Splinter Cell: Deathwatch (2025)

Thanks to a great turn as Fisher by Liev Schreiber and a briskly paced plot with enjoyable characters, it’s time well-spent. If it were a book, it’d be a page-turner.

In spite of a bumpy start and inconsistent animation, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch still proves a worthwhile enough adaptation to keep Netflix's success streak alive.

Deathwatch definitely feels dialed into its video game and book franchise source material. But it also has a lot of style on its own, and a growly lead voice acting performance from Liev Schreiber, two factors that feed its freestanding quality.

Splinter Cell: Deathwatch is often a decently good-looking show, even though it and the aforementioned action scenes are spliced in with an international conspiracy story that's generic at best and hollow at worst.

It’s a really great Show overall. I really dug it a lot. It was, for the most part, a well done Series and I hope there’s more to come. The last two episodes though seemed rushed and clunky though. The inconsistencies were glaring as far as characters, their movements and skills in Action Scenes, the rushed Writing & anti-climactic Directing. Still better than most TV these days. But consistency is key.

Bon évidemment, comme attendu, les adaptations de jeux vidéo en films (et a fortiori en séries) sont toujours de la merde… ou du moins dans la grande majorité des cas. Et ce Splinter animé ne déroge pas à la règle, bien évidemment ! le contraire eut été étonnant, voire carrément contrariant ! ou même… impossible ! Impossible en effet, car de toute façon, Ubisoft est devenu depuis une dizaine d’années Ubiwoke et devient chaque année qui passe, encore plus woke ! d’ailleurs, cette boîte est en train de crever, à petit feu, dans son wokisme, car comme le veut l’adage maintes fois vérifié, go woke go broke !! Ubiwoke se fera donc racheter par une corpo chinoise, laquelle est et reste aux ordres de la dictature post-mao communiste, cela va sans dire, mais qui foutera au moins à la porte (après bien entendu le dégraissage standard) tous les wokistes qui y travaillent et y sévissent… Et d’ailleurs, ils n’aiment pas non plus la ligue LGBT etc, donc même ceux-là / celles-là ont du souci à se faire ! Vivement ce jour, donc. Et en attendant, regardez ou plutôt ne regardez pas ce massacre de la vénérable licence d’infiltration Splinter Cell qui n’a jamais connu le wokisme, et pour cause, puisque le dernier jeu remonte à 2013. On a ici en tout cas toutes les cases qui sont cochées parmi la litanie wokiste progressiste DEI ESG SJW etc… avec aussi bien entendu la laideur particulièrement frappante des personnages féminins (la laideur est obligatoire chez les wokistes). On s’aperçoit également très vite que l’esprit de la licence n’est pas respecté : dès le premier épisode, des flots de violence inutile, des émotions déversées (ça ne fait pas pro, non, non), quasiment aucune discrétion, pas de gadgets et j’en passe… et des meilleures du pire, évidemment. Enfin, l’animation est vraiment affreusement mal faite, en adéquation soit dit en passant avec la laideur générale de la série : c’est étonnamment super moche, à croire qu’ils l’ont fait exprès, ce qui ne m’étonnerait pas, tant le wokisme pervertit toutes les formes d’art, quelles qu’elles soient, partout, tout le temps.

