Some people believe in love at first sight. Which is valid, I do too. It can be a person’s captivating smile, that twinkle in their eye, or they’re simply giving off the right aura. Whatever that inexplicable attraction may be….I’ve felt it. It happened. Recently. During the first five minutes…of watching Bodyguard on Netflix.

Damn, this show actually makes me want to be a spy. Actually, no correction. This show makes me want to commit a crime that is a threat to national security just so Richard Madden comes to my rescue.

Ignoring his outstanding good looks and charming accent, it is no surprise Richard Madden received a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a drama series. He perfectly melts into his role throughout the entire pilot.  The show centers around Richard Madden as David Budd, a war veteran who works as a Metropolitan Police Service in the Royalty and Specialist Protection in London. In episode 1, we are quickly exposed to David’s private life. He is captivating. In the first twenty minutes, he calms down a suicide bomber thanks to his striking good looks wit and communication skills. While the next scenes show us he is talking with his ex-wife (Vicky) about their dissolving marriage.

After his successful negotiation with the suicide bomber, David is appointed as the police protection officer for Britain’s Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes). Montague is the definition of HBIC. She’s a stern politician, advocating for British involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as increasing government powered surveillance to protect public safety. Julia’s numerous enemies don’t make David’s job any easier. Plus, David’s broken relationship with Vicky makes him extremely emotionally available. UGH, so Julia and David end up having some mad attraction between each other. *rolls eyes out of jealousy

But David experiences his own inner conflicts. He is loyal and devoted to a case that repeatedly places him in life-threatening situations while constantly reminded of traumatic memories, accompanied by emotional and physical stress. The disparity produces a cognitive dissonance, which is why David appears to be so unhappy in the first episode.

Although it’s just the beginning, I’m in love. I found myself glued to every, single, micro-expression that David made throughout the episode. Within the first episode, Bodyguard has proved to be a well-written political thriller that is all-encompassing. The dialogue and cinematic style create a story filled with anticipation that kept me hooked the entire time. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

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