Eli is very much fashioned as an actor spy: Cohen never wields a gun, and only sporadically is shown snooping around. This is much more about something that’s innate within Sacha Baron Cohen’s work, of being able to read people in order to gain intel. Within the series’ compelling and grounded games of wit, Cohen makes it believable that he could blend in with these different crowds, despite likely being the tallest person in the room, and keeps the story grounded with the threat of Eli making a grave misjudgment. The most irresistible tension from the series, with big action scenes never missed, is in seeing Eli possibly get in over his head while interacting with people who could easily cut him off and in turn, kill the mission.
But while Cohen is thrilling to watch as either Eli and Kamel, there’s a difference between impersonating and full dramatic acting, and “The Spy” too readily exemplifies it. Cohen can vividly present the the lives of Eli or Kamel, but he can’t capture the the nuance in someone who is stuck being both. Subtlety has never been something associated with Cohen’s showmanship, and that changes little here despite, and because of, the series’ grandiose dramatic aspirations. It’s Cohen’s little forlorn glances and quiet beats—meant to depict Eli breaking character—that can break the spell of “The Spy,” which is strongest when Cohen is exploring one character or the other.
Raff’s series emphasizes the isolation of espionage by spending time with Nadia, alone and pregnant, her husband no longer leaving surprise love notes in her apartment as he once did. It's a strong performance from Rotem, and creates a less lethal set of stakes, especially as Dan starts to get close to her, as if to offer some condolence for the dangerous mission he’s sent her husband on. But the cheesy side of “The Spy” takes over with these ruminations, like when Eli and Nadia are depicted in a split-screen segment, both sitting in a kitchen, eating a snack, staring off and undoubtedly thinking about the other.
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