The Day of the Jackal is another very thrilling and entertaining streaming original. It adds to my theory that Peacock has some of the best original content. It stars Eddie Redmayne as The Jackal, an expert assassin who hides his identity well until Bianca (Lashana Lynch), an MI6 agent, makes it her mission to track him down. The series has quickly become one of my favorites of 2024. It’s thrilling, entertaining, and includes top-notch performances by the entire cast. Redmayne’s performance has even earned him a 2025 Golden Globe nomination.
The Day of the Jackal is nearly that perfect blend of intrigue, exciting plotlines, and dynamic characters. I loved the season…but, I am very conflicted by one decision in the Season 1 finale, and I need to discuss it.
Warning: The Day of the Jackal spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
The Day of The Jackal Ends On A Major Death That Feels Too Soon
The Day of the Jackal Season 1 finale ends with the Jackal having survived an attempted assassination, via a car accident, and now planning to seek revenge on those who tried to kill him. However, he implies that he first wants to find his wife and son. I believe the next chapter for the Jackal will involve this quest for revenge and reunion, but this new beginning shouldn’t have meant the end of Bianca’s life. The two protagonists finally have a head-to-head battle, then it ends before it heats up. The Jackal shoots and (presumably) kills her. The series seemingly confirms her death with the mention of her upcoming funeral.
Much of the first season revolves around Bianca’s obsession with finding the Jackal. He’s the Hannibal to her Clarice. The show seemingly sets them up for this multi-season-long battle, but then she dies. It’s anticlimactic and kills a bit of the series’ fun. One of the show's major appeals is these two characters. They’re both fascinating and complex, and the drama works so well because of the leads. Losing Bianca so soon feels like a major misstep on the writers' and series’ part.
Bianca Had More Story To Tell
Bianca is so interesting because she’s not just this intense MI6 agent but also a wife and mother. She may not be as good of a wife and mother as she is an agent but that’s what gives her character. She doesn’t fall into the stereotypical agent or mother roles. I was looking forward to seeing how Bianca continues to try to improve her relationship with her husband and child. Additionally, she’s one of the most capable people at her job. I wanted to know if she gets the evidence she needs to expose the shady behavior at her agency.
If anyone was going to expose what was really going on, it was her. Bianca had so much character and story potential ahead, which makes her sudden death even more tragic and narratively frustrating. Additionally, I wanted to see the Jackal and her continue their battle. He may have gotten the upper hand this round, but I think she would have won by the end.
Bianca And The Jackal’s Rivalry Was One Of The Series’ Strongest Aspects And Needs To Continue
Bianca and the Jackal feel like the same person in different forms. This is what made their dynamic so intriguing. They were so much alike that they almost felt like soulmates; not in the romantic sense but in the way that their lives are always meant to intersect and interconnect. The characters barely share any screen time but that makes their dynamic so intriguing and layered. They’re connected without even having to overlap in each other’s worlds. It’s instinctive and destined.
During all of Season 1, you look forward to their face-to-face battle. Then when it finally happens, he kills her before it heats up. This makes the whole thing so lackluster. Bianca versus the Jackal should have been something that built up for seasons. Then we see it play out throughout the final season with them working together, or against each other, in a very grand, feels-like-an-action-movie manner.
Her Presence Should Still Be Felt In Season 2 To Convey Her Importance To The Day Of The Jackal
If Bianca is really dead, her spirit must live on in The Day of the Jackal. Someone needs to begin a revenge mission in her honor. Osita (Chukwudi Iwuji) may be the only one who could avenge her, since he knows it was all a setup, but he seems too scared to act on his knowledge. Bianca’s daughter is too young to avenge her mother, and Bianca’s husband just doesn’t seem like that type of person. Vincent (Nick Blood) is also dead so he can’t help.
Even if no one makes it their mission to avenge her, we should still see her family and how they’re coping with this death. She is just too important of a character to die in Season 1 and never be discussed again.
I Question If She’s Actually Dead
Bianca seems dead. However, I have watched enough TV shows to know that just because a character seems dead, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are dead. There are so many fake TV deaths that it creates a bit of mistrust with that subject. Bianca could very much be faking her death and plotting and scheming to take down MI6 and the Jackal.
I would love to see a fake death with The Day of the Jackal because it makes sense, and allows Bianca to go fully rogue in her quest to get justice. Yes, she looks dead when we last see her, but it is a TV show, anything can happen. Maybe she temporarily died but was revived. The Jackal never checked her pulse. Additionally, maybe, he shot her but didn’t kill her on purpose, or maybe the gun was loaded with some type of tranquilizer. I may be stretching my imagination but I am going to stay doubtful about her death until the next season.
It Could Set Up A New Rival For The Jackal
Though I am not happy about Bianca’s death, I think it does open the door to some potentially exciting changes in Season 2. This could lead to someone new becoming the main antagonist to the Jackal’s protagonist. It could be a character we haven’t met before or someone like Osita.
The show didn’t invest enough time in Osita for me to have a strong opinion of him, but Season 2 could make him a much more important character. I also really like the potential of someone new becoming a main character in Season 2 and working to find and capture the Jackal.
Maybe instead of someone working for MI6, we get a new assassin working for Timothy Winthrop (Charles Dance) to try to kill the Jackal, or maybe every season, the Jackal faces a new rival.
Bianca's Death Raises The Stakes For Season 2
I did not expect Bianca’s death, especially not during the Season 1 finale. This means that the thriller is not playing games: anyone can die at any time. This creates a high-stakes atmosphere for the series. I love that type of attitude with a TV show, so it makes me even more excited for Season 2.
The Day of the Jackal has already been renewed for Season 2, so those curious about the show should watch it on Peacock. I am a big supporter of the Peacock subscription so I think it’s worth the investment, not just for this series but the many other great ones on this streaming service.
