Noah Centineo Netflix The Recruit

[d.anders]

I just started watching Season 1. The series has decent word of mouth. It's an interesting premise, a 24-year-old lawyer (with 2 roommates) who lands a job at the CIA. They cast Noah Centineo as Owen Hendricks, the male lead. He's supposed to be this young heartthrob at the office and on the job, but when the character first undressed, I was surprised how his body was not quite ready for prime time. Noah seems to have acting talent and lots of charm. Sometimes, he actually looks handsome. One would think, in preparation for the role, he would hire a trainer to get his body in tip-top physical shape. Maybe he did, and this is all they could get:

Maybe it improves in Season 2?

[MikeBiDude]

1 hour ago, d.anders said:

I just started watching Season 1. The series has decent word of mouth. It's an interesting premise, a 24-year-old lawyer (with 2 roommates) who lands a job at the CIA. They cast Noah Centineo as Owen Hendricks, the male lead. He's supposed to be this young heartthrob at the office and on the job, but when the character first undressed, I was surprised how his body was not quite ready for prime time. Noah seems to have acting talent and lots of charm. Sometimes, he actually looks handsome. One would think, in preparation for the role, he would hire a trainer to get his body in tip-top physical shape. Maybe he did, and this is all they could get:

Maybe it improves in Season 2?

I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers.

[d.anders]

2 hours ago, MikeBiDude said:

I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers.

Nor would I, but what a great opportunity missed for a young, new actor supposedly playing a "boy toy" in a popular CIA spy series. Seems like a peculiar casting decision. I wish I knew more.

[pubic_assistance]

5 hours ago, d.anders said:

Sometimes, he actually looks handsome.

Noah isn't "circuit party ready" . But he's very straight-boy-next-door. Which has its own appeal. I also believe the photo you posted is not from during the series, is it ? I remember him being perfectly fuckable.

Lots of Hollywood hunks bulk up in between seasons when they go back to a normal diet and routine.

 

Edited February 2 by pubic_assistance
spelling

[Celebguy]

And I really like his form in this show.

[d.anders]

9 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

Noah isn't "circuit party ready" . But he's very straight-boy-next-door.

I've never been to a circuit party, so I'm not familiar with what that looks like. I do agree with boy-next-door. As for "straight," it is interesting that early on they had him being spooned in bed by his gay roommate. It's pretty obvious the writers are trying to reach a gay audience, and I'm happy to be along for that ride.

9 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

I also believe the photo you posted is not from during the series

I tried to do a screen-shot from his first shirt removal scene, but Netflix has a block on taking screen-shots now. (Anyone know how to bypass that?)

9 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

Lots of Hollywood hunks bulk up

I wasn't hoping or looking for bulk, just a bit more definition in his chest, stomach and upper arms. Boy-next-door doing CIA fight scenes with trained assassins is not very convincing.

I did enjoy the nude scene that Celebguy posted (that photo did not come up in my search). For a brief second, they almost flashed his junk.

On to Season 2.

[pubic_assistance]

1 hour ago, d.anders said:

I've never been to a circuit party,

Maybe you weren't shredded enough to be allowed in ? 🤔

Usually a bunch of muscle gays, dancing with their shirts off. High off their ass.

As far as Noah...yes clearly they were going for a gay audience, judging from his bro-mance with his gay-mate. Noah is playing a lost-puppy character,  tossed into the underworld of Government crime-fighting,  not a super hero.  You seem to watch too many MARVEL movies if you think every leading man - hero needs to be as ripped as Chris Evans.

Edited February 2 by pubic_assistance
grammar

[d.anders]

23 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Usually a bunch of muscle gays

Not attracted to muscle guys. Prefer naturally toned.

24 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

if you think every leading man - hero needs to be as ripped as Chris Evans

It's not about what I think. I'm far more fascinated by what the production team thinks. I imagine most producers in Hollywood want their heroes to be ripped, since 99.9% of those cast are. And when the actors aren't ripped, they tend ad rips and erect nipples to costumes. Noah Centineo is a leading man exception, which is what I find interesting.

[pubic_assistance]

1 hour ago, d.anders said:

Noah Centineo is a leading man exception, which is what I find interesting.

Agreed...and personally I was pleased to see it (in spite of my penchant for ripped abs.)

I do also have "a thing" for straight-boys and those aren't so focused on ripped abs...so a little beer belly is par-for-the-course. That's how we are assured that Centino's character is just cuddling for company, and it won't turn into a hot anal-penetration-with-cumshot scene. 🍑🍆💦

[MikeBiDude]

14 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Agreed...and personally I was pleased to see it (in spite of my penchant for ripped abs.)

