I don’t like what I ultimately named my HBO-based series based on the world of James Bond. I initially figured it would be called 00 (Double O), but that sounds too bland. But for the moment, it’s titled On His Majesty’s Secret Service until something better comes along.
But the first season focused on the more brutal and realistic Terry Hamilton 002. In the second season, I want things to be a bit more loose with the cannon and lighthearted in the style of Roger Moore. Enter agent Alistair Lewis 008. I said previously that I imagined Bill Nighy in the role, but with him clearly too old, next in line is David Tennant. Tennant was strangely almost James Bond before Daniel Craig was announced. As hard as that is for me to imagine, at least producers could see him believably play a British spy. However, Tennant is now in his 50s, so it is unlikely that he would ever play the part. Nevertheless the role calls for a David Tennant-like actor.
The Terry Hamilton character terrified the usual MI6 crew with him ignoring Moneypenny altogether and discarding Q’s gadgets outright. But I want Alistair Lewis to be a bit more cordial albeit awkward. I find it amusing to find new ways for 00 agents to annoy M; M begrudgingly respects Bond, he’s terrified of Hamilton, and he’s simply embarrassed for Lewis. 008 doesn’t know how to shut up and can’t contain his excitement when discussing certain particulars of his next assignment.
I want the impression that Lewis failed his way upward; his only redeeming qualities being he’s a lethal sniper and can effortlessly gather intelligence without being detected. These are useful skills in modern espionage but in the world of the 00s, he is found lacking. But Lewis tries his best to keep up, often emulating Bond’s proclivity for gambling (though without Bond’s success). He even attempts to flirt with Moneypenny, though she fails to pick up on his advances. However he finds a kindred spirit in Q where they both express their fondness in gadgetry (and often annoying Q’s underlings).
I also want to revisit some previously established characters in the franchise. While gambling late into the night at some posh London casino, Lewis runs into Sylvia Trench. After he takes her to bone zone, he learns that she’s on the rebound because her previous boyfriend (presumably James Bond) went to Istanbul and never came back. Lewis assumes that it one was a one night stand and he’d never hear from her again. Of course, he’s wrong.
And fuck it, bring back Felix Leiter too. I remember hearing about a comic book featuring Leiter where he was no longer in the CIA and was working as a private detective. I think this works well for Jeffrey Wright’s version. Wright’s Felix seems like a bit of an alcoholic and disgruntled with the CIA. So in the show, Leiter flames out of the intelligence community and is working as a private investigator and maintains his connections with MI6. Lewis is sent to the US for his next mission with Felix being his first contact. Felix, meanwhile, is exited by the prospect of working with 007 again but is disappointed when Lewis arrives. Like everyone at MI6, Felix is annoyed by Alistair Lewis’ naive enthusiasm for the mission. The second season partly becomes a buddy cop story with Wright’s world weary Felix contrasting with the ever joyful, yet confidence-lacking Alistair Lewis. The two bounce around Key West before uncovering a world-ending plot by the villain. Though the CIA is initially skeptical of their claims, it reawakens Felix’s enthusiasm for espionage and M begins to respect Lewis as an elite spy. Finally 008 is called to London to finish the mission where Sylvia Trench has inadvertently involved herself into Lewis’s affairs.
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