Animation & Artstyle: Strongest attribute of the show. Overall tone and musical selection works. Animation is smooth and actually puts shows with bigger budgets to shame especially some big name shows in Japan. The stealth scenes are fun and suspensful enough and most of the CQC is easy to watch. Despite this I still would've have liked to see some karambit action and some Sam Fisher squeezing your neck style interrogation scenes like in the games. Furthermore, I must make mention of the show's opening. I think it is the weakest part of the animation and artstyle in terms of execution. I didn't like all the petrified statues and I still don't understand the metaphorical nor the symbolic meaning of it all. Also what is the meaning behind Sam and McKenna approaching one another on the large scale steps and why? Choreography: As a whole it is not bad at all. Stealth and CQC is good. But in the decisive moments it is actually quite silly. Old Man Sam outshooting a sniper with a pistol after sprinting hard. Old Man Sam, ensuring all his enemies are proper dead EXCEPT the big bad guy; we'll just stab him once and get away. McKenna, oh McKenna, she does not embody the spirit of 3rd/4th Echelon one bit. She is the antithesis of cool, calm, collected, and clandestine operations. Writing: Without a doubt the weakest part of the show. It is bad. Hate to break it to any fans of the franchise but the writers certainly forgot who the main character even was.....because it most definitely was not Sam friggin' Fisher. So many missed opportunities (I'm not even going to delve into the twins and their father) and poor pacing. Is this because of Netflixes 8 episode budget and/or structure or due to the failures of the writers? I honestly think the latter..... Firstly, they don't even truly explore what 3rd/4th Echelon actually is. There is an extremely brief attempt at an explanation in a short scene between Grim and Jo. The writers fail to build up the prestige, uniqueness, and unrivalled proficiency of such a division. They undeniably want to attract a younger audience by introducing new, young, and people of colour. I'm all fine with that as a relatively young and POC myself but it has to be woven in with greater care and seamlessness. But both McKenna and the new kid prodigy whose name I forget are not portrayed well. Starting with McKenna; she is a loose cannon who has constant outbursts both verbally and physically....like really how on earth did she land this job? Why can't young and POC characters be depicted with greater subtlety and nuance. Far too often, they are portrayed to be loudmouthed, brash, and moody. Instead of a typical revenge story and grief stricken emotional outbursts compromising the job; McKenna's grief really could've been explored with more nuance. A melancholy grief, a philosophical reflection, rather than hindering her performance and mission why not enhancing her clarity and focus? This is what makes these Cells the best in the world. It is the mission above all else, even over oneself. Phenomenal self-emotional regulation seperating the best from the rest. This is the super power of a true Splinter Cell. They are the true unsung heroes, no valour nor medals here.

Another franchise that was killed by none other than DEI and a lot of girl bossing, who is really surprised here ?

Very Good story and a great re introduction to a beloved character. I could not stop watching and each episode felt like the cliff hangers of great shows in the past. best of all it doesn't supplement a second season as it stands alone and allows for more stories. excited for season 2 and those John Wick boys know what they're doing with Sam Fisher. I just hope they have a Kojima "Metal Gear" reference.

Good series putting back Sam Fischer and splinter cell in front of the scene.

Visually stunning, this series captivates you till the last minute once you pass the 1st episode which is a bit slow. So good you forget its animated...

Ultimately, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch is a production that has some good visual moments and effective voice acting, but fails to capture the spirit of the franchise. It works as light, fast-paced entertainment, but disappoints those who expected a true expansion of Sam Fisher's legacy. New audiences may enjoy the action sequences, but fans of the games will surely come away feeling that they have seen great potential wasted.There was no need to reinvent the character or transform the series into something so distant from its origins. It was enough to remember that sometimes Sam Fisher's true power lies not in explosions or gunfire, but in silence and shadow. And that is exactly what Deathwatch fails to honor.Translated with **** (free version)

I have been a long time fan of Sam Fisher and was really expecting his return. This show has marvelously scratched that itch! The art style is beautiful and the story flies by. This is a really good thriller overall. More action oriented than the games, but the balance between infitration and punches still feels right, despite what the haters try to make you believe... Sam is still the hero but the secondary character of McKenna is very well constructed. I definitely recommend the show. Don't fall for the hate campaign and make your own opinion... I believe you won't regret it. I sure didn't!...

I just finished season one and honestly, I don’t get the hate. Most of the negative reviews feel like they’re coming from a place of bad faith. Sam Fisher is the clear main character and focal point. The whole story revolves around his past and how it comes back to haunt him, especially through one of the main villains. The supporting cast never steals that spotlight. The only time it shifts is in the first episode with Zinnia McKenna, who’s introduced as a capable but impulsive rookie (a trait that does her more harm than good) whose arc is tied to seeking revenge after a fellow operative is killed. Sam is called upon from retirement in her aid, and the focus from there shifts upon him. Despite being fed with the overused archetype, Zinnia isn’t written as a “girlboss just because.” She isn’t there to outshine Sam or check a box. Her role plays out more like a student learning from a teacher, which makes her growing development feel natural (her sole fault is acting irrationally, something that will hopefully be worked upon with the following season). Bottom line: if you’re just looking for confirmation bias, this show won’t give it to you. Yes, the cast is diverse (which is the sole fault a peculiar someone would need to start bashing), but it’s definitely not a reason to tear the whole thing down. It’s an entertaining season and worth giving a chance. ;)

Do not under any circumstances watch this. Someone murdered the series and is wearing it around as a skin suit. It’s like slapping a Ferarri logo on a Ford Focus.

