Agent From Above Finally Lands on Netflix — Was the Seven-Year Wait Worth It?

Well, after nearly a decade in the works (yep, you read that right), Netflix has finally dropped one of its most ambitious action-fantasy bets yet: Agent from Above. If you thought The Witcher or Shadow & Bone took ages to get here, this one might just win the prize for 'most production headaches per runtime minute'.

Here’s the backstory: Agent from Above is based on 'The Oracle Comes,' the first book in a popular Taiwanese novel series by Teensy. The pitch is basically: what if you mashed up Taiwanese folk beliefs, spirit mediums, and slick modern fantasy? It centers on Han Chieh (Kai Ko), a former medium turned supernatural fixer, basically forced into cosmic community service by the Third Crown Prince (Wang Po-chieh) after a childhood mistake. In other words, he atones for past sins by dealing with ghostly messes in our world.

The Wild Ride to Release

• Announced: About seven years ago—or, as it probably feels to Netflix, a geological epoch back.
• Delays: A mix of on-set injuries, endless post-production, and yep, the pandemic grinding things to a halt.
• Actual Premiere: Finally hit Netflix on April 2, 2024.

So, was all that fuss worth it? Well, the early reviews are doing their best impression of a magic 8-ball: very mixed signals.

What Critics Are Saying

Some outlets are ready to get swept up in Agent from Above’s supernatural strangeness. K-Waves & Beyond called it a “predictable yet stylish blend of folklore and action that keeps you hooked.” And, to be fair, they really liked the characters, the world-building, and the fact that it’s actually pretty entertaining:

"In the end, Agent from Above delivers an interesting mix of action, mythology, and character-centric storytelling. It is able to succeed the most in delivering an entertaining and engaging narrative with interesting characters, their relationships, and an immersive world. It is a series that will hold your attention from beginning to end."

Leisurebyte wasn’t quite as glowy, but their verdict was basically, 'If you like supernatural action that leans hard into folklore, give it a try. Just don’t expect your mind to be blown.'

Unfortunately, not every critic found the years of hype justified. But Why Tho? said Agent from Above 'falls short of greatness,' even though it's an enjoyable story with a solid cast and a few good ideas. The consensus: watchable, but not must-watch TV. Decider landed somewhere similar—they say 'stream it' but flag the 'tonal shifts' and uneven mix of dark and light characters as reasons why it never quite clicks.

The award for harshest review so far? That goes to DMTalkies, who called it a 'bloated CGI-fest' with occasional flashes of decent effects and action. Their take basically boiled down to: just watch Constantine instead, unless you’re specifically into Taiwanese mythology.

"The performances from the entire cast are fantastic. Kai Ko, Buffy Chen, Hsueh Shin-ling, Wang Po-chieh, and pretty much everyone who shows up on the screen for even a few seconds are excellent. Is that reason enough to give the show a watch? Yeah, sure; or you can just watch Constantine."

The Bottom Line

If you’re in the mood for a supernatural adventure that’s been bubbling away forever in Netflix’s development cauldron, Agent from Above is finally here. It’s got great performances and a cool cultural spin, but don’t expect the second coming of fantasy television—unless your standards really only require folklore, a few ghosts, and some noble attempts at dazzling action. If you do give it a go, just know you’re wading into a show with as many behind-the-scenes twists as on-screen ones.

Agent from Above is now streaming on Netflix.