The Copenhagen Test is a Peacock spy thriller starring Simu Liu as an intelligence analyst whose brain is hacked with nanotechnology, forcing him to maintain a performance 24/7 while hunting the perpetrators. All eight episodes dropped simultaneously on December 27, 2025, as a full binge release.
The show earned a 71% Tomatometer and 79% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes from its first season. Critics praised Liu and Melissa Barrera’s chemistry and the show’s sleek production values. Some reviewers found the plotting convoluted in its middle episodes. Peacock canceled the series after one season on April 15, 2026.
This review covers the show’s premise, how the nanite surveillance concept plays out across eight episodes, what critics and audience reviewers say, how the pacing holds up, and whether The Copenhagen Test is worth your time given the mixed critical reception and the April 2026 cancellation.
What Is The Copenhagen Test?
The Copenhagen Test is an eight-episode American sci-fi spy thriller on Peacock, created by Thomas Brandon, about a Chinese-American intelligence analyst whose brain is hacked with nanites that transmit everything he sees and hears to unknown parties. The series premiered December 27, 2025 with a full-season binge drop.
The show is set in the near future and follows ‘The Orphanage,’ a covert oversight agency. It blends traditional espionage plotting with a science-fiction surveillance twist. The premise draws comparisons to Alias and Agents of SHIELD in tone and structure.
The Copenhagen Test at a Glance:
- Network: Peacock (US), Channel 4 (UK)
- Episodes: 8, released December 27, 2025 (full binge drop)
- Genre: Sci-fi spy thriller
- Rotten Tomatoes: 71% critics, 79% audience
- Opening week streams: 1.1 billion
- Status: Canceled April 15, 2026 after one season
Executive producers include James Wan (creator of the Conjuring universe) and star Simu Liu. Production companies Atomic Monster and Universal Content Productions backed the series. Filming ran from October 21, 2024 through March 11, 2025 in Toronto.
What Is The Copenhagen Test About?
The Copenhagen Test follows Alexander Hale, a first-generation Chinese-American military veteran and intelligence analyst who discovers enemy operatives have implanted ‘Cassandra’ nanites in his brain, giving them full audio and visual access to his senses. The show tracks his effort to expose the hackers while appearing normal to both sides.
Hale works at a covert oversight agency called The Orphanage. After a failed North Korean operation, leadership suspects him as a potential mole. The Copenhagen Test refers to a loyalty examination stemming from a Belarus hostage rescue mission. Hale must pass it while knowing his brain feeds everything to the enemy.
Operation Claymore is the agency’s counter-mission to flush out the threat. Hale operates as both subject and agent. The dramatic tension comes from watching him perform loyalty to his handlers while knowing compromised observers are watching his every move through the nanites.
Who Created The Copenhagen Test?
The Copenhagen Test was created by Thomas Brandon, who also served as showrunner alongside Jennifer Yale. The series was executive produced by James Wan and Simu Liu, with Universal Content Productions and Wan’s Atomic Monster production company backing it.
Simu Liu’s involvement as both star and executive producer gave him creative stake in the project. James Wan’s Atomic Monster brought genre production expertise from its horror and thriller work. The show filmed entirely in Toronto across a roughly five-month production window.
Who Stars in The Copenhagen Test?
The Copenhagen Test stars Simu Liu as Alexander Hale and Melissa Barrera as Michelle Cyr, a French-Canadian field agent. The main cast also includes Sinclair Daniel, Brian d’Arcy James, Mark O’Brien, and Kathleen Chalfant. Saul Rubinek draws recurring praise as a standout supporting performer.
The ensemble covers The Orphanage’s leadership and analyst team alongside field operatives. Adina Porter, Hannah Cruz, and Adam Godley fill recurring roles. Critics consistently single out Rubinek as the ‘sleeper star’ of the series despite his supporting role.
