The Copenhagen Test: Peacock Originals

When The Copenhagen Test premieres on December 27, 2025, on Peacock, it won’t be just another spy show. With its fusion of sci-fi intrigue, psychological suspense, and character-driven storytelling, this eagerly anticipated original series promises to push the genre forward — challenging audiences to question what it means to know yourself when someone else can know your thoughts.

Created by Thomas Brandon and co-showrun by Brandon and Jennifer Yale, The Copenhagen Test is a high-concept drama that feels ripped from the headlines while grounded in deeply human stakes. Executive produced by genre heavyweights, including James Wan and star Simu Liu, the series marks Peacock’s end-of-year bid to captivate viewers with something both thoughtful and thrilling.

A Mind Hacked — The Premise That Sets It Apart

At its core, The Copenhagen Test begins with a premise that immediately unsettles: what happens when the spy being hunted realizes he himself has been infiltrated?

Alexander Hale, portrayed by Simu Liu, is a first-generation Chinese-American intelligence analyst working for a secretive agency known only as The Orphanage. One day, he makes a jaw-dropping discovery — his brain has been hacked. Not just his computer, not just his files, but his eyes and ears, allowing unknown forces access to everything he sees, hears, and thinks.

This isn’t your typical double-agent narrative. Hale doesn’t know where the threat is coming from — or why. The hacker could be a foreign power, a rival faction within his own organization, or something bigger and more sinister altogether. From the opening moments, the show forces Hale to perform normalcy, to live the lie even as his reality splits around him.

It’s a setup rich with philosophical tension and plot potential — one that taps into our deepest modern fears about surveillance, technology, and autonomy while delivering the pulse-pounding suspense audiences crave.

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The Cast That Anchors the Narrative

Simu Liu’s casting as Alexander Hale was an early buzzer-beater win for the show. Known for his charismatic, layered screen presence, Liu brings nuance to a role that oscillates between cool intellect and existential crisis.

He isn’t alone. Melissa Barrera stars as Michelle, a mysterious operative whose loyalties are as ambiguous as the threats Hale faces. Barrera brings a fierce physicality and emotional complexity to the role, inspired by iconic spy figures of the past.

Rounding out the cast are Sinclair Daniel as Parker, a trusted colleague with secrets of his own; Brian d’Arcy James as John Moira, a superior whose decisions blur the line between commander and conspirator; Mark O’Brien as Cobb, an agent whose presence complicates Hale’s mission; and Kathleen Chalfant as St. George, an enigmatic figure whose calm exterior masks deeper motives.

The ensemble’s tight interplay ensures that even as the plot twists, the characters remain the emotional anchor of the series.

Why the Timing Matters — A Reflection of Today

Though fictional, The Copenhagen Test resonates with our current digital anxieties.

In a world where conversations about AI, data privacy, and neural interface technology are no longer science fiction, the show’s central hack — which makes someone else privy to a character’s innermost perceptions — echoes real fears about our increasing vulnerability.

This thematic depth sets the show apart from more conventional spy fare. Rather than simply chasing villains across continents, The Copenhagen Test digs into questions about identity, loyalty, and truth itself. What does it mean to serve your country if you can’t trust your own senses? And how do you define loyalty when you can’t be sure who’s pulling the strings?

A Cinematic Spy-Fi Experience

Visually and stylistically, early trailers and promotional materials emphasize a sleek, near-future world where shadows and reflections play as much a role in storytelling as dialogue itself.

The Peacock series operates in a “spy-fi” realm, melding espionage tropes with science fiction sensibilities in a way that recalls classics like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Black Mirror, but with a contemporary pulse all its own. Each episode is designed to peel back another layer of conspiracy, pushing Hale closer to the truth even as the ground shifts beneath his feet. The result is an eight-episode binge experience that rewards patience — and tantalizes with the possibility of deeper mysteries still to come.

All Episodes Available at Once — A Binge Worth Planning For

Peacock is launching The Copenhagen Test in one bold move: all eight episodes of Season 1 will be available for streaming the same day — December 27 — inviting audiences to dive in headfirst rather than wait weekly for answers.

This release strategy aligns with modern viewing habits and gives the series a chance to be the holiday binge-watch event of the season — a creative counterpoint to traditional festive fare.

Final Thoughts: A New Benchmark for Spy Dramas?

The Copenhagen Test arrives at a moment when audiences are hungrier than ever for thrillers that are both smart and emotionally resonant.

It’s a show that doesn’t just thrill — it provokes thought about what it means to be watched, understood, and even controlled in a world where technology increasingly knows us better than we know ourselves. And though it’s too early to judge its long-term impact, the ingredients are all in place: an ambitious premise, a talented cast, and a narrative that refuses to simplify itself for easy answers.

If you’re looking for a series that blends action with introspection — one that will have you questioning every glance, every whispered conversation, and every truth you take for granted — The Copenhagen Test might just be the winter’s most compelling ride.