stars. Paul Dano, Parker Posey, Wagner Moura, and Sarah Paulson all show up. These aren't just cameos; they’re mirrors for John and Jane. The episode with the "Other Smiths" (Moura and Posey) is a masterclass in tension. It shows what happens when a spy marriage goes on for too long and becomes toxic. It’s terrifying.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
Wait, did they die? That’s the big question after the Season 1 finale. John is wounded. Jane is down to her last bullet. A rival Smith is waiting outside the door. Then, we see three flashes of light through the window.
Most viewers assumed it was a cliffhanger. It was. But it was also a thematic conclusion. The show was about them finally choosing each other, regardless of the cost. Whether they lived or died is almost less important than the fact that they finally stopped lying.
Amazon has confirmed a Season 2. However, the big rumor—partially confirmed by industry trades—is that Donald Glover and Maya Erskine might not return as the leads. The show is an anthology. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a title, not just two specific people. This is a bold move. It treats the "Smith" identity as a cursed mantle passed from one unlucky couple to the next.
Practical Insights for Fans and Creators
If you're looking at Mr. & Mrs. Smith as a case study in modern entertainment, there are a few things to take away.
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First, the "Power of the IP" isn't about the specific characters; it's about the central conflict. The "secret identity marriage" is a goldmine for storytelling because it's a metaphor for the masks we wear in relationships.
Second, tone is everything. You can have a show that is both a romantic comedy and a brutal action thriller. You just have to be consistent with the emotional stakes. If the characters don't care about the relationship, the audience won't care about the bullets.
How to approach the franchise today:
- Watch the 2005 movie for the spectacle. It’s a time capsule of peak Hollywood stardom. It’s fun, fast, and lacks any real consequences.
- Watch the 2024 series for the psychology. It’s better if you’re actually in a relationship because the fights will feel uncomfortably familiar.
- Pay attention to the background details. In the series, the "Hihi" messages are full of personality. The way the agency talks to them is a subtle commentary on how we interact with technology.
- Don't expect a traditional sequel. If Season 2 features a completely different couple, embrace it. The show is about the institution of the Smith marriage, not just John and Jane.
The legacy of Mr. & Mrs. Smith isn't just about cool people walking away from explosions. It’s about the intimacy of shared secrets. Whether it's the high-octane glamour of the early 2000s or the indie-sleaze aesthetic of the 2020s, the core remains the same. We love watching people try to balance a normal life with an extraordinary lie.
Going forward, expect more "high-concept" reboots to follow this blueprint. Don't copy the original; subvert it. If the original was loud, make the new one quiet. If the original was about perfection, make the new one about flaws. That's how you keep a twenty-year-old idea from feeling like a fossil.
Moving into the next phase of the franchise, keep an eye on casting announcements for the upcoming season. The shift toward an anthology format suggests that the "Smith" universe is expanding, potentially exploring different types of couples—older, younger, or from different cultural backgrounds—all trapped in the same lethal contract. This move could solidify the series as a long-running staple of the streaming era rather than a one-off hit.