--- title: "Smoke" year: 2025 kind: "series" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/smoke" fi1m_id: "smoke" imdb_id: "tt24163532" tmdb_id: 215995 wikidata_id: "Q125187657" fi1m_score: 68 critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 6 published: "2026-09-12" updated: "2026-09-20T21:39:18.384197+00:00" region: "IL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Smoke (2025) Created by Dennis Lehane · IFRB 18+ · Drama, Crime ## Identity Smoke - **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/smoke - **Type:** Series - **Fi1m ID:** smoke - **IMDb ID:** tt24163532 - **TMDB ID:** 215995 - **Wikidata ID:** Q125187657 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24163532/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/215995, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125187657 **Fi1m score: 68** · Critics 68 from 6 reviews *In a sentence:* The fire brigade cannot fix everything wrong with these men > The cast makes *Smoke* worth considering, especially Taron Egerton and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, but the arson investigation cannot sustain nine episodes. Its later repetitions turn a disturbing crime drama into a frustrating one. ## Synopsis An arson investigator and a detective pursue fire-starters in a case that brings questions of delusion, trauma and self-deception into their work. As they hunt those responsible, the investigation also examines how people explain themselves and the harm they cause. Taron Egerton plays Dave Gudsen, with Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Michelle Calderone and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine as Freddy Fasano. The cast also includes Hannah Emily Anderson as Ashley Gudsen, Greg Kinnear as Harvey Englehart and John Leguizamo as Esposito. Across nine episodes, *Smoke* follows the pursuit and the people involved. ## Review *Smoke* is worth considering for its cast, though anyone coming chiefly for a tightly plotted crime story should be wary. Across nine episodes, an arson investigation becomes a way of looking at delusion, trauma and the stories people tell about themselves. Dennis Lehane and his fellow writers have good reason to look beyond the business of finding the culprits. The difficulty is that the investigation still has to hold our attention, and too often it seems to be waiting for the characters to finish explaining themselves. Taron Egerton plays Dave Gudsen with a disquieting confidence that makes his account of himself hard to take at face value. We were unnerved by him: Dave seems so persuaded by his own explanations that there is little chance of talking him out of them. This is difficult acting to sustain, since the audience must remain interested in a man it cannot comfortably accept on his own terms. Egerton manages it, even when the writing makes the same point about him again. Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, as Freddy Fasano, is the stronger reason to stay. He makes Freddy’s distress difficult to treat as just another clue, and the performance remains troubling when the mechanics of the case have become tiresome. Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s Michelle Calderone gives the series another performance worth attending to, though Egerton and Mwine make the stronger impression. There is enough care in the acting to keep these people interesting through passages that do little to advance the pursuit. François Dagenais and Sam McCurdy make the fires hard to stop watching. Their cinematography makes watching something burn disturbingly attractive, a useful discomfort in a story about arson. Jeremy Stanbridge’s production design is less memorable; the carefully finished surroundings do not tell us much more about the people occupying them. Directors Jim McKay, Joe Chappelle and Kari Skogland give the series a consistent visual confidence, and the images retain their force even when the investigation starts to feel overextended. The music by Saunder Jurriaans and Danny Bensi sustains a sense of threat, although it cannot supply the urgency missing from the plotting. A cat-and-mouse thriller needs each encounter to change what the pursuer or the pursued can do. Here, the later episodes repeat what the actors have already told us about the characters, and the pursuit loses momentum. Questions about how the plot fits together become harder to ignore as its developments grow less persuasive. The writing needs to make those developments convincing before asking the cast to sell them. This suits an evening when we want to watch actors working through difficult characters and do not mind taking the long route. It is a poorer choice for anyone hoping to examine the evidence and keep pace with a neatly assembled case. Settle in for the performances, but do not expect the investigation to become more disciplined. *Fi1m score 68, published 12 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics come down in favour, if without much heat: four of six reviews are positive and none is negative. The praise clusters on the cast. Egerton’s lead is called unnerving once an early twist has landed, and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine is named as the standout by Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Collider. Several also credit the choice of arson as the crime, and the way the fires themselves are filmed, for giving the series something most detective dramas lack. The reservations are almost all about the back half. Reviewers who enjoy the set-up say the cat-and-mouse turns repetitive, then absurd, and that the writing never quite matches the acting or the images. The spread is narrow, from the mid-fifties to the mid-seventies, so nobody hates it and nobody is carried away. The AV Club is the lowest, saying the chases lose steam and leave plot questions unanswered; Radio Times finds the backstories and lead pairing competent rather than remarkable. ## Straight answers **Is Smoke worth watching?** *Smoke* is worth watching for its cast, chiefly Taron Egerton and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, and we scored it 68. Anyone wanting a tightly plotted arson thriller should be wary, because the investigation cannot hold nine episodes and the later ones repeat what the actors have already shown us. Settle in for the performances rather than the case. **How long is Smoke, and what is it rated?