Netflix’s The Night Agent has viewers on the edge of their seats—but just how realistic is it?
Matthew Quirk, the author of The Night Agent, which was adapted into the popular Netflix series, shared in the latest issue that his inspiration for the story came from an FBI friend.
“Every night, he would disappear at 10 o’clock for some mysterious national security job,” recalled Quirk, 45, who was working as a journalist in Washington, D.C., at the time.
“I imagined him sitting by a phone that would only ring in a life-or-death emergency, and eventually, I spun that into Peter Sutherland’s story in The Night Agent novel.”
Quirk later discovered what his friend had actually been doing.
“It was similar in many ways to Peter’s job starting out, though it was even more fascinating and high stakes than I had guessed,” he revealed.
“Another friend’s dad was in that kind of situation—I knew him for years before I found out—and he was incredibly helpful in getting me access to the CIA and insights into real-life mole hunts that I used for the book.”
How Real Is Night Action?
When discussing the concept of Night Action, Quirk confirmed that it is “a real thing,” though it doesn’t work exactly as portrayed in the series.
“A network of officers work all day and night in the White House Situation Room and other watch desks around D.C., ready to field any crisis,” he explained.
The Night Agent“As I understand it, ‘Night Action’ is the code for an event so critical that they have to wake the most powerful men and women in the United States to deal with it immediately.
I was fascinated by the idea—which really happens—of a young watch officer in the Situation Room having to wake the President and give the leader of the free world his or her first take on a looming crisis.”
The Success of The Night Agent
Premiering in 2023, The Night Agent follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) as he is thrust into the middle of a massive conspiracy involving a mole at the highest levels of the U.S. government.
The series became a massive hit, ranking as the third-most-viewed debut series on Netflix within its first four days. Due to its success, Netflix renewed the show just one week after its release. Ahead of its second season, the action thriller has already secured a renewal for season 3.
Gabriel Basso’s Dedication to Stunts
Basso, 30, recently spoke about his commitment to performing all of his own stunts while portraying Peter Sutherland.
“I think that can kind of get misconstrued into the world of like, I do it because I want to say I can do it, and it’s really not about that,” he said during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last month. “To me, it’s about audience immersion.”
Basso emphasized that his goal is for viewers to fully believe in his performance.
“I don’t want audiences watching the show, and then right as I’m about to get hit or hip-tossed or thrown onto my back, you know. I feel like it’s a lie. I enjoy acting—I don’t like lying.”
He further explained: “They like Peter, and watching him take hits is important, I feel like. And if that requires me to get tossed into a wall, then fine. It’s not the end of the world.”
Where to Watch
The Night Agent is currently streaming on Netflix.