‘Ten Percent’ illuminates a kinder, gentler talent agency built on a gentlemen’s agreement

Category: Television and Streaming

Can you imagine being on the receiving end of fury of a disgruntled has-been prima donna? I was not privy to how she was roped into the role — way above my pay grade —, but she was promised the world and then unceremoniously dropped like a hot potato.

While the betrayed and abandoned dragon diva was biting my head off and spewing venom at every turn, her so-called agent was simply too busy providing a good bit of handholding for an up-and-coming ingénue the film director was crazy about. And she was also working on getting herself a role in front of a camera.

Geez, who died and made you agent? Your negligence in handling your irate diva is certifiable. I’ve had enough of dangerously self-absorbed and despicable people like you! Now there’s a new show about a talent agency…Nuh-uh, no way!! I’m not even going to go there.

The Sundance Now original series Ten Percent, however, turns out to be a workplace dramedy with a lot of heart. The eight-episode remake of hit French series Call My Agent! centers around a small boutique stalwart agency Nightingale Hart in bustling world of London’s entertainment industry.

Jonathan Nightingale (Jack Davenport), the Prince Charles at Nightingale Hart, has been waiting for his life to begin even as he approaches middle age. Richard (Jim Broadbent) asked his only son to join the agency he had co-founded with Stella Hart (Maggie Steed), but did not groom him to take over the business one day. After his unexpected departure, the agency scrambles to retain Richard’s clients — as a team, not a fire sale — and keep the lights on.

Stella, co-founder/senior partner/major shareholder, is a gentlewoman of the old school; gracious, mannerly, principled, and absolutely committed to her clients. She is determined to maintain the founding motto — mutual loyalty through thick and thin — built on a gentlemen’s agreement. Stella is joined by fellow agents — Rebecca (Lydia Leonard) and Dan (Prasanna Puwanarajah) — for voting against climbing into bed with Americans. However insecure and self-conscious Jonathan might feel with his precarious position, he alone has to make the most difficult decision of his privileged and entitled life.

Julia (Rebecca Humphries), Jonathan’s frenzied and fanatic assistant, watches over him with hawk-eyed scrutiny and anticipates and satisfies his every whim. Lately, Julia is up in a tizzy wondering why a new hire Misha (Hiftu Quasem) and Jonathan are on such familiar terms. Who is Misha? And why does Ollie (Harry Trevaldwyn), Dan’s assistant, like her so much?

Unlike the epicenter of the entertainment industry — a hotbed of cut-throat viciousness, backstabbing, egotism, blatant nepotism, and comedy/tragedy (depending on how you look at it) —, London remains to be kinder, gentler fringe Hollywood where loyalty, friendship, courtesy and respect are nurtured and maintained. With such a sense of ‘British sensibility’ incorporated, Ten Percent is undeniably warm, touching, charming and normal; ordinary, flawed people doing their best while their clients — even A-listers — are insecure, vulnerable and perfectly relatable human beings you want to root for.

It reminds me of that warm and fuzzy feeling I always get from watching The Great British Baking Show née The Great British Bake Off. Mix good character, mutually beneficial etiquette, best efforts, and grace in losing and bake for an hour — voila! —  out comes the hearty ‘television comfort food’ fresh from the oven!

The first two episodes of Ten Percent premiere on Sundance Now and AMC+, AMC Networks’ streaming services, on Friday, April 29, 2022 followed by a new episode every Fridays. If you don’t subscribe to the streaming services, BBC America airs the first episode on Sunday, May 1 with one episode weekly thereafter.

 

About the Author

Meg Mimura is a TV critic who actually watches shows zealously in search of thought-provoking and paradigm shifting human drama worth our precious time. She is a member of Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter.

COURTESY PHOTO