** *Smoke* is rated 18+ by the IFRB in Israel. It is a drama and crime series. **Where can I watch Smoke in Israel?** *Smoke* is streaming on Apple TV in Israel. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Smoke, and is it suitable for children?** *Smoke* carries an 18 certificate in the UK and TV-MA in the US, so it is not for children. The series is a disturbing crime drama about arson, with fires shot to be unsettlingly attractive and characters whose delusion and trauma are hard to sit with. Teenagers and anyone squeamish about fire should treat it as adult viewing. **How does Smoke compare to Mississippi Burning?** *Smoke* and [*Mississippi Burning*](https://film.one/film/mississippi-burning) both build patient suspicion from performances that make ordinary encounters hard to read, but the film is the tighter of the two. Alan Parker's thriller keeps its tension over a single running time, while the series spreads a thinner investigation across nine episodes. Choose *Smoke* for the acting, the film for a story that keeps moving. **What should I watch after Smoke?** After *Smoke*, try [*Cure*](https://film.one/film/cure) (1997, Fi1m 85): For another investigation where disturbing behaviour matters as much as finding the culprit. Then [*The Vanishing*](https://film.one/film/the-vanishing) (1988, Fi1m 88): A patient, uncomfortable pursuit driven by an obsessive need to understand; and [*Burning*](https://film.one/film/mississippi-burning) (2018, Fi1m 72): For patient suspicion and performances that make ordinary encounters difficult to read. ### Reviews we read (6) - **IndieWire**, Ben Travers (75/100, inferred): The critic calls it a sicko pulp thriller driven by dark truths in another dual portrait of bad men. It tracks an arson investigator and detective hunting fire-starters with thrilling entertainment and sharp social insights. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/smoke-review-taron-egerton-apple-series-1235135434) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Daniel Fienberg (70/100, inferred): The critic calls the series flawed but fascinating, praising its extraordinarily well-acted ensemble and the way it explores self-definition and narrative even as twists and repetition weaken the execution. He singles out Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine’s haunting performance as the show’s standout. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/smoke-review-jurnee-smollett-taron-egerton-apple-tv-1236299724/) - **Variety**, Alison Herman (70/100, inferred): The critic finds “Smoke” deeply satisfying overall as a true-crime series centered on a cat-and-mouse arson investigation, especially as a showcase for Egerton’s masterfully unnerving lead performance after a key early twist. She singles out the strong ensemble cast, including Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, for particular praise while noting the show grows repetitive and absurd in its later episodes. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/smoke-review-taron-egerton-apple-1236443514/) - **Radio Times**, Jack Seale (6.6/10): The critic praises the show's focus on arson as a distinctive crime and fire as a powerful element that sets the series apart from standard detective stories. Backstories and lead chemistry are handled competently but the review highlights the procedural and character elements as solid without being groundbreaking. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/programme/b-gbdphe/smoke/) - **The AV Club**, Tim Lowery (C): The miniseries has plenty of style, strong cast performances, and stylish direction but its narrative momentum burns out in the back half. The critic singles out the loss of steam in cat-and-mouse chases and some glaring plot questions as drawbacks despite themes of delusion and trauma. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/smoke-review-apple-tv-plus-miniseries) - **Collider**, David Caballero (7/10): The miniseries is a solid, compelling crime drama that succeeds on the strength of its cast and striking visuals but lacks enough bite and originality to fully ignite. It singles out the stunning fire cinematography and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine's magnetic performance as highlights amid familiar writing and pacing issues. [Read](https://collider.com/smoke-apple-tv-review-taron-egerton/) ## Details - **Created by:** Dennis Lehane - **Creator:** Dennis Lehane - **Director:** Joe Chappelle, Jim McKay, Kari Skogland - **Writer:** Dennis Lehane, Molly Miller, Steven Hanna, Adriane McCray, Steve Harris, Kary Antholis - **Story:** Steven Hanna, Adriane McCray - **Teleplay:** Dennis Lehane, Molly Miller - **Cinematography:** Sam McCurdy, François Dagenais - **Music:** Danny Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans - **Production design:** Jeremy Stanbridge - **Costume design:** Carla Hetland - **Producer:** David Diliberto, Molly Miller - **Cast:** Taron Egerton as Dave Gudsen; Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Michelle Calderone; Hannah Emily Anderson as Ashley Gudsen; Greg Kinnear as Harvey Englehart; John Leguizamo as Esposito; Ntare Mwine as Freddy Fasano; Rafe Spall as Steven Burk; Dakota Daulby as Lee - **Certificate (IFRB):** 18+ - **Release (Israel):** 26 June 2025 - **Genres:** Drama, Crime - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdX456spjeA ## Where to watch in Israel - Apple TV: streaming, uhd *Checked 2026-09-12.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Cure* (1997), Fi1m 85: For another investigation where disturbing behaviour matters as much as finding the culprit — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/cure.md) - *The Vanishing* (1988), Fi1m 88: A patient, uncomfortable pursuit driven by an obsessive need to understand — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-vanishing.md) - *The Fall* (2013): Another crime series carried by the uneasy attention paid to its central adversaries - *Burning* (2018), Fi1m 72: For patient suspicion and performances that make ordinary encounters difficult to read — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/mississippi-burning.md) - *The Pledge* (2001): A troubled investigator and a case that resists becoming a reassuring story --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/smoke