When I got an invitation to see an early screening of The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, I was intensely intrigued. My husband and I had seen The Terminal List and I was interested to see what the prequel could give us. What it gives us is emotional performances, particularly by Taylor Kitsch and Tom Hopper, gritty, realistic action, dark intrigue with a fantastic soundtrack that sets a killer mood.

The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is a prequel to The Terminal List, created by Jack Carr and David DiGilio. The series follows the character of Ben Edwards throughout his journey from Navy Seal to the CIA delving into the darker side of warfare and its human cost. The first two episodes begin with Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) serving in Iran as chief of SEAL team 5 with Lieutenant Rafe Hastings (Tom Hopper) as Troop commander alongside Lieutenant James Reece (Chris Pratt), head of SEAL team 7. The teams end up encountering one of the leaders of ISIS which results in Ben and Rafe working with the CIA on a covert mission. Robert Wisdom stars as Jed Haverford, a CIA spymaster who recruits Ben and Rafe and Rona-Lee Shimon as Eliza Perash, a Mossad operative working with the CIA. 

One of the elements I like best is in the first episode, the writing quickly introduces the military action in a believable and realistic fashion. The training of the men Ben and Rafe work with, Iranian troops, is gritty and realistic. The show does not flinch from showing the very real consequences of war and the sometimes darker aspects where governments and spy organizations like the CIA make deals to release those that might be monsters all for the intelligence they can provide. Without giving away the narrative, I like how seamlessly the show moves from the very gritty military scenes to the intrigue and spy elements. Both Tom and Rafe take on the role of shooters for the CIA with a willingness to change their circumstances and the action of their hunt for the information needed is intense. 

Each episode has some of the best music I’ve heard for a television series. Not only does it set a killer mood but it helps add to the intensity of the intrigue and the emotional performances. While the show might easily be as good without the soundtrack, the music gives the series the perfect atmosphere, changing as the show does, moving from action to emotional intensity as Ben’s journey continues.

Taylor Kitsch is excellent, the perfect person for the role of Ben Edwards. He gives an emotional performance with a fantastic dynamic with Tom Hopper and Chris Pratt. All three, along with the other members of the team, feel like soldiers and brothers in arms. The chemistry between all three is incredible. Tom Hopper gives a more restrained performance but has a deep intensity that offsets Taylor Kitsch’s gritty action and Chris Pratt’s more jovial tone. When the series moves into the intrigue for the second episode, both Robert Wisdom as Jed Haverford and Rona-Lee Shimon as Eliza Perash are phenomenal.

There are some predictable aspects. In order for Ben Edwards to go from Navy Seal to CIA, you know something has to happen to motivate his character and create that change. It’s easy to predict what happens in the first episode and the approach of Jed in the second episode is particularly necessary for the set up of the series. That said, nothing felt forced. It felt believable and realistic. I especially feel that the military scenes are especially well written, close to aspects described to me by those who have been in combat. This is a series that writes military action that is incredibly realistic.

If you liked The Terminal List or you like military action or espionage series, this is an amazing show. It has a great cast that conveys emotion in a believable manner. The action is gritty and realistic. The intrigue is dark and well executed. The soundtrack sets a killer mood. The actors, Taylor Kitsch and Tom Hopper along with the other performers are excellent. They feel like real soldiers, those that have been in combat and dealt with the consequences of war. I can’t wait to see the rest of the series.

4.5 guns out of 5

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