A hugely popular TV show, which ranks as the second most expensive series ever made, is now available to stream for free in the UK. Starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra, Citadel premiered with six episodes in April 2023 and carried an astonishing budget of $300 million (£227 million). The spy action series was a clear hit, leading to a second season being green-lit ahead of its release in May this year. Now, the entire first season is available for binge-watching on ITVX.
What Is Citadel About?
Created by Amazon Prime Video, the thrilling drama follows top secret agents Mason Kane (Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Chopra). Years after having their memories wiped, the former lovers are living under new identities as Kyle Conroy and Charlotte Vernon. But when they are called back to duty, they must 'remember the past to save the future' and stop a shadowy syndicate.
Scottish Bodyguard actor Madden, 40, and Chopra, 43—India's highest-paid actress—star alongside Stanley Tucci as spymaster Bernard Orlick, a key member of the team. Other cast members include Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer, a UK ambassador, and Roland Møller as Laszlo Milla, a lead operative of Citadel's rival intelligence agency, Manticore.
Filming Locations and Production
Citadel was filmed across various locations, primarily in the UK. Scenes set in New York were shot at Canary Wharf in London, and other locations included Kensington Gardens, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Tate Modern. Additional season 1 scenes were shot in Lincolnshire, Birmingham, and Surrey. For season 2, production shifted to Toronto, Canada, with high-action sequences filmed in Slovenia as well.
Critical Reception and Audience Response
The eye-wateringly expensive show was hailed as a 'phenomenon' by Amazon, with costs rivalling those of iconic franchises like Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. However, feedback has been mixed: Citadel holds a 61% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a slightly lower 58% from audiences.
The Guardian's Lucy Mangan praised it as 'Mission: Impossible meets The Bourne Identity meets James Bond while glancing off Indiana Jones.' Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle noted that casting Manville made something old feel new. Martin Robinson of the London Evening Standard wrote that it 'won't win any awards, but so what? This is pure Saturday night fun of a super-slick kind.'
Audience reviews were similarly mixed. Frans B called it 'visually stunning' with 'suspense,' while Christian C found the plot 'fresh' and 'interesting.' On the other hand, Travis B felt it made for 'empty' television, and Joseph S described it as 'a good/ok show with a few twists and turns but cheesy dialogue, reminiscent of a soap opera with spies.'
Why Was It So Expensive?
Television production costs have risen, especially for high-quality shows. Stranger Things reportedly cost $30 million (£22.7 million) per episode. Created by the Russo Brothers, known for Marvel hits Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Citadel was inevitably a 'go big or go home' project. High spending was also due to Covid costs, which were not factored into the initial commission, and tax credits for filming locations were not accounted for either.
Future of the Series
Early spin-offs—Citadel: Honey Bunny and Citadel: Diana—were halted, and their stories were woven into the second season. However, the show's future is uncertain following the departure of Amazon MGM Studios' head Jennifer Salke. Ahead of its UK streaming release on June 14, the broadcaster stated that the acquisition marks a 'definitive moment in the streaming service's growth strategy, bringing big screen cinematic spectacle to ITVX.'
Season 1 of Citadel is now available to stream on ITVX.