Main Cast:
- Simu Liu as Alexander Hale (Chinese-American military veteran, intelligence analyst)
- Melissa Barrera as Michelle Cyr (French-Canadian field agent)
- Sinclair Daniel as Samantha Parker (predictive analyst)
- Brian d’Arcy James as Peter Moira (Director of Operations)
- Mark O’Brien as Edmund Cobb (analyst)
- Kathleen Chalfant as Patricia St. George (Director)
How Does Simu Liu Perform in The Copenhagen Test?
Yes. Simu Liu delivers a strong performance as Alexander Hale, combining action sequences and dramatic depth in a role that requires him to mask his true emotional state at all times, by design, given the nanite surveillance premise. Critics call him a dynamic leading man.
The Wrap stated Liu ‘passes the test as a dynamic leading man.’ FlixChatter notes the character can feel ‘stoic at times, by design,’ as Hale consciously suppresses his reactions under constant surveillance. The constraint is narrative, not a performance flaw.
Liu’s action chops draw consistent praise. Reviewers highlight well-choreographed fight sequences and strong on-screen chemistry with Melissa Barrera. Some critics felt the show’s convoluted plotting constrained Liu’s ability to fully showcase his range.
How Does Melissa Barrera Perform in The Copenhagen Test?
Melissa Barrera earns consistent praise for her role as field agent Michelle Cyr, particularly for intense, well-choreographed action sequences and strong chemistry with Simu Liu that anchors the show’s central relationship. Critics name her among the series’ standout elements.
FlixChatter highlighted Barrera’s ability to pull off demanding physical sequences while sustaining the dramatic tension of a character operating in morally gray territory. Her dynamic with Liu gives the show its emotional throughline across all eight episodes.
What Do Critics Say About The Copenhagen Test?
Critics give The Copenhagen Test mixed-to-positive reviews, praising Simu Liu and Melissa Barrera’s performances and the show’s sleek production values, while criticizing its convoluted plotting and slow opening episodes. The consensus shifted more positive as later episodes picked up momentum.
The Hollywood Reporter described ‘a whole lot of leaden dialogue and convoluted plotting’ through the first four episodes. The A.V. Club noted the show is ‘high on twists, low on coherence.’ Both acknowledged the premiere episode as a strong hook.
Collider’s Jeff Ewing gave the show 8 out of 10, calling it ‘an engaging, entertaining spy thriller with a sci-fi edge.’ Kate Sanchez of But Why Tho called it ‘a breakout to start 2026 for Peacock.’ The Rotten Tomatoes consensus settled on a show that ‘solidly sprints into thrilling spy-fare territory’ after a slow start.
What Does The Copenhagen Test Score on Rotten Tomatoes?
The Copenhagen Test scores 71% on the Tomatometer from 24 critic reviews and 79% on the Popcornmeter from 250-plus audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score runs notably higher than the critical consensus.
The Metacritic score sits at 61 out of 100 based on 8 critic reviews, placing it in ‘mixed or average’ territory by that scale’s standards. The gap between critic and audience scores reflects the pattern of viewers embracing the genre thrills critics found formulaic.
The Copenhagen Test Review Scores:
| Platform | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes (Critics) | 71% | 24 reviews |
| Rotten Tomatoes (Audience) | 79% | 250+ ratings |
| Metacritic | 61/100 | 8 critics |
What Are the Positive Reviews?
Positive reviewers highlight The Copenhagen Test’s sleek production design, well-choreographed action sequences, strong lead performances, and a sci-fi spy concept that stays grounded despite its high-concept premise. FlixChatter called it ‘one of the best shows on Peacock.’
Collider’s 8 out of 10 rating cited the show as ‘an engaging, entertaining spy thriller with a sci-fi edge.’ The Wrap praised Liu as a ‘dynamic leading man.’ The RT critics’ consensus, despite the slow-start caveat, acknowledged the show ‘solidly sprints into thrilling spy-fare territory.’
