Watch The Looming Tower

The Looming Tower is an American political drama television series that premiered on Hulu in 2018. The show is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name written by Lawrence Wright, which explores the events leading up to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The series follows the complex and often strained relationship between the FBI and CIA in the late 1990s, during which time they were tracking the rise of Osama bin Laden and his terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda. The show takes a deep dive into the internal struggles and power struggles between the two agencies, with a focus on the characters involved on both sides.

The lead character is John O'Neill, played by Jeff Daniels, who is the head of the FBI's New York City counter-terrorism unit. O'Neill is depicted as a charismatic and driven agent who is determined to catch bin Laden and prevent a terrorist attack on American soil. He is frequently at odds with his superior, Martin Schmidt (Peter Sarsgaard), who is an ambitious and bureaucratic CIA officer. Schmidt is focused on collecting intelligence on Al-Qaeda, rather than taking direct action against them, which often puts him at odds with O'Neill.

Another key character is Ali Soufan, played by Tahar Rahim. Soufan is a Lebanese-American FBI agent who is fluent in Arabic and an expert in Middle Eastern affairs. He is initially brought into the investigation to help translate terrorist communications, but he quickly becomes a key player in the investigation due to his expertise and dedication to the case. Ali is depicted as a deeply ethical and empathetic character, who struggles with the often brutal tactics used by both the FBI and CIA in their war against terror.

The supporting cast includes Wrenn Schmidt as Diane Marsh, a CIA analyst who works closely with Schmidt and is his most trusted advisor. Bill Camp plays Robert Chesney, the chief of the FBI's International Terrorism Operations Section. Louis Cancelmi plays Vince Stuart, an FBI agent who becomes close with John O'Neill. Virginia Kull plays Kathy Shaughnessy, a journalist who has a close working relationship with O'Neill. Ella Rae Peck plays Heather, a young CIA officer who assists Schmidt in his work. Sullivan Jones plays Floyd Bennet, Soufan's FBI partner who is also fluent in Arabic. Michael Stuhlbarg plays Richard Clarke, a top White House official who advises President Clinton on counter-terrorism.

The Looming Tower is a well-crafted and gripping series, with excellent production values and strong performances from its cast. The show does an excellent job of exploring the complex issues surrounding the 9/11 attacks, including the failures of the intelligence community to work together effectively, the ethical dilemmas faced by agents working in counter-terrorism, and the human toll of terrorism on both victims and perpetrators. The show also includes many real-life characters and events, giving viewers a sense of the history and context of the events leading up to 9/11.

Overall, The Looming Tower is a must-watch for fans of political dramas and anyone interested in the history of terrorism and the intelligence community in the United States. The show is a sobering reminder of the reality of terrorism and the sacrifices made by those who work to prevent it.

The Looming Tower is a series that ran for 1 seasons (10 episodes) between February 28, 2018 and on Hulu