 

2 hours ago, d.anders said:

It's not about what I think. I'm far more fascinated by what the production team thinks.

I tend to think the producers/director were going for kind of a “geek boy” lawyer, thrown into being an “agent” something totally out of his wheelhouse. If that’s so, in my opinion they got a cute, geeky, “Everyman” for the role.

Looking forward to Season 2.

[d.anders]

I agree that Noah Centineo is pulling off this unique character. He is carrying this show. I'm still watching with curious enthusiasm. I see in Season 2 he's fighting more and now killing. Will be curious to see if his body changes with each renewal. LOL.

1 hour ago, pubic_assistance said:

I do also have "a thing" for straight-boys and those aren't so focused on ripped abs

I have some experience with cool straight guys in my youth, so it's my interest as well. I would love to see more cool straight guys on TV, who enjoy being playful and tease-y with their gay character pals.

[d.anders]

Boy am I having a terrible problem with TV. First, I probably watch too much. Second, there is so much bad shit, it's almost impossible to find anything worthwhile.

The last episode (only 6) of Season 2's The Recruit jumped the shark so many times, when the train at the edge of the cliff ran off the tracks, it did a flip in mid-air, belly-flopped onto the water's surface, and then bounced back onto the tracks on the other side of the river gorge. I had no idea that The Recruit was so supposed to be a comedy. I won't go into the absolutely laughable plot choices, but there is plenty written about them on the internet.

I was confident that with Doug Liman on the production team that this series might stand up to the hype. Yes, there were eye-roll moments in Season 1, but the writing was crisp and clever, and the premise was interesting. Boy was I wrong. This show turned into a turkey-fest on a dime.

Many people are saying that with only 6 episodes, something happened. Lost money? Rushed writers? None of the ridiculous production choices make any sense. Maybe there's info on the inside that will never see the light of day, but boy did The Recruit take a creative bomb. I now feel sorry for the cast.

 

[MikeBiDude]

3 hours ago, d.anders said:

Boy am I having a terrible problem with TV. First, I probably watch too much. Second, there is so much bad shit, it's almost impossible to find anything worthwhile.

The last episode (only 6) of Season 2's The Recruit jumped the shark so many times, when the train at the edge of the cliff ran off the tracks, it did a flip in mid-air, belly-flopped onto the water's surface, and then bounced back onto the tracks on the other side of the river gorge. I had no idea that The Recruit was so supposed to be a comedy. I won't go into the absolutely laughable plot choices, but there is plenty written about them on the internet.

I was confident that with Doug Liman on the production team that this series might stand up to the hype. Yes, there were eye-roll moments in Season 1, but the writing was crisp and clever, and the premise was interesting. Boy was I wrong. This show turned into a turkey-fest on a dime.

Many people are saying that with only 6 episodes, something happened. Lost money? Rushed writers? None of the ridiculous production choices make any sense. Maybe there's info on the inside that will never see the light of day, but boy did The Recruit take a creative bomb. I now feel sorry for the cast.

 

Spoiler alert!

[d.anders]

5 hours ago, MikeBiDude said:

Spoiler alert!

Not so fast. The only thing that has spoiled is my very sour take on this show. I revealed nothing about the actual story, in case readers have not seen it yet.

[la_connor]

I agree with @d.andersthat the last episode was a mess.  In fact, the last 5 minutes were baffling. 

But the hunky straight nerd scored 100 on my eat-all-the-crackers-you-like scale.

[MikeBiDude]

On 2/2/2025 at 3:09 AM, Celebguy said:

And I really like his form in this show.

I’m surprised no one mentioned we got a couple quick peeks of his ass in this scene as well. Watched the first 3 episodes last night, show weak, he’s still fun to look at.

[d.anders]

Yes, the butt looked fine. Noah clearly had no issues with getting naked on set, my kind of actor. Which begs the question, did he not consider tweaking his body just a little bit more when he found out he had to be naked? Did producers tell him "no" to keep that everyman look? Just curious.

I read somewhere that he came from social media.

[samhexum]

THE MISSION IS OVER

The Recruit Cancelled at Netflix

Noah Centineo’s spy thriller ending after two seasons

[d.anders]

I read the show was very expensive to shoot. Season 2 was so bad, perhaps they knew the end was near, and everyone threw in the towel. I imagine actors and crew get a sense about failing momentum. It sure ended up being a serious turkey.