Audience reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes compared the show favorably to Alias and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in tone and style. Decider’s Joel Keller praised Liu and Barrera’s chemistry and named Saul Rubinek the ‘sleeper star’ of the series.
What Are the Negative Reviews?
Negative reviewers point to convoluted plotting, too many characters, leaden dialogue in early episodes, and a finale that some found overstretched as the primary weaknesses of The Copenhagen Test. The Hollywood Reporter’s four-episode preview was the most critical major review.
The A.V. Club noted the show is ‘high on twists, low on coherence,’ a critique that captures the tension between the show’s ambition and its execution in the middle episodes. Variety’s review described the thriller as ‘flatlin[ing]’ in energy.
FlixChatter, despite a positive overall verdict, noted later episodes become ‘a bit over the top’ as the mystery layers stack up. The scenes involving Hale’s former fiancee drew specific criticism for derailing momentum.
What Do Audiences Say About The Copenhagen Test?
Audiences give The Copenhagen Test a 79% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, consistently praising the chemistry between Liu and Barrera, the spy genre execution, and the show’s shifting loyalties and moral gray areas as standout strengths.
In fact, the audience response tracked well above the critical score from opening weekend. The show ranked third most-watched in America in its debut week, accumulating 1.1 billion streams between December 27, 2025 and January 1, 2026.
Viewer comments highlight the show’s resemblance to beloved genre predecessors. One audience reviewer described it as ‘reminiscent of Alias or Agents of SHIELD. Very enjoyable story.’ Another called it ‘top-notch when it comes to crime and spy’ content.
What Is the Audience Score for The Copenhagen Test?
The Copenhagen Test earns a 79% Popcornmeter audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, meaningfully higher than its 71% Tomatometer from professional critics. This pattern common among genre shows that prioritize entertainment over prestige.
The show debuted as the third most-watched title in America during its opening week, behind only Stranger Things and Landman. The 1.1 billion stream total in its first six days signals strong consumer engagement despite the mixed critical reception.
What Are The Copenhagen Test Episodes Like?
The Copenhagen Test consists of eight episodes released simultaneously on Peacock, structured around the ‘Operation Claymore’ mission arc that builds toward a contained season-long story about Alexander Hale identifying the nanite hackers. The show is a full binge drop.
The episode structure follows a standard spy thriller rhythm: setup and world-building in the early episodes, escalating twists and faction reveals in the middle, and a resolution-focused finale. Critics diverged sharply on how well the middle section maintained momentum.
Here’s the thing: the show doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. FlixChatter highlighted the ‘fulfilling conclusion avoiding major cliffhangers’ as a deliberate choice that rewards binge viewers rather than leaving them hanging. This became notable context after the cancellation.
Does The Copenhagen Test Start Slow?
Yes. The Copenhagen Test starts slowly according to most critics, with early episodes prioritizing world-building and character setup over immediate thriller momentum. The show accelerates noticeably in its second half. The RT critics’ consensus specifically notes this slow start.
The Hollywood Reporter’s review, based on the first four episodes, described ‘leaden dialogue and convoluted plotting’ and ‘very little intensity or momentum’ through the midpoint. Later episodes resolved some of these issues for critics who watched the full season.
Audience viewers appear more tolerant of the slow setup. The 79% audience score versus 71% critic score gap suggests genre fans absorbed the early pacing more willingly than reviewers operating on screener deadlines.
Does The Copenhagen Test Have a Good Ending?
Yes. The Copenhagen Test delivers a satisfying season finale that wraps up the Operation Claymore arc without resorting to cliffhangers. FlixChatter specifically praised the ‘fulfilling conclusion’ as a highlight of the series. The closed ending takes on additional weight given the cancellation.
The show’s cancellation on April 15, 2026 means the finale stands as a series finale. The fact that it avoided major cliffhangers means viewers get a complete story. The lack of unresolved threads reduces the frustration common to canceled shows with open endings.
How Does The Copenhagen Test Compare to Other Spy Shows?