Really well done and a good testament to Tom Clancy as a whole. The story is about a 7/10 but the the action is truly the best that have ever seen in my life. From the technical nuances of the gun play and martial arts used in the show the action is beautifully brutal and knowledgeable. Take into account the animation, style, and stealth sequences. Then you realize that this show is 100% a worthwhile watch and absolutely worth your time. 9/10

Splinter Cell: Deathwatch is a mess dressed as a legacy revival — sleek on the surface, empty at its core. It’s not merely bad; it’s a textbook case of a story that misunderstands its own DNA, missing the mark so completely it stops being offensive and becomes quietly tragic. The ultimate irony? The main character — the icon whose name built the franchise — spends the series playing second fiddle in his own story. When the shadow outshines the spy, the mission was lost long before it began. Tl;Dr If Splinter Cell: Deathwatch were a stealth mission, it would trip every alarm in the first five minutes and still insist it’s doing fine. This adaptation manages to take one of gaming’s most cerebral, tension-driven franchises and strip away nearly everything that made it distinctive. The result is a loud, directionless exercise in style over substance — a show that mistakes motion for momentum and noise for narrative. The action sequences are slick but soulless, the dialogue lands with all the grace of a flashbang in a library, and the tone shifts so wildly it feels like three different creative teams were racing deadlines on separate continents. What remains is an identity crisis with a great color palette. There are flashes of what could have been — moments where the lighting, atmosphere, and pacing hint at genuine espionage storytelling — but those moments vanish beneath an avalanche of generic shootouts and forgettable villains. In the end, Deathwatch feels less like a rebirth of Splinter Cell and more like a noisy eulogy delivered by someone who never met the deceased. Verdict: Technically competent, narratively bankrupt, and spiritually tone-deaf. If Sam Fisher saw this, he’d turn off his goggles and walk out quietly. 1/10 Mission failed.

Splinter Cell: Deathwatch — Review / PreviewPlatform: NetflixStudio: Ubisoft Animation / Sun CreatureShowrunner: Derek Kolstad (creator of John Wick)Episodes: 8Voice of Sam Fisher: Liev Schreiber⸻ Story (no heavy spoilers)Splinter Cell: Deathwatch takes place after the events of Splinter Cell: Chaos **** Fisher has retired from active duty, living a quiet, isolated life—until a young operative, Zinnia McKenna, pulls him back into the shadows. A series of assassinations, a rogue intelligence network, and ghosts from Sam’s past force him to act once **** series combines classic stealth elements—night missions, infiltration, and those iconic three green lights—with fast-paced, hand-to-hand combat reminiscent of Conviction and **** feels like a hybrid of espionage thriller and gritty personal story: Sam isn’t just saving the world; he’s confronting his own legacy.⸻ Tone & StyleThis isn’t a reboot; it’s a **** tone is darker, more emotional. Sam Fisher here is older, more reflective, but still razor-sharp.Visually, the show balances modern 3D animation with stylized lighting—the green glow of the goggles cutting through the dark feels perfect.⸻ What Works Faithful to the spirit of Splinter Cell – stealth, tension, tactical planning, and moral dilemmas. Solid writing from Kolstad: sharp dialogue, brutal action sequences, and a believable older Sam. Soundtrack: industrial electronic tones mixed with ambient stealth themes—very Chaos Theory-like. Callbacks to the original trilogy that long-time fans will love.⸻️ What Doesn’t Quite Hit Animation quality is inconsistent—some episodes look stunning, others feel rushed. The villains are underdeveloped, more archetypes than personalities. The pacing can drag when the story focuses too much on exposition.⸻ Verdict (so far)Splinter Cell: Deathwatch isn’t perfect, but it’s the return Sam Fisher fans have been waiting **** delivers espionage, moral conflict, and a believable aging hero who still knows how to move in the dark.“When the lights go out, only one man still sees everything.”If you loved Chaos Theory and Blacklist, this series feels like a spiritual successor that honors Fisher’s legacy while setting the stage for a new generation of covert operatives.