As the first quarter of school comes to a close, I know what you’re thinking… I need a new show to binge watch. Well, have I got a show for you.

Quantico is aptly named for the Marine base in Virginia where potential agents are trained. This TV drama has everything: intense fight scenes, betrayals, a hint of romance, and of course, plenty of FBI agents.

The show opens with FBI Special Agent Alex Parrish in the rubble of a building blown up by a terrorist attack. Alex is presumed to be the terrorist and is taken into custody by the FBI. With the evidence she gathers, she realizes the terrorist must be one of her classmates from Quantico and takes it on herself to prove she is not guilty, which sets her on the path to find out who is. Along the way she will have to question everyone whom she trusts most within the walls of the FBI.

One of the things that sets Quantico apart is that the show follows two different timelines. One starts as the trainees arrive at the base and follows their rigorous training. The other starts as Alex Parrish wakes up in the rubble of a recently bombed New York building.

The cast of the show is relatively unknown.  Priyanka Chopra, who plays Alex, has an impressive filmography, often acting in movies produced in India. Jake McLaughlin plays Ryan Booth, a trainee in Alex’s class who happens to be her friend and possible love interest. McLaughlin was in the movies Safe House, Warrior, and In the Valley of Elah. Personally, I enjoy the fact that there are no instantly recognizable faces. I find it helps the characters feel more distinctive.

There are hundreds of crime shows on TV. From Criminal Minds to NCIS to Lie to Me, there is no shortage of shows available for you to get your fix of watching the bad guys being taken down. Quantico, however, takes a different approach. Quantico is more heavily centered on the difficult training of becoming an FBI Special Agent, how a badge can give power to those who least deserve it, and how corrupt, powerful government agencies can become.

One issue many have with action-packed shows is that the characters are often boring or extremely unrealistic. This is where Quantico excels. Instead of portraying agents as the ultimate heroes (tough, smart, moral) or at the opposite end of the spectrum (weak, manipulative, corrupt), Quantico gives every character positive and negative qualities.  This leads to characters that are surprising and who react in ways they should be both proud and ashamed of. As an English teacher would say, they are very dynamic.

I would give Quantico a commendable 4/5 for being a show that has unique and varied characters, never slows down, and is wholly unpredictable. I would very much recommend it to fans of TV shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Hannibal, or Criminal Minds.

After reading about the wonder that is Quantico, you’ll be happy to hear that the whole first season is currently on Netflix and Hulu, and if you want to watch season 2 there is a new episode every Sunday at 9 pm on ABC.