The Copenhagen Test draws the most frequent audience comparisons to Alias and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Both are ensemble spy dramas with genre-blending science fiction elements and morally complex agency structures at their core. The tone sits between prestige thriller and genre entertainment.
The Copenhagen Test vs Similar Spy Shows:
| Show | RT Score | Sci-Fi Element | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Copenhagen Test | 71% | Brain-hacking nanites | Canceled (1 season) |
| Alias (ABC) | N/A | Rambaldi tech mythology | Ended (5 seasons) |
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | 95% | Marvel sci-fi | Ended (7 seasons) |
On the prestige side, the show lacks the slow-burn intensity of shows like The Americans or Slow Horses. On the pure entertainment side, it delivers more plot density and character complexity than most streaming action thrillers. The sci-fi nanite angle gives it a specific hook most comparable shows lack.
By the numbers: 71% Tomatometer puts it in the same range as well-regarded genre shows that critics respect without celebrating. The 1.1 billion opening-week streams show it performed like a hit despite the critical ambivalence.
Is The Copenhagen Test Worth Watching?
Yes. The Copenhagen Test is worth watching for spy and thriller fans who enjoy morally complex agency dramas with a sci-fi edge. The Liu-Barrera dynamic, the nanite surveillance premise, and a satisfying closed ending make it a solid binge for Peacock subscribers.
The caveats apply: the first three to four episodes demand patience. The plotting gets convoluted in the middle stretch. Viewers who bounce off procedural density in the early episodes may not reach the payoff the later episodes deliver.
Short answer: push through the slow start. The back half delivers on the premise. The closed ending means the cancellation doesn’t ruin the experience. The story is complete.
Was The Copenhagen Test Canceled?
Yes. Peacock canceled The Copenhagen Test after one season on April 15, 2026, approximately four months after the December 27, 2025 premiere. Variety broke the cancellation news exclusively. No second season will be produced.
The cancellation came despite strong opening-week viewership numbers. The show accumulated 1.1 billion streams in its first six days. The gap between streaming performance and renewal decision reflects Peacock’s internal metrics weighing multiple factors beyond raw stream counts.
Why Was The Copenhagen Test Canceled?
Peacock has not officially stated the reasons for canceling The Copenhagen Test. The decision came despite 1.1 billion streams in its opening week and a 79% audience approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the more surprising cancellations of early 2026.
Industry context: streaming services increasingly weigh subscriber retention impact, completion rates, and cost-per-viewer over raw stream counts when making renewal decisions. Mixed critical reception, a 61 Metacritic score, and the cost of an eight-episode season with two high-profile leads likely factored into the calculation.
To be clear: the cancellation doesn’t diminish the viewing experience. The finale was designed as a closed story. Viewers who haven’t started the show can watch it as a complete eight-episode miniseries.
Where Can You Watch The Copenhagen Test?
The Copenhagen Test streams exclusively on Peacock in the United States, where all eight episodes are available as a complete binge. The show also aired on Channel 4 in the UK beginning April 2026. No other streaming platform currently carries the series.
Peacock is available starting at $7.99 (USD) per month. The Copenhagen Test is included in the standard streaming library. No premium add-on required. All eight episodes remain accessible following the cancellation announcement.
Is The Copenhagen Test Worth It?
The Copenhagen Test is a well-produced spy thriller with a strong lead performance from Simu Liu, genuine chemistry with Melissa Barrera, and a satisfying closed story arc. It is best suited for genre fans willing to push through four slower opening episodes to reach the stronger back half.
The 71% Tomatometer and 79% audience score reflect a show that works better for engaged genre viewers than for critics seeking prestige craft. The cancellation is unfortunate but leaves behind a complete story. No major cliffhangers, no unresolved arcs.
Bottom line: if you like spy thrillers with a sci-fi angle, The Copenhagen Test delivers. Watch the first two episodes before deciding. The show earns its premise by episode five and finishes on its own terms.