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Based on 3 seasons, 24 episodes · through April 5, 2024
Alex Rider is a teenage boy who gets recruited by a secret branch of the British intelligence agency MI6 to become a spy. He goes on dangerous missions, solves mysteries, and tries to protect his friends. The show updates the original books by changing the race of several main characters to be more diverse. It also adds a prominent female teenage hacker as a main ally for the hero.
Why 43%? See the score breakdownBreakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Alex Rider.
Woke representation / casting
The television show features a highly diverse cast that differs from the original books. Prominent characters like Jack Starbright and Sabina Pleasance are played by minority actors. The show also created Kyra, a skilled teenage girl hacker, to give the story a stronger female presence. These updates align with modern television guidelines for diversity. However, they are treated as natural parts of the world and do not distract from the spy thriller plot.
45%
Woke political dialogue
The dialogue is strictly focused on the spy plot, action, and character relationships. Characters do not talk about modern social justice, privilege, or systemic issues. The script stays faithful to the genre by focusing on high-stakes missions and survival.
0%
Production
Identity-driven story themes
The storyline is entirely driven by teenage espionage, family loss, and government secrets. There are no plots that focus on gender, race, or sexuality as systemic barriers or struggles. The characters are defined by their actions and skills rather than their identities.
0%
Western institutional / cultural critique
While MI6 is portrayed as cold, secretive, and willing to exploit a teenager, this is a standard spy fiction trope rather than a modern activist attack on Western systems. The villains are generic power-hungry billionaires and extremists. The show does not critique capitalism, traditional family values, or Western culture.
10%
Woke character or canon changes
Several major changes were made to the source novels to update the story for modern screens. Jack Starbright was changed to a Black woman, and Sabina Pleasure was renamed and race-swapped to a British Indian girl. The Point Blanc boarding school was changed from all-boys to co-ed to include Kyra, a brand-new female character. The apartheid-era background of the book's villains was also replaced with generic neo-Nazi themes.
50%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some readers and online commentators complained that the race-swapping of main characters and the creation of Kyra felt like forced diversity. They argued these changes were made to check modern political boxes. This criticism remained small and confined to online forums, as the general audience praised the show for its dark tone and action.
30%
Creator track record context
The creative team has a very low activist profile. Author Anthony Horowitz is highly critical of modern sensitivity readers and cancel culture. Creator Guy Burt and the main directors maintain professional, genre-focused histories. A few producers have minor links to standard diversity programs, but the overall team remains highly neutral.
11%
