EntertainmentTVAction ShowsAmazon’s new adaptation of a hit movie is a masterclass in how to approach remakesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVAction ShowsAmazon’s new adaptation of a hit movie is a masterclass in how to approach remakesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Prime Video)
Two things can be true at once: remakes can be unnecessary and they can be great business. They simplify marketing for studios because the audience already knows what to expect. However, most fans crave original content. So, it’s no surprise that some of Donald Glover’s fans were disappointed when news broke that he would be remaking the beloved movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Little did anyone know that Glover and his co-creator, Francesca Sloane, were about to deliver a masterclass in approaching remakes.
Before the show even premiered, Sloanewrote an open letteracknowledging that fans of the 2005 version ofMr. & Mrs. Smith, which starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as undercover spies, might feel that a new iteration is unnecessary. Over the past decade, Glover has pushed the boundaries of television with shows like Swarm and Atlanta, so his fans and critics understandably expect excellence from him every time he releases something new. A remake seemed beneath his talents. But according to Sloane, that’s precisely why they decided to make the show. She shared that Glover only considered remaking Mr. & Mrs. Smith for the Amazon streaming service Prime Video because it would require such a big swing.
A sign of its time
(Image credit: Prime Video)
Prime Video’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith reimagines the story yet again, focusing on two things that dominate millennial’s romantic prospects: marriage is work and work is everything. In the new interpretation, the Smiths work remotely for an espionage agency where their only connection to the agency is a nameless, faceless individual whom the Smiths call ‘HiHi’ because that’s how the individual starts their emails.
The episodes explore how a relationship evolves in the age of technology. The first episode, ‘First Date,’ introduces the Smiths telling a computer about what led them to take this job and it plays out like an allegory of online dating where John and Jane seemingly overshare things that one would typically not say on the first date – like how much money you currently have in your bank account.
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Meanwhile, another episode involves Jane finding out that John impulse-bought a vacation home in Italy, and that’s when she truly realizes that he’s bad with money. Every episode delves into a significant stage of a relationship that most people have gone through in one way or another. But past all the relationship drama and spy missions, the show never relents in reminding the audience that this is all just work for the Smiths.
Their failure to see eye-to-eye eventually leads to them failing a mission. ‘HiHi’ promptly reminds them that they can only fail thrice. So in every episode when the Smiths are self-sabotaging in their relationship and in their work – which is just about every episode – there are increased stakes.
Work-life balance
(Image credit: Prime Video)
We’re in an era where studios hope that their various franchises and intellectual properties outlive their audience, so it’s great that filmmakers are figuring out fresh ways of still using these confines to create something truly remarkable and unique. Work and technology are two themes perfect for modern-day viewers, and the drama manages to find a fresh lens to view them through.
In Mr. & Mrs. Smith the question is no longer about if these two can find a way to work through their problems together, it’s about whether these people can find a way to work and be together. And that’s ostensibly why the show works so well, it uses predetermined premises and expectations of a franchise as tools to speak directly to a new generation.
For more, check out our guides to thebest Amazon showsand thebest Amazon moviesavailable now.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
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4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”