{"id":2091182,"date":"2025-10-14T20:29:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T20:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2091182"},"modified":"2025-10-14T20:29:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T20:29:23","slug":"splinter-cell-deathwatch-series-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/splinter-cell-deathwatch-series-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series Review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It has been a while since we last saw a dedicated Sam Fisher adventure, with <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cgmagonline.com\/news\/ubisoft-forward-2023-round-up\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix<\/a><\/em> offering a brief taste of the character in a Netflix series. But the time has finally come for the legendary operative to come out of retirement in <em>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch<\/em>. Netflix and <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cgmagonline.com\/tag\/john-wick\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:John Wick;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">John Wick<\/a><\/em> creator Derek Kolstad have brought the character back, and even in animated form, Fisher still packs a punch. The eight-episode series <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81306317\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:launched today;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">launched today<\/a>, October 14th, presenting a darker, older version of the iconic spy voiced by Liev Schreiber, and it delivers on that grizzled spy ich\u2026mostly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I have to say, I like how <em>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch<\/em> begins: skipping the setup and dropping the viewer right into the action, wasting no time getting things started. The series opens with Fisher living in something close to retirement. When wounded Fourth Echelon agent Zinnia McKenna shows up at his door after a mission goes wrong, he is pulled back into the world of covert operations. What begins as a rescue quickly evolves into a global conspiracy tied to Fisher\u2019s past, specifically events from the beloved game <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tom_Clancy%27s_Splinter_Cell:_Chaos_Theory\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Chaos Theory;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Chaos Theory<\/a><\/em>. The villains are Diana and Charlie Shetland, siblings connected to Douglas Shetland, an antagonist from that earlier title, so the concept is a strong start that rewards fans of the series with known entities.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series Review<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Schreiber takes over vocal duties from franchise veteran Michael Ironside, and the transition works better than expected. His gravelly delivery echoes Ironside\u2019s iconic performance while adding his own weight to the role. The decision to cast someone new still raises questions, especially since this version of Fisher is closer in age to Ironside than earlier iterations. Netflix has brought back original voice actors for other adaptations, making this choice seem more curious than necessary, but Schreiber delivers a solid performance nonetheless.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The show was animated by Sun Creature and Fost, with directors Guillaume Dousse and F\u00e9licien Colmet-Daage leading the project. The results are mixed. While the action sequences deliver fluid, realistic movement and visceral combat, the overall visual style leaves me a little cold. The animation feels clunky and lacks the polish viewers might expect after seeing what Netflix achieved with <em>Arcane<\/em> or <em>Castlevania<\/em>. It gave me <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0243017\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Waking Life;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Waking Life<\/a><\/em> vibes\u2014yes, I\u2019m old enough to make that reference\u2014and no, that\u2019s not a good thing for a series based on such a polished franchise. For a property built on light and shadow, <em><em>Deathwatch<\/em><\/em> misses the chance to experiment with something more visually daring.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When <em><em>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch<\/em><\/em> gets out of its own way and dives into the action, it delivers, offering striking and often brutal fights that are sometimes hard to watch\u2014in the best possible way. The combat feels lifted from Kolstad\u2019s live-action work on <em>John Wick, <\/em>with clever gunplay and vicious hand-to-hand choreography. The animation team captures the weight and impact of every strike, making viewers wince when knives connect and bullets find their mark. These moments are genuinely thrilling and hint at what the series could have been with a sharper focus.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series Review\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"517\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/606deyLqmklZ5Sf2T9UV6A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUxNztjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cg_magazine_431\/9b01f934cf1f808a7d1101070fde77dc\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series Review<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Having said all that, and while I appreciate what the show brings to the screen, I can\u2019t help but feel it\u2019s oddly disconnected from what made <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/netflix-exposes-splinter-cell-deathwatch-145406721.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Splinter Cell;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Splinter Cell<\/a><\/em> so engaging and endearing. The stealth gameplay rewarded patience and tactical thinking, but the series opens with one strong stealth sequence before abandoning that approach for standard spy-thriller action. The rest of the season gets bogged down in middling subplots and villain monologues that drain tension rather than build it, with much of the later action favouring direct conflict over the patient, meticulous stealth the character is known for. That\u2019s not to say it\u2019s bad\u2014it just misses the point of the series in a noticeable way.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cWhen <em><em>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch<\/em><\/em> gets out of its own way and dives into the action, it delivers, offering striking and often brutal fights that are sometimes hard to watch\u2014in the best possible way.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">McKenna, voiced by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, brings a welcome dynamic to the series. Her blunt, aggressive approach contrasts well with Fisher\u2019s calculated methods. The partnership between old and new operatives works, even if the supporting cast around them feels generic. Diana and Charlie Shetland never quite rise to the level of memorable antagonists, and their motivations feel borrowed from every other power-hungry villain story.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Kolstad\u2019s script leans too heavily on familiar beats. Remove Fisher and the night-vision goggles, and you\u2019re left with a conspiracy narrative that could fit almost any spy franchise with minimal changes. Fans starved for <em>Splinter Cell<\/em> content will find enough here to scratch that itch, but the series lacks the distinctive identity that helped the games become cult classics.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series Review\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"517\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Kl5TvpXNgVWm4ULn8cQAvQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUxNztjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/cg_magazine_431\/99c820255bc2746db836390714ce1a3d\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Series Review<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch<\/em> falls into the same trap as other video game adaptations, such as <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cgmagonline.com\/review\/tv-series\/halo-2022-series-review\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Halo;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Halo<\/a><\/em> and <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cgmagonline.com\/review\/movie\/resident-evil-welcome-to-raccoon-city-review\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Resident Evil;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Resident Evil<\/a><\/em>, borrowing recognizable elements without capturing what made the source material special. I would have much preferred the same attention given to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cgmagonline.com\/review\/tv-series\/castlevania-nocturne-season-1-review\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Castlevania;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>Castlevania<\/em> <\/a>or <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/articles\/devil-may-cry-season-1-142216316.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Devil May Cry;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Devil May Cry<\/a><\/em>\u2014staying true to the core of the franchise while offering fresh, distinctive takes on its characters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Splinter Cell: Deathwatch<\/em> is a solid action thriller that happens to feature Sam Fisher\u2014and that\u2019s okay. The series captures some of the tense spy moments we\u2019ve come to expect from Tom Clancy properties, but never quite reaches the high notes or distinctive tone that made the <em>Splinter Cell<\/em> games so special. Strong performances and well-animated combat sequences can\u2019t make up for a generic story that never fully embraces the stealth and tension that defined the franchise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It has been a while since we last saw a dedicated Sam Fisher adventure, with Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix offering a brief taste of the character in a Netflix series. But the time has finally come for the legendary operative to come out of retirement in Splinter Cell: Deathwatch. Netflix and John Wick [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2091183,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[352080,344712,374012,325227,343128,394375,23191,53647,352078,352077],"class_list":["post-2091182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-deathwatch","tag-derek-kolstad","tag-douglas-shetland","tag-john-wick","tag-liev-schreiber","tag-michael-ironside","tag-netflix","tag-netflix-series","tag-sam-fisher","tag-splinter-cell"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Splinter-Cell-Deathwatch-Series-Review.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2091182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2091182"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2091182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2091184,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2091182\/revisions\/2091184"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2091183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2091182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2091182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